King James and Hometown Cavs in hopes with heat

For what we know, Berlusconi paid his villa, his drinks and his friends' with his money

WRONG

His villa in Sardinia was heavily modified and rebuilt with taxpayer money for “security reasons”. He uses it to entertain other heads of state on official visits paid, again, by taxpayer money. Oh, and he flies back and forth from it on military aircrafts (usually accompanied by female escorts) paid, yet again, with taxpayer money.

The guy is just a XXI-century Peron who financed his early business success with money from the Mafia, as it was conclusively determined by the judiciary just a few weeks ago. He controls 6 of 7 free tv channels, owns the overwhelming majority of ANY media in the country (press, movie theatres, publishing…), has so many conflicts of interest that it would take several books to explore them all, but is constantly passing laws to make himself even more untouchable. He's responsible, among other things, for the appalling police behaviour during the G8 meeting in Genoa. He was close friend of a previous “uber-corrupted” prime minister, Bettino Craxi. During a court battle to get ownership of the largest publisher in the country, he successfully corrupted the judges, then corrupted his lawyer to lie during the resulting investigation. He was eventually saved by the use of the Italian equivalent of the statute of limitations — after he had managed to stop the trial umpteen times with new laws.

I wonder: would you fight for the privacy of this man to steal your money and your freedom?

This is all very well documented across the web (I Note: guess mostly in Italian, but hey). “For what we know” is not something you should really say.

Al Yeganeh, the man who is the inspiration for Seinfeld's infamous “Soup Nazi” character, is reopening his West 55th Street location of his soup chain Original SoupMan after closing it 6 years ago. The Wall Street Journal reports that the “Soup Nazi” is living up to his name, and refusing to give interviews about the new spot. Check out the “Soup Nazi's” strict press rules:

1.) NO Tabloids

2.) NO Nazi “N” WORD

3.) NO PERSONAL QUESTIONS

4.) NO FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS

5.) ONLY SOME OF THE QUESTIONS EMAILED MAY BE ANSWERED

6.) METHOD & TIMING OF INTERVIEWS BY AL’S DISCRETION

Finally the president of Yeganeh's franchise responded to the Journal letting them know that the rules for ordering will remain but won't be enforced at the store.

http://priceslapper.com/blog-host/theliljournal/

James leaves Hometown Cavs in hopes with Miami Heat

With early morning news that Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade have agreed to contracts with the Miami Heat, The Chicago Bulls have agreed to a contract for 5 years worth 80 million with Carlos Boozer.

So it begins, has the signing of Carlos Boozer attracted LeBron? Boozer left the Cavaliers in 2004 because of the situation with LeBron and ownership. The twist now comes as can LeBron and Boozer put the past aside and form a dominant dynasty in Chicago? 

In the 1990's the Bulls led by Michael Jordan and his sidekick Scottie Pippen won 6 titles, two three-peats (MJ took 2 years off to play baseball) and when the Bulls got their meeting with LeBron part of the package they gave him was a picture of a shadow from the MJ statue that is right outside the United Center, and underneath the picture there was a caption that read: “Can you fill these?”

So, the Bulls who have an All-Star point guard in Derrick Rose, a future All-Star in Joakim Noah a reliable option at the small forward spot in Luol Deng have now added a veteran powerful post player in Carlos Boozer.

The twist to all of this is that LeBron can sign with the Bulls at a max deal. This means the Bulls would not have to move any more pieces, LeBron would get his dough and it would be Game On in the Eastern Conference. If LeBron wants a ring his best chance is to sign with the Bulls and LeBron and the Bulls organization would have to thank Carlos Boozer.

Carlos Boozer did not sign a max deal and now there is a bigger possibility of LeBron joining the Bulls. We all thought that with the Amar'e signing LeBron could be headed to New York but there simply isn't enough pieces to get a ring right away. If LeBron is tied to home and wants more money, he'll stay in Cleveland, but will his chances of getting a title improve? I believe not, and Bulls fans hope not. 

In the biggest sports announcement of possibly all time, LeBron will announce his decision on ESPN at 9pm EST on a one hour special called “The Decision”.

So what's it gonna be LeBron, Chicago? New York? New Jersey? Cleveland? Miami? New Jersey and Miami seem like a long shot and I believe his final three are New York, Cleveland and Chicago. 

On national television, LeBron will break many hearts in many cities across the NBA—he can sign with only one team and it comes down to what does LeBron want? Cities, teams and fans can throw the world at LeBron but its up to you King James, and the Bulls hope their recent acquisition of “Booze” can lure you up.

So the question re-asks itself if you sign with the Bulls: Can you fill Michael's shoes? 

Question asked, Answer to be announced Thursday July 8th, 2010 9 PM EST on ESPN. “The Decision” may shift the whole NBA world, and the Bulls have now become a nice attractive option for LeBron to sign there.

LeBron has decided but questions remain.

by Adam Sweeney

The inmates have officially taken over the asylum and we handed them the keys.

Thursday night, LeBron James, a player whose talent level and hype seems to know no limits, took the term heartbreaker to a new level by making the announcement that he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to head to South Beach with the Miami Heat in a television special. With that decision comes hyperbole to no end, as ESPN has already stated the trio of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh is one of the great trios of all time before they even played as a team in an NBA game together. But if James has become an addict of celebrity, and it certainly appears that way, then we are the ultimate enablers. This isn’t a LeBron James hate article. If anything, we put the needle in his hand.

Anyone who needs proof that America can’t get enough of the summer LeBron-athon needs to look at the SLAMonline website. The top four features all involved LeBron James. No, the irony of this article in itself is not lost on me. I feed the beast just as much as the next fan. It’s a matter of supply and demand when it comes to sports coverage. We recognize what you want to see and then slam it down your throat until you pick another flavor. Now swallow your poison.

There is nothing wrong with LeBron James choosing to go for a ring. It’s common knowledge that you can’t win a title without two to three exceptional players. Jordan had Pippen. Kareem had Magic. Kobe had Shaq and Gasol. Now LeBron has his co-pilots. The black eye to James comes in how he conducted the entire process, right up to the ultimate “Decision.”

If LeBron wants to add another sponsor in his quest for world domination, maybe Gold Bond Medicated Powder would be happy to throw themselves at his feet. It is really the only practical choice, seeing as the poor guy must be chafing from how many teams and fans rode his jock so hard, as if James needs more money. The “selflessness” of James when it comes to taking less money is laughable. He still stands to make over $80-100 million in this contract if he wants. The big money comes from endorsements. Don’t forget that James, Bosh and Wade are all Nike guys. The real winners in this choice may be Phil Knight, CEO of Nike, and the Swoosh symbol. Let’s also not forget about the Don, Pat Riley, who pulled a great sell job to make this happen.

The Cleveland Cavaliers shouldn’t blame themselves. They did everything they could to help James get a championship. The sad truth is that you are who you are. Cleveland just isn’t a top-tier city or franchise. James was not selfless or naïve enough to think he could win a championship on his own. Had Chris Bosh wanted to play in C-Town there is no doubt James would have stayed. That wasn’t happening and so James was left with little choice but to leave. Cleveland lost their high school sweetheart and now gets to look at the love letters and highlight videos of the “LeBron years” in the aftermath. You can always break out the Mark Price and Shawn Kemp jerseys, Ohio. Cough. And please don’t feel bad for the New York Knicks or any team besides Cleveland that lost in the LeBron sweepstakes. They cut off their nose to spite their face. The results are to be expected. They are now a bloody and ugly mess.

Still, there is contradiction in The Chosen One’s pick. James stated that a team isn’t built around just three guys but his decision screams otherwise. Yes, Wade and Bosh are two of the 20 best players in the game but what else does Miami have? The best choice in terms of depth was Chicago, especially once they grabbed Carlos Boozer. Somebody strike while the iron is hot and print a picture of the aforementioned trio that says “Friends first” or “Miami Thrice.” (Props to my friend Nick for the latter nickname.) This is what James is saying with his pick. Going to Miami says that he thinks superstar egos can co-exist and winning matters but don’t say that he chose the best team scenario. It simply isn’t true.

It would be foolish to crown James a champion, though haven’t we all been doing that since he was a high school phenom? Expectations don’t always equate to reality. The Heat still have to fill their roster out around the new “Big Three.” Don’t forget about the Steve Kerrs, Michael Coopers and Robert Horrys of the world. Mike Miller, who now looks ready to come along, gives them a much needed shooter. Can Pat Riley lure other veterans in to the fray? The kneejerk answer is a definitive yes. But don’t underestimate the egos of NBA players. How many true impact players want to sit on the bench and play ten minutes at best a night? We will see.

What made James’ situation novel was the polarity involved. The most unique physical specimen in basketball came from the trenches of Ohio to carry the hopes and hearts of the most jaded sports city in America. We haven’t seen a hometown boy more hyped up since Anakin Skywalker rolled out of Tatooine in Star Wars. Now it’s James who has seemingly turned to the dark side.

The made-for-TV special could not have been any more audacious if they had carried James in to the room on a throne. Was it really necessary to title a press conference concerning an athlete’s deliberation over free agency “The Decision?” Harry S. Truman deliberating over dropping the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima is a decision. This circus show should have been called “Just tell us already!”

James had to be aware of what he was doing to Cleveland by making his decision in to a spectacle. Offering up the show’s profits to the Boys & Girls Club smelled both of desperation and self-preservation. I kept waiting for LeBron to kiss a baby and say, “Don’t forget that I’m a good person, Cleveland.” The bleachers filled with children served as a false backdrop to a stage where James has now changed from hero to villain In the eyes of many. The Miami Heat have now become the Empire, an odd juxtaposition to the superpowers of teams with tradition like the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. Any rebellious team who takes down King James and his roundball table will be respected.

The never-ending conversation of who is the greatest of all time also has turned itself on its head. James has shown that rings overcome loyalty, which shows that he is aware of his place in history. Kobe Bryant’s last two titles have seemed to erase the memories of hoop fans everywhere. Anyone who says Bryant wouldn’t have dragged this situation out forget his temper tantrums thrown on sports radio and his infamous statement about Andrew Bynum in a mall. It’s funny how winning changes history.

In King James’ quest to grasp the Holy Grail of public opinion, he has also lowered his respective ceiling in the G.O.A.T. conversation. James can’t win in this situation. Critics will say LeBron can’t win it by himself without superstars around him if he wins in Miami. “He had to acquiesce to Dwyane Wade to do it,” they will say. If he fails to get a title with the Heat, which is a real possibility, he will move ahead of players like Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley and Karl Malone in terms of great players who couldn’t earn a ring. Is it an unfair paradox? Maybe, but LeBron has made his own bed by dragging teams along on a two-year courtship.

The true greats of the NBA stayed at home. Michael Jordan stuck in Chicago during the prime of his career. Magic Johnson did it. Paul Pierce is now a Boston hero because he held down the fort in the wake of despair. The consensus philosophy also lies in the fact that to be the best you beat the best. You don’t join them. James could have been a legend by staying in Cleveland or winning a title in New York because he would have done it alone. What this says about James’ legacy remains to be seen. Titles seem probable to come but the Association’s greatest? That’s a title that seems to be getting away from James.

LeBron James made the most fitting choice for who he has become now. He has brought a hurricane of controversy, urban legend and expectations to South Beach. Get ready, Miami. Change is coming. We have to wait and see if it will end with championship parties on the beach or a hangover even Mike Tyson couldn’t knock out. You know that we will be watching every overexposed step of the way.

http://priceslapper.com/blog-host/theliljournal/

James and Cleveland picks up Miami Heat

With early morning news that Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade have agreed to contracts with the Miami Heat, The Chicago Bulls have agreed to a contract for 5 years worth 80 million with Carlos Boozer.

So it begins, has the signing of Carlos Boozer attracted LeBron? Boozer left the Cavaliers in 2004 because of the situation with LeBron and ownership. The twist now comes as can LeBron and Boozer put the past aside and form a dominant dynasty in Chicago? 

In the 1990's the Bulls led by Michael Jordan and his sidekick Scottie Pippen won 6 titles, two three-peats (MJ took 2 years off to play baseball) and when the Bulls got their meeting with LeBron part of the package they gave him was a picture of a shadow from the MJ statue that is right outside the United Center, and underneath the picture there was a caption that read: “Can you fill these?”

So, the Bulls who have an All-Star point guard in Derrick Rose, a future All-Star in Joakim Noah a reliable option at the small forward spot in Luol Deng have now added a veteran powerful post player in Carlos Boozer.

The twist to all of this is that LeBron can sign with the Bulls at a max deal. This means the Bulls would not have to move any more pieces, LeBron would get his dough and it would be Game On in the Eastern Conference. If LeBron wants a ring his best chance is to sign with the Bulls and LeBron and the Bulls organization would have to thank Carlos Boozer.

Carlos Boozer did not sign a max deal and now there is a bigger possibility of LeBron joining the Bulls. We all thought that with the Amar'e signing LeBron could be headed to New York but there simply isn't enough pieces to get a ring right away. If LeBron is tied to home and wants more money, he'll stay in Cleveland, but will his chances of getting a title improve? I believe not, and Bulls fans hope not. 

In the biggest sports announcement of possibly all time, LeBron will announce his decision on ESPN at 9pm EST on a one hour special called “The Decision”.

So what's it gonna be LeBron, Chicago? New York? New Jersey? Cleveland? Miami? New Jersey and Miami seem like a long shot and I believe his final three are New York, Cleveland and Chicago. 

On national television, LeBron will break many hearts in many cities across the NBA—he can sign with only one team and it comes down to what does LeBron want? Cities, teams and fans can throw the world at LeBron but its up to you King James, and the Bulls hope their recent acquisition of “Booze” can lure you up.

So the question re-asks itself if you sign with the Bulls: Can you fill Michael's shoes? 

Question asked, Answer to be announced Thursday July 8th, 2010 9 PM EST on ESPN. “The Decision” may shift the whole NBA world, and the Bulls have now become a nice attractive option for LeBron to sign there.

As all of America now knows — Miami and Cleveland especially — superstar basketball player LeBron James is joining the Heat, effectively ending his longtime relationship with the Cavaliers. Needless to say, the people of Cleveland did not take the news well. Like a jaded ex, Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert publicly denounced James' decision and called his former player's choice “selfish,” “heartless” and “callous.” Ouch.

As heated reactions from Cavaliers fans continue to flow in, we here on the Movies Blog team can't help ourselves from viewing LeBron and Cleveland's breakup through a cinematic lens. After the jump, check out five on-screen breakups that LeBron's brutal Cleveland departure brings to mind!

Forgetting Sarah Marshall
It's hard to say which party fits into which character in this breakup. On one hand, LeBron certainly left the Cavaliers naked and vulnerable like the titular Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell) did to Peter Bretter (Jason Segal). But on the other hand, Gilbert's promise to win an NBA title before the “self-declared former King” reminds us of the infamous scene where the two character try to one up each other through sex. Either way, something tells us the LeBron-Cleveland breakup won't resolve itself with a Dracula puppet musical.

(500) Days of Summer
This movie surprisingly fits really, really well into this analogy. In the film, Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) dates Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel) for hundreds of days before Summer breaks up with Tom seemingly out of nowhere. The movie goes on to explore Tom's heartbreak, anger and depression over the next several hundred days before he moves on and finds someone else perfect for him. In other words, while “Summer” may have walked out on Cleveland, in the end, maybe the city will find their “Autumn” — just as long as “she” can shoot three-pointers blindfolded while spinning in circles.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Okay, so maybe things will never get better between LeBron and the Cavaliers. The Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet-starring “Eternal Sunshine” offers an interesting solution to the problem: simply erase their entire memory of their time together. While such a solution worked out in the end for Joel and Clementine, I think it would get a bit awkward when fans keep asking LeBron about his time with the Cavaliers and he realizes he can't remember the last seven years of his life.

War of the Roses
Here's the worst case scenario in the LeBron-Cleveland breakup: after a terrible divorce, Oliver (Michael Douglas) and Barbara (Kathleen Turner) spend the majority of “War of the Roses” attempting to destroy the other's life. It starts with simple humiliation before completely derailing into violence that eventually leads to both characters' deaths. So, yeah, let's hope that LeBron and the Cavaliers manage to avoid a similarly gruesome fate. That would be bad.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith
After John (Brad Pitt) and Jane Smith (Angelina Jolie) discover that they're both secretly spies working for competing agencies, the married couple proceed to kick the ever-loving tar out of each other. After nearly destroying the house with bullets, knives and fists, the two end up having hardcore makeup sex, which further damages the house but serves to repair their relationship. So, hey, maybe things will turn out alright for LeBron and Cleveland after all — they just need to kick each other around for a while then meet up in the future for a passionate one-night stand. Boom, problem solved!

Which breakup outcome are you hoping for regarding LeBron's split from Cleveland? You tell us in the comments section and on Twitter!

http://priceslapper.com/blog-host/theliljournal/

Only some really good news, a lot about tattoos

Kasey Kahl of The Bachelorette

Kasey Kahl, the contestant on The Bachelorette who got a tattoo to impress Ali, is totally playing it off like he did it for himself – not her.

In an interview with the media this morning, Kasey spoke about the tattoo (a guarded heart with a rose), his time on The Bachelorette and the guys he competed against. And he most likely did it in his Kermit the Frog voice. Heh.

Now that you’ve had some time to process everything, do you have any regrets about getting the tattoo?
No, not at all. The tattoo’s awesome. It’s an amazing thing I got for myself, I love it. It’s a great thing.

“Guard and protect your heart” became your motto on the show. Is that something you’ve always said?
I’ve always had that belief because of the things I saw happen to my mother. I’ve always wanted to guard and protect her heart. It became a motto of the show because that’s who I am.

You said the tattoo wasn’t for Ali. So why did you get it?
The tattoo, I got it to show that I was genuine and sincere because that’s who I am. I wanted to show Ali I was here for you and here for the right reasons, but in the long run it’s for me, because I always want to guard and protect the heart of my wife. I got it for myself to know that that’s who I am and I never have to change for anybody.

It was heartbreaking to see you get left on that glacier. Are you back in the dating world now?
It is what it is. Life goes on and it wasn’t heartbreaking at all. In the same way she didn’t have a connection with me, I didn’t have a connection with her. I just got off the show, I would love to get back in the dating world. There’s a good friend that I have, but I’m just taking it slow. The show really built so much confidence in who I am.

What are you looking for in a woman?
I’m looking for a woman who wants to guard and protect my heart. I want someone who’s fun and spunky and ambitious and knows how to reciprocate feelings.

What’s your reaction to Justin having a girlfriend back home?
I didn’t even know that. That’s pretty intense, wow. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a girlfriend back home. Ali made the wrong choice with a guy like that. It kind of sucks. I feel like I didn’t get enough of a chance with Ali to show her who I really was.

Have you heard that Frank is one of the guys who had a girlfriend back home?
I have no idea. I try to stay away from the blogs and everything. I don’t see Frank having a girlfriend like Justin, at all. I wouldn’t see that.

___________

So just to clarify, Kasey did NOT get the tattoo for Ali and he did NOT have a connection with her! HA! Oh boy. I kinda feel for the kid. He’s just a soldier for love, baby. And a tattooed one at that.

Read the rest of the interview HERE.

Jon Gosselin tattoo

Jon Gosselin has gotten a new, massive tattoo of a dragon on his back.

SEE JON GOSSELIN’S TATTOO PHOTOS/PICS HERE.

There are photos documenting his tattoo process, from the outline to the detail work on RADAROnline.com.

Jon says his new tattoo, a Korean dragon, is symbolic of his life experiences. He says: “I have planned this tattoo for years now. I wanted something that resembled a rebirth or a change in me. The dragon is all encompassing. It has all parts of the zodiac.”

Gosselin’s tattoo is being inked at Never Say Die Tattoo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The tattoo was started three weeks ago and is a work in progress. “This was perfect timing for me,” he adds.

When I think of Jon Gosselin I don’t exactly think of him as a dragon kind of guy. He’s more donkey than dragon. Heh.

Thanks

Examine this website

MobiTV, which is currently available on the HTC EVO 4G, HTC Hero, and Motorola Backflip, is expanding its live TV streaming and video-on-demand service to cover more Android handsets in the face of higher user traffic. MobiTV will launch on-board the upcoming Samsung Vibrant and will follow to future Android handsets, bringing along content from providers such as NBC, ESPN, Disney, CBS, and more.

Of the 10 million current viewers, Android users account for 23 percent more minutes of viewed content compared to other mobile platforms, making Android the most popular OS for MobiTV. More figures will be released shortly detailing World Cup and mobile viewing trends.

Press Release:

MobiTV, Inc. Expanding on the Android Platform

Mobile video engagement highest among users on Android platform
EMERYVILLE, CALIF. – July 6, 2010 – Recognizing the growth of the Android platform and its ability to deliver a high quality mobile media experience, MobiTV, Inc. is expanding its core live TV and video-on-demand service to more Android-based devices.
WHAT: Currently delivering top-tier live and video-on-demand programming to the Android-based Sprint EVO 4G and HTC Hero devices, as well as the AT&T Motorola Backflip, MobiTV is expanding its Android availability beginning with the T-Mobile Samsung Vibrant available July 21, 2010.

WHY: Since the introduction of MobiTV to the Android platform with the NBA League Pass Mobile app, MobiTV, Inc. has seen increased engagement with its services on Android as the operating system continues to grow. With Android grabbing 9.6 percent of the smartphone market share in the first quarter of 2010*, compared to 1.6 percent a year earlier, MobiTV believes it will become a critical platform in accelerating the availability and adoption of mobile media.

NUMBERS: Among its more than 10 million subscribers, MobiTV viewers on the Android platform watch 23 percent more minutes per active viewer versus all other mobile operating platforms.

QUOTE: “As the Android platform continues to grow in popularity and availability, MobiTV believes it will play a strong role in the adoption of mobile media,” said Charlie Nooney, CEO of MobiTV, Inc. “With more Android devices being rolled out in the coming months, MobiTV has identified the platform as a strategic element in our goal to deliver live and on-demand programming to the widest possible consumer base.”
ABOUT: MobiTV, Inc.’s technology was the first to bring live TV to mobile devices, and the company is driven by a passion for delivering personalized, engaging and relevant mobile media experiences to millions of subscribers. Our deep relationships with wireless operators enable consumers to receive top-tier content from brands like NBC, ESPN, Disney, CBS, Warner Music and many more. MobiTV, Inc. applications, available on hundreds of handsets and compatible with nearly every mobile operating system, are powered by an industry-exclusive technology platform that can be deployed by wireless operators or hosted by MobiTV, Inc.

Founded in 1999, MobiTV, Inc. is a privately-held company with headquarters in Emeryville, Calif. For more information about MobiTV managed end-to-end services and hosted content delivery technology and solutions, please visit:

www.mobitv.com/technology. To learn more about MobiTV applications and services, go to: www.mobitv.com/products/apps/tv/. To learn more about MobiTV mobile music products and services, go to: www.mobitv.com/products/apps/radio/

*According to research firm Gartner, Inc.

Apple's Redesigned Apple TV Might Be a TV?

The NYT corroborates Engadget's previous Apple TV leak, saying that Apple is working on re-designing the product with some kind of iOS operating system instead of what it uses currently. However, the NYT hints at something more: an actual TV.

It's all very vague and hinty, but if you read into it you can see that there's some talk of a physical television instead of just a headless box.

They also said Apple might base a new television design on its iOS operating system, which is on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Also, the NYT says it's not being designed by the current Apple TV team, but by another design group entirely. That could either mean just a radical change in the box shape, or an entirely new type of product (a TV).

It only makes sense for Apple to re-up on their living room efforts after Google TV showed that it was possible to insert a computer-like product into the living room and have it not be so computery that it be unusable, but not so gimped (like the Apple TV) that it couldn't really do much except suck down one company's offerings. And with iPad, iPhone and iTouch, Apple's got very good interoperability devices already in those houses.

Also interesting: how this will play with the rumored iTunes cloud, which makes a lot of sense to just stream down a bunch of tunes while you leave the TV on during a house party.

Send an email to Jason Chen, the author of this post, at jchen@gizmodo.com.

Examine this site

Guest blogger Jiri Nechleba takes the Media Curmudgeon to task with the following intelligent rebuttal to my post, “Survey Shows Many TV Weathercasters Are Dumb:”

You may be right that meteorologists are dumb. Along those same lines, let's also call TV anchors dumb as well. The Brits have a better phrase for them – readers. In fact, weather people are TV personalities that present the news, and from a programming perspective they are usually selected to “entertain.” There are, in fact, real meteorologists who are pretty good with science – they may not be your TV variety.

But, let's posit them stupid. Are you inferring that, because they are stupid, they must by necessity be wrong? In fact, the Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW) question is, at its root, a simple binary question. Are human beings causing global warming or not? And a derivative question is, IF we are, is it significant and what are the consequences if it is.

Now, those that believe in AGW are presenting the conclusion as FACT. In reality, it is a theory that is supported by some data and analysis. Frankly, I've seen little MSM coverage of the quality of the data and analysis. I, personally, have dug around to look at how the analysis has been done, what data has been used and how that data has been massaged.

I don't think that most people who hold an opinion on this have done any detailed research. In fact, the “reality” of this is more a function of societal forces than fact — think Foucault's concepts of the social construction of reality.

Now, you can write me off as some denier but I do think I have some creds in this debate. I went to MIT to be an astrophysicist and the only way to do that was to get two Bachelor's degrees. So, I got one in Physics (Course 8 in MIT lingo) and got another one in Earth & Planetary Sciences (Course 12). The latter degree required interesting classes like “Earth and Planetary Chemistry” where we actually built models of the chemistry and climate of various planets (including earth). They were simple models but, at their core, they were meant to understand things like what gases exist in an atmosphere, what pressures/temperatures would exist given a certain input of energy, what did that look like at different altitudes.

While I went into business, I am very familiar with a lot of the concepts and approaches that go into climate modeling. Moreover, in my professional (business) career, I have been intimately involved in modeling lots of complex problems and used many statistical methods to do so. In fact, I am considered by many to be talented in understanding how to build good quantitative models. I've built investment models, marketing models, and supply chain models that have been very successful. Moreover, many of the problems I have worked on were in noisy systems (those with high variability to signal – not unlike climate).

With that preamble, I can tell you the following:

1) The world has had significantly larger climate swings in the last 5,000, 10,000, and 100,000 years that we have seen recently.
2) The data used for climate modeling is an amalgam of different proxies that have had significant adjustments made by those analyzing them.
3) Those adjustments are as least as big as the effects the models say are occurring.
4) There are significant changes in the sample data points over time and, from what I can tell, the samples have significant bias over time (read Briffa tree ring data).
5) Very few, if any, of the papers that support AGW share authorship with pure math statisticians.

The above (save #5 maybe) are science based issues. I could list a whole bunch of issues that are more political in nature – conflicts of interest, funding, etc.

So, from my perspective, I do not see any definitive proof that AGW exists. I will also submit that making fun of stupid people who don't believe in it is no form of proof as well.

Variety:

Now that HBO has greenlighted the new series “Game of Thrones,” it's not just TV execs who are hoping for the next “True Blood.”

Also keeping their fingers crossed are the folks at Bantam Spectra Books, the Random House imprint that publishes “A Song of Ice and Fire,” the George R.R. Martin book series that inspired the skein.

Read the whole story: Variety

Get HuffPost Books On
Twitter, Facebook, and Google Buzz!

Know something we don't? E-mail us at Books@huffingtonpost.com

See this site

Guest blogger Jiri Nechleba takes the Media Curmudgeon to task with the following intelligent rebuttal to my post, “Survey Shows Many TV Weathercasters Are Dumb:”

You may be right that meteorologists are dumb. Along those same lines, let's also call TV anchors dumb as well. The Brits have a better phrase for them – readers. In fact, weather people are TV personalities that present the news, and from a programming perspective they are usually selected to “entertain.” There are, in fact, real meteorologists who are pretty good with science – they may not be your TV variety.

But, let's posit them stupid. Are you inferring that, because they are stupid, they must by necessity be wrong? In fact, the Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW) question is, at its root, a simple binary question. Are human beings causing global warming or not? And a derivative question is, IF we are, is it significant and what are the consequences if it is.

Now, those that believe in AGW are presenting the conclusion as FACT. In reality, it is a theory that is supported by some data and analysis. Frankly, I've seen little MSM coverage of the quality of the data and analysis. I, personally, have dug around to look at how the analysis has been done, what data has been used and how that data has been massaged.

I don't think that most people who hold an opinion on this have done any detailed research. In fact, the “reality” of this is more a function of societal forces than fact — think Foucault's concepts of the social construction of reality.

Now, you can write me off as some denier but I do think I have some creds in this debate. I went to MIT to be an astrophysicist and the only way to do that was to get two Bachelor's degrees. So, I got one in Physics (Course 8 in MIT lingo) and got another one in Earth & Planetary Sciences (Course 12). The latter degree required interesting classes like “Earth and Planetary Chemistry” where we actually built models of the chemistry and climate of various planets (including earth). They were simple models but, at their core, they were meant to understand things like what gases exist in an atmosphere, what pressures/temperatures would exist given a certain input of energy, what did that look like at different altitudes.

While I went into business, I am very familiar with a lot of the concepts and approaches that go into climate modeling. Moreover, in my professional (business) career, I have been intimately involved in modeling lots of complex problems and used many statistical methods to do so. In fact, I am considered by many to be talented in understanding how to build good quantitative models. I've built investment models, marketing models, and supply chain models that have been very successful. Moreover, many of the problems I have worked on were in noisy systems (those with high variability to signal – not unlike climate).

With that preamble, I can tell you the following:

1) The world has had significantly larger climate swings in the last 5,000, 10,000, and 100,000 years that we have seen recently.
2) The data used for climate modeling is an amalgam of different proxies that have had significant adjustments made by those analyzing them.
3) Those adjustments are as least as big as the effects the models say are occurring.
4) There are significant changes in the sample data points over time and, from what I can tell, the samples have significant bias over time (read Briffa tree ring data).
5) Very few, if any, of the papers that support AGW share authorship with pure math statisticians.

The above (save #5 maybe) are science based issues. I could list a whole bunch of issues that are more political in nature – conflicts of interest, funding, etc.

So, from my perspective, I do not see any definitive proof that AGW exists. I will also submit that making fun of stupid people who don't believe in it is no form of proof as well.

Because we can never know enough about what crimes are being committed in our neighborhoods, DirecTv has teamed up with a website that tracks and maps police incident info to bring it to the TVs of subscribers across the country.

According to the folks at SpotCrime.com, which uses police reports to map crimes ranging from vandalism and theft to arson, assault and shooting, they've made a deal with DirecTV that will allow subscribers to access the site's through an application on their DirecTV receiver.

“We just lucked into it,” Drane said of the DirectTV arrangement. “We reached out to them, they liked what we have and we were able to get it up and running pretty quickly.”

The question is — Is this information that you would find helpful? Or are some things better left unknown?

SpotCrime.com, DirecTV brings crime data to satellite TV customers [Baltimore Sun]

Have a look at this web site

BBC News :

Batman: Arkham Asylum has been crowned best game at the Bafta 2010 awards. The British developed title headed off strong competition from Uncharted 2: Among Thieves that led the nomination field before the ceremony.

Read the whole story: BBC News

Get HuffPost Technology On
Twitter, Facebook, and Google Buzz!

Know something we don't? E-mail us at technology@huffingtonpost.com

Crying 'Single Lady' Kid Redeemed On National Television (Updated)

Earlier this week, a video of a little boy wailing after his dad informed him he's “not a single lady,” quickly went viral. His family took to CBS this morning, and the little guy even got to sing a bit.

(The toddler quietly starts jamming at about 1:30 in.)

The Atlanta family says they blog a lot, and the father, Carlos Whittaker, has decided to let his kid “sing that song to his heart's content.” Dad saw value in sharing the mishaps of parenthood online: “I showed a mistake. I accidentally crushed my little son's spirit when I had no intention of doing that,” he said. A lesson to us all! But there's another upside to this, and it has nothing to do with the traditional financial gains that viral-video subjects often reap. Whittaker explains:

The great thing about the video is — it's gone viral, but I'm reading on all the comments, “That kid doesn't look like your son!” And I kinda smile at it. We did adopt Losiah from South Korea three years ago; we brought him into our family and he became an instant part of the family. I'd love to bring adoption to the forfront of the conversation. And so if we can have Beyonce's “Single Ladies” help that, then by all means we'll go ahead and do that. As an adoptive parent, you think that you're going to change a child's life — but he has definitely changed our life for the better.

Contrary to what Whittaker says in that now-famous video, he is not a terrible father.

Update: Here's the family on MSNBC:

You ARE A Single Lady!

Earlier: Little Boy Cries When Dad Tells Him He's Not A Single Lady

Send an email to Jessica Coen, the author of this post, at jessica@jezebel.com.

Look at this website

Variety:

Now that HBO has greenlighted the new series “Game of Thrones,” it's not just TV execs who are hoping for the next “True Blood.”

Also keeping their fingers crossed are the folks at Bantam Spectra Books, the Random House imprint that publishes “A Song of Ice and Fire,” the George R.R. Martin book series that inspired the skein.

Read the whole story: Variety

Get HuffPost Books On
Twitter, Facebook, and Google Buzz!

Know something we don't? E-mail us at Books@huffingtonpost.com

The iPad Will Be Your Next TV

For all we've written and read about the iPad, there's one thing we don't know for sure: How people will use it. Apple and co. seem to think it's going to be your new TV—here's why they're right.

The Old Way: iTunes

Apple's been implicitly pitching every device with a screen as a TV replacement since the iPod video came out, and they weren't even ahead of the curve—young people have been comfortable plowing through TV seasons, feature films and practically any other video content on computer screens for most of the last decade. It was this comfort with watching TV on something that's not a TV that Apple exploited with iTunes TV downloads, which have, since launch, gone from a “who pays for online video?” marginal service to a thing that people—even tech-savvy ones—actually use.

I'd say that the iPad is second to Apple TV as Cupertino's flagship video watching device, but I'm not even sure that's true: In a lot of ways, the iPad is the next Apple TV. Purchasing and watching iTunes TV shows on your laptop isn't exactly complicated, but the tap-tap-watch ease with which the iPad sells you a show then disappears into it will be intoxicating for a lot of people.

The New Way: The Web and Apps

When the iPad ships, you'll be able to download an ABC app, and stream the same content they offer on their website—including full episodes of Lost, for example—for free on your iPad. Soon, CBS will have revamped their website to stream video straight to the Flash-less iPad, using the device's support for the HTML5 video tag. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

If you have a Netflix account, you'll be able to download a free Netflix app, and stream thousands of films and TV shows. A Hulu app is on the way. Network streaming apps like Air Video will let you watch your torrented/camcordered/archived collection, stream straight from your computer. Video sites like Funny or Die have already started shifting to iPad-compatible streaming formats.

Why It'll Work

There's a rightful stigma about watching TV on a computer, because, well, it's a computer. It's a multi-tasking machine that you use every day-and in some cases, all day—to work, browse, communicate and create things. Video plays fine on a computer, and doesn't play any better on an iPad. But to a user, a computer is a computer, a TV is a TV: one sits on your desk, or gets warm on your lap, and asks things of you; the other sits passively showing you what you want to see, and nothing else.

The iPad falls somewhere in the middle. When you watch a video on the iPad, the device cases to exist. There's no keyboard, no touchpad, no wrist rest, leaving just a floating block of video—sort of like your TV. It's a consumption device.

And then there are the ways people will use it. It feels strange to take your laptop to the toilet, but people don't think twice about taking on their smartphone to the throne. The iPad falls closer to the smartphone in the situation. Watching in bed, in the back of a car, on a bus—these are all thing that laptops and iPhones already allow, but that the iPad, with its slim profile, 10-hour video-playing battery life, stubborn monofocus, and larger (as compared the the iPhone) screen, could make truly appealing.

Early reviewers have been prone to call the iPad an evolution of the laptop. It's not. It's a featureless window to content. It's a dumb conduit. In other words, it's your next TV.

Send an email to John Herrman, the author of this post, at jherrman@gizmodo.com.

Take a look at this website

Collection of Ideas

Gadget and Gear Deals of the Day

Discounted laptops, HDTVs with iPod docks, camcorders, and more await you in today's Dealhacker roundup. Not in the buying mood? How about some drink samples and free tunes?

Computer Gear!

• Dell PowerEdge T100 Server Desktop for $259 plus $25 shipping (Regular Price: $568 – use coupon code BCBP2VBL0HXHWD).
• 17″ Dell Studio 17 Laptop for $449 + $12.95 shipping (Regular Price: $599).
• 15.6″ HP Pavilion DV6-2190US Laptop for $949.98 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $1000).
• 10.1″ Dell Inspiron Mini 10 Obsidian Black Netbook with Integrated TV Tuner for $348.62 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $400).
• 15.6″ Lenovo IdeaPad Y550P Core i3 Laptop for $799 + free shipping (Regular Price: $1,049 – use coupon code USP3241651).
• 15.5″ Sony VAIO VPCEB1JFX Laptop for $799.99 + free shipping (Regular Price: $900).
• 15.6″ Lenovo Ideapad U550 Laptop for $529 + free shipping (Regular Price: $799 – use coupon code USP37495E2).
• 14″ Lenovo G450 Laptop for $469 + free shipping (Regular Price: $669 – use coupon code USP2949DX2).
• 17″ Dell Studio 17 2.1GHz Dual-Core Laptop with webcam & 9-cell battery for $399 with $12.95 shipping (Regular Price: $599)
• 17.3″ Toshiba Satellite L550-ST2743 2.2GHz Dual-Core Laptop for $509 with free shipping (Regular Price: $679)
• 15.6″ Acer Aspire AS5517-5689 Athlon 64 1.6GHz Laptop for $369.99 with free shipping (Regular Price: $435)
• Dell Studio 17 Laptop: Intel Pen Dual Core T4300 2.1GHz, 17″ Glossy (1440×900), 2GB DDR2, 160GB HDD, 9-Cell, GMA 4500HD, DVDRW, WiFi, Webcam, Win 7 Prem $399 + $13 shipping
• (Regular price: $600).
• 15.6″ Lenovo IdeaPad Y550P NoteBook for $899.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $1049.98 – use coupon code EMCYPYN22).
• 13.3-Inch Toshiba Satellite T135-S1307 TruBrite Ultrathin Black Laptop for $585 with free shipping (Regular Price: $700).
• 10″ ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005HA Netbook for $284.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $320).
• 10.1″ Toshiba Mini NB205-N325BN Intel Atom N280 LED Netbook for $299.97 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $349).
• 1.5 TB Seagate Barracuda 3.5″ Desktop HDD for $86.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $133).
• 1TB Samsung 7200RPM 3.5″ Desktop HDD for $89.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $121).
• HP 16GB Class 4 SDHC Memory Card for $27 (Regular Price: $40).
• A-DATA 8GB SDHC class-10 Flash Memory Card for $19 (Regular Price: $32)

Home Entertainment Gear!

• 55″ Samsung UN55B7000 1080p 120Hz LED TV for $1,799.00 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $1999).
• 52″ Samsung LN52B750 1080p LCD HDTV for $1549.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $1797 – use coupon code MQC1135).
• 26″ Panasonic VIERA TC-L26X1 720p LCD HDTV w/ iPod dock for $289.99 + free shipping (Regular Price: $336).
• 55″ Samsung UN55B7000 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV for $1799 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $2048).
• 40″ Proscan 40LD45Q 1080p LCD HDTV for $529.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $599).
• Sony BDP-S360 1080p Blu-ray Player for $99 + free shipping (Regular Price: $124).
• 47″ LG 47LH85 1080p 120Hz Wireless HDMI LCD TV for $999.99 (Regular Price: $1400).
• 50″ Samsung PN50B860 Plasma 1080p HDTV for $1449.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $1597 – use coupon code CPO1189).
• 46″ Toshiba 46RV525R 1080p LCD HDTV for $699.99 with $20 shipping (Regular Price: $839 – use coupon code 24HRSALE33C)
• Vizio VA370M 37″ 1080p LCD HDTV for $459 (Regular Price: $630).
• Panasonic DMP-BD70V Blu-ray & 1080p Upconverting DVD VHS Player for $149.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $180).
• Polk Audio CS1 Black Center Channel Single Loudspeaker for $70 (Regular Price: $95)

Portable Gear!

• Magellan Maestro 4700 4.7-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator for $159.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $180).
• Nokia N97 Mini Smartphone (Unlocked) for $379.99 with free shipping (Regular Price: $470).
• Nokia E71 Smart Phone (Unlocked, Quad-Band GSM) + Nokia BH-606 Bluetooth Headset for $239.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $399 – use coupon code: B51B65786NX61Z).
• Apple iPod nano 16 GB (5th Generation) Newest Model for $159.95 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $170).
• FINIS SwiMP3.1G Waterproof MP3 Player for $120 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $135).
• Flip UltraHD Camcorder 120 Minutes for $148.49 + free shipping (Regular Price: $169).
• Flip UltraHD Camcorder + FlipShare TV bundle for $232.70 + free shipping (Regular Price: $328).
• Plantronics Explorer Bluetooth Headset $19 Shipped (Regular Price: $30).
• Sony Webbie MHS-PM1 1080p HD Camcorder for $87.02 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $125)

Free Stuff!

• Twins Snakes (iPhone/iPod Touch) for $0 (Regular Price: $1.99).
• Hold The Line Feat. Mr. Lex & Santigold by Major Lazer (MP3) for $0 (download here).
• Let The Riverrun by Carly Simon (MP3) for $0 (download here).
• Emergen-C Vitamin Drink Mix samples for $0 (use this form).
• Nescafe Taster's Choice Instant Coffee for $0 (use this form).</li
• Gibson Learn & Master Guitar App (iPhone/iPod Touch) for $0.
• Flashcard Touch App for $0.
• Purina Beneful IncrediBites Dog Food sample for $0 (use this form).
• Blake Shelton – Delilah (Live) (use code DELILAH).
• Ground Effect (iPhone) for $0 (Regular Price: $4.99)

Thanks Dealzon, TechDealDigger, Slickdeals, Fatwallet, TechBargains, CheapStingyBargains, CheapCollegeGamers, and GamerHotline!

Send an email to Jason Fitzpatrick, the author of this post, at jason@lifehacker.com.