Category Archives: news

Jada Pinkett Smith’s HawthoRNe Canceled

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Jada Pinkett Smith’s marriage is intact. Her TV show? Not so much.After three seasons, her TNT series HawthoRNe has been canceled.Pinkett Smith broke the news herself on her WhoSays page Friday.
“Hey everyone…if you don’t know Hawthorne will not be returning for another season,” the star, 39, wrote. “I want to say thank you to all the fans for being Hawthorne soldiers…All our facebook fans…twitter soldiers and viewers…you held us down. Of course you know there is more to come…believe it!”
TNT later told Access Hollywood: “The series gave TNT the opportunity to work with many outstanding people, including Jada Pinkett Smith and the rest of the show’s talented cast, crew, producers and writers. We wish everyone involved with ‘HawthoRNe’ nothing but the best.”

The Battle of Red Sole~ Louboutin vs YSL … YSL wins

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A fight by fancy French footwear king Christian Louboutin for the exclusive right to put red soles on shoes got kicked out of court Wednesday in a victory for rival Yves Saint Laurent.The legal battle in a New York court pitted two fashion leaders in a bitter contest for what Louboutin said was the soul of its extravagantly expensive shoes — the signature scarlet outsole.In federal court, US District Judge Victor Marrero ruled that Louboutin — even if widely recognized for its trailblazing use of red under the shoe — could not stop competitors like YSL from doing the same thing. To read more about this story, go here

America’s Top Most Hated Person Is

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Casey Anthony is the “Most Hated Person in America”, according to a survey by California-based E-Poll Market Research.
E-Poll said 1,100 respondents took the survey nationwide. Of those, 53% claimed to be aware of Anthony and 94% said they disliked her.
Anthony, accused in the death of 2-year-old daughter Caylee Marie, was followed by reality TV stars Spencer Pratt (#2 with 88% dislike) and Nadya “Octomom” Suleman (#3 with 87% dislike).
The #4 “Most Hated Person in the US” is O.J. Simpson, who also underwent a controversial murder acquittal like Anthony. Another reality television personality, Jon Gosselin, came in at #5.
Completing the Top 10 list are Levi Johnston (#6), Jesse James (#7), Paris Hilton (#8), Heidi Fleiss (#9), and Howard Stern (#10).
Additionaly, 57% of the sample described Anthony as “creepy” while 60% described her as “cold.”

President Obama~ The Coolest Wordsmith of Our Generation

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President Barack Obama might be the coolest wordsmith of our generation. The way he constructs a sentence is masterful. Obama demonstrated this ability when he put to rest all the controversy surrounding his birth certificate, telling a room full of reporters, “We can’t be distracted by side shows and carnival barkers.” …lolz …take that Trump and all the birthers out there. Continue reading →

Starbucks Drops The “Starbucks Coffee” Logo

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Photo captured at Hotel Max Lobby

Have you noticed that the word “Starbucks Coffee” is no longer being used on Starbucks cups and cup sleeves?! Many folks are questioning the rationale behind this logo change with some angry coffee drinkers voicing their protest on the Starbucks website. Starbucks, which doesn’t want to be known for selling just coffee anymore announced it was dropping the words “Starbucks Coffee” from
Continue reading →

New Nikon DSLR~ D7000 with Full HD Recording Released

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Introducing a new line of mid-class, high-spec Nikon DX-format cameras. A compact, elegant body equipped with a new CMOS image sensor and a new image-processing engine, EXPEED2.

TOKYO – Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the Nikon D7000, a model that introduces a new line of mid-class Nikon DX-format digital-SLR cameras. The camera is equipped with a new CMOS image sensor and a new image-processing engine, EXPEED 2, that enable capture of high-definition images exhibiting superior image quality. It also offers a number of advanced high-performance features packed into a compact, elegant body.

The following lens kit will also be released~~ D7000 and AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR ….. Read More about the NEW NIKON D 7000 release

PHOTOS and SPECS source~ Nikon.com



Scene Recognition System utilizing 2,016-pixel RGB sensor and image sensor [NEW]

Dynamic~Area AF mode: 39 points

Selectable AF area modes

-Single-point AF mode~Ideal for stationary subjects. Camera focuses on the subject at a selected focus point only

-Dynamic-area AF mode~Suitable for capturing moving subjects. If the subject briefly leaves the selected focus point, the camera will focus based on information from surrounding points.

9 points: Suitable for when there is time to compose the photograph or for subjects that are moving predictably
21 points: Suitable for a randomly and unpredictably moving subject
39 points: Suitable for a fast-moving and predictably moving subject

21 Points

-3D-tracking mode~Pursues your subject using all 39 focus points. Once focusing is achieved with a selected focus point, the focus point automatically changes to track the subject according to its movement while the shutter-release button is pressed halfway.

3D tracking mode

-Auto-area AF mode~The D7000 detects the main subject using all 39 focus points and automatically focuses on it. With a G- or D-type AF NIKKOR lens, the D7000 can distinguish foreground and background using “subject identification” of Scene Recognition System and detects a person’s position by recognizing human skin tone for improved subject acquisition.

Auto area AF mode

Auto Exposure control~The 2,016-pixel RGB sensor detects highlights within a frame precisely. It calculates optimal exposure to deliver more accurate auto exposure control and i-TTL flash control.

High-speed continuous shooting at approx. 6 fps, for up to approx. 100 shots — captures the decisive moment~The D7000 incorporates newly developed shutter, aperture and mirror driving mechanisms. Combining with higher image-processing speed, high-speed continuous shooting at approx. 6 fps, for up to approx. 100 shots* is achieved. Start-up time is only approx. 0.13 s** and release time lag is approx. 0.052 s**. All this gives you stress-free, comfortable shooting, helping you to capture the decisive moment.

  • *With 8 GB SanDisk Extreme SDHC memory card, JPEG (image quality: NORMAL, image size: L) images.
  • **Based on CIPA Guidelines.

FULL HD RECORDING

We Shall Never Forget ~9/11

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We shall never forget

We shall keep this day,

We shall keep the events and the tears

In our minds, our memory and our hearts

and take them with us as we carry on.

We must all find the wisdom,comfort and strength to move forward!

But we must always remember those who were lost on this day ( 9/11/2001)

Rest In Peace!

God Bless!


Julian Beever Continues To Amaze People With His 3D Chalk Drawings

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Julian Beever is an english, Belgium-based chalk artist who has been creating trompe-l’œil chalk drawings on pavement surfaces since the mid-1990s. His works are created using a projection called anamorphosis, and create the illusion of three dimensions when viewed from the correct angle.Beever works as a freelance artist and creates murals for companies. He has worked in the UK, Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Spain, the U.S., Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Russia and Portugal. These are some of his drawings.. 
                     Just remember while viewing these…,  that it is chalk on a flat surface!! 

 Remember, both his feet in reality are flat on the pavement 
People are actually avoiding walking in the “hole”.. funny how human brain works!
Two similar drawings viewed from different angles!
Sony Vaio
Coca Cola
She is the World!
Meeting Mr Frog
Street Fishing 
Santa Mail

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Rumor Has It~ Elizabeth Taylor-78yrs, to Wed for the 9th Time,to a 49yrs Old!

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Age ain’t nothing but a number.Dame Elizabeth Taylor may soon be walking down the aisle … for the ninth time. A source close to the Oscar-winning actress, 78, tells UsMagazine.com exclusively that Taylor recently got engaged to Jason Winters, 49, of Sterling Winters Management. Taylor- who now predominantly uses a wheelchair ,and Winters- who recently became Janet Jackson’s new manager — have yet to confirm the news.

Apple To Reveal The Next Iphone OS 4

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Before all the iPad buzz has even had a chance to fizzle, Apple this morning sent e-mails inviting press to a sneak preview of the next-generation iPhone operating system.

The event is scheduled for Thursday, 10 a.m. PT at Apple headquarters.

Apple has not officially disclosed any details about its next iPhone OS, but a few rumors suggest it will introduce enhanced multitasking. The current iPhone OS (3.0) only allows a few core apps, such as iPod and Mail, to run in the background while another app is active.

The iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad all run the iPhone operating system.

Rumors hint that iPhone OS 4 will have a multitasking feature based on Apple’s Exposé, a tool in Mac OS X that enables users to see all open applications in an exploded view and quickly switch between them.


We’ll find out whether that’s true soon enough. Apple’s iPhone OS 3.0 preview event in March 2009 was rather transparent. During that press conference, Apple demonstrated a new copy-and-paste feature for the iPhone, as well as the ability for apps to communicate with special-purpose accessories. Then at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, Apple announced the release of iPhone OS 3.0 along with new iPhone hardware.

In short, if Apple stays consistent, don’t expect to download iPhone OS 4.0 until summer.
Source-Wired

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Erykah Badu’s New Video "Window Seat" Stirs Controversy

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It was just a few weeks ago that Lady Gaga and Beyonce were swirling in controversy over their “Telephone” video, with many people asking whether music videos had gone too far.
Singer Erykah Badu has come on the news again with the imminent release of her latest album, “New Amerykah Part Two: Return Of The Ankh.” However, even before its release, the album, seems to have become mired in controversy. It is not so much the album itself that is creating quite a lot of ripples, but a single that features in the album, “Window Seat.” Or rather, it is the video of the album that is creating all the controversy. According to some, the video, in which Erykah Badu strips down to her birthday suit, asserts a very strong political and social statement, while others feel that it is merely in bad taste.
In the video, Erykah Badu is seen stripping, and at the end of the video, she wears nothing. Soon afterward she is shot, and lies down to die in the same spot where the former President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated.
The singer, who is a native of Dallas, Tweeted: “I would never disrespect JFK. his revolutionary thinking is my inspiration.My performance art has been grossly misinterpreted by many.”
Do you think she went too far, or do you see the artistic statement Badu is making? If she were fully clothed, or nude in a different location, would it matter..

Video Source~ LATimes

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Rumor Has It ~ Beyonce is Prego~

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This gives a new meaning to the phrase, “Making Sweet Music Together”. According to various reports, singer Beyonce Knowles (formally of Destiny’s Child) is pregnant. The father? None other than rapper Jay-Z!But then.. wait…Beyonce rep says prego rumors are untrue and has refused to comment on reports suggesting the singer and her rap mogul husband Jay-Z are expecting their first child. Notoriously-unreliable urban gossip site Mediatakeout.com broke the news Thursday, claiming the scoop came from a “rock solid source.” The report stated that Beyonce is due to deliver later this year… So who knows.. Time will tell..

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Oscars 2010 Winner Predictions

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The Oscars are here! Tonight is the night that we all have been waiting for! Upon much deliberation and analysis, Mxdthingz is pleased to present its final winner predictions in all categories for the 2010 Academy Awards.

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
Best Actress: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, Precious
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds
Best Original Screenplay: Hurt Locker
Best Adapted Screenplay: Up in the Air
Foreign Language Film: El Secreto de Sus Ojos
Documentary Feature: The Cove
Animated Feature: Up
Art Direction: Avatar
Cinematography: Avatar
Costume Design: The Young Victoria
Documentary Short Subject: The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
Film Editing: The Hurt Locker
Makeup: Star Trek
Music (Score): Up
Music (Song): “The Weary Kind,” Crazy Heart
Animated Short Film: A Matter of Loaf and Death
Live Action Short Film: Kavi
Sound Editing: Avatar
Sound Mixing: The Hurt Locker
Visual Effects: Avatar

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Gabourey Sibide Talks About Being Left Out From March 2010 Vanity Fair Cover

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Vanity Fair’s March issue came out a couple of weeks ago with a fold-out cover featuring nine young actresses to represent ‘The Fresh Faces of 2010.’
Abbie Cornish, Kristen Stewart, Carey Mulligan, Amanda Seyfried, Rebecca Hall, Mia Wasikowska, Anna Kendrick, Emma Stone, and Evan Rachel Wood all had some sort of breakout year, some with more memorable performances than others.
Not pictured was Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe, even though she was interviewed inside the magazine and has the most compelling breakout story of all…
“At first I thought, ‘Hmm, should I be there?” she told Access Hollywood. “Then I very quickly got over it. I think if I were a part of that shoot I would have felt a little left out anyway.”Gabourey Sidibe said as she sat down with Access Hollywood..
My reaction when I saw this Cover was…. WTF!! I think Talent should be the “New Hollywood” and talent is blind to race, size and any other subcategory people use as a medium to gauge success or potential success!

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Congratulation 2010 Winter Olympics USA Gold Winners ~ Shaun White,Shani Davis and Lindsey Vonn

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Shaun White~ Wins halfpipe Gold
Snowboarding superstar and defending champion Shaun White won the Olympic men’s halfpipe gold today (Wednesday), finishing ahead of Finland’s Peetu Piiroinen and Scott Lago of the United States.



Shani Davis~Speed Skating Davis defends men’s 1,000m title
Shani Davis of the United States became the first man to win back-to-back 1,000-metre Olympic speedskating gold medals, defending his title on Wednesday at the Vancouver Winter Games.Davis won in 1min 8.94secs with South Korean Mo Tae-Bum, Monday’s surprise 500m champion, second in 1:09.12 and American Chad Hedrick third in 1:09.32.
Davis, who set the world record of 1:06.42 last March in Salt Lake City, became the first black Olympic champion in an individual event when he captured 1,000m gold at Turin and celebrated his repeat with a victory lap.



Lindsey Vonn ~ Alpine Skiing Vonn Wins women’s downhill Gold
Alpine speed queen Lindsey Vonn lived up to expectations by winning the United States’ first ever Olympic gold in the women’s downhill on Wednesday.

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Celebrate Black History Month~ February 2010

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In honor of Black History month, I bring to you the people who made the impossible, possible.Discover more on Black History with timelines, trivia, famous African American biographies, and more at Biography.com

The 44th President of the United States.The 1st African-America President of the United States Of America.

One of Africa’s most respected figures, Julius Nyerere (1922 — 1999) was a politician of principle and intelligence. The 1st President Of Tanzania.
 

Nelson Mandela
Anti-apartheid activist and former President of South AfricaMandela served 27 years in prison(Robben Island) 
Martin Luther King Jr
 American clergyman, activist and prominent leader in the African-American civil rights movement. His main legacy was to secure progress on civil rights in the United States, and he has become a human rights icon
 
Kwame Nkrumah
Became the first prime and later president of Ghana
Oprah
American television host, producer, and philanthropist, best known for her self-titled, multi-award winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history. She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century and beyond, the greatest black philanthropist in American history, and was once the world’s only black billionaire
Maya Angelou
Bob Marley
Nat King Cole
W.E.B.Dubois
Malcom X
Rosa Parks
Muhammad Ali
Madame C.J.Walker

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FollowFriday ~Remembering Alexander McQueen~

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While the fashion world is mourning the loss of one of its greatest, Alexander McQueen, we are comforted in knowing that his creative legacy will forever live on.His countless fans will never forget the projection of an ethereal Kate Moss hologram at the Fall 2006 presentation, nor his last show, Spring/Summer 2010, in which he sent dozens of futuristic models in pod-like mini-dresses and insect-inspired shoes down the runway.

Saks Fifth Avenue, which has long been a supporter of Alexander McQueen, recently opened a new in-store boutique for McQueen, one of its best-selling British designer labels, along with Burberry, on its refurbished third floor.Saks is now in the process of designing a “memorial window” for the renegade designer who revolutionised fashion in the last two decades. 

Boitano, one of many senior American retailers trying to come to terms with the designer’s suicide, recently returned from Milan where he saw McQueen’s new menswear collection and also previewed his pre-collection for autumn.“The pre-collection is gorgeous, just gorgeous; the most beautiful cocktail and evening gowns. We were planning to do a series of special ‘trunk’ shows in the store for special customers, but that won’t happen now.”

 
 
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DSM IV ~ The Ultimate Encyclopedia Of The Mind/The Bible Of Psychiatric Treatment Is Being Revised~

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If you’ve been doing research and reading about  pretty much any mental illness, you’ve probably seen phrases such as, “According to the DSM-IV …” or “The guidelines in the DSM-IV state …” But just what is this DSM-IV? ~It is the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association. In the United States, it is the primary system used to classify and diagnose mental disorders.The DSM-IV is an important tool for clinicians. It provides a standard for diagnoses to be standardized across psychology; however, the DSM-IV is not as precise for diagnosing personality disorders as some psychologists would like.

For the first time in over a decade, the go-to manual for diagnosing and treating mental illnesses is being revised, and the committee tasked with the job has released its suggested amendments to the public.The draft criteria for the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders are available online at www.dsm5.org. The site provides a forum to accept comment on proposed changes. Comments will be accepted through April 20. Update to the draft criteria will be made based on comments and field trials before DSM-5 is published in 2013.As part of the development process, the preliminary draft revisions to the current diagnostic criteria for psychiatric diagnoses are now available for public review and comment. “The publication of the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in May 2013 will mark one the most anticipated events in the mental health field”~ APA. 

The DSM was first published in 1952. At that time, it contained only 66 disorders with short lists of symptoms for each and some discussion of the believed cause of the various disorders (Holmes). In 1968, the number of disorders was expanded to just over 100 with the publication of Edition II. Edition III of the Manual (1979) introduced a multiaxial diagnostic system of five scales.The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is the ultimate encyclopedia of the mind, and the primary resource for physicians charged with assessing mental ailments such as clinical depression, eating disorders and autism. Despite advances in genetic screening and brain scans, mental illness diagnosis still relies on written descriptions, which makes the DSM immeasurably influential.
Sources: AOL & APA

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Saint’s Superbowl Victory Parade

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The city of New Orleans celebrates their Super Bowl champion Saints with a wild parade today.Mardi Gras floats carrying players, coaches and team owner Tom Benson started rolling from the Superdome for a victory parade to celebrate the team’s first NFL championship.The Saints’ 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday capped just the ninth winning season in the team’s 43-year history.The song “We are the Champions” blared as tens of thousands of people lined the parade route for the parade’s 5 p.m. start.

Players, wearing team jerseys instead of traditional Carnival masks and costumes, tossed beads into the crowd and signed autographs for throngs of screaming fans. Benson shouted ‘‘Who Dat!’’ into a microphone from his perch atop a float. Head coach Sean Payton blew kisses and held the Lombardi Trophy over his head.
‘‘Here’s to the best Mardi Gras week in the history of this city,’’ Payton said, raising a glass of champagne during a toast outside the city’s historic Gallier Hall.

Below-New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson addresses the fans as the team parades through the central business district of New Orleans, Tuesday. The Saints and fans are celebrating the Saints 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV.

 

 Credits- AP, TTP

  

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iPad-Not A Computer, But Not A Smartphone,So What Is It?

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Nearly everything about the iPad is a joke to my opinion. It seems like Apple really missed a golden opportunity. If Apple produced a Mac Air Netbook we would’ve all buy one..right?. It would have fit between the iPhone and the Macbook pro/ Macbook air range, portable and have much greater functionality.

I’m just not clever enough to understand that I need it. I better not announce to the world that I don’t understand or I’ll prove I’m stupid.. I will go with this quote to explain  my lack of understanding it ~“Exceeds your ability to understand”~

Why getting an iPad,while you can basically do almost anything with your iPhone? iPad has no phone functionality? So I have to carry my phone and this around, but if I have an iPhone I can do most of this stuff anyway (but with a smaller screen), so what’s the point of having both?

iPad’s biggest weakness is the lack of a full-blown, flash-enabled browser, the lack of multi-tasking and ooh and lets not forget~ it’s un-ergoonomically designed, no USB ports, no removable battery or memory…no lid?

How long is that screen going to stay unscratched.You are going to have to purchase accessories like a keyboard, a docking station,an iPad protection cover/lid.Of course it’s great for the manufacturers of accessories who will no doubt produce a multitude of covers and lids, and who knows how much those apps are going to cost.