'Star Trek' Star Popped for DUI

"Star Trek" star Avery Brooks was busted for DUI ... TMZ has learned.

63-year-old Brooks -- who played Benjamin Sisko on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" -- was arrested Sunday in Wilton, Connecticut after someone complained he was driving erratically.

Cops pulled Brooks over and after a sobriety test he was arrested for DUI.

If convicted, Brooks could get 6 months in the pokey, although in most states first-time offenders end up with probation -- and as far as we know Brooks has no priors.

A rep for Brooks has no comment.

source: TMZ

Top 10 Problems to Avoid When Looking for a Guitar Instructor

Many new students will look for the cheapest, or most expensive teacher, or will try to match their style of music to their teacher's style or specialization. Most guitar players base their decision on either price, or skill level, or what style of music the teacher likes or which style they specialize in teaching.

All those things ARE important, but they're really not the best guidelines to follow when you want to find the best teacher for you. If you make the wrong decision choosing a guitar teacher, you will unquestionably waste a lot of time, a lot of money, and a lot of effort. In fact, I spend a lot of my time "correcting" problems and wrong beliefs that my students have gotten from other guitar teachers in the past.

Here is a list of the most important things you need to know before you get a guitar teacher: The teacher doesn’t really CARE about you as a person. Most guitar teachers just ask a few questions like "What kind of music do you like," "What can you play right now," "What song do you want to learn," and then just start teaching without any other information about you. This is a big problem because then they’re just teaching on auto-pilot and won’t really put all their effort into helping you get the biggest results possible. Be sure your teacher tries to be at least a little more like a friend to you, rather than say "Here’s some information, kid. Learn it, and go home.

2. The teacher is burned out from too much teaching. This is a big problem, which makes the first issue above even worse. When the teacher doesn't care, it's most likely because he or she just has too many students to handle. The problem with most teachers is they don’t have an effective system to teach a large number of students. I personally know teachers that have over a hundred students, yet still have plenty of time to enjoy their evenings and weekends. Ask your teacher how many hours they teach during the week, and you will know from what they tell you whether they are burned out or not.

3. The teacher doesn’t know your short-term and long-term goals. This issue is pretty obvious, because really, how can you learn to play guitar how you want if the teacher doesn’t even know what you want from learning and playing guitar? They might teach you all sorts of great stuff, but how do they know whether it’s actually relevant to what YOU want to be able to do as a guitar player? The teacher MUST know your goals, and should have effective strategies to help you reach those goals as quickly as possible.

4. The teacher doesn’t have a way to track your progress. You WILL notice some improvement even if it's not being measured. However, tracking progress in ALL areas of your guitar playing is important, because sometimes you will make more progress in some areas than others. For example, you might build speed very quickly, but your improvising or songwriting skills may not be getting better at all. Having an effective system to track your progress is going to help find weaknesses in your playing, and/or weaknesses in your practicing habits, and/or weaknesses in the teaching methods.

5. The teacher teaches straight from a book. Okay, I admit that sometimes I teach things out of a book. However, that’s by no means the only thing I do, and should definitely not be what your teacher should be doing. Books are fine, but the only thing they offer is information, AND everything is always presented in the exact same order. This is a big problem because no two students are the exact same, so teaching them the same things in the same order may help one, but not the other! The order in which things are taught plays a big part in reaching your goals in the least amount of time! So, it’s fine if your teacher pulls things out of a book, but there should be much more than just book-reading going on in your lessons.

6. The teacher keeps teaching you new things, all the time. One of the biggest misconceptions about teachers and teaching is that we are only here to pass along new information to you. That is totally, absolutely wrong, and will in fact hurt your progress more than help you. New information feeds our brains temporarily with cool ideas, but it also poses problems. You may not be ready for the information, and will open up a whole new set of questions and divert you from your path to reaching your goals in the fastest way. You need to take the time to go through a special process to actually be able to use the skills you learn in your guitar playing, your songwriting, your improvising…or you may learn things and even master things without even ever being able to use them! That means you won't really have learned anything at all! This concept is illustrated by the quote "Knowledge is not power, but rather application of knowledge is power."

7. The tuition for lessons is surprisingly low. Most of the time, when a teacher charges a very small sum for his or her services, it generally means that teacher is inexperienced. Just like with everything else, you get what you pay for. As you can probably tell by now, all teachers are not alike. If your teacher is cheap, then just like fast-food, your lessons will be lacking in substance, flavor, and nutrients. You want to be sure that you’re getting the value for your money, but you can tell if you are by being aware of the other problems I have already mentioned. You may spend less money per lesson, but actually in the long-run you would spend MORE money to learn what another teacher who is better can help you learn in less time. Like I said before, I have to "fix" $10 guitar lessons.

8. The teacher doesn’t have testimonials from his or her students. This is low on the list because some teachers don’t actually know that this is important. That’s okay because you can simply ask the teacher for references of either music stores they’ve taught in, or their previous or current students to ask whether they are a good teacher. Getting another person's opinion on a teacher is very important!

9. The teacher hasn’t written any music. Your teacher doesn’t have to be a virtuoso to get you serious results. But they DO need to know how to write music. Sure, they can probably give you a few tips, but if you want to be able to write your own music, your teacher needs to know how to do that before they can help you! Try to see if you can find sample music by your teacher, or ask him to play a song they’ve written for you. Again, they don’t have to be the best guitar player in the world (though it helps!) but they should be able to do more than just play cover songs.

10. The teacher is self-taught or hasn’t gotten serious training. If your teacher hasn’t had a really good teacher to show them not only how to play guitar correctly, but also how to teach, then you may end up with some very serious problems. Like many of the free things you find on the internet, you could learn things that are totally wrong, or at least not very effective. Your teacher doesn’t have to have a music degree, but they do need real, professional education from a great guitar teacher. Actually, most teachers never even learn "how to teach guitar," so they learn entirely from a long time of personal experience.

Now that you know the top 10 problems with choosing a guitar teacher, you will have a template for which to choose a good teacher that is right for you. If you agree with the points mentioned above, then you and I are probably a good fit together, because I don’t make any of the mistakes above. Go to San Diego Guitar Lessons and and get a FREE private guitar lesson today!

Matteo Miller-Nicolato writes Progressive Punk-Metal-Jazz Fusion music and teaches guitar in San Diego, CA. Currently he is collaborating with several other musicians from around the world to develop a compilation CD to be distributed worldwide. He is also recording his first professional record to be released in 2012.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

San Francisco airport unveils yoga room for travelers

Just cleared airport security and in need of a little deep breathing and stretching relaxation?

San Francisco Airport has opened what it calls a first of its kind yoga room, and while it's not quite a mountaintop in Tibet, airport officials say the low lights, and soothing blue walls aim to afford travelers, stressed out or sanguine, an oasis of calm in which to flex, twist and decompress.

"As far as we know it's the first (yoga room) at an airport anywhere in the world," said Michael C. McCarron, director of community affairs for the airport.

He said the idea for the room, in the newly refurbished Terminal 2, came from a passenger suggestion at an open house. It joins the Berman reflection room, a space intended for silence and meditation located before Terminal 2 security.

Airport Director John L. Martin called the room, which opened last week, "another leap forward in providing our travelers the opportunity and space to relax and decompress on their own terms."

The architects, Gensler Design, set the lights low and warm in contrast to the light, bright concourse, according to a statement, and a floating wall was constructed to symbolize "a buoyant spirit and enlightened mind."

Large felt-constructed rocks will be installed in the Spring in a nod to the Zen gardens of Japan.

John Walsh, duty manager at San Francisco Airport, said the room is already attracting its share of travelling yogis, many equipped with their own props.

"I've seen people using it. They do yoga," Walsh said. "We have mats, but some people actually bring their own." There are also folding chairs, popular in many senior yoga sessions. So far there are no plans to hold classes.

Located just past security, it's a particular draw for people with time to kill before their flight, Walsh said.

Santa Monica-based yoga teacher Tamal Dodge believes the yoga room at the airport will be the first of many yoga spaces to be attached to airports and public transportation venues.

"How amazing will it be to stretch out and meditate before you get on a plane for a 12-hour flight," said Dodge, who is featured in the "Element: Hatha & Flow Yoga for Beginners" DVD.

"You are now given the opportunity to really relax and prepare your body for something as taxing as sitting in an airplane seat for hours on end," he said.

Airport yogis are directed to their room by the usual method–the pictograph: this one of a figure seated in full lotus position. –Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Jack Tips, ‘naturopathic’ doctor, wants to help the body heal itself

I don’t want to work with conventional medicine, pharmacological drugs and insurance companies,” said Jack Tips, a naturopathic doctor. “They have an agenda to keep people on drugs and dictate to doctors what treatments are supposedly right for the individual.”

Tips is known for his work in the natural health field through his private consultations, lectures and books.

“From the natural health perspective, each person is biochemically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually individual; and must be treated accordingly,” he said. “This is why natural health is a creative engagement with the individual’s vitality, rather than a standardized process.”

Tips advocates methods of health restoration by using the body’s own capacity to express optimal health. He does this through a combination of homeopathy, nutritional and herbal supplements and diet guidelines.

Eyes

Based in Austin, Texas, Tips recently visited Manila to give a talk on approaches to natural healing.

His lecture was organized by the Comprehensive Iridology Practitioners Association of the Philippines (Cipap), the members of whom include graduates of the advanced course on Comprehensive Iridology of the International Iridology Practitioners Association based in the US.

A sclerologist himself, Tips explained that both sclerology and iridology are methods of diagnosing a person’s health by looking at patterns and colors of the sclera (white part of the eye) and iris (colored part of the eye).

Cells need energy

Tips’ talk featured the topic of cellular healing and how to restore and improve health by addressing the causes (instead of just symptoms) on the cellular level.

Cells use ATP (adenosinetriphosphate), which is produced by the body, to transport chemical energy for metabolism. “Poor health is the result of diminished ATP production within the cells. The goal is to restore energy to the cells so the cells can perform optimally.”

“When the cells have energy to spare, they repair their own genetic code and thus tissue function can improve dramatically.

“There are many supplements that help people daily—ionic minerals, omega-three fatty acids, vitamin D, ubiquinol. Supplementation is done to apply nutrients to address the key ‘points of leverage’ that interfere with the body’s desire to restore its health to the most optimal expression.

“In health, energy is everything, not vitamins, minerals, enzyme, anti-oxidants, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, or any other nutritional commodity, and certainly not any drug that causes side effects,” said Tips.

Homeopathy

Tips was sickly as a child. His mother brought him to homeopaths who helped cure his ailments. He started studying “the tools and principles of natural health including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes and herbs.”

He took formal studies with different experts in the fields of diet, naturopathy, tissue-mineral ratios, kinesiology, among others. He is a certified clinical nutritionist and has doctorates in clinical nutrition and naturopathy.

“The principle involved in homeopathy is ‘like cures like,’” he says. “The law of similars states that a remedy can cure a disease if it produces in a healthy person symptoms similar to those of the disease.

“Symptoms that we experience are what our bodies do to overcome perceived threats to its integrity. Thus it uses fever, diarrhea, coughs, vomiting, headaches, discharges, eruptions, etc. to help restore health.

“No one knows better than the body how to heal itself. Homeopathy elicits a pathway for the body’s own adaptive resources to correct its expressions of discomfort.

“The classical homeopath never ‘treats a disease’ but only helps the person’s innate vitality to correct the cause, and thus the effects, of any discomfort; the homeopath is a specialist in how the body’s ‘vital force’ struggles to adapt and survive.”

Cipap organizes talks on iridology and other natural health topics that are open to the public. E-mail admin@cipap.org; tel. 0920-9073075; visit www.cipap.org.

source: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/32935/jack-tips-naturopathic-doctor-wants-to-help-the-body-heal-itself

Another ‘American Idol’ alum heading to Broadway

NEW YORK— A former “American Idol” finalist is heading to Broadway with a character who, it’s safe to say, is truly two-faced.

Constantine Maroulis will play the title dual role in a revival of the musical “Jekyll & Hyde” that’s slated to come to New York in spring 2013 after a 25-week national tour that starts in San Diego on Oct. 2.

The Tony Award nominated musical features a story and lyrics by two-time Oscar winner Leslie Bricusse and music by Frank Wildhorn. It’ll be directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun.

The musical made its Broadway debut in 1997 with such songs as “This is the Moment,” ”A New Life” and “Someone Like You,” earning four Tony nominations. Robert Cuccioli played the lead, and Sebastian Bach and David Hasselhoff later took over.

source: http://entertainment.inquirer.net/28623/another-american-idol-alum-heading-to-broadway

Demi Moore 911 Tape Whip-It References Redacted

The L.A. City Attorney recommended that all references to whip-its be redacted from the Demi Moore 911 tape -- and the recommendation was followed ... TMZ has learned.

Sources tell us ... the Deputy City Attorney assigned to the case heard references to whip-its and felt it would be an invasion of privacy if that information was released to the public -- so it was cut out of the tape, along with specific references to other drugs.

TMZ broke the story ... paramedics on scene were told Demi had used whip-its to inhale nitrous oxide just before she lapsed into semi-consciousness and exhibited seizure-like symptoms.

Now we know the person who called 911 also told the dispatcher about the whip-its.

source: TMZ

Four Benefits Of Charge Card Consolidation Monetary Loans

Charge card consolidation financial loans have grown to be a well known technique to manage debt. These loan providers run numerous ads that concentrate on remarkable capability to lessen monthly obligations. You will find truly multiple great things about this kind of debt consolidation reduction to think about which include this decrease in payment. If you are looking for a method to take proper care of your financial troubles, this may be the best answer for you personally.

Lower Obligations

Consolidation financial loans pull all your different monetary loans together to decrease your price monthly. These companies assistance to lower the total amount that you have to pay monthly. Consolidated monetary loans allow you to reduce your charge card obligations monthly. This may make consolidation perfect for individuals who're battling to satisfy the total quantity for present charge card bills. The monetary loans allow it to be easier for individuals indebted to budget their, as they'll be getting to spend much less toward their debt per spend period.

A Single Payment

It may be confusing to pay for numerous charge card companies monthly. It may be confusing to help keep an eye on them you have compensated, and also the cards which you merely haven't compensated. Consolidation monetary loans bring your obligations into a single payment. You'll be getting to pay the consolidation business. The corporation is going to be having to pay the charge card bills for you personally. You no much more need to keep an eye on monthly obligations.

Having to spend Promptly

The only payment with the consolidated loan also permits you to spend your credit bills promptly. It may be easier to help keep an eye on your debts whenever you have only 1 charge card debt bill. You're in a position to strategy for your payment simpler than before. You may also visualize the aim date for your payment simpler than before. The consolidated loan can make it easier that you should pay promptly. This benefit may also help you save money. Whenever you neglect to pay promptly, you will incur numerous penalties and costs. You will avoid these extra expenses and monetary obligations having a loan consolidation.

Capability to Launch a Checking Account

You'll have some cash remaining, each month, which was utilized toward your charge card bills. It may be simple to earmark these funds for investing. You ought to become thinking about your finances in cases like this, nevertheless, and really should location the cash toward a checking account. This additional cash will help you to quit you from requiring to make use of a bringing together company later on.

It is essential which you should think about all your different options for managing debt. Charge card consolidation financial loans permit you to construct your debt-having to pay process simple and simple. You need to note, nevertheless, that you'll discover yourself having to spend more, with time, due to this kind of loan. Ought to you nonetheless believe that these 4 benefits will assist you to cope together with your financial troubles, you should look at this loan.

Visit us for more information on Car Loans.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

Twitter able to now selectively block tweets

SAN FRANCISCO - Twitter said Thursday that it now has the ability to block tweets from appearing in a specific country if legally required to do so.

"As we continue to grow internationally, we will enter countries that have different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression," Twitter said in a blog post.

"Some differ so much from our ideas that we will not be able to exist there," the San Francisco-based company said.

"Others are similar but, for historical or cultural reasons, restrict certain types of content, such as France or Germany, which ban pro-Nazi content," Twitter said.

Twitter said that previously, if it was required to remove messages, it could only remove them globally.

"Starting today, we give ourselves the ability to reactively withhold content from users in a specific country -- while keeping it available in the rest of the world," Twitter said.

"We haven't yet used this ability, but if and when we are required to withhold a tweet in a specific country, we will attempt to let the user know, and we will clearly mark when the content has been withheld," it said.

Twitter said it would post details of any incidents involving the removal of content to ChillingEffects.org, a public database of takedown requests.

"One of our core values as a company is to defend and respect each user’s voice," Twitter said. "We try to keep content up wherever and whenever we can, and we will be transparent with users when we can't."

China, notably, blocks Twitter, a situation which Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey described recently as "unfortunate and disappointing." — AFP

source: gmanetwork.com

"Injury Law Palm Beach" Personal Injury Lawyers: The Services They Offer

Struck badly by fate, you might find yourself suffering from an injury caused by someone’s negligence on the road or maybe even a slip & fall due to negligence on the part of a property owner. Perhaps, the incident created a great impact in your life especially if the damage caused was severe. In some instances, it could be a life changing event. On this case, you shouldn’t second guess on hiring the services of Personal Injury Lawyers. If you need legal advice and professional assistance regarding the injuries that you have suffered, then hiring Personal Injury Lawyers are a no-brainer. With their extensive experience and knowledge, they can make sure that you’re on the right path.

First things first, Personal Injury Lawyers are professional, legal representatives who specialize in injury related cases. Aside from making sure that you get the right treatment and claims that you deserve, they also make sure that you are not being deprived of your rights. Without the assistance of Personal Injury Lawyers, problems may arise on proving that you really have been hurt, be it on a physical, emotional or financial basis. And the good news is that most Personal Injury Lawyers offer their services under a no-fee contingency plan. Through this plan, you are not required to pay the necessary fees unless your lawyer has won the case.

You should be assigned a personal attorney, case manager and legal assistant. A team who will work closely with you from the very first day until the case is finally resolved. You need a lawyer who will aggressively represent you. You need an injury law firm who will call you back in a timely manner. An injury law firm who fully explains every step of the legal and medical process. It's a huge plus when your Personal Injury Lawyer is compassionate and understands your complicated situation.

For more information, please contact Brian D. Guralnick at Injury Law Offices of Brian D Guralnick, PA - Demand More at 561-616-9977 , email brianslegaltip@demandmorelawfirm.com or visit http://www.injurylawpalmbeach.com for details on a FREE CONSULTATION regarding your case. Law Offices of Brian D Guralnick:

2419 S. Dixie Highway,

West Palm Beach,

FL 33401,

Ph no: 561-616-9977

Founder of the Injury law Palm Beach Law Firm bearing his name, Brian D. Guralnick obtained his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with high honors from the University of Florida. And, went on to achieve his Juris Doctorate at the Stetson University College of Law.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

Luxurious Prada Fashionable Goods

The Italian Mario Prada established the company in 1913, the company, Fratelli Prada or in English, Prada Brothers, began by designing and creating a range of leather goods, including handbags initially from two boutiques in Milan. This was years before Prada became recognized as a major brand of fashionable goods. As the company expanded, it became more well known, creating a significant selling market with people both in Europe and America.

Quality as well as design is a hallmark of Prada, mainly using leather in its products. In addition they have procone, a black waterproof fabric plus a triangular iron logo. These features make Prada handbags easy to tell apart from others. Prada purses have a stylish appearance, being exquisitely designed and highly practical. A Prada purse is designed to last more than just a season due to its high quality workmanship, it's more than just a purse or something to fit a cell phone into - indeed a Prada purse shows that not only is the owner is classy and refined, they want others to know it too !

Excellent craftsmanship is a Prada characteristic and they pride themselves on it. As well as its established role as a leather goods outlet, Prada now produces fragrances and shoes in addition to traditional handbags and purses. Materials and designs have been constantly improved, thus making products timeless, fashionable and relevant for today.

Choosing the Best A/V Receiver and Tips on Surround Sound Systems

Home theater nowadays, a lot of homes have them. And why? It makes watching anything on TV more pleasurable and exciting! Home theater system is sure to satisfy the person looking to achieve better surround sound quality.

The two main choices in Receivers today are either a Home Theater Receiver which allows you to listen to movies in all the glory and grandeur they were meant to be listened in. Or a stereo receiver model which is more designed to blast music of all different kinds.

Generally speaking, a theater system is a better choice for TV and movie viewing, and the Multi-channel A/V Receiver should be primarily used for music.

Going with a complete home surround system is your best bet if you want to avoid trying to match up components and making your own "custom" system with different components, but if you spend a few minutes researching, you might be able to put together a home theater system more worthy of your needs.

But if you want a really nice set-up with 7 or more speakers and a sub-woofer for totally, true and amazing sound (as if you feel like you’re sitting in a movie theater), going with a more expensive receiver with more channels is your direction. More channels = more speakers = more expensive set-up.

Tips on Surround Sound Systems

Surround Sound Systems can be quite the addition to a home television room. It can take your movie experience from at home to just at the theaters. During the past ten years surround sound systems have been more popular in houses all across America. There were a few reasons why this is the case and a few things you need to know about purchasing the perfect surround sound system. There are lots of stores that carry these items now and even more store online where you can do some shopping in the comfort of your own residence.

One of the first steps when looking for a system for your TV is to measure the room. This may sound like a bizarre step but it is one of the most crucial steps when hunting out the perfect system. There are express measurements like the length of the room and the width of the room. These two measurements will work out how many speakers you will need give you full sound effect you may need and precisely where they will need to be placed in the room. I bet you did not think that creating your own movie room at home would be so specific and detailed. Don’t fret because you can now find a lot of the info you will need on the net.

When you visit stores to look for your sound system you can even see if they will come and install the system. By choosing someone to come and install the system you can ensure that all of the speakers are placed in precisely the right spot. They can also help with the positioning of the television for optimal view experience as well as hide all of the spokesperson wires so your room doesn’t look untidy. If you do decide to have somebody come in and install your spokesperson system, make sure it is someone from a reputable store and ask them some questions to ensure they know the facts about creating the best sound experience possible.

There are loads of makes of speakers and systems to choose between. Some folk now even choose to install speakers all throughout the house so that music can be piped into pretty much every room regardless of where you are working. You can do this at the same time you are installing your surround system and save a lot of money on installation.

Find another articles about The Advantages Having A Home Theater System and Become Entertained Having A DVD/Blu-ray Player.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

Staying active is all in the wrist

NEW YORK, New York – Want to be more active? An innovative wristband that tracks and measures everyday movement may just be what you need.

NIKE, Inc. President & CEO Mark Parker unveiled NIKE+ FuelBand at an event in New York attended by seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, Oklahoma City scoring champion and all-star Kevin Durant and 2011 IAAF women’s 100-meter World Champion Carmelita Jeter.

“The NIKE+ FuelBand is a way for Nike to further evolve the exciting possibilities of merging the physical and digital worlds,” said Parker. “Nike has always been about inspiring athletes, and the NIKE+ FuelBand will help motivate them in a simple, fun and intuitive way.”

Designed to be worn throughout the day, the ergonomic, user-friendly NIKE+ FuelBand uses accelerometry to provide information about different activities through movement of the wrist via a LED dot matrix display. Four metrics are available: Time, Calories, Steps and NikeFuel. Unlike calorie counts, which vary based on someone’s gender and body type, NikeFuel is a normalized score that awards equal points for the same activity regardless of physical makeup.

Users set a daily goal of how active they want to be, and how much NikeFuel they want to achieve. The NIKE+ FuelBand displays a series of 20 LED lights that go from red-to-green as the user gets closer to their goal. The FuelBand syncs with the Nike+ website through a built-in USB, or wirelessly through Bluetooth to a free iPhone app, to record activity and track progress every day. The app interface also provides encouragement and motivation as goals are achieved.

Armstrong said, “What’s great about the idea of NikeFuel and the FuelBand is the way it provides real information and numbers to show how much people are doing all day, every day. That’s what will get people challenging themselves to do more and better their own scores. It’s a tool to get people more active.”

“NikeFuel means everyone can get recognition for activities they do,” said Durant. “It provides a scoreboard for your day and gets everyone moving.”

Jeter said, “You don’t have to be an elite athlete to appreciate how NikeFuel can motivate you. It’s an easy way to get credit for activities and compare how you do with others, even if you take part in different sports.

The Nike+ Fuelband will be available to US residents for pre-order starting January 19th (5pm US Eastern Standard Time) at Nikestore.com for a suggested retail price of US$149.

To use Nike+ FuelBand, the following is needed:

A Macintosh or PC with built-in USB. Mac OS v 10.4 or later, Windows 7 or Windows Vista (SP2) or Windows XP (SP2)
Internet access. Broadband is recommended.
Optional mobile app available in the iTunes App store; for updates on compatible mobile devices, visit Nikeplus.com

source: http://technology.inquirer.net/7861/staying-active-is-all-in-the-wrist/

What a Toronto Personal Injury Lawyers Does to Help You?

The job of a Toronto personal injury lawyers is to make sure that whatever injuries and damages you face in your life should be paid accordingly.

Many people believe that it is not important to hire a lawyer, but you should know that hiring a personal injury lawyer in Toronto could easily solve your problems, to a certain extent. In case you get injured by a third party, you will need legal help to get the complete amount of compensation, or else you could become a victim of injustice. This has naturally two major advantages. The first is that you won’t have to pay any of the lawyers handling your law suit upfront. They will start preparing your case, file all that is required to be filed and do all investigations to find the proper evidence and paperwork so as to successfully represent your case in court.

Even if you’re a person who believes in peace and always tries to stay away from fights and skirmishes, there are certain situations when resisting a fight becomes almost impossible. For example, you get involved in a car accident and suffer damages and injuries due to the fault of someone else. However, if you can’t figure out who was at fault during the accident, the only person that can help you in filing the claim and represent you properly is a Toronto personal injury lawyer. One of the first people that you will encounter after you have filed a claim is the claims adjuster. The claims adjuster works to get you to sign a release of your claim for a cost that's as cheap as possible.

The job of a Toronto personal injury lawyer is to make certain that the people who dealt you bodily harm are brought to justice and are made to make the situation right. Your lawyer will file a personal injury case in court, which will be heard by a jury to reach a conclusion. Instead of fighting your case on your own, it would be better for you to hire an injury attorney to maximize your chances of winning the case. The complex language of insurance policies and the hardball tactics used by some claims adjusters can often leave you feeling that you're not getting all to which you are entitled. And, if you've been injured in an accident, there may come a time when you conclude you need more ammunition to fight your cause -- in other words, a lawyer.

A professional lawyer investigates the accident and collects the evidence in order to build a strong case. For example, if there is any kind of complication that might affect your case, your Toronto personal injury attorney will be on call to make sure the case turns out in your favor. Remember, personal injury cases are unique, therefore you need an attorney that has experience in handling these types of cases and have a good success ratio.

If you're facing any trouble in understanding or communicating with your attorney, considering hiring a new lawyer because being comfortable and confident is the key to getting through the process smoothly. You can easily find an effective personal injury lawyer in Toronto online. Simply sign up without any hassles and get connected with lawyers in a very short amount of time.

If you want a free consultation from the top personal injury lawyers in Toronto Canada , Visit the Kahler Personal Injury Law Firm Website or call 1.866.739.7702 . Remove the guesswork - they will tell you within minutes if you have a case.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

Teaching an old 'dougie' new tricks

Feeling a little hip hop recently, I tried to convince my children and their cousins that I knew who the Cali Swag District was by asking the kids to “teach me how to dougie.” Unfortunately, even though I grew up during the disco age, I can’t even successfully execute two consecutive steps of the swing, let alone the boogie. I therefore very quickly found out that alternating my shoulders back and forth and constantly passing my hands through my hair while keeping the rest of my body absolutely still is way out of my league. It was the perfect affirmation of that old adage about aging dogs learning new tricks.

My 11-year-old son likes to occasionally refer to me as his “old man.” He does so in an affectionate manner as he is still at that age where he is constantly looking for opportunities to show how similar we are to each other. Thus he would explain, for example, that he is sometimes makulit or overly persistent because “I’m just like my old man.” Be that as it may, I think that he has recently started to use the term to frame our differences more clearly and to make more definitive distinctions between our generations. Now, when I start to sing along with a song playing in the car radio, he teasingly comments that it must be an old hit from the ’60s or ’70s. He has also been asking more questions about how things were “before” or during “my time.” It’s often about trivial matters like how his favorite athletes today compare with my own boyhood idols. Sometimes, however, he surprises me with questions about political, societal, and even moral differences of the times. At the moment, I find all this generational discussions quite enjoyable as I’m primarily sharing experiences and dispensing wisdom like some sage Yoda. Alas, I realize that all good times eventually come to an end. I know that the situation is bound to change rather quickly as he moves into adolescence and early adulthood.

As kids reach puberty, they will physically begin to outgrow us. I ponder on how playing baseball with my son has changed drastically in just two short years. Just a while back, I was afraid to throw the ball directly at him lest I accidentally hurt my boy. Now, after several incidents of broken eye glasses, black eyes, bruised legs, and reproductive organs, I literally fear catching his pitches unprotected. I now wear enough protective gear to put Iron Man’s armor to shame. In the same manner, the children also experience rapid changes at the emotional and intellectual levels. Very soon, as I am slowly encountering myself, the questions that were once mostly clarificatory in nature become more critical and sound more like challenges to parental decision-making and authority. I’m not sure when exactly the right time is but parents need to learn to adapt to their children during this period of transition so that they can stay connected with them. We need to do so because they will soon no longer blindly listen to or follow everything we say anymore. I used to think that as kids get older, they need to adjust to their parents’ set ways. While everything should certainly be a two-way street, I now think, however, that it’s really the other way around. It is primarily parents who need to adapt to the changes their kids are undergoing. Of course, we still need to guide them and to mold them in the right manner. But they are not exactly like their old man (or lady). Our kids are unique individuals with their own minds and personalities which we must allow to flourish.

I must admit that it won’t be easy for me to adapt. I’m not even sure how to go about doing it. Despite my avowals for more progressive parenting, I’m really still “old school” at heart: my way or the highway. But at least I know that this dog needs to somehow learn new tricks, so to speak. Hopefully, as rapper Smoove of the Cali Swag District says, there is no right or wrong way to dougie. Each individual performs with his or her own variation. “Everybody does it different … the way you do it defines you.” Aye! Aye!

source: philstar.com

Guitar Training Software

Guitar training software is of perennial interest to guitar students of all levels. It seems as though the boredom of learning music notation and tabs plus the drudgery of long hours of guitar practice makes you wish that there were some short cuts. Or at least something that lightened the burden a little. Guitar training software can help you to learn various aspects of guitar playing but you still have to supply the time and effort.

The eMedia Guitar Method is touted as the world's best-selling CD-ROM for beginners. This software for guitar training offers more than one-hundred-and-sixty lessons showing you how to strum chords and play melodies, the basics of fingerpicking, power chords, riffs and lots more. You get split screen videos with close ups to allow you to tell what's going on with both hands when you are learning chords and picking.

The software's animated fretboard shows you the fingering for the seventy songs that are included, and you can get a view of the fretboard from different angles. You can decide whether to learn to play the guitar using tabs or sheet music notation, you can learn the songs and exercises at any tempo you want, and of course, you get a metronome and a tuner. If you find yourself stalling in your progress as a guitar player, this guitar training software will probably give you the boost you need.

Guitar 101: The Fender Method is a straightforward, user-friendly CD-ROM that will give you a solid grounding in electric guitar playing. You get thirty lessons with this software covering, theory, the basics of music, how the guitar works and separate lessons focusing on each hand. This guitar training software is aimed at the aspiring plectrum guitar player interested in playing pop and rock music. The software also has special lessons on tuning the guitar and playing against recorded rhythm tracks.

Now, guitar training software for the bass guitar student. As a beginner bass guitarist you will find Bass Fretboard Addict a great help with learning the notes on the guitar fretboard. This program allows you to use fret numbers or music notes when you practice your bass guitar and the authentic bass sound helps your ear to become accustomed to the notes as they are played on the bass. You can also use games to help you learn the notes. If you want to be the kind of bass player with a well developed ear for music, this software is for you.

Do you want to learn to play the guitar? Learn How To Play A Guitar For Free is a constantly updated blog which contains all the resources you need for: learning to play solo guitar, how to learn guitar chords, how to learn to read and play easy acoustic guitar tabs, finding a free online guitar tuner, looking for free guitar lessons online, and how to learn guitar scales.

Article Source:
http://www.articlebiz.com/article/414644-1-guitar-training-software/

Year of the Dragon roars into Asia

BEIJING - Asia welcomed the Year of the Dragon on Monday with a cacophony of fireworks, hoping the mightiest sign in the Chinese zodiac will usher in the wealth and power it represents.

From Malaysia to South Korea, millions of people traveled huge distances to reunite with their families for Lunar New Year -- the most important holiday of the year for many in Asia -- indulging in feasts or watching dragon dances.

As the clock hit midnight, Beijing's skyline lit up with color as families across the Chinese capital set off boxes and boxes of fireworks to ward off evil spirits in the new year -- a scene repeated across the country.

Those living in the Philippines, meanwhile, were able to sleep in on Monday after the Lunar New Year became an official holiday for the first time, despite objections from some in the business community.

The dragon is the most favorable and revered sign in the 12-year Chinese zodiac -- a symbol of royalty, fortune and power that is also used in other cultures that see in the Lunar New Year, such as in Vietnam.

As such, hospitals across China and in Chinese communities are bracing for a baby boom as couples try to have a child this year.

Nannies in Beijing and neighboring Tianjin are charging more in 2012, and the beds in the capital's Maternity Hospital are all booked up until August, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong even took advantage of the Dragon to call on the country's residents to boost a stubbornly low birth rate, in an attempt to reduce the government's heavy reliance on foreign workers.

"I fervently hope that this year will be a big Dragon Year for babies... This is critical to preserve a Singapore core in our society," he said in his new year message.

But in Hong Kong, where tens of thousands of pregnant mainlanders come to give birth every year to gain residency rights for their babies, the Dragon may not prove such a boon as it could exacerbate problems such as limited beds and soaring delivery costs.

And according to some astrologers and geomancers, the Dragon may bring natural disasters and financial volatility to an already destabilized world.

Hong Kong feng shui master Anthony Cheng warned a "scandalous corruption case" would rock China in the second half of 2012, and also said high-ranking Chinese officials would be forced to step down, thrown behind bars or even die.

But people across Asia disregarded the doomsday predictions over the holiday, preferring to feast and celebrate with their families, and pray at temples or pagodas.

Highways in Malaysia, where 25 percent of the population is ethnic Chinese, were clogged at the weekend while the capital Kuala Lumpur became almost deserted as people traveled home.

In South Korea, which also celebrates the Lunar New Year, more than half of the entire population -- or some 31 million people -- took to roads, railways and planes for the holiday.

But stores in the capital Seoul -- normally quiet at this time of year -- bustled with activity as tens of thousands of tourists from China swamped major shopping areas to spend an expected 100 billion won ($88 million) in January.

"I feel like I'm walking on the street in China. There are so many of them," Park Eun-Yong, a South Korean college student, told AFP. — Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com

Chinese Astrology- Love Compatibility

There is a lot that your astrological sign can tell you about your love compatibility! Discovering this useful information can help you pick the right partners and take meaningful decisions.

Chinese astrology is a popular system that can reveal a lot about your innate nature as well as your partner’s (based on the sign you fall under). Historical records reveal that Chinese astrology and the zodiac signs are derived from the lunar cycle and the zodiac sign of a person is determined by his birth year.

The Chinese Zodiac Signs

There are twelve signs in the Chinese calendar:

Rat
Ox
Tiger
Rabbit
Dragon
Snake
Horse
Sheep/Goat
Monkey
Rooster
Dog
Boar



These signs are believed to run in a cycle, so every twelve years the cycle commences all over again. People who are born in the same year share certain characteristics and personality, and reading through information about their character makes it easy for them to predict their love compatibility.

Which Are The Most Compatible Chinese Astrology Signs?

There is no denying that while the union of certain signs can be beautiful, others can be a total disaster. Hence, it’s important to check whether you are compatible with a person before dating him or considering him as a life partner.

The Soul Mates

Given below are the best matches for the twelve signs. Such partnering is made in heaven:

Horse – Goat
Snake – Monkey
Dragon – Rooster
Rabbit – Dog
Tiger – Pig
Rat – Ox



Dragon and dog make an incompatible couple as they are continually at odds with one another and prefer doing things their own way. The Rooster and dog encounter friction since neither agrees with the other. The monkey and the tiger have a hard time tolerating each other because of their opposing outlooks. There is also an open hostility found between the snake and the tiger.

Karmic Friction
Dog – Rooster
Rat – Goat
Ox – Horse
Tiger – Snake
Rabbit – Dragon
Monkey – Pig



According to the Law of attraction, certain souls try to seek each other out and nothing (neither creed, nor caste, nor race) can deflect their karmic connections. Rendezvous are made and they convene from one life to the next. But these meetings are not easily possible. We too have to keep our minds and hearts open. Following the compatibles, laid down by Chinese astrology, it becomes easy to meet people with character traits that are compatible with ours. However, at no point should we construe that the signs are the only factor that affects our compatibility; there are several other factors which we discover as we read on about this historic Chinese system.

Through Chinese astrology you can find a great deal about yourself and your partner. It’s best to consult the Chinese Zodiac signs before choosing your life partner.

Article Source:
http://www.articlebiz.com/article/1051485991-1-chinese-astrology-love-compatibility/

Feds shut down file-sharing website

McLEAN, Virginia (AP) — One of the world's largest file-sharing sites was shut down Thursday, and its founder and several company executives were charged with violating piracy laws, federal prosecutors said.

An indictment accuses Megaupload.com of costing copyright holders more than $500 million in lost revenue from pirated films and other content. The indictment was unsealed one day after websites including Wikipedia and Craigslist shut down in protest of two congressional proposals intended to thwart online piracy.

The Justice Department said in a statement said that Kim Dotcom, formerly known as Kim Schmitz, and three other executives were arrested Thursday in New Zealand at the request of U.S. officials. Two other defendants are at large.

Megaupload was unique not only because of its massive size and the volume of downloaded content, but also because it had high-profile support from celebrities, musicians and other content producers who are most often the victims of copyright infringement and piracy. Before the website was taken down, it contained endorsements from Kim Kardashian, Alicia Keys and Kanye West, among others.

The Hong Kong-based company listed Swizz Beatz, a musician who married Keys in 2010, as its CEO. He was not named in the indictment and declined to comment through a representative.

Before the site was taken down, it posted a statement saying allegations that it facilitated massive breaches of copyright laws were "grotesquely overblown."

"The fact is that the vast majority of Mega's Internet traffic is legitimate, and we are here to stay. If the content industry would like to take advantage of our popularity, we are happy to enter into a dialogue. We have some good ideas. Please get in touch," the statement said.

The site boasted 150 million registered users.

A lawyer who represented the company in a lawsuit last year declined comment Thursday.

Megaupload is considered a "cyberlocker," in which users can upload and transfer files that are too large to send by email. Such sites can have perfectly legitimate uses. But the Motion Picture Association of America, which has campaigned for a crackdown on piracy, estimated that the vast majority of content being shared on Megaupload was in violation of copyright laws.

The website allowed users to download films, TV shows, games, music and other content for free, but made money by charging subscriptions to people who wanted access to faster download speeds or extra content. The website also sold advertising.

The indictment was returned in the Eastern District of Virginia, which claimed jurisdiction in part because some of the alleged pirated materials were hosted on leased servers in Ashburn, Virginia.

Dotcom, a resident of both Hong Kong and New Zealand, and a dual citizen of Finland and Germany, made more than $42 million from the conspiracy in 2010 alone, according to the indictment.

Dotcom is founder, former CEO and current chief innovation officer of Megaupload.

source: philstar.com

Etta James Dead at 73

Legendary R&B singer Etta James -- famous for her hit songs "At Last" and "Something's Got a Hold on Me" -- has died.

The singer -- whose health was on a rapid decline the last few years -- was diagnosed with leukemia in 2010. She also suffered from dementia and Hepatitis C.

Her live-in doctor announced the singer was "terminally ill" last month, after her leukemia was declared incurable.

Etta died at a hospital in Riverside, California ... her manager confirmed.

She won 6 Grammys in her lifetime -- including Best Jazz Vocal Performance in 1994 -- and was voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

And how cool is this? Etta's in the top 10 right now -- Flo Rida heavily samples her on his hit, "Good Feeling." Etta was 73.

source: TMZ

Apple Introduced iBooks 2 - Reinventing Textbooks

Apple Inc. held an event at Guggenheim museum in New York and the event was focused on education. The company’s number one initiative: "Reinventing the Textbook", said SVP of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller.

Apple introduced iBooks 2 with their addition of electronic textbooks for purchase. Students will get to interact with their textbooks in a fully new way with iBooks 2.


Phil Schiller introduced tools to craft digital textbooks and he showed how authors as well as teachers can create books for students.

Protests lead to weakening support for Protect IP, SOPA

An unprecedented online protest against a Hollywood-backed copyright bill may be working: some of its previous supporters in the U.S. Congress are backing down.

The protest, which included a Wikipedia blackout and home page alerts at Google.com and Amazon.com, has prompted some senators contacted by CNET today to abandon their earlier enthusiasm for Protect IP and the Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA. A Senate floor vote on Protect IP is scheduled for January 24.

"I'm withdrawing my co-sponsorship for the Protect IP Act," said Sen. Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican.

Sen. John Boozman, an Arkansas Republican, "will be withdrawing his name as a co-sponsor" of Protect IP, a spokesman told CNET today. Fellow Protect IP co-sponsor Sen. James Risch, an Idaho Republican, said today that he wants "more time to re-examine the legislation before going to a vote" and has asked staff for a detailed briefing, a spokesman said.

And Sen. Orrin Hatch, the Utah Republican who has long been a close ally of Hollywood on copyright and is up for re-election this year, said on Twitter that "I will not only vote against moving the bill forward next week but also remove my co-sponsorship of the bill." Hatch's volte face is notable because of his enthusiasm for similar measures in the past: once proposed that copyright holders should be allowed to remotely destroy the computers of music pirates and tried to outlaw peer-to-peer networks through his Induce Act.

In the House of Representatives, where the similar Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA, will be voted on in a committee next month, support also appears to be weakening.




Rep. John Carter, a Texas Republican who is listed as a SOPA sponsor, "reserves judgment on the final bill," a spokesman told CNET today. "He's certainly not saying pass the bill as-is -- there are legitimate concerns in this bill." SOPA sponsor Tim Griffin, an Arkansas Republican, now says: "I will not support a bill unless my constituents are comfortable with it."

Wikipedia's English-language pages went completely black last night with a splash page saying "the U.S. Congress is considering legislation that could fatally damage the free and open Internet" and suggesting that readers contact members of Congress. The blackout is intended to coincide with next week's Senate floor vote on Protect IP and a committee vote scheduled on the House version, called the Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA. (See CNET's FAQ on the topic.)

The home pages of Craigslist and Google feature exhortations to contact members of Congress and urge them to vote against the Stop Online Piracy Act and the Senate version called Protect IP. Amazon.com and Yahoo's Flickr have also joined in. (Craiglist's snarky note: "Corporate paymasters, KEEP THOSE CLAMMY HANDS OFF THE INTERNET!")

New York senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, both Democrats who are Protect IP sponsors, sent CNET a joint statement saying: "While the threat to tens of thousands of New York jobs due to online piracy is real and must be addressed, it must be done in a way that allows the Internet and our tech companies to continue to flourish." They said they believe "both sides can come together on a solution that satisfies their respective concerns."

A spokeswoman for Protect IP sponsor Sen. Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, said the volume of phone calls today has been "significant." Cardin, who previously said he couldn't vote for the measure in its most recent form, is remaining a co-sponsor "so that he can actively participate in fixing flaws in the current bill," she said.

Even some members of Congress who are remaining as sponsors are now doing so with markedly less enthusiasm.

"I'm hearing from South Dakotans on both sides of the issue," said Sen. Tim Johnson, a Democrat. "I've cosponsored the bill and plan to support cloture so we can continue the debate in a reasonable fashion. I will also be reaching out to Chairman Leahy and asking him to refine the bill and work with stakeholders to ensure their concerns are heard as we move forward."

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, a New Mexico Democrat, will remain a cosponsor. He'll vote to override a promised filibuster from Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, so "the bill can be debated and improved."

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Florida Democrat, said through her press secretary that she's "open to the final version changing and thinks everyone should come to the table and find a compromise." But she remains committed to being a SOPA co-sponsor.

A spokesman for SOPA sponsor Rep. Lee Terry, a Nebraska Republican, told the Omaha World-Herald that SOPA isn't the solution. And Rep. Ben Quayle, an Arizona Republican yesterday had his name removed from the official SOPA sponsor list.

Among the other Web sites that, in one way or another, have joined the blackout: Metafilter, the Consumer Electronics Association, BoingBoing, OpenDNS, WordPress, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the Internet's most popular dinosaur comic strip. Some physical protests are also planned.







SOPA, of course, represents the latest effort from the Motion Picture Association of America, the Recording Industry Association of America, and their allies to counter what they view as rampant piracy on the Internet, especially offshore Web sites. It would allow the Justice Department to obtain an order to be served on search engines, Internet service providers, and other companies, forcing them to make a suspected piratical Web site effectively vanish. It's opposed (PDF) by many Internet companies, users, and civil liberties groups.

Sen. Blunt, who withdrew his support today, also said: "Upon passage of this bill through committee, Senate Judiciary Republicans strongly stated that there were substantive issues in this legislation that had to be addressed before it moved forward. I agree with that sentiment. But unfortunately, Senate Leader Harry Reid is pushing forward with legislation that is deeply flawed and still needs much work."

Sen. Boozman added in a Facebook post that: "We should not rush to pass this bill, rather we should be working to find another solution so that the epidemic of online piracy is addressed in a manner that ensures innovation and free speech is protected."

In one early sign that the blackouts and protests would have an effect, the MPAA yesterday characterized them as "stunts." The group's chairman, Chris Dodd, took a thinly veiled swipe at Wikipedia by denouncing the protests as "an irresponsible response and a disservice to people who rely on [the sites] for information and [who] use their services." News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch took to Twitter to offer similar thoughts.


source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57361237-281/protests-lead-to-weakening-support-for-protect-ip-sopa/?tag=mncol;4n

Facebook's Zuckerberg joins opposition to US ‘censorship’ bill

No less than the head of the world’s biggest social networking site has joined the opposition against pending bills in the United States that several groups said may censor the Internet.

Mark Zuckerberg said the Internet is the most powerful tool for an open and connected world, and should not be curbed because of “poorly thought-out laws.”

“The Internet is the most powerful tool we have for creating a more open and connected world. We can’t let poorly thought out laws get in the way of the internet’s development,” Zuckerberg said in a post on his Facebook account.

He added Facebook, which has 800 million members, opposes the US Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect-IP Act (PIPA), and will “continue to oppose any laws that will hurt the Internet.”

Zuckerberg said Facebook has been working with political leaders who are pro-Internet on “better alternatives to these current proposals.”

“I encourage you to learn more about these issues and tell your congressmen that you want them to be pro-Internet,” he said.

As of 7.58 a.m. Manila time, Zuckerberg’s post had gained 373,369 likes and was shared 72,412 times.

Facebook said that while it takes online piracy and copyright infringement very seriously, it believes SOPA and PIPA “are not the right solution to this problem, because of the collateral damage these overreaching bills would cause to the Internet.”

“PROTECT IP and SOPA could create very real problems for Internet companies like ours that are a primary driver of innovation, growth, and job creation in the 21st century economy. The bills contain overly broad definitions and create a new private cause of action against companies on the basis of those expansive definitions, which could seriously hamper the innovation, growth, and investment in new companies that have been the hallmarks of the Internet,” it said.

Also, it voiced concern about provisions in the bills that could chill free expression or weaken the Internet’s architecture.

“We understand the concerns of the film and music industries, as well as other content creators and trademark owners, and we have been engaging in a constructive dialogue on the most effective ways to combat piracy. However, we must ensure that Congress does not do anything in this area that threatens the security of the Internet, hampers U.S. innovation or competitiveness, or sets harmful precedents for other governments to follow. We ask Congress not to rush this process. It’s too important not to take the time to get it right,” it said.

Facebook said it responds promptly whenever it is made aware of illegal content on its site.

It has a reporting system in place and a trained team dedicated to handling rights owner notices. — RSJ, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Millions sign Google's anti-SOPA petition

Google's homepage today shows a thick black censorship stamp across its colorful logo.

And, if clicked on, it leads users to a "End Piracy, Not Liberty" petition that asks people to sign-on to protest the two anti-piracy laws to be voted on by Senate and Congress.

"Millions of Americans oppose SOPA and PIPA because these bills would censor the Internet and slow economic growth in the U.S.," the petition reads. "Sign this petition urging Congress to vote NO on PIPA and SOPA before it is too late."

Over the course of the day, millions of people signed onto Google's petition. "The last number we released was at 4:30pm ET," said Google spokesperson Christine Chen. "At that point we were at 4.5 million signatories and counting."

This search-giant is showing that it is in lock step with hundreds of other individuals, groups, and Web sites that either sent out their own petitions, wrote letters to the U.S. government, or went black today in protest of the anti-piracy laws. Among Google's allies are Facebook, AOL, Wikipedia, Amazon, Twitter, and Firefox.

"Fighting online piracy is important," Google wrote on the petition. "The most effective way to shut down pirate websites is through targeted legislation that cuts off their funding. There's no need to make American social networks, blogs and search engines censor the Internet or undermine the existing laws that have enabled the Web to thrive, creating millions of U.S. jobs."

There are signs that the SOPA and PIPA protests are working. A whole host of senators and members of Congress from both sides of the aisle have announced that they will either vote against or vote to amend the bills. Earlier today, Republican Sens. Roy Blunt from Missouri, John Boozman from Arkansas, and Orrin Hatch from Utah all said they were withdrawing co-sponsorship from the Protect IP Act.

source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57361565-93/millions-sign-googles-anti-sopa-petition/?tag=mncol

Wikipedia blackout begins vs. SOPA

Except for one entry, the English site of open-source online encyclopedia Wikipedia has been blacked out starting 1 p.m. Wednesday (Manila time) to protest the US bill against online piracy.

Visitors to Wikipedia's English page (en.wikipedia.org) could only access the main page and entries or a few seconds, before being redirected to a black-themed page with the message, "Imagine a World Without Free Knowledge".







"For over a decade, we have spent millions of hours building the largest encyclopedia in human history. Right now, the U.S. Congress is considering legislation that could fatally damage the free and open internet. For 24 hours, to raise awareness, we are blacking out Wikipedia," Wikipedia said.

Meanwhile, Wikipedia sites in other languages worked normally and did not appear affected.

During the blackout, Wikipedia entries accessed from search engines would display normally only for a few seconds before visitors were redirected to the black Wikipedia page.

Only one page was exempted from the blackout: the page explaining Wikipedia's protest action (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:SOPA_initiative/Learn_more).

The page explained the Wikipedia community is blacking out the English version of Wikipedia for 24 hours to raise awareness about legislation being proposed by the U.S. Congress — the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) in the U.S. Senate.

This also aimed to encourage readers to speak out against it, Wikipedia said.

Wikipedia particularly questioned the requirement in the bills for US-based sites to actively police links to purported infringing sites.

Such self-policing activities are non-sustainable for large, global sites - including ones like Wikipedia, it said.

"There is a need to send a strong message that bills like SOPA and PIPA must not move forward: they will cause too much damage," it said. — TJD, GMA News

source:gmanetwork.com

HCG Diet - Human Chorionic Gonadotropin

HCG -(Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) is usually hormone produced during pregnancy. HCG diet was invented by Dr. Simeons, a British Doctor who spent years on trying to find out the reason or real cause of obesity.

HCG is a disciplinary diet of only 500 calories per day and can help you lose weight, burn fat and replace fat in the buttocks and stomach. It's safe, easy and effective and it enables you to maximize your results.


The hormone is taken 3 times every day through HCG drops. Expect not to have excessive hunger throughout the program as well as drop off the excess weight because the oral HCG diet drops taken plus a low calorie diet limit the urge to eat and will improve your metabolic action. It's a diet plan with dieting tips accessible at pharmacies, over the counter drugstores and online with no doctor's prescription. You can purchase it online and understand it's usage and direction.

Fil-Canadian comic Mikey Bustos talks of YouTube and hotdogs

For a GMA News Online exclusive interview, Fil-Canadian comic Mikey Bustos recently sat down with news anchor Howie Severino and his young son Alon, a big fan of Bustos, to field questions sent by readers via Twitter and Facebook.

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Bustos is currently in the Philippines to promote his latest project: the YouTube “movie” titled “Prison Dancer,” an interactive web series set to debut in March, which was inspired by the dancing inmates in Cebu.

Bustos first tasted fame in 2003 when he became the first Filipino to make it into any of the “Idol” singing competitions worldwide, placing eighth.

In 2008, Bustos released his debut album “Memoirs of a Superhero,” which became a hit in the United States, Canada, Dubai, Australia, and China.For this album, he also earned a nomination for a Toronto Independent Music Award for Best Adult Contemporary category in 2010.

However, Bustos’ biggest break came through YouTube and his “Pilipino bidyos," a series of wacky Filipino "language tutorials" that have gone viral online.

On the web exclusive interview, Severino, GMA News Online Editor-in-Chief and GMA Vice President for New Media, and Alon asked Bustos a number of questions that ranged from how to gain fame via YouTube to whether the Fil-Canadian eats hotdogs. Watch and enjoy! - GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Beyond cosmetic treatments or plastic surgery, a healing of the soul

Arianne Vasquez, medical director of Aesthetic Science Clinic, walks her talk. Before she underwent breast augmentation, she meditated, cleansed her chakras or energy centers, and performed inner dancing, the use of movement to release blocked energies and to harness inner power.

During post-surgery, there was the initial discomfort of having foreign bodies in the chest. Her anxiety was heightened with thoughts about surgical complications. Thus, two of her reiki healer-friends healed her through long distance. She then felt a deep sense of calm and returned to work in five days.

Aesthetic Science clinic espouses a holistic approach to cosmetic enhancement as it offers life coaching and reiki healing. Although cosmetic dermatology and plastic surgery can beautify a person, it can’t take take away the bitterness or the harshness of the soul. Hence, the need for complementary treatments.

“Some clients want a change not just on the outside but also on the inside,” says Vasquez. The clinic offers life coaching to help them deal with deep-seated issues that brought them to the clinic in the first place.

Many patients, mostly women, want a boob job, a nose lift or eyebag removal because of low self-esteem born out relationship problems. However, they have unrealistic expectations about the surgical results.

“Surgery is not the cure-all. On the other hand, some patients talk about their problems while others remain silent.”

Stress

Vasquez added that undergoing major and minor surgery can still pose stress.

“Even if the patients come out beautiful or sexy, it will not ease their burden.”

Life coaching or counseling can help women realize that self-esteem is not based on looks alone but on their qualities.

For people with weight issues, doctors recommend diet and exercise before undergoing liposuction or non-invasive body contouring treatments for best results. Jason Peñaranda, the wellness doctor, specializes in detox and digestive cleansing.

JASON Peñaranda

“Some people have a hard time losing weight. The liver doesn’t function properly because of the fats in it,” says Vasquez. Some are advised to detox first, to cleanse the body off bad oils and residues from synthetic medicine.

With obese patients, life coaching can help identify emotional issues that spurred the weight problems.

“The approach is holistic because you’re not just working on the body but also the soul,” says Vasquez.

Peñaranda pointed out that after liposuction or completing their non-invasive body contouring treatments, patients come to him for diet and lifestyle change so that excess weight doesn’t creep back. While other doctors treat weight loss from a physiological viewpoint, he dwells more into attitude in order to affect transformation. Instead of making a restricted diet plan that tends to make patients feel miserable, he suggests adapting new habits and using food as medicine.

Peñaranda underscores the importance of keeping the digestive system in order so that nutrients could be easily assimilated.

Ancient art

Although most people visit the Aesthetic Science to improve their looks, some also come for reiki healing to boost their energy, both psychic and physical. Reiki is an ancient Japanese healing art wherein the healer goes through a meditative space to harness the Source and uses the palms to diagnose and balance the energies.

Vasquez also practices reiki healing with her crystals. Some of the cases range from severe allergies to victim complex. She meditates, puts the crystals on the patient’s energy centers and lays her hands. She stays longer in the weak areas to neutralize the imbalances. The healing takes place on the level of vibrations or frequencies.

Peñaranda explains that the healer is merely a channel of the cosmic energy.

HEALING with crystals

“Supposing your energy is off. It needs another energy to put restore it,” he says. He likens the patient-healer dynamic to the child and adult.

“If you’re sick, your energy is like the kid who bikes in an erratic direction. It needs the assistance of an adult to make the child bike straight. Reiki provides the conduit for correcting an aberrant frequency.”

Says Vasquez, “From my experience, reiki lowers the blood pressure, relieves stress and provides some mental clarity. For post surgery, it speeds up the recovery. We had a patient who had gastric pains. In the process, she started crying as emotional issues came out. It taught me a lesson that you have to address the whole being.”

Although there is still resistance to alternative modalities, Vasquez observes people are slowly opening up to this new alternative. “They say there’s an evolution or a shift consciousness as the Mayan calendar ends,” she says.

Aesthetic Science is at Jupiter Place Bldg., Jupiter St., Bel-Air, Makati, tel. 8993643 and 0908-9967376; and Kennedy Center Prime St.t, Madrigal Business Park, Ayala Alabang, tel. 8098021, 3833488, 0916-3412464.

source: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/31387/beyond-cosmetic-treatments-or-plastic-surgery-a-healing-of-the-soul

Steve Jobs doll canceled after 'immense pressure'

The maker of a controversial Steve Jobs doll is ceasing production and sales of the 12-inch figure in response to "immense pressure" from Apple and Jobs' family.

"Though we still believe that we have not overstepped any legal boundaries, we have decided to completely stop the offer, production and sale of the Steve Jobs figurine out of our heartfelt sensitivity to the feelings of the Jobs family," Tandy Cheung, head of the Hong Kong-based In Icons, said in a statement yesterday announcing the decision. "Regardless of the pressure, I am still Steve's fan, I fully respect Steve, and his family, and it is definitely not my wish or intention that they be upset."

Cheung attracted a lot of attention earlier this month when his company announced it would produce a doll that closely resembled Jobs, complete with his well-known wardrobe of a black turtleneck and jeans and frameless glasses. Among the other things included in the kit that went on pre-sale this month were a holdable apple and a chair that could be used to pose the figure, as well as a backdrop sporting the familiar "one more thing" catchphrase synonymous with Apple product launches.

Apple reportedly sent In Icons a cease-and-desist note, claiming the company is breaking the law by creating a product that "resembles the technology company's logo, person's name, appearance, or likeness of its products."

After defiantly telling ABC News that "Apple can do anything they like. I will not stop, we already started production," Cheung ultimately relented.

In Icons' effort met the same fate as a previous Jobs action figure, which was briefly sold by China's MIC Gadget in 2010 until legal actions forced the company to stop selling the doll. MIC Gadget later followed up with a rejiggered version that had Jobs dressed up as a ninja. Apple also took offense with that iteration.

source:http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57359806-37/steve-jobs-doll-canceled-after-immense-pressure/?tag=mncol

Comparing the Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect With the Nintendo Wii

Wii Deals

One of the latest updates and releases for video game systems is the ability to play through motion detection. All major video game systems now have motion detection hardware, including the Microsoft Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii. If you are looking to purchase a new video game system you need to compare the two different systems with one another. Each has its own pros and cons, so you need to weight what is most important for your needs.

Price

When looking at the Microsoft Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii you have to start with the price. This is also the best selling point of the Nintendo Wii, as it is considerably less expensive than the Microsoft Xbox 360. In addition the Nintendo Wii has all the necessary equipment packaged right in the box. This lets you start playing the motion controlled games without any additions. This is not the case of the Microsoft Xbox 360. Not only is the video game system more expensive, but you must also purchase the Xbox 360 Kinect on its own. This adds additional expenses to your video game purchase.

Video Quality

The Microsoft Xbox 360 is a full high-definition video game system. This is not the case with the Nintendo Wii. The Nintendo Wii is standard-definition and does not provide the same video and audio quality of the Microsoft system.

Video Game Selection

The Microsoft Xbox 360 has a larger listing of video games. Although the full list of motion detection games is higher for the Nintendo Wii, you need to take into consideration the entire video game line up, which Microsoft has in spades. However, the Nintendo Wii has more games geared towards children, so if you have young children the Nintendo Wii may be the best system for you.

Gameplay

The gameplay between the Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect and the Nintendo Wii is slightly different. The Xbox 360 Kinect has a single cable that monitors your motion, but no actual controllers are required as the system reads your movements. The Nintendo Wii, on the other hand, requires you to hold a small sensor. The game sensor detects the movements based on the small relay device placed at the front of the device. Often times, the Nintendo Wii is not as sensitive as the Kinect, as the motion display equipment in the Wii controller may become covered while in use and the docked sensor hooked up to the Wii itself is unable to read the movements. With the Kinect, you just need to make sure, when playing with another individual, you must make sure you don't stand in front of the other person, as it interrupts the Kinect camera's reception.

For more information on games consoles including gameplay or the best Wii deals or XBOX 360 deals, visit Which Console who have extensive experience of the games industry.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

Prada recruits actors as models, clothes take lead

MILAN — The Prada winter fashion show was pure entertainment from the real live actors modeling the clothes, to the huge red-carpeted runway set in the ballroom of an invented palazzo, to the eccentric and at times dramatic outfits.

Such Hollywood A-listers as Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Gary Oldman, Tim Roth, Emile Hirsch and Jamie Bell walked the runway with a naturalness that confirmed their talent as perfect players in the Prada pageant.

Most of the actors wore the collection’s staple overcoat, long, black and elegant with wire-rimmed sunglasses tucked like a handkerchief in the breast pocket.

Only Adrian Brody donned a double-breasted red overcoat with a black velvet collar and fur-trimmed lapel, and sported matching red-lensed, round sunglasses.

Overall Miuccia Prada’s winter 2013 collection presented Sunday, the second day of the four-day Milan menswear preview showings, spoke of a man who likes to be both eccentric and mysterious, is quite sure of himself and at times a bit of a snob.

He wears brooches that look like medals on his jacket, prefers vests to sweaters and likes the arrogance of a high stiff collar on his white shirts. He’s not embarrassed to wear underwear as outerwear and toss off his overcoat to reveal a pair of boxer shorts paired with a tuxedo shirt and gartered knee socks.

Somewhat of a dandy, he prefers his hair long, as is tempted by the eccentricity of a mustache.

Leave it to Miuccia, who every season proves to be the most creative of Italian designers, to put on a show where despite the thrill of Oscar-winning actors playing the part of models, the clothes still kept the leading role.

source: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/31287/prada-recruits-actors-as-models-clothes-take-lead

The effective solution to learn guitar

Are you currently among the lucky couple of where by learning to play a musical instrument will come naturally? All people have got distinctive abilities some could be great at acting, painting, singing or perhaps dancing but only some realize how to play and musical instrument. Or perhaps your believe it may not be attainable for you to write a piece of music which sounds decent. It is essentially what most rookies at an instrument might think!

This article is going to be speaking about how to play one musical instrument that is fairly regarded the most preferred among other instruments for the reason that it truly is among the best value and convenient instruments it is possible to take with you all the time, at any place you need - the guitar.

Numerous expert guitarists acknowledge that these people had to give it their all to totally excel at the skill of playing the guitar. It took them a number of hard work and endurance to learn that is the primary to understanding, not just a guitar but any other instrument alike.

But if you're still getting second thoughts, and still you definitely, seriously need to learn, erase the negativeness and begin as early as practical. When you get started today and practice it correct you can of course nonetheless learn how to play the guitar.

Here I will discuss a few things you may do for it to be easier on on your own when getting started to learn to play guitar.

1. Very first you have to make a decision on exactly what form of guitar you like to be participating in. You'll find basically two sorts - acoustic guitar and electrical. The distinction in between these kinds of guitar it that the classic guitar or electric powered guitar it simpler when attempting to learn how to set your fingertips. 1 point is for sure you must possess a guitar previous to you'll be able to commence. That's no strategy in trying to learn all of the theoretic stuff initial.

Two. Make sure you have got the ideal material for studying the guitar prior to starting up. Certainly the very best answer would be to acquire some someone assisting you to. If it is in any way doable for yourself, try to locate a person which is seriously fantastic in the guitar which can show you the standard items. You should get this individual to inform you how to tune your guitar. In the event you obtain a person to help you try to have this man or woman demonstrate what you are doing completely wrong whenever placing your fingers.

But if you are on your own on this struggle, try purchasing manuals or for those who have an internet link within your home, try searching on the net for internet sites that give free of charge guide and guidelines. You can find many web pages which can coach you on in depth on how to carry out a chord.

Three. Among the first points to get started with is usually to learn to keep in mind the fundamental chords. You should not merely commit to memory these, but you might have to also make sure the chords is kept in mind as muscle recollection. It isn't only vital that your mind takes note of every note and fret however it is also crucial that your fingertips and hands build correct interaction in among notes to maintain equilibrium and output.

If you are starting to create blisters on the tips of your fingers, that would be an benefit for sore spots, in time, can form calluses that could build your fingertips numb and that could make you play greater without having the pain of pressing on the strings.

Step four. Practice. Convert it into a daily routine. If achievable, be attached to it. In case you have a bit leisure time then don't waste it play a bit on the guitar. Attempt to play as often as probable. And attempt to obtain dependent on that guitar. Never ever give up on your objective, you are going to reap everything you plant, don't quit as of this time. Focus. It will get easier in the process.

And keep in mind the only thing that will ensure you get anywhere is practice.

How hard would it be to learn to play guitar? Learn that which you will require and how to get started will it be hard to learn guitar

Article Source:
http://www.articlebiz.com/article/1051523812-1-the-effective-solution-to-learn-guitar/

David Archuleta flies in for local TV drama series

MANILA, Philippines—“American Idol” 2008 finalist David Archuleta arrived in Manila Friday morning.

According to Manila International Airport Authority’s media affairs division, Archuleta flew into the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on a Philippine Airlines flight from Los Angeles around 6 am.

A handful of fans welcomed him at the airport.

Archuleta, who was recently added to the roster of stars of the Kapatid network, or TV 5, will reportedly be putting down the mic for a while to try his hands at acting in a prime-time series.

source: http://entertainment.inquirer.net/27005/david-archuleta-flies-in-for-local-tv-drama-series

Gene Hackman VIP Treatment at FL Hospital

Gene Hackman spent the night at the Florida hospital where he was treated for injuries he received in a car vs. bike accident Friday ... but TMZ has learned he was treated like the VIP that he is.

Informed sources tell us ... Hackman was assigned to a special hospital room for important patients where doctors could keep a close eye on the 81-year-old.

We're told doctors were concerned about a large gash on his forehead ... coupled with the fact that he's an older gentlemen who was HIT BY A CAR!!!

Sources tell us Hackman has made tremendous progress in his recovery since he was airlifted to the Miami hospital from the the Florida Keys, where the accident took place.

source: TMZ

Van Halen Tour Dates Announced

American Rock band Van Halen finally announced their much speculated 2012 North American tour.


They will perform along with original lead singer David Lee Roth together with Alex and Eddie Van Halen, and Wolfgang Van Halen on bass. The band will also release their new album entitled "A Different Kind Of Truth" to be released in the U.S. by Interscope Records on February 7th.



It's the band’s first studio album in over 13 years, since "Van Halen III" in 1998.

Tickets for the tour will be on sale this January 14 and prices will run from $29.50 to $149.50 in most markets, according to event listings on Ticketmaster.com.





Van Halen 2012 North American Tour Dates:



Sat 02/18/12 Louisville, KY KFC Yum! Center

Mon 02/20/12 Auburn Hills, MI The Palace Of Auburn Hills

Wed 02/22/12 Indianapolis, IN Bankers Life Fieldhouse

Fri 02/24/12 Chicago, IL United Center

Tue 02/28/12 New York, NY Madison Square Garden Arena

Thu 03/01/12 New York, NY Madison Square Garden Arena

Sat 03/03/12 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena

Mon 03/05/12 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center

Fri 03/09/12 Buffalo, NY First Niagara Center

Sun 03/11/12 Boston, MA TD Garden

Thu 03/15/12 Montreal, QC Bell Centre

Sat 03/17/12 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre

Wed 03/21/12 Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place

Sat 03/24/12 Atlantic City, NJ Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall

Wed 03/28/12 Washington, DC Verizon Center

Fri 03/30/12 Pittsburgh, PA Consol Energy Center

Sun 04/01/12 Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena

Tue 04/10/12 Sunrise, FL BankAtlantic Center

Thu 04/12/12 Tampa, FL Tampa Bay Times Forum

Sat 04/14/12 Orlando, FL Amway Center

Mon 04/16/12 Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville Veterans Mem. Arena

Thu 04/19/12 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena

Sat 04/21/12 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum Complex

Wed 04/25/12 Charlotte, NC Time Warner Cable Arena

Fri 04/27/12 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena

Tue 05/01/12 Tulsa, OK BOK Center

Sat 05/05/12 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome

Mon 05/07/12 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena

Wed 05/09/12 Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome

Fri 05/11/12 Edmonton, AB Rexall Place

Thu 05/17/12 Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre

Sat 05/19/12 Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center

Tue 05/22/12 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center

Thu 05/24/12 Denver, CO Pepsi Center

Sun 05/27/12 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena

Fri 06/01/12 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center

Sun 06/03/12 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena

Tue 06/05/12 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion At San Jose

Tue 06/12/12 Anaheim, CA Honda Center

Thu 06/14/12 San Diego, CA Viejas Arena

Sat 06/16/12 Phoenix, AZ US Airways Center

Wed 06/20/12 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center

Fri 06/22/12 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center

Sun 06/24/12 Houston, TX Toyota Center

Tue 06/26/12 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena