The U.S. ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, was safe Thursday after being attacked by a pro-government group, a U.S. government official told CNN.
"It was an attack by an armed mob and he is OK," said the official, who was not authorized to speak to the media and did not want to be named.
Ford, who has been outspoken against the Syrian government's use of violence against protesters, is seen by pro-government supporters as an activist more than a diplomat.
Ford sparked a diplomatic firestorm in July when he traveled to the restive city of Hama to express support for demonstrators. He was welcomed with flowers by local residents who had suffered a brutal crackdown by government forces. President Bashar al-Assad's government called the trip an attempt to foment dissent.
Since then, Ford has continued to be seen by some as serving as a traditional diplomat and more as a provocateur.
A crowd tried to assault Ford and embassy colleagues "as they went about doing the normal work of any embassy," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.
"The mob was violent; it tried, unsuccessfully, to attack embassy personnel while they were inside several embassy vehicles, seriously damaging the vehicles in the process," Toner said.
Syrian security officers helped secure a path back to the U.S. Embassy for the ambassador and his staff.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned we she described as "an unwarranted attack" when Ford and his aides were conducting "normal embassy business."
Clinton said it was an "inexcusable assault" that is "clearly part of an ongoing campaign of intimidation."
Comment : well i think that the presidento obama shoul take car about this because if not he is going to show debilities and he will not win the 2012 elections for president on the U.S
Thursday, September 29, 2011
(CNN) -- The Russian army has ceased ordering the famed Kalashnikov rifle for its arsenal and is waiting on a newer model its manufacturer is developing.
The army already has more of the weapons than it requires, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia Nikolai Makarov told Russian media.
The inventor of the weapon, Mikhail Kalashnikov, 91, has reportedly been deliberately kept uninformed about the decision.
"We do not want to have it on our conscience and tell him such bad news. He might not live through it," Russia's Izvestia newspaper quoted an unnamed friend of Kalashnikov as saying.
COMMENT: in my opinion if they develope a better weapon that the Ak-47 at a reasonable price it will be dasngerous fot all because the AK-47 is a very nice weapon and is very powerful but the russians know what they are buying and if they stop buyin AK-47 for another weapon the other wapon will be more dangerous
The army already has more of the weapons than it requires, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia Nikolai Makarov told Russian media.
The inventor of the weapon, Mikhail Kalashnikov, 91, has reportedly been deliberately kept uninformed about the decision.
"We do not want to have it on our conscience and tell him such bad news. He might not live through it," Russia's Izvestia newspaper quoted an unnamed friend of Kalashnikov as saying.
COMMENT: in my opinion if they develope a better weapon that the Ak-47 at a reasonable price it will be dasngerous fot all because the AK-47 is a very nice weapon and is very powerful but the russians know what they are buying and if they stop buyin AK-47 for another weapon the other wapon will be more dangerous
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Let the price cuts begin. A few hours after Amazon unveiled its Kindle Fire tablet for $199, the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet was slashed by $200 by a major retailer.
Best Buy's (BBY, Fortune 500) site showed a $200 discount for all three PlayBook models on Wednesday night. The 16GB PlayBook fell to $299 from $499; the 32GB is now $399; and the 64GB model is $499. The 16GB model was on backorder from Best Buy as of Thursday morning.
Earlier this week, Office Depot and Staples began offering their own PlayBook deals. Office Depot knocked $100 off each model and threw in a $100 store gift card. Staples also reduced prices by $100 and added a $100 prepaid debit card that can be used anywhere.
Price cuts presaged the death of another struggling tablet. Hewlett-Packard (HPQ, Fortune 500) slashed $100 off the price of its $499 tablet, the TouchPad, almost immediately after its July launch. But the price cut wasn't enough: After only 49 days, HP killed off the TouchPad last month.
When faced with a choice between an Apple iPad for $499 or another tablet for the same price, consumers are overwhelmingly choosing the iPad. Apple currently holds a 93% share of the tablet market.
Now that Amazon is attacking the low end of the market with the $199 Kindle Fire, which starts shipping November 15, everyone not named Apple expects to feel the crunch. Last year, an e-reader price war broke out between Amazon, Barnes & Noble (BKS, Fortune 500) and the Borders-backed Kobo. The PlayBook cut could be the opening salvo in a similar tablet battle.
The PlayBook, made by Research in Motion (RIMM), has struggled to make its mark. Early reviews largely panned the PlayBook, criticizing the tablet's "unfinished" feel.
The device has sold sluggishly since its April debut. Last quarter, RIM shipped just 200,000 PlayBooks -- a significant drop-off from the 500,000 shipped in the prior quarter. By comparison, Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) sold 9.3 million iPads in its latest quarter, which ended June 30.
COMMENT: NUMBER 1: TODAY CNN.COM HAVE A LOT OF NEWS, A LITTLE BORING. NUMBER 2: ABOUT THE NEW, I THINK THAT IPAD IS BETTER BECAUSE APPLE IS BETTER. BUT I THINK THAT THE BLACKBERRY PLAYBOOK IS GOOD.
Best Buy's (BBY, Fortune 500) site showed a $200 discount for all three PlayBook models on Wednesday night. The 16GB PlayBook fell to $299 from $499; the 32GB is now $399; and the 64GB model is $499. The 16GB model was on backorder from Best Buy as of Thursday morning.
Earlier this week, Office Depot and Staples began offering their own PlayBook deals. Office Depot knocked $100 off each model and threw in a $100 store gift card. Staples also reduced prices by $100 and added a $100 prepaid debit card that can be used anywhere.
Price cuts presaged the death of another struggling tablet. Hewlett-Packard (HPQ, Fortune 500) slashed $100 off the price of its $499 tablet, the TouchPad, almost immediately after its July launch. But the price cut wasn't enough: After only 49 days, HP killed off the TouchPad last month.
When faced with a choice between an Apple iPad for $499 or another tablet for the same price, consumers are overwhelmingly choosing the iPad. Apple currently holds a 93% share of the tablet market.
Now that Amazon is attacking the low end of the market with the $199 Kindle Fire, which starts shipping November 15, everyone not named Apple expects to feel the crunch. Last year, an e-reader price war broke out between Amazon, Barnes & Noble (BKS, Fortune 500) and the Borders-backed Kobo. The PlayBook cut could be the opening salvo in a similar tablet battle.
The PlayBook, made by Research in Motion (RIMM), has struggled to make its mark. Early reviews largely panned the PlayBook, criticizing the tablet's "unfinished" feel.
The device has sold sluggishly since its April debut. Last quarter, RIM shipped just 200,000 PlayBooks -- a significant drop-off from the 500,000 shipped in the prior quarter. By comparison, Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) sold 9.3 million iPads in its latest quarter, which ended June 30.
COMMENT: NUMBER 1: TODAY CNN.COM HAVE A LOT OF NEWS, A LITTLE BORING. NUMBER 2: ABOUT THE NEW, I THINK THAT IPAD IS BETTER BECAUSE APPLE IS BETTER. BUT I THINK THAT THE BLACKBERRY PLAYBOOK IS GOOD.
NEWS:
1. Irene Rosenfeld
Chairman and CEO
Kraft Foods
2010 rank: 2
Age: 58
Kraft Foods
2010 rank: 2
Age: 58
Rosenfeld made a big show of power this year with her decision to split Kraft into two companies, a reversal of her previous strategy of expanding through acquisitions (like the 2010 purchase of Cadbury). Her new role hasn’t been decided but she plans to remain CEO until the deal’s expected close in 2012.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
New York (CNN) -- Hackers accessed the Twitter account for NBC News on Friday and posted false messages about a fresh attack on New York's ground zero.
A group calling itself The Script Kiddies claimed responsibility for the hacking, which included three messages about a hijacked plane hitting the World Trade Center site just before 6 p.m.
NBC issued a statement Friday confirming the hacking and said it is "working with Twitter to correct the situation and sincerely apologize for the scare that could have been caused by such a reckless and irresponsible act."
Both Twitter accounts for NBC News and The Script Kiddies were suspended shortly after the tweets were posted.
The Script Kiddies, an offshoot of the hacker group Anonymous, are suspected in a similar hacking in July of the Fox News Twitter account. In that incident, the news channel's Twitter feed was used to falsely report that President Barack Obama had been killed.
A group calling itself The Script Kiddies claimed responsibility for the hacking, which included three messages about a hijacked plane hitting the World Trade Center site just before 6 p.m.
NBC issued a statement Friday confirming the hacking and said it is "working with Twitter to correct the situation and sincerely apologize for the scare that could have been caused by such a reckless and irresponsible act."
Both Twitter accounts for NBC News and The Script Kiddies were suspended shortly after the tweets were posted.
The Script Kiddies, an offshoot of the hacker group Anonymous, are suspected in a similar hacking in July of the Fox News Twitter account. In that incident, the news channel's Twitter feed was used to falsely report that President Barack Obama had been killed.
(CNN) -- A 26-year-old Massachusetts man with a physics degree was arrested and charged Wednesday with plotting an attack on the Pentagon and the U.S. Capitol with a remote-controlled model aircraft, authorities said.
Rezwan Ferdaus, a U.S. citizen from Ashland, Massachusetts, planned to use model aircraft filled with C-4 plastic explosives, authorities said.
As a result of an undercover FBI investigation, Ferdaus, who has a physics degree from Northeastern University in Boston, was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to al Qaeda for attacks on U.S. soldiers overseas, authorities said.
His federal public defender couldn't be reached immediately for comment.
A law enforcement official said Ferdaus posed no immediate danger to the public because undercover operatives kept in close contact with him.
"There is no information to indicate he was connected to a foreign terrorist organization. It appears he was radicalized watching videos on the internet. He was given the opportunity to back down, but he never wavered" from his intention to carry out the attacks, the source said.
The investigation also involved a cooperating witness, and authorities began recording conversations between that witness and Ferdaus in January, authorities said.
Ferdaus began planning a violent "jihad" against America in early 2010, authorities said, and he began supplying the FBI undercover agents with cell phones rigged to act as electric switches for improved explosive devices, intended to be used to kill U.S. soldiers overseas.
Undercover federal agents also gave Ferdaus 25 pounds of fake C-4 explosives. Only a very small amount of it was the real thing, the source said.
COMMENT: this is a very interesting news because a young man attempt against the pentagon and thats no usual and has a remot controlles airplane craft with C-4 explosives I think that he is insane and he doesnt know what he was doing becasue obviously they will find him.
Rezwan Ferdaus, a U.S. citizen from Ashland, Massachusetts, planned to use model aircraft filled with C-4 plastic explosives, authorities said.
As a result of an undercover FBI investigation, Ferdaus, who has a physics degree from Northeastern University in Boston, was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to al Qaeda for attacks on U.S. soldiers overseas, authorities said.
His federal public defender couldn't be reached immediately for comment.
A law enforcement official said Ferdaus posed no immediate danger to the public because undercover operatives kept in close contact with him.
"There is no information to indicate he was connected to a foreign terrorist organization. It appears he was radicalized watching videos on the internet. He was given the opportunity to back down, but he never wavered" from his intention to carry out the attacks, the source said.
The investigation also involved a cooperating witness, and authorities began recording conversations between that witness and Ferdaus in January, authorities said.
Ferdaus began planning a violent "jihad" against America in early 2010, authorities said, and he began supplying the FBI undercover agents with cell phones rigged to act as electric switches for improved explosive devices, intended to be used to kill U.S. soldiers overseas.
Undercover federal agents also gave Ferdaus 25 pounds of fake C-4 explosives. Only a very small amount of it was the real thing, the source said.
COMMENT: this is a very interesting news because a young man attempt against the pentagon and thats no usual and has a remot controlles airplane craft with C-4 explosives I think that he is insane and he doesnt know what he was doing becasue obviously they will find him.
First, some perspective: Even after yesterday's big Facebook f8 hullabaloo, people will still listen to and discover music without Facebook, as hard as that might be to believe right now, given all the attention paid to the social network's shift into media sharing, which suddenly made Twitter look like the stripped-down communications protocol it has always been.
But it would be folly to ignore the effects of Facebook's shift into "verbs" in addition to "nouns," as Mark "Sugar Mountain" Zuckerberg cleverly put it yesterday -- by which he meant that Facebook can now track and share what you do, in addition to the things you like.
Yes, Facebook will facilitate legal music sharing -- something the industry has been trying to do ever since Napster electrified (some would say "electrocuted") the music business over 10 years ago.
But as important as it is, Facebook's music initiative is missing five key ingredients, all of which are within its grasp:
1. True music sharing
We're not saying it would be easy, but if Facebook really wants to help people listen to each other's music, it should let them do so using whatever music service they want. This morning, listening to friends' music through my Facebook Ticker and sharing my music through it, I've already used Spotify, Rdio, Songza, and MOG -- and it's not even 10 a.m. yet.
WIRED: Facebook vs. Google+ on privacy
True, Facebook has started down the road of universally translating between music services, so that I can hear your songs even if you use Rhapsody and I use MOG -- but so far, it has done so by tilting the playing field favorably (some would say unfairly) towards Spotify.
If Facebook really wants to offer "frictionless" music sharing, to borrow Zuck's oft-repeated phrase, it will let people listen to shared stuff using whatever they want, rather than the same service used by the sharer.
2. Real-time group listening
A Facebook employee deleted a tweet about it, but Evolver.fm has confirmed that at least two streaming radio services plan to implement it. Slacker, specifically, says it has been working with Facebook to do so for months. So why didn't Facebook Music launch with the ability to join other listeners on a station in real-time, so that people can chat about what they're hearing a la Turntable.fm? This will probably be the neatest thing about Facebook Music, and even after yesterday's presentation, it's 100% vaporware.
3. Music tab in the ticker
Facebook is now more cluttered than ever, which, according to hilarious Wired.com pundit Lore Sjöberg, is because Facebook finds it beneficial to keep its users dissatisfied while offering them a forum where they can express that dissatisfaction -- just like the Democratic Party.
Zuckerberg kept using the word "lightweight" to describe the new Ticker on the right side of Facebook, but accusations of clutter are not without merit. So why not add a music filter? As a music fan, I'm mainly interested in what people are listening to, Ticker-wise. I don't care about who my friends have friended. The Facebook Ticker should offer a way to look only at music activity, and there's no good reason for it not to.
4. Apple
As Matt Rosoff of Business Insider observed, the white elephant not in the room at f8 yesterday was Apple, iTunes, and iCloud. Apple would need to swallow some pride in order to join Facebook's music ecosystem, but maybe it should.
Some argue that Apple only ever sold music in order to sell more iPods and iPhones anyway. Now that it can sell apps for other music services, and run those on its devices, perhaps Apple is no longer concerned about selling music. From a user perspective, it would be nice if iTunes activity were included in Facebook's music activities. Last.fm scrobbles from iTunes, so why can't Facebook? Maybe this one will happen when Apple takes the wraps off of iCloud later this year.
5. Independent developers
For this one, Facebook's off the hook for the most part -- it just needs to stay out of the way.
One of the neatest things about Rdio and now Spotify is that they let independent app developers build third-party players atop their catalogs. If I subscribe to either service, I can use any music app that taps into it, offering a potentially huge range of interfaces, platforms, designs, features, etc. to choose from -- more than Rdio or Spotify could ever develop on their own.
WIRED: Facebook's gone rogue -- it's time for an open alternative
If someone wants to build a music player that lets people choose what to play by rolling virtual dice, slaying a dragon, wandering through a 3-D library, or whatever, on any platform, I can use that interface to play Rdio's or Spotify's music.
This is already starting to happen -- and unless Facebook somehow gets in the way, all of the music played in these third-party apps should appear on Facebook. In fact, Facebook could even encourage this sort of thing.
So, Mark, once that hangover subsides.... What are you waiting for?
COMMENT: I think that people should see the good things about the facebook music serviec, because it may have good things, and they only see the bad things, aspects that they miss, not aspects that they have new.
After months of hype and a judge switcheroo, Fox's "X Factor" has arrived.
A lot was crammed into this two-hour premiere. It was slick, glossy, fast-paced and at times over-produced. But I LOVED it. No other singing competition has shown that vast amount of talent in a long time, although NBC's "The Voice" came very close.
But before we get to the contestants, let's talk about the host and the four judges.
Welsh-born TV host Steve Jones kicked things off (and yes, he definitely had my attention. Who is this über good-looking guy from across the pond, and why hadn't I heard about him before?) as auditions began in Los Angeles and Seattle.
Simon Cowell, former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger (who replaced U.K. singer Cheryl Cole), record label executive L.A. Reid and my favorite "American Idol" judge of all time, Paula Abdul, sat together judging countless contestants of various ages. The sometimes mean but always frank Cowell didn't pull out the fangs, but he was honest and told a few contestants "no" when it came time to vote them to the next level.
My favorite line from him of the night was when he told a female duo who were auditioning that one was singing while the other sounded like she swallowed poison! Good old Cowell is back. All four judges have their distinct styles, and when put together it becomes the perfect puzzle. That's enough to make me want to stay tuned the entire season.
On to the contestants: The ones that advanced were beyond stellar. They either had distinct voices, were extremely entertaining or had that...well, "X" factor.
Let's focus on the unforgettable contestants. First up was 13-year-old Rachel Crowe. She's an adorable kid who showed up to the audition with her sister and single mother and won the crowd over within seconds of doing her cover of Duffy's "Mercy." Her voice is bigger than any 13-year-old I've heard in a long time. Paula told her afterwards that she did exactly what we need people to do on this stage.
Of all the remaining contestants, Siameze Floyd, Simone Battle, Stacy Francis, Marcus Canty and Chris Rene were all memorable.
Siameze Floyd
How can I describe 30-year-old Siameze? Well, he's 1/2 Prince, 1/4 Rick James and 1/4 Lenny Kravitz in size 2 jeans and a mesh T-Shirt. His voice is okay, but it was his stage antics and diva mentality that caught everyone by surprise. He actually said, "I have the look . I have the attitude. I have the talent. So let's do it!" Hmm.
When he finally takes the stage, the music plays and he immediately starts doing a dance that was very reminiscent of Michael Flatley's "Lord of the Dance." From there he launches into singing Rick James' "Give It To Me Baby," and it took off from there. He gyrated all across the stage doing the splits and jumping up and down. It seems he took a few pages out of Prince's handbook. Very entertaining for sure, but I don't know if he has the vocal chops to get far in this competition. He was given the thumbs up, so we shall see in the coming weeks.
Simone Battle
USC student Simone Battle described herself as fierce, which Simon declared was annoying. But after doing her rendition of the Pussycat Dolls "When I Grow Up," Simon became very interested. All the judges wanted to see the 21-year-old progress to the next level except for L.A. Reid, who said he was underwhelmed. But it only takes three out of the four to agree for the contestant to head to the next round.
Stacy Francis
Single mother Stacy Francis, 42, had the tearjerker story of the night. She has two kids and for years had her self-esteem squashed by a boyfriend who constantly told her she was too old and not talented enough to become the singer she wanted to be. The "X Factor" was her chance to step out and prove she's got what it takes.
She stepped up to the mic and belted out Aretha Franklin's "Natural Woman." She hit all the right notes and was super polished in her delivery. The judges loved the way she held notes for what seemed like forever. She's going to be the one that many people root for because of how far she has come later in life. She might just be the one to watch on this show.
Marcus Canty
Twenty-year-old Marcus Canty took the stage and explained to the judges that his two-year window post-high school to make it in the industry was drawing near, so this is it. He then leaps into Stevie Wonder's "I Wish." And boy, he probably made Stevie Wonder proud! L.A. Reid was dancing and so were Nicole and Paula. All four judges said yes.
Chris Rene
And then there was 28-year-old single father Chris Rene. He admitted to abusing drugs and alcohol at a young age and thus was sent to rehab. He told the judges he had been clean for 70 days, and this was it for him. He performed an original song called "Young Homey." He rapped part of the song and sang in other parts, and it was a really nice mixture of hip-hop with some R&B notes.
He was one of the few contestants to get a standing ovation from all four judges. Paula and L.A. Reid even high-fived each other. Such a great moment. Simon chimed in saying, "There is something about you...What I like is that maybe you need the show, and maybe we need you!" And there you have it. Rene moves to the next level, but he did have to promise Reid and the rest of the judges he will stay clean and out of trouble.
If the talent pool in Los Angeles and Seattle is any indication of what is to come on Thursday night, then I will have to stick around for this must see TV.
What do you think? Did "X Factor" live up to the hype?
COMMENT: THIS PROGRAM SHOULD BE VERY GOOD BECAUSE THE CONDUCTOR OF THIS SHOW IS A VER KNOWN JUDGE AND A TALENT SEEKER, SO I THINK THAT IN THE PROBLEM THERES GONNA BE A LOT OF GOOD LEVEL AND A GOOD COMPETITION LEVEL.
A lot was crammed into this two-hour premiere. It was slick, glossy, fast-paced and at times over-produced. But I LOVED it. No other singing competition has shown that vast amount of talent in a long time, although NBC's "The Voice" came very close.
But before we get to the contestants, let's talk about the host and the four judges.
Welsh-born TV host Steve Jones kicked things off (and yes, he definitely had my attention. Who is this über good-looking guy from across the pond, and why hadn't I heard about him before?) as auditions began in Los Angeles and Seattle.
Simon Cowell, former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger (who replaced U.K. singer Cheryl Cole), record label executive L.A. Reid and my favorite "American Idol" judge of all time, Paula Abdul, sat together judging countless contestants of various ages. The sometimes mean but always frank Cowell didn't pull out the fangs, but he was honest and told a few contestants "no" when it came time to vote them to the next level.
My favorite line from him of the night was when he told a female duo who were auditioning that one was singing while the other sounded like she swallowed poison! Good old Cowell is back. All four judges have their distinct styles, and when put together it becomes the perfect puzzle. That's enough to make me want to stay tuned the entire season.
On to the contestants: The ones that advanced were beyond stellar. They either had distinct voices, were extremely entertaining or had that...well, "X" factor.
Let's focus on the unforgettable contestants. First up was 13-year-old Rachel Crowe. She's an adorable kid who showed up to the audition with her sister and single mother and won the crowd over within seconds of doing her cover of Duffy's "Mercy." Her voice is bigger than any 13-year-old I've heard in a long time. Paula told her afterwards that she did exactly what we need people to do on this stage.
Of all the remaining contestants, Siameze Floyd, Simone Battle, Stacy Francis, Marcus Canty and Chris Rene were all memorable.
Siameze Floyd
How can I describe 30-year-old Siameze? Well, he's 1/2 Prince, 1/4 Rick James and 1/4 Lenny Kravitz in size 2 jeans and a mesh T-Shirt. His voice is okay, but it was his stage antics and diva mentality that caught everyone by surprise. He actually said, "I have the look . I have the attitude. I have the talent. So let's do it!" Hmm.
When he finally takes the stage, the music plays and he immediately starts doing a dance that was very reminiscent of Michael Flatley's "Lord of the Dance." From there he launches into singing Rick James' "Give It To Me Baby," and it took off from there. He gyrated all across the stage doing the splits and jumping up and down. It seems he took a few pages out of Prince's handbook. Very entertaining for sure, but I don't know if he has the vocal chops to get far in this competition. He was given the thumbs up, so we shall see in the coming weeks.
Simone Battle
USC student Simone Battle described herself as fierce, which Simon declared was annoying. But after doing her rendition of the Pussycat Dolls "When I Grow Up," Simon became very interested. All the judges wanted to see the 21-year-old progress to the next level except for L.A. Reid, who said he was underwhelmed. But it only takes three out of the four to agree for the contestant to head to the next round.
Stacy Francis
Single mother Stacy Francis, 42, had the tearjerker story of the night. She has two kids and for years had her self-esteem squashed by a boyfriend who constantly told her she was too old and not talented enough to become the singer she wanted to be. The "X Factor" was her chance to step out and prove she's got what it takes.
She stepped up to the mic and belted out Aretha Franklin's "Natural Woman." She hit all the right notes and was super polished in her delivery. The judges loved the way she held notes for what seemed like forever. She's going to be the one that many people root for because of how far she has come later in life. She might just be the one to watch on this show.
Marcus Canty
Twenty-year-old Marcus Canty took the stage and explained to the judges that his two-year window post-high school to make it in the industry was drawing near, so this is it. He then leaps into Stevie Wonder's "I Wish." And boy, he probably made Stevie Wonder proud! L.A. Reid was dancing and so were Nicole and Paula. All four judges said yes.
Chris Rene
And then there was 28-year-old single father Chris Rene. He admitted to abusing drugs and alcohol at a young age and thus was sent to rehab. He told the judges he had been clean for 70 days, and this was it for him. He performed an original song called "Young Homey." He rapped part of the song and sang in other parts, and it was a really nice mixture of hip-hop with some R&B notes.
He was one of the few contestants to get a standing ovation from all four judges. Paula and L.A. Reid even high-fived each other. Such a great moment. Simon chimed in saying, "There is something about you...What I like is that maybe you need the show, and maybe we need you!" And there you have it. Rene moves to the next level, but he did have to promise Reid and the rest of the judges he will stay clean and out of trouble.
If the talent pool in Los Angeles and Seattle is any indication of what is to come on Thursday night, then I will have to stick around for this must see TV.
What do you think? Did "X Factor" live up to the hype?
COMMENT: THIS PROGRAM SHOULD BE VERY GOOD BECAUSE THE CONDUCTOR OF THIS SHOW IS A VER KNOWN JUDGE AND A TALENT SEEKER, SO I THINK THAT IN THE PROBLEM THERES GONNA BE A LOT OF GOOD LEVEL AND A GOOD COMPETITION LEVEL.
(CNN) -- A 26-year-old Massachusetts man with a physics degree was arrested and charged Wednesday with plotting an attack on the Pentagon and the U.S. Capitol with a remote-controlled model aircraft, authorities said.
Rezwan Ferdaus, a U.S. citizen from Ashland, Massachusetts, planned to use model aircraft filled with C-4 plastic explosives, authorities said.
As a result of an undercover FBI investigation, Ferdaus, who has a physics degree from Northeastern University in Boston, was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to al Qaeda for attacks on U.S. soldiers overseas, authorities said.
His federal public defender couldn't be reached immediately for comment.
A law enforcement official said Ferdaus posed no immediate danger to the public because undercover operatives kept in close contact with him.
"There is no information to indicate he was connected to a foreign terrorist organization. It appears he was radicalized watching videos on the internet. He was given the opportunity to back down, but he never wavered" from his intention to carry out the attacks, the source said.
The investigation also involved a cooperating witness, and authorities began recording conversations between that witness and Ferdaus in January, authorities said.
Ferdaus began planning a violent "jihad" against America in early 2010, authorities said, and he began supplying the FBI undercover agents with cell phones rigged to act as electric switches for improved explosive devices, intended to be used to kill U.S. soldiers overseas.
Undercover federal agents also gave Ferdaus 25 pounds of fake C-4 explosives. Only a very small amount of it was the real thing, the source said.
COMMENT: this is a very interesting news because a young man attempt against the pentagon and thats no usual and has a remot controlles airplane craft with C-4 explosives I think that he is insane and he doesnt know what he was doing becasue obviously they will find him.
Rezwan Ferdaus, a U.S. citizen from Ashland, Massachusetts, planned to use model aircraft filled with C-4 plastic explosives, authorities said.
As a result of an undercover FBI investigation, Ferdaus, who has a physics degree from Northeastern University in Boston, was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to al Qaeda for attacks on U.S. soldiers overseas, authorities said.
His federal public defender couldn't be reached immediately for comment.
A law enforcement official said Ferdaus posed no immediate danger to the public because undercover operatives kept in close contact with him.
"There is no information to indicate he was connected to a foreign terrorist organization. It appears he was radicalized watching videos on the internet. He was given the opportunity to back down, but he never wavered" from his intention to carry out the attacks, the source said.
The investigation also involved a cooperating witness, and authorities began recording conversations between that witness and Ferdaus in January, authorities said.
Ferdaus began planning a violent "jihad" against America in early 2010, authorities said, and he began supplying the FBI undercover agents with cell phones rigged to act as electric switches for improved explosive devices, intended to be used to kill U.S. soldiers overseas.
Undercover federal agents also gave Ferdaus 25 pounds of fake C-4 explosives. Only a very small amount of it was the real thing, the source said.
COMMENT: this is a very interesting news because a young man attempt against the pentagon and thats no usual and has a remot controlles airplane craft with C-4 explosives I think that he is insane and he doesnt know what he was doing becasue obviously they will find him.
(WIRED) -- Finally, the Windows Phone 7 operating system is starting to catch up.
Microsoft's web-based Windows Phone Marketplace went live Tuesday, years after competitors Apple and Google launched their own. The app store launch is in conjunction with the rollout of Microsoft's latest iteration of the Windows Phone 7 operating system (Mango).
The version 7.5 update will roll out to existing Windows Phone owners slowly to ensure there are no issues for users, according to the company. Mango adds over 500 tweaks and features to the Windows Phone 7 platform.
The Windows Phone Marketplace web portal launches with over 30,000 apps in tow, an admirable enough number (though still far behind its competitors). Apps are organized into one of 16 categories, and on the main page you can also browse by featured, free, top or new.
Games are a separate tab from apps, and they're organized into one of 14 different categories. On an app or game page, you've got what you've come to expect from a web-based app market: the app icon, price, a rating, description, screenshots and reviews.
After purchasing an app from the web store, you can choose to receive it on your Windows Phone hardware via e-mail or text message.
The update to Mango is free and completely optional, but we got a chance to check it out ahead of time and honestly, there's little reason not to upgrade. In particular, the OS adds some seriously cool social media integration to your contacts list, which is referred to as the People Hub.
It also adds Wi-Fi sharing abilities and a Yelp-like built-in app called Local Scout to the homescreen.
If you're a Samsung Focus, Dell Venue Pro or other Windows Phone 7 owner, you'll receive an alert delivered OTA to your device when the update is prepped and ready to download. To check the status of your potential update, you can visit the "Where's My Update" site, which is available starting today.
You do, however, need PC or Mac connector software to install the update, but they're available for free online (details are available on the Windows Phone Blog).
A number of Windows Phone Mango-specific devices will also be released later this fall.
Microsoft's web-based Windows Phone Marketplace went live Tuesday, years after competitors Apple and Google launched their own. The app store launch is in conjunction with the rollout of Microsoft's latest iteration of the Windows Phone 7 operating system (Mango).
The version 7.5 update will roll out to existing Windows Phone owners slowly to ensure there are no issues for users, according to the company. Mango adds over 500 tweaks and features to the Windows Phone 7 platform.
The Windows Phone Marketplace web portal launches with over 30,000 apps in tow, an admirable enough number (though still far behind its competitors). Apps are organized into one of 16 categories, and on the main page you can also browse by featured, free, top or new.
Games are a separate tab from apps, and they're organized into one of 14 different categories. On an app or game page, you've got what you've come to expect from a web-based app market: the app icon, price, a rating, description, screenshots and reviews.
After purchasing an app from the web store, you can choose to receive it on your Windows Phone hardware via e-mail or text message.
The update to Mango is free and completely optional, but we got a chance to check it out ahead of time and honestly, there's little reason not to upgrade. In particular, the OS adds some seriously cool social media integration to your contacts list, which is referred to as the People Hub.
It also adds Wi-Fi sharing abilities and a Yelp-like built-in app called Local Scout to the homescreen.
If you're a Samsung Focus, Dell Venue Pro or other Windows Phone 7 owner, you'll receive an alert delivered OTA to your device when the update is prepped and ready to download. To check the status of your potential update, you can visit the "Where's My Update" site, which is available starting today.
You do, however, need PC or Mac connector software to install the update, but they're available for free online (details are available on the Windows Phone Blog).
A number of Windows Phone Mango-specific devices will also be released later this fall.
COMMENT: NUMBER 1: TODAY THE NEWS WERE NOT BORING BUT NOT FUN EATHER. THE NEWS WERE ONLY LIKE 2 NEWS, THAT IS A LITTLE BORING. NUMBER 2: ABOUT THE NEWS I THINK THAT IS A LLITTLE TO LATE.
CNN) -- With Amazon unveiling its much-anticipated Kindle Fire tablet computer Wednesday, we may finally have a real tablet war on our hands.
In the nearly 18 months since the iPad went on sale, tablet rivals have come and gone. But Apple's device has remained dominant.
Amazon's new entry, though, might be different. Instead of crafting an iPad carbon copy and asking consumers to choose between them, they've pushed out a stripped-down and simplified device that sells for much less than the iPad 2 while skimping on some of that tablet's features.
If you're in the market for a tablet, though, here's the real question: Which one, if either, is right for you?
We can't say for sure, since we haven't gotten our hands on one yet. (Amazon didn't let reporters demo them at Wednesday's launch event.)
Tablet wars heat up with Kindle Fire
Here's a look at how the two devices stack up in some key areas.
Price
Apple's higher prices make the Fire's price tag look like, well, a fire sale.
At $199, the Kindle Fire will be a full $300 cheaper than the lowest-priced iPad 2. That's possibly an easier entry point for folks who are intrigued by the iPad but can't justify spending $500 for a portable computer when they already have a smartphone and a laptop.
One reason iPad competitors have had a hard time catching on is that, to make a profit, they're priced about the same as Apple's hit device, which costs $499 to $829, depending on storage capacity and 3G capability. That being the case, the majority of consumers have stuck with the market leader.
For evidence of the power of a lower price point, though, look no further than HP's "dead" TouchPad tablet, which the company announced it was discontinuing last month. The company slashed prices to $99 for a 16GB model and $149 for a 32GB one, and they suddenly flew off the shelves (so much so that HP actually made more to fill the demand).
The Fire's $199 sticker may appeal to parents who want to get their child a tablet but hesitate at shelling out $500 or more for something that might get dropped into a puddle.
Screen size
There's a pretty clear difference here. The iPad has a 9.7-inch display, compared with a 7-inch screen on the Kindle Fire.
That screen size is probably a big reason Amazon can offer its tablet at $199 -- touchscreens are expensive to make. But with smartphone screen sizes inching ever-bigger (the just-announced Samsung Galaxy Note will clock in at 5.3 inches) the Fire ends up being a bit of a "tweener."
That's probably no big deal for some users. But if watching movies or playing games is a big reason you want a tablet, bigger is clearly better.
On the flip side, the Fire is smaller and 50% lighter than the iPad, and Amazon says it's "easy to hold in one hand." This may appeal to some users who want to take their tablet on the go.
Features
The Kindle Fire is definitely scaled back from the iPad 2 in several ways.
The Fire doesn't have a camera. For shutterbugs, that might not be such a big deal, as many folks find it easier to shoot photos on smartphones than tablets anyway. But it also means apps like Apple's video chat service, FaceTime, won't be replicated on Amazon's offering.
The Fire also doesn't have a microphone, so voice recording and Skype-style chat are out.
And the Fire is Wi-Fi-only, which means users will be able to surf the Web and download content (like books from Amazon) only when they have a connection. The iPad also comes in 3G models, albeit at a higher price. (The 3G version of the low-end 16GB iPad 2 jumps to $629, not including the monthly data plan).
The Kindle Fire promises eight hours of battery life, as opposed to 10 hours for the iPad 2.
Finally, the Fire has only 8GB of storage (compared with the iPad 2's bottom end at 16GB) but makes up for it by offering free cloud storage on Amazon's gargantuan bank of servers.
Apps
The Fire will run on a modified version of Google's Android operating system. That means users will have access to more than 250,000 apps in the online Android Market. The iPad, of course, has access to more than 425,000 apps in the Apple Store. So, advantage iPad -- although both offerings are robust, and Android is catching up.
Amazon has, of course, optimized the Fire for its own content, like streaming movies, e-books and music. It also will come with a 30-day free look at Amazon Prime, the company's premier service that offers free two-day shipping of products from Amazon.com and free streaming from a library of more than 11,000 movies and TV shows.
Bottom line
On the surface, both tablets appear to be good options for people who just want a basic portable computer for light Web surfing and content consumption. The iPad has a proven track record and more bells and whistles, although that $199 Kindle Fire price is sure to tempt consumers.
The Fire doesn't go on sale until November 15, so you'll have plenty of time to read reviews of the device by then.
I think that the iPad is better in almost all ways, except for the price, because there is a difference of more than $100, but except for that, all the other things are better, apps, size of the screen, the software of the tablet, etc.
In the nearly 18 months since the iPad went on sale, tablet rivals have come and gone. But Apple's device has remained dominant.
Amazon's new entry, though, might be different. Instead of crafting an iPad carbon copy and asking consumers to choose between them, they've pushed out a stripped-down and simplified device that sells for much less than the iPad 2 while skimping on some of that tablet's features.
If you're in the market for a tablet, though, here's the real question: Which one, if either, is right for you?
We can't say for sure, since we haven't gotten our hands on one yet. (Amazon didn't let reporters demo them at Wednesday's launch event.)
Tablet wars heat up with Kindle Fire
Here's a look at how the two devices stack up in some key areas.
Price
Apple's higher prices make the Fire's price tag look like, well, a fire sale.
At $199, the Kindle Fire will be a full $300 cheaper than the lowest-priced iPad 2. That's possibly an easier entry point for folks who are intrigued by the iPad but can't justify spending $500 for a portable computer when they already have a smartphone and a laptop.
One reason iPad competitors have had a hard time catching on is that, to make a profit, they're priced about the same as Apple's hit device, which costs $499 to $829, depending on storage capacity and 3G capability. That being the case, the majority of consumers have stuck with the market leader.
For evidence of the power of a lower price point, though, look no further than HP's "dead" TouchPad tablet, which the company announced it was discontinuing last month. The company slashed prices to $99 for a 16GB model and $149 for a 32GB one, and they suddenly flew off the shelves (so much so that HP actually made more to fill the demand).
The Fire's $199 sticker may appeal to parents who want to get their child a tablet but hesitate at shelling out $500 or more for something that might get dropped into a puddle.
Screen size
There's a pretty clear difference here. The iPad has a 9.7-inch display, compared with a 7-inch screen on the Kindle Fire.
That screen size is probably a big reason Amazon can offer its tablet at $199 -- touchscreens are expensive to make. But with smartphone screen sizes inching ever-bigger (the just-announced Samsung Galaxy Note will clock in at 5.3 inches) the Fire ends up being a bit of a "tweener."
That's probably no big deal for some users. But if watching movies or playing games is a big reason you want a tablet, bigger is clearly better.
On the flip side, the Fire is smaller and 50% lighter than the iPad, and Amazon says it's "easy to hold in one hand." This may appeal to some users who want to take their tablet on the go.
Features
The Kindle Fire is definitely scaled back from the iPad 2 in several ways.
The Fire doesn't have a camera. For shutterbugs, that might not be such a big deal, as many folks find it easier to shoot photos on smartphones than tablets anyway. But it also means apps like Apple's video chat service, FaceTime, won't be replicated on Amazon's offering.
The Fire also doesn't have a microphone, so voice recording and Skype-style chat are out.
And the Fire is Wi-Fi-only, which means users will be able to surf the Web and download content (like books from Amazon) only when they have a connection. The iPad also comes in 3G models, albeit at a higher price. (The 3G version of the low-end 16GB iPad 2 jumps to $629, not including the monthly data plan).
The Kindle Fire promises eight hours of battery life, as opposed to 10 hours for the iPad 2.
Finally, the Fire has only 8GB of storage (compared with the iPad 2's bottom end at 16GB) but makes up for it by offering free cloud storage on Amazon's gargantuan bank of servers.
Apps
The Fire will run on a modified version of Google's Android operating system. That means users will have access to more than 250,000 apps in the online Android Market. The iPad, of course, has access to more than 425,000 apps in the Apple Store. So, advantage iPad -- although both offerings are robust, and Android is catching up.
Amazon has, of course, optimized the Fire for its own content, like streaming movies, e-books and music. It also will come with a 30-day free look at Amazon Prime, the company's premier service that offers free two-day shipping of products from Amazon.com and free streaming from a library of more than 11,000 movies and TV shows.
Bottom line
On the surface, both tablets appear to be good options for people who just want a basic portable computer for light Web surfing and content consumption. The iPad has a proven track record and more bells and whistles, although that $199 Kindle Fire price is sure to tempt consumers.
The Fire doesn't go on sale until November 15, so you'll have plenty of time to read reviews of the device by then.
I think that the iPad is better in almost all ways, except for the price, because there is a difference of more than $100, but except for that, all the other things are better, apps, size of the screen, the software of the tablet, etc.
7 arrested in alleged SAT cheating scam
Authorities have arrested seven people in an alleged SAT cheating scam at a Long Island, New York, high school and are investigating whether the cheating extends to other schools.
Samuel Eshaghoff, 19, of Great Neck, New York, was arrested Tuesday on felony fraud charges that could result in four years in prison if he's convicted, the Nassau County District Attorney's Office said. Six students face misdemeanor charges. Their names are not being released because they are minors.Prosecutors allege Eshaghoff impersonated six Great Neck North High students between 2010 and 2011, charging between $1,500 and $2,500 to take the SAT test for them. Eshaghoff would take the test at schools other than Great Neck, where proctors would not be familiar with the students' identity, and present fake, unofficial identification, prosecutors say.
Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice said authorities uncovered the scam after hearing rumors of cheating, comparing the test scores of suspects to their school grade-point averages, and finding a "wide gulf" in the cases of the six suspects. The district attorney's office said it is investigating possible cheating scams at two other Nassau County high schools as well as possible further instances involving Eshaghoff.
Eshaghoff's attorney, Matin Emouna, said his client has pleaded not guilty in the case.
And he said cheating on tests is something that should be handled in schools, not in criminal courts.
"At what point are you going to draw the line?" Emouna asked during a phone interview with CNN Wednesday. "No one has had a case like this in the U.S., and I think attorneys are going to have a field day with it."
The victims in the case are students who are denied admission at the colleges of their choice by students who cheated, Rice said Wednesday on CNN's "American Morning."
"Honest kids should not be bumped out of college slots by kids who cheated," she said.
Rice called on the Educational Testing Service, the nonprofit which administers the SAT test nationwide, to establish procedures to combat cheating, including photographing students as they take the test and attaching the picture to the answer sheet.
"We need ETS to tighten security they have at these test centers," Rice said.
She also called on ETS to inform colleges if cheating is suspected. ETS currently deals with suspected cheating by canceling test scores and offering refunds or retests or arbitration, according to the district attorney's office.
“Colleges look for the best and brightest students, yet these six defendants tried to cheat the system and may have kept honest and qualified students from getting into their dream school,” Rice said in a statement Tuesday.
Rice said authorities have no evidence implicating parents in the cheating scandal.
Great Neck North identifies itself as a high-performing high school, with a 97% graduation rate and almost 97% of students planning to pursue higher education.
"National publications consistently and historically have included Great Neck North High School among the top secondary schools in the country," the school says in a profile on its website.
The mean scores achieved by Great Neck North students on SAT tests in 2010 were well above the national average, according to the profile.
Eshaghoff, a 2010 Great Neck North graduate, tested in the 97th percentile, Rice said. He is now enrolled at Emory University in Atlanta after attending the University of Michigan for his freshman year, the prosecutor's office said.
The next SAT test dates are this weekend and Rice said authorities would be vigilant.
“These arrests should serve as a warning to those taking the SAT this Saturday that if you cheat, you can face serious criminal consequences," Rice said.
COMMENT: It is good that the authorities have captured these 7 persons that are related with this spying sat scam and cheating with persons that form part from it. They have to pay it if they want to go out from jail I yhink this is a very bad influencing in other people.
NEWS:
(CNN) -- The iPod classic, a venerable stalwart in the world of consumer technology, may be getting the axe along with its cousin, the iPod shuffle, according to a blog that focuses on Apple news.
Citing an unnamed source, The Unofficial Apple Weblog is reportingthat, in addition to unveiling the iPhone 5 next week, Apple plans to discontinue the more dated versions of its music player in favor of sleeker models like the iPod Nano and iPod Touch.
The blog notes that Apple teased a "product transition" during its most recent earnings report.
Saying only that the source is not an analyst, TUAW says the rumor makes sense.
"The classic is a holdover from 10 years of iPod existence, bearing many similarities to the original iPod," wrote blog editor Victor Agreda, Jr. "The shuffle is basically the same form factor as the nano, minus a screen."
He writes that the blog had been "sitting on a tip" about the discontinuation and only wrote about it after speculation popped up on other sites.
A groundbreaking device in personal tech, credited with reinvigorating Apple a decade ago, the iPod line now accounts for just about 7 percent of Apple's overall revenues. The iPhone and iPad, which offer music and video streaming along with lots of other features, have in some way trumped the iPod's usefulness.
Last year, Apple made what then-CEO Steve Jobs called "the biggest change in the iPod lineup ever."
But amid big changes to the Touch, Nano and Shuffle, there was no mention at all of the classic iPod, leading many to speculate that the end may be near.
COMMENT:
THA FAMOUS STORE OF U.S.A APPLE MAKES REALLY BIG CHANGES TO THE IPOD TOUCH, IPOD NANO, AND ALSO THE IPOD SHUFFLE, BUT THE IPOD CLASSIC STAYS AT THE SAME, THIS COLUD BE THE END OF THE IPODS CLASSIC FOR APPLE BECUAUSE THEY DONT RECEIVE ANY CHANGE.
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