That was fast. Less than 24 hours after winning season nine of "American Idol," Lee DeWyze signed a record deal with 19 Recordings Limited and RCA Records, while his pal and runner-up, Crystal Bowersox, inked a contract with 19 Recordings Limited and Jive for her debut major-label album.
According to Billboard.com, the pacts were signed on Thursday and will have DeWyze joining the label that houses such "Idol" luminaries as Chris Daughtry and Adam Lambert. Bowersox will rub elbows with the likes of Kris Allen, Jordin Sparks and Allison Iraheta.
Last year's top two, Allen and Lambert, got their debut albums out in late November, so it's safe to assume both Bowersox and DeWyze will aim for the same timetable to quickly capitalize on the lingering buzz of the "Idol" finale and this summer's "Idol" tour.
Both singers already have experience in the recording studio. DeWyze has released two independent CDs, including January's Slumberland and 2007's So I'm Told. Bowersox has recorded several dozen original songs with a folky feel, including an ode to her hometown, "Holy Toledo," which got some airplay during her "Idol" run.
In another sign of how quickly things are moving for the "Idol" top two, their debut singles were already serviced to radio and iTunes on Thursday. Billboard.com reported that Lee's cover of U2's "Beautiful Day" and Crystal's take on Patty Griffin's "Up to the Mountain" had already gotten a number of spins.
iTunes sales figures won't be available for a while, but the magazine asked experts to compare how the digital sales of recent winners have fared. Allen sold 134,000 downloads of his oft-criticized "No Boundaries" in week one, while Lambert's cover of "Mad World" moved 115,000 copies.
The year before, champ David Cook's "The Time of Our Lives" sold 236,000, while runner-up David Archuleta's cover of John Lennon's "Imagine" sold 71,000. Unnamed label sources said there may be less interest in both DeWyze and Bowersox than previous winners, and that first-week sales might not approach the heights of past "Idol" duos.
Ratings for this year's "Idol" were down nine percent overall, and Wednesday night's finale had the second-lowest rating in the show's history, just barely edging out the final night of season one.
May 29, 2010
How To Know If There's Something Wrong In Your Car
I went out today to get myself some auto insurance quotes and I'm glad I did because I learned a lot about car maintenance from the agent. He was really helpful in making me know if there's a problem in my car.
Let me share you some of the things I learned.
The more you notice about your vehicle, the more likely you'll be able to head off repair problems. Yep- even if you're mechanically challenged. You can detect many common vehicle problems by using your eyes and nose.
Is there a little stain or a drop of fluid under your vehicle? It may mean absolutely nothing. But you do want to check the wet spots immediately - just to make sure.
What color is the fluid under your car? Yellowish green, pretty blue or neon orange colors indicate an overheated engine or an antifreeze leak caused by a bad hose, water pump or leaking radiator. Not good. I remember the yellowish green ooze from my Chevette as the tow truck took it away to its final resting place. Get to a repair shop while you still can!
A dark brown or black oily fluid means the engine is leaking oil. A bad seal or gasket could cause the leak. This is how my first car met its demise.
A red oily looking spot indicates a transmission or power-steering fluid leak. Also, not good.
A puddle of clear water usually isn't a cause for concern. It may be normal condensation from your vehicle's air conditioner. Whew!
Take a whiff, and you may detect your vehicle's problem.
Do you smell burned toast? This odor often signals an electrical short and burning insulation. Have someone come look at your car. Don't drive it anywhere until the problem is diagnosed.
How about the smell of rotten eggs? This usually indicates a problem in the catalytic converter. Get to a repair shop! Pheee-yew!
A thick sharp odor usually means burning oil. Look for the sign of a leak. This problem needs to be addressed immediately if having transportation is important to you. You may also notice a bluish smoke coming from your vehicle. Ask me how I know. Ahh' memories.
The smell of gas after a failed start may mean the engine is flooded. Wait a few minutes and try again. If the odor continues, there may be a leak in the fuel system - a potentially dangerous problem that needs immediate attention.
A chemical odor may mean overheated brakes or clutch. Check the parking brake. Stop and let the brakes cool after repeated hard braking. Light smoke coming from a wheel indicates a stuck brake. Call a tow truck.
Do you notice a sweet odor? This may indicate a coolant leak. Watch your temperature gauge and warning light and drive to a repair shop. Now, if you see steam from under the hood, stop and pull over. If you keep driving an overheated vehicle, your engine will be seriously damaged. Call a tow truck.
The basic rule of smell is that if you do notice an unusual odor - get to a mechanic or get one to come to you. Pretty simple!
A little extra attention to what's coming out of your car or truck could save you the cost of a new vehicle payment! Keep those eyes and that nose on the job!
Let me share you some of the things I learned.
The more you notice about your vehicle, the more likely you'll be able to head off repair problems. Yep- even if you're mechanically challenged. You can detect many common vehicle problems by using your eyes and nose.
Is there a little stain or a drop of fluid under your vehicle? It may mean absolutely nothing. But you do want to check the wet spots immediately - just to make sure.
What color is the fluid under your car? Yellowish green, pretty blue or neon orange colors indicate an overheated engine or an antifreeze leak caused by a bad hose, water pump or leaking radiator. Not good. I remember the yellowish green ooze from my Chevette as the tow truck took it away to its final resting place. Get to a repair shop while you still can!
A dark brown or black oily fluid means the engine is leaking oil. A bad seal or gasket could cause the leak. This is how my first car met its demise.
A red oily looking spot indicates a transmission or power-steering fluid leak. Also, not good.
A puddle of clear water usually isn't a cause for concern. It may be normal condensation from your vehicle's air conditioner. Whew!
Take a whiff, and you may detect your vehicle's problem.
Do you smell burned toast? This odor often signals an electrical short and burning insulation. Have someone come look at your car. Don't drive it anywhere until the problem is diagnosed.
How about the smell of rotten eggs? This usually indicates a problem in the catalytic converter. Get to a repair shop! Pheee-yew!
A thick sharp odor usually means burning oil. Look for the sign of a leak. This problem needs to be addressed immediately if having transportation is important to you. You may also notice a bluish smoke coming from your vehicle. Ask me how I know. Ahh' memories.
The smell of gas after a failed start may mean the engine is flooded. Wait a few minutes and try again. If the odor continues, there may be a leak in the fuel system - a potentially dangerous problem that needs immediate attention.
A chemical odor may mean overheated brakes or clutch. Check the parking brake. Stop and let the brakes cool after repeated hard braking. Light smoke coming from a wheel indicates a stuck brake. Call a tow truck.
Do you notice a sweet odor? This may indicate a coolant leak. Watch your temperature gauge and warning light and drive to a repair shop. Now, if you see steam from under the hood, stop and pull over. If you keep driving an overheated vehicle, your engine will be seriously damaged. Call a tow truck.
The basic rule of smell is that if you do notice an unusual odor - get to a mechanic or get one to come to you. Pretty simple!
A little extra attention to what's coming out of your car or truck could save you the cost of a new vehicle payment! Keep those eyes and that nose on the job!
Prince of Persia Review
Okay, Jake Gyllenhaal's sudden, suntanned muscularity suggests Malibu Beach more than it does ancient Persia; and one wonders if ancient Persians said things like "Watch your back" and "I need a drink."
Still, "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" seems (I'm guessing) like a pretty great Arabian-adventure movie for kids. It's made in the classic Disney style: no sex, no swearing, and lots of action with very little blood.
So if you know a kid — of the male persuasion, ideally — you might want to take him to see it. You might also want to wait at a bar while he does so.
The movie is based on a long-evolving video game created by Jordan Mechner, who came up with the story for the film, too. It's the sort of story whose hazy details could only be ignored by a kid waiting impatiently for the next eruption of swordplay, rope-swinging and bad-guy noggin-conking.
Gyllenhaal plays Dastan, a commoner who was adopted as an urchin, for reasons we can hurry right past here, by the good King Sharaman (Ronald Pickup), who raised the boy along with his two sons, Garsiv (Toby Kebbell) and Tus (Richard Coyle). Also lurking about is the lads' uncle, Nizam (Ben Kingsley, wearing enough eye shadow to put him in danger of drawing harem duty).
As the tale gets underway, Nizam brings news that the holy city of Alamut (the names in this picture might have been concocted from random grabs of Scrabble tiles) is supplying weapons to Persia's enemies.
The now-grown Dastan is heroically helpful in storming Alamut's battlements, and once inside draws the attention of the resident Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton). After some preliminary squabbling (the traditional prelude to a chaste Disney kiss), she eventually informs him that Alamut is the repository of "the beating heart of all life — the sandglass of the gods." You'd never guess it from the outside.
The sandglass turns out to be located in the handle of a golden dagger, of which Dastan, for some typically hazy reason, is in possession. Pressing a button on this magical artifact summons a fiery wind that allows the dagger's wielder to go back one minute in time and undo whatever terrible things may need to be undone.
Such a thing soon ensues: King Sharaman dons a robe that someone has given him as a gift and ... it kills him. (The haze thickens.) Dastan is quickly fingered as the malefactor and must flee into the desert with Tamina.
Out among the dunes they encounter a character named Sheik Amar (Alfred Molina), who presides over a desert settlement where he stages ostrich races "every Tuesday and Thursday." (As you always suspected of ostrich races, they're fixed.)
When the duplicitous Amar learns that there's a reward out for Dastan's capture, the prince and his princess are forced to flee again, this time under cover of an ostrich stampede, which I must say is something to see.
Dastan now rashly decides that the time is right to return home to attend the funeral of his father, and to try to determine who is responsible for his death. (Men with an overabundance of eye shadow are of course always prime suspects.)
Various trials must be endured along the way — a trudge through the Valley of the Slaves, an onslaught of black-clad, whip-flicking Hassassins (the hashish-stoked killers of legend, but here — this being a Disney film — apparently drug-free).
In the end, Dastan and Tamina make it back to his native castle and ... so forth and so on.
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer really knows his way around this sort of great big money-stuffed movie, and here he delivers everything you might expect. The action is excitingly staged (some of the wild roof-leaping suggests that the urban acrobatics of parkour were devised far earlier than we'd thought), although the CGI varies from beautiful (the hilltop city of Alamut) to whatever (that fiery wind).
There are some funny touches, too — Molina in particular seems to be having a ball. Most amusing, though, is the fact that, in the grand tradition of Hollywood movies about long-ago foreigners, all the main parts are played by Brits — except for that of Gyllenhaal, of course, who nevertheless affects a British accent in solidarity with his fellow Persians.
Despite his tanned buffness, however, Gyllenhaal is a little too laid-back for serious swashbuckling; and Arterton, a good actress in other pictures, here falls back on her basic gorgeousness, occasionally inflected with a curious lip twitch that she really ought to have looked at.
But then if you feel that acting quality is a serious concern, you're not the target audience for this hard-charging fantasy epic. Fortunately, the bar's right down the street.
Still, "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" seems (I'm guessing) like a pretty great Arabian-adventure movie for kids. It's made in the classic Disney style: no sex, no swearing, and lots of action with very little blood.
So if you know a kid — of the male persuasion, ideally — you might want to take him to see it. You might also want to wait at a bar while he does so.
The movie is based on a long-evolving video game created by Jordan Mechner, who came up with the story for the film, too. It's the sort of story whose hazy details could only be ignored by a kid waiting impatiently for the next eruption of swordplay, rope-swinging and bad-guy noggin-conking.
Gyllenhaal plays Dastan, a commoner who was adopted as an urchin, for reasons we can hurry right past here, by the good King Sharaman (Ronald Pickup), who raised the boy along with his two sons, Garsiv (Toby Kebbell) and Tus (Richard Coyle). Also lurking about is the lads' uncle, Nizam (Ben Kingsley, wearing enough eye shadow to put him in danger of drawing harem duty).
As the tale gets underway, Nizam brings news that the holy city of Alamut (the names in this picture might have been concocted from random grabs of Scrabble tiles) is supplying weapons to Persia's enemies.
The now-grown Dastan is heroically helpful in storming Alamut's battlements, and once inside draws the attention of the resident Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton). After some preliminary squabbling (the traditional prelude to a chaste Disney kiss), she eventually informs him that Alamut is the repository of "the beating heart of all life — the sandglass of the gods." You'd never guess it from the outside.
The sandglass turns out to be located in the handle of a golden dagger, of which Dastan, for some typically hazy reason, is in possession. Pressing a button on this magical artifact summons a fiery wind that allows the dagger's wielder to go back one minute in time and undo whatever terrible things may need to be undone.
Such a thing soon ensues: King Sharaman dons a robe that someone has given him as a gift and ... it kills him. (The haze thickens.) Dastan is quickly fingered as the malefactor and must flee into the desert with Tamina.
Out among the dunes they encounter a character named Sheik Amar (Alfred Molina), who presides over a desert settlement where he stages ostrich races "every Tuesday and Thursday." (As you always suspected of ostrich races, they're fixed.)
When the duplicitous Amar learns that there's a reward out for Dastan's capture, the prince and his princess are forced to flee again, this time under cover of an ostrich stampede, which I must say is something to see.
Dastan now rashly decides that the time is right to return home to attend the funeral of his father, and to try to determine who is responsible for his death. (Men with an overabundance of eye shadow are of course always prime suspects.)
Various trials must be endured along the way — a trudge through the Valley of the Slaves, an onslaught of black-clad, whip-flicking Hassassins (the hashish-stoked killers of legend, but here — this being a Disney film — apparently drug-free).
In the end, Dastan and Tamina make it back to his native castle and ... so forth and so on.
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer really knows his way around this sort of great big money-stuffed movie, and here he delivers everything you might expect. The action is excitingly staged (some of the wild roof-leaping suggests that the urban acrobatics of parkour were devised far earlier than we'd thought), although the CGI varies from beautiful (the hilltop city of Alamut) to whatever (that fiery wind).
There are some funny touches, too — Molina in particular seems to be having a ball. Most amusing, though, is the fact that, in the grand tradition of Hollywood movies about long-ago foreigners, all the main parts are played by Brits — except for that of Gyllenhaal, of course, who nevertheless affects a British accent in solidarity with his fellow Persians.
Despite his tanned buffness, however, Gyllenhaal is a little too laid-back for serious swashbuckling; and Arterton, a good actress in other pictures, here falls back on her basic gorgeousness, occasionally inflected with a curious lip twitch that she really ought to have looked at.
But then if you feel that acting quality is a serious concern, you're not the target audience for this hard-charging fantasy epic. Fortunately, the bar's right down the street.
Sustaining Weight Loss
What are the typical patterns of those who managed to maintain stomach weight loss for a year or more? This post-doctorate study I read in the Nursing Science Quarterly did an interview of 20 women and this is what they found out.
In pattern one, before losing weight, the women were self-conscious, vulnerable, and unaware of events that contributed to their weight gain.
Pattern two revealed recognition of a problem, a readiness to take action, and a decision to make a change.
In the third pattern women took control and actively engaged in behavior change.
In patterns four to six, the women incorporated new behaviors, used some type of support system to reinforce the behavior change, and, finally, experienced increased confidence, self-esteem, and control of their lives.
Interesting findings right?
In pattern one, before losing weight, the women were self-conscious, vulnerable, and unaware of events that contributed to their weight gain.
Pattern two revealed recognition of a problem, a readiness to take action, and a decision to make a change.
In the third pattern women took control and actively engaged in behavior change.
In patterns four to six, the women incorporated new behaviors, used some type of support system to reinforce the behavior change, and, finally, experienced increased confidence, self-esteem, and control of their lives.
Interesting findings right?
Gary Coleman in Utah Hospital
Diff'rent Strokes" star Gary Coleman has been placed on life support in a Utah hospital after suffering a brain hemorrhage earlier this week, his manager said in a statement released by the hospital on Friday.
"We are saddened to announce that since mid afternoon, Mountain Time, on May 27, 2010, Mr. Coleman has been unconscious and on life support," Coleman's manager John Alcantar said in the statement.
Coleman, 42, was hospitalized on Wednesday after suffering an intracranial hemorrhage at his home in Utah, and the following day he was "conscious and lucid" before his condition worsened.
He has not undergone any surgery, contrary to some media reports, and his family hope for a full recovery, the statement said.
"At times, it may not have been apparent, but he always has had fond memories of being an entertainer and appreciates his fans for all their support over the years," Alcantar said.
Coleman, who lives in the nearby town of Santaquin, has already been to the hospital twice this year for seizure-related maladies.
"We are saddened to announce that since mid afternoon, Mountain Time, on May 27, 2010, Mr. Coleman has been unconscious and on life support," Coleman's manager John Alcantar said in the statement.
Coleman, 42, was hospitalized on Wednesday after suffering an intracranial hemorrhage at his home in Utah, and the following day he was "conscious and lucid" before his condition worsened.
He has not undergone any surgery, contrary to some media reports, and his family hope for a full recovery, the statement said.
"At times, it may not have been apparent, but he always has had fond memories of being an entertainer and appreciates his fans for all their support over the years," Alcantar said.
Coleman, who lives in the nearby town of Santaquin, has already been to the hospital twice this year for seizure-related maladies.
Diet Pills and Me
So I was feeling rather huge about a month ago, while on my lunch break at work. I decided to stop at a nutrition supplement store to check out if they have any diet pills that work.
I talked to the clerk, who was very knowledgeable and polite. I read the comparison charts and all the ingredients, including which ingredient does what. Then, I made an impulse buy. Yep, I did it! I paid for 2 bottles of weight loss aids.
The results? Well you did see my previous post right? If not, here's a refresher. So what happened, you ask? Probably like all those other diet pills that are just a scam, right?
To be fair to the manufacturers, I can't say that. The one pill was an appetite suppressant. I can say with 100% truth that I wasn't hungry. That did not stop me from eating. I found out that I eat through boredom or complacency.
I sit at a desk all day at work, so you know what that means. Eating for the sake of chewing and swallowing! Heaven forbid there may be a food day that day! Seriously, like cakes and donuts and breads and...did I mention cake and donuts?
Not just any donuts! Krispy Kreme!!! If I don't eat them I'm fine. Before this binge, it had been a few months. I swear! But food day, I had half a dozen over the course of my work day! So, I'm grounded again. Self-punishment is not always a bad thing!
So, if I hadn't eaten JUNK all those times I wasn't really hungry, I'd probably be down at least 10 pounds by now. So I would say that the diet pills could be effective, just not for a nervous or bored eater like me.
I talked to the clerk, who was very knowledgeable and polite. I read the comparison charts and all the ingredients, including which ingredient does what. Then, I made an impulse buy. Yep, I did it! I paid for 2 bottles of weight loss aids.
The results? Well you did see my previous post right? If not, here's a refresher. So what happened, you ask? Probably like all those other diet pills that are just a scam, right?
To be fair to the manufacturers, I can't say that. The one pill was an appetite suppressant. I can say with 100% truth that I wasn't hungry. That did not stop me from eating. I found out that I eat through boredom or complacency.
I sit at a desk all day at work, so you know what that means. Eating for the sake of chewing and swallowing! Heaven forbid there may be a food day that day! Seriously, like cakes and donuts and breads and...did I mention cake and donuts?
Not just any donuts! Krispy Kreme!!! If I don't eat them I'm fine. Before this binge, it had been a few months. I swear! But food day, I had half a dozen over the course of my work day! So, I'm grounded again. Self-punishment is not always a bad thing!
So, if I hadn't eaten JUNK all those times I wasn't really hungry, I'd probably be down at least 10 pounds by now. So I would say that the diet pills could be effective, just not for a nervous or bored eater like me.
May 28, 2010
Oh The Vanity!
If you want a teenager to kick a bad habit, threaten her with wrinkles. A new public-health study finds that an effective way to get young women to cut back on indoor tanning--an activity that may hike the risk of the deadliest form of skin cancer by 74%--is to warn them of the aging effect of UV radiation on skin.
In the study, published in the May issue of Archives of Dermatology, researchers gave 195 women, whose average age was 19, a booklet explaining how indoor tanning causes wrinkles. The warnings led the women to cut back on tanning visits by more than 30% over six months, compared with women in a control group who were not similarly cautioned.
"Most young people spend little time considering their health except as it relates to their attractiveness," remarks Joel Hillhouse, the study's lead author and a professor of community health at East Tennessee State University. Which means that if appealing to common sense won't lead to healthier habits, then maybe vanity will.
In the study, published in the May issue of Archives of Dermatology, researchers gave 195 women, whose average age was 19, a booklet explaining how indoor tanning causes wrinkles. The warnings led the women to cut back on tanning visits by more than 30% over six months, compared with women in a control group who were not similarly cautioned.
"Most young people spend little time considering their health except as it relates to their attractiveness," remarks Joel Hillhouse, the study's lead author and a professor of community health at East Tennessee State University. Which means that if appealing to common sense won't lead to healthier habits, then maybe vanity will.
Just A Few More Pounds To Lose
Having a Body Mass Index (BMI) exceeding 30 makes you obese and the need to lose weight is essential. If you are not really in this category, but are overweight, should you take diet pills?
That has been my question lately for I only really have a few more pounds to lose. And I'm hoping to lose it without really exerting more effort in exercise as I am on the plateau stage of weight loss.
A friend then recommended me to research and read about apidexin reviews for that may help me get my weight target easier. And after reading, I think I found a good option, though I'm still going to give myself a couple more weeks of research so that I may know if this is really the best course for me.
That has been my question lately for I only really have a few more pounds to lose. And I'm hoping to lose it without really exerting more effort in exercise as I am on the plateau stage of weight loss.
A friend then recommended me to research and read about apidexin reviews for that may help me get my weight target easier. And after reading, I think I found a good option, though I'm still going to give myself a couple more weeks of research so that I may know if this is really the best course for me.
I'm Glad Facebook Listened
Social networking is one of the most common activities on the internet. There are millions of users around the world who go to sites like Facebook each day to share their lives and information with friends, family, and industry peers.
Facebook has been under a microscope of scrutiny after the social network began making significant changes to its privacy settings. The changes were designed to make the network much more open to the public, but some users, privacy groups, and even some in Washington thought the new privacy policy made too much personal information available to third parties.
Senator Charles E. Schumer sent Facebook a letter in April asking it to reconsider the new privacy policy -- Schumer stated he would be willing to introduce legislation if privacy was not taken into account by Facebook. In mid-May, Facebook executives held a meeting to talk about privacy and the new privacy policy is now being made public.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made a post to the official Facebook Blog yesterday to outline the new privacy policy and its changes. The main change to the privacy policy is to make things similar for users to control.
Zuckerberg wrote, "The number one thing we've heard is that there just needs to be a simpler way to control your information. We've always offered a lot of controls, but if you find them too hard to use then you won't feel like you have control. Unless you feel in control, then you won't be comfortable sharing and our service will be less useful for you. We agree we need to improve this."
The focus of the new privacy policy was aimed at three things: first a single control for all users content, more powerful controls for basic information, and an easy control to turn off all applications. Facebook will offer its users a single control that lets them set who can view their content (everyone, friends and friends of friends, or just friends). Zuckerberg promises that setting takes only a few clicks. Perhaps the best news about the feature is that it will apply to all new Facebook products moving forward. That means users won’t have to worry about changing settings each time something new is added to Facebook.
Facebook has also reduced the amount of basic info that is being made viewable to all users of the network. Users will get new control over who can see their friends and pages. Previously, those pages had to be public. Facebook recommends the users leave them public or people won’t be able to find them online. The third major change is that users can now elect to turn off access to their information by third party applications or games. That means if you don’t play games on Facebook you can turn that off.
Zuckerberg points out that you can still access the more complex and granular privacy controls Facebook has always offered if desired. You can turn of individual products as well, such as instant personalization, which is one of the products that started the privacy backlash.
Gartner Analyst Ray Valdes told Reuters that the new policies should help make users concerned about privacy feel more secure. He said, "But there are other voices that will continue -- governments, public sector and privacy advocates. The fundamental issues won't go away. They will reappear over time. Again and again."
Facebook has been under a microscope of scrutiny after the social network began making significant changes to its privacy settings. The changes were designed to make the network much more open to the public, but some users, privacy groups, and even some in Washington thought the new privacy policy made too much personal information available to third parties.
Senator Charles E. Schumer sent Facebook a letter in April asking it to reconsider the new privacy policy -- Schumer stated he would be willing to introduce legislation if privacy was not taken into account by Facebook. In mid-May, Facebook executives held a meeting to talk about privacy and the new privacy policy is now being made public.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made a post to the official Facebook Blog yesterday to outline the new privacy policy and its changes. The main change to the privacy policy is to make things similar for users to control.
Zuckerberg wrote, "The number one thing we've heard is that there just needs to be a simpler way to control your information. We've always offered a lot of controls, but if you find them too hard to use then you won't feel like you have control. Unless you feel in control, then you won't be comfortable sharing and our service will be less useful for you. We agree we need to improve this."
The focus of the new privacy policy was aimed at three things: first a single control for all users content, more powerful controls for basic information, and an easy control to turn off all applications. Facebook will offer its users a single control that lets them set who can view their content (everyone, friends and friends of friends, or just friends). Zuckerberg promises that setting takes only a few clicks. Perhaps the best news about the feature is that it will apply to all new Facebook products moving forward. That means users won’t have to worry about changing settings each time something new is added to Facebook.
Facebook has also reduced the amount of basic info that is being made viewable to all users of the network. Users will get new control over who can see their friends and pages. Previously, those pages had to be public. Facebook recommends the users leave them public or people won’t be able to find them online. The third major change is that users can now elect to turn off access to their information by third party applications or games. That means if you don’t play games on Facebook you can turn that off.
Zuckerberg points out that you can still access the more complex and granular privacy controls Facebook has always offered if desired. You can turn of individual products as well, such as instant personalization, which is one of the products that started the privacy backlash.
Gartner Analyst Ray Valdes told Reuters that the new policies should help make users concerned about privacy feel more secure. He said, "But there are other voices that will continue -- governments, public sector and privacy advocates. The fundamental issues won't go away. They will reappear over time. Again and again."
I Have A New Chin and Dip Station
This is my first piece of apparatus that I have for my very small shed-soon to be home gym. I managed to sweet talk the boss into letting me have it as it has been lying in a box room at work for a long time now. I only remembered about it yesterday, so I gave him a phone and there you have it... my very own chin & dip station.
This means that any W.O.D that I can do that doesn't require any weights or other equipment, I can now do it at home.
I won't be making this a major part of my training as I love training at the gym with the rest of the guys but it does mean that on Sunday, I can now do the S.O.S at home, in the cold, just like the guys down in London.
This means that any W.O.D that I can do that doesn't require any weights or other equipment, I can now do it at home.
I won't be making this a major part of my training as I love training at the gym with the rest of the guys but it does mean that on Sunday, I can now do the S.O.S at home, in the cold, just like the guys down in London.
Will It Be A Lakers Comeback?
Just how pivotal is Thursday night's game in Los Angeles? Consider: Winners of Game 5s in a best-of-seven series hold a 129-26 record, and home teams have a staggering 117-38 record in the fifth game of a tied series. But while the Staples Center may give the Lakers an edge over Steve Nash & Co., five other factors will play a major role in tonight's outcome:
1. Busting the Suns' zone. Phoenix's shift to the zone defense has befuddled the Lakers. The "girly zone," as Alvin Gentry calls it, has turned L.A. into a primarily jump-shooting team. After shooting 33 three-pointers and getting to the line 56 times in Games 1 and 2, the Lakers launched 60 threes and earned only 33 trips to the foul line in their last two losses. The Suns have been able to effectively pressure the entry pass while Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom have failed to find any open seams in the paint. The Lakers want to play inside-out, and to do that, they are going to have to be patient, get the ball inside and force Phoenix to send double teams to help.
"[The zone] takes away our inside game," Odom said. "We're not swinging the ball enough. Everyone is not getting involved. So even when we do go on offensive runs and they come down, still they've got 10, 11 guys involved offensively. We just don't have that right now throughout the whole game."
2. Bench wars. The Suns bench was the overriding factor in Phoenix's win in Game 4, dominating the Lakers' first unit in the fourth quarter and finishing with a staggering 54 points overall. The Lakers don't have the Suns depth but they counter with the series' best reserve weapon: Odom. After submitting superior performances in Games 1 and 2, Odom struggled in Game 3 (10 points, 4-14 shooting), but found his rhythm in Game 4 (15 points, 6-13 shooting). Phil Jackson suggested on Wednesday that he might extend the bench, using Luke Walton and Sasha Vujacic in more expanded roles. But the Lakers success is often tied to how Odom plays and a strong Game 5 would boost a Laker bench that has been totally outplayed the last two games.
3. Paging, Channing Frye. After stumbling through a nightmarish 1-20 stretch through the first three games of the series, Frye came alive in Game 4 with 14 points on 4-of-8 three-point shooting. Frye is an integral part of the Suns' offense and his ability to lure the Lakers' big men out on the perimeter opens up wide lanes for the Lakers' slashers to get into the paint. But if Frye is struggling with his shot, Phoenix's other options are Robin Lopez and Louis Amundson -- two traditional big men who don't present the same challenges as Frye offensively. Frye got a confidence booster with his Game 4 showing, and it's crucial he maintain that high in Game 5.
4. Lakers want more 'D.' "We lost the game because our defense sucked," Kobe Bryant said after Game 4. Indeed, with L.A. focused on finding ways to penetrate the Suns zone defense they neglected their own. Phoenix shot 48.8 percent in Game 4, more than four percentage points higher than what the Lakers allowed in the regular season. L.A.'s perimeter defenders aren't doing much more than waving at the Suns shooters at the three-point line, and given Bryant's scathing post-game comments, expect the Lakers to try to contest more shots in Game 5.
5. Who's doing the board work? One of the more inexplicable stats in Game 5 was the small-ball Suns racking up a 51-36 edge on the boards over a bigger, more physical Lakers team. Odom (10 rebounds) was the only Laker to crack double figures while Bynum and Gasol combined for 13.
"When a team that is definitely smaller than you dominates the glass with 15 rebounds of differential, I think that's the biggest thing of the game," said Gasol.
Credit the zone for taking away L.A.'s offensive rebounding (Phoenix had an 18-13 edge on the offensive board) and the Suns' rebounding mentality (no player had more than eight rebounds). But for L.A. to win, they need to establish themselves on the inside, beginning with the glass.
1. Busting the Suns' zone. Phoenix's shift to the zone defense has befuddled the Lakers. The "girly zone," as Alvin Gentry calls it, has turned L.A. into a primarily jump-shooting team. After shooting 33 three-pointers and getting to the line 56 times in Games 1 and 2, the Lakers launched 60 threes and earned only 33 trips to the foul line in their last two losses. The Suns have been able to effectively pressure the entry pass while Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom have failed to find any open seams in the paint. The Lakers want to play inside-out, and to do that, they are going to have to be patient, get the ball inside and force Phoenix to send double teams to help.
"[The zone] takes away our inside game," Odom said. "We're not swinging the ball enough. Everyone is not getting involved. So even when we do go on offensive runs and they come down, still they've got 10, 11 guys involved offensively. We just don't have that right now throughout the whole game."
2. Bench wars. The Suns bench was the overriding factor in Phoenix's win in Game 4, dominating the Lakers' first unit in the fourth quarter and finishing with a staggering 54 points overall. The Lakers don't have the Suns depth but they counter with the series' best reserve weapon: Odom. After submitting superior performances in Games 1 and 2, Odom struggled in Game 3 (10 points, 4-14 shooting), but found his rhythm in Game 4 (15 points, 6-13 shooting). Phil Jackson suggested on Wednesday that he might extend the bench, using Luke Walton and Sasha Vujacic in more expanded roles. But the Lakers success is often tied to how Odom plays and a strong Game 5 would boost a Laker bench that has been totally outplayed the last two games.
3. Paging, Channing Frye. After stumbling through a nightmarish 1-20 stretch through the first three games of the series, Frye came alive in Game 4 with 14 points on 4-of-8 three-point shooting. Frye is an integral part of the Suns' offense and his ability to lure the Lakers' big men out on the perimeter opens up wide lanes for the Lakers' slashers to get into the paint. But if Frye is struggling with his shot, Phoenix's other options are Robin Lopez and Louis Amundson -- two traditional big men who don't present the same challenges as Frye offensively. Frye got a confidence booster with his Game 4 showing, and it's crucial he maintain that high in Game 5.
4. Lakers want more 'D.' "We lost the game because our defense sucked," Kobe Bryant said after Game 4. Indeed, with L.A. focused on finding ways to penetrate the Suns zone defense they neglected their own. Phoenix shot 48.8 percent in Game 4, more than four percentage points higher than what the Lakers allowed in the regular season. L.A.'s perimeter defenders aren't doing much more than waving at the Suns shooters at the three-point line, and given Bryant's scathing post-game comments, expect the Lakers to try to contest more shots in Game 5.
5. Who's doing the board work? One of the more inexplicable stats in Game 5 was the small-ball Suns racking up a 51-36 edge on the boards over a bigger, more physical Lakers team. Odom (10 rebounds) was the only Laker to crack double figures while Bynum and Gasol combined for 13.
"When a team that is definitely smaller than you dominates the glass with 15 rebounds of differential, I think that's the biggest thing of the game," said Gasol.
Credit the zone for taking away L.A.'s offensive rebounding (Phoenix had an 18-13 edge on the offensive board) and the Suns' rebounding mentality (no player had more than eight rebounds). But for L.A. to win, they need to establish themselves on the inside, beginning with the glass.
Orlando Magic Is Catching Up
In the Eastern Conference finals of the NBA 2010, it seems that Orlando Magic has a good chance to catch up as it is now 3-2. I'm a big Magic fan and I do want them to win over Boston Celtics.
Although I'm not originally from Florida, I was able to spend some time there with my uncle when we used his Orlando timeshare a few years back and I did fell in love with the place. One of the first things we did was actually to watch the Magic play their game at Amway Arena.
This season, I'm sure the Magic vs Celtics game will be going to an exciting end as much as fans of the Suns vs Lakers conference finals is getting.
Although I'm not originally from Florida, I was able to spend some time there with my uncle when we used his Orlando timeshare a few years back and I did fell in love with the place. One of the first things we did was actually to watch the Magic play their game at Amway Arena.
This season, I'm sure the Magic vs Celtics game will be going to an exciting end as much as fans of the Suns vs Lakers conference finals is getting.
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