Technology Slice Blog

Apple iPad IOS 4.2 Update To Be Released Some Time Soon - Apple’s repeatedly promised iPad users that iOS4 would be coming to the iPad in November. Now that we’re nearing the end of the month, quesions are swirling as to if Apple will still release iOS 4.2 this month. Apple has released early versions of iOS 4.2 to developers and other industry insiders and there were apparently too many remaining issues to distribute IOS4.2 to iPad, iPhone and iPod owners earlier this month. So what is IOS 4.2 and why should you care? IOS 4.2 is a version of Apple’s mobile operating system that will finally unify most of the look, feel and software features found on the iPhone 4 with the iPad. The iPad still runs a version of iOS 3, which is the same mobile operating system that originally shipped with the iPhone 3GS and previous versions of the iPod touch. Many features that iPhone 4 users take for granted, such as multi-tasking and app folders, are simply not available on the iPad as of today. Ap...

Duracell Mygrid Adds Hours To Phone Life - That bunny has nothing on the Duracell myGrid USB Charger. This newly announced product features a rechargeable battery that allows the gadget-dependent masses to juice up anywhere, even when an outlet isn’t available. The myGrid USB is a Lithium-ion rechargeable battery. It’s also compatible with just about any gadget you can imagine, from phones to eReaders to MP3 players to GPS units. Anything that can be connected via a USB cable can get a little power boost from this unit. Actually, you should get more than a boost. Duracell says that the myGrid USB Charger can provide at least four hours of power to iPhones, the BlackBerry and other smartphones. It also gives 10 hours on Bluetooth headsets, 30 hours to MP3 players, and a whopping 100 hours to eReaders like the Amazon Kindle. Super compact and perfect for travel, the myGrid USB can get power via its USB port, but also works with Duracell’s myGrid charging pad. Find the Duracell myG...

Verizon Airs 4G - Folks have been waiting for Verizon's speedy LTE 4G network for some time and now Verizon has run its first TV advert, promoting its LTE network. The 30-second video shows a young man getting a parcel from Verizon, which is opened, revealing a "lighting fast" 4G network. If you aren't swayed by Sprint's 4G WiMAX network and are looking for alternatives, this might be something to look into. You can check out a video of the advert after the jump. With T-Mobile also promoting its HSPA+ network, touted to offer 4G speeds, the 4G battle is heating up. Verizon Airs 4G

Major League Soccer (MLS) - There was no David Beckham or Thierry Henry on the field for Major League Soccer’s 15th championship game – and the first to be held outside of the United States – but in the end it mattered little as the two finalists illustrated perfectly that you don’t need the sport’s biggest stars to be successful. An own goal in extra time from FC Dallas defender George John – twinned with a game-saving stop from Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Matt Pickens as John looked to atone in the 120th minute – was enough to hand MLS its ninth different champion at Toronto’s BMO Field Sunday night, where an announced crowd of 21,700 braved the cold to watch Colorado win 2-1 to lift their first MLS Cup. While teams such as the New York Red Bulls and Los Angeles Galaxy – and to a lesser extent Toronto FC with Julian de Guzman – try to build around star power as a blueprint for potential success, the two finalists have followed a different route, eschewing high-salaried designated...

Taylor Martinez - Fan sites and Twitter have been abuzz Sunday that Taylor Martinez is leaving the Nebraska football team. Not true, says coach Bo Pelini. World-Herald reporter Mitch Sherman reached Pelini Sunday night. Pelini said Martinez's status had not changed since the end of Huskers' 9-6 loss Saturday at Texas A&M. "He's still on the team," the coach said. Speculation quickly went viral Sunday after rumors began to fly early in the evening that Martinez had quit. By 9 p.m., his name was the No. 1 trending topic nationally on the Google search engine. Asked if he expected Martinez to continue with the Huskers this week as they prepare for Friday's regular-season finale at home against Colorado, Pelini said yes. Taylor Martinez

Liberty University Expansion - The largest Christian university in the world is about to get a bit bigger. Liberty University is announcing a major expansion on campus that will carry a hefty price tag, but an exact total still isn't known. The University says its ultimate goal is to be for Evangelical Christians, what Notre Dame University is for Catholics. The school's chancellor says now is the time to start reaching that goal. "Construction prices have never been lower and frankly we just need the space," said Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. Recession or not, Liberty University is about to begin a major campus expansion. Chancellor Falwell says it will change the look of campus. "Financially our school has grown and improved as much as you've seen physically, and we are in a position to really move to the next level," said Falwell. Falwell says the changes include a brand new: health sciences building, visitors center, in...

John Cena Will Appear On WWE Survivor - WWE has done an outstanding job of creating drama for this match. The stipulation is that Cena will be free of The Nexus if Barrett wins the title, but Cena will be fired if Orton retains. I’d love to see WWE make the bold decision to turn Cena heel tonight, but I don’t think it’s going to happen. The more likely scenario is that Cena calls the match down the middle, but some type of interference takes place that he doesn’t see and he has no choice but to make the three count for Barrett. It wouldn’t surprise me to see David Otunga and/or R-Truth get involved. There also is a possibility of The Miz – who doesn’t have a match tonight – cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase and walking out of Survivor Series with the WWE title. Either way, I don’t see Orton retaining the championship. World heavyweight champion Kane vs. Edge: My guess is that Edge wins the match by disqualification, thus setting up a rematch at next month’s Tables, Ladders ...

Taylor Martinez Quitting - While I was as upset as anyone after the poor performance of the Huskers last night, I really think that the team is better off with Taylor Martinez in the game instead of Cody Green. There were two throws in particular, that really broke the back of the Huskers. The first was an interception that was intended for Kyler Reed running a post pattern. Reed has caught TD's on this route against this coverage against Mizzou, K-State, and Oklahoma State. In last night's game though, Martinez didn't lead Reed to the middle of the field where the opening was and the pass was intercepted. Martinez also tried to force the ball to Niles Paul on 3rd and 8 on a drive that would eventually result in a field goal to tie the game by Alex Henery. Paul was running a route that had been thrown earlier in the drive that resulted in a 24-yard catch and run. By zeroing in on Paul, he missed Mike McNeill who was open running the corner route behind Paul. T...

Mark Wahlberg Admits To Bad Movie - While promoting "The Happening," Mark Wahlberg had nothing but good things to say about the movie and working with "The Sixth Sense" director M Night Shyamalan. But now that a little has passed, the actor's feelings toward the film have changed a bit. During a press conference for "The Fighter," Wahlberg talked about previously meeting with Amy Adams about "The Happening," which the actress eventually dropped out of and replaced with Zooey Deschanel. "It was a bad movie that I did. She dodged the bullet," he said. "F*cking trees, man, the plants. F*ck it. You can't blame me for wanting to try to play a science teacher. You know? I wasn't playing a cop or a crook." "The Happening" has an unimpressive 18% fresh rating on RottenTomatoes. Mark Wahlberg Admits To Bad Movie

Diddy Dirty Money - Diddy knows a thing or two about showstopping performances, but during the 2010 American Music Awards, the hip-hop mogul had a more measured set as Dirty Money's Dawn Richard and Kalenna flanked him through a reflective rendition of his latest, "Coming Home." "What am I supposed to do when the club lights come on?" Diddy rapped, sporting all-black attire and a half-moon hair part. "It's easy to be Puff, but it's harder to be Sean/ What if my twins ask why I ain't marry their mom?/ Damn, how do I respond?/ What if my son stares with a face like my own?/ And says he wants to be like me when he's grown?/ Sh--, but I ain't finish growing." The rest of his Dirty Money crew wore white and followed Diddy's lead in the elegant performance. The rapper arrived in a whirl of smoke while his orchestra played up the triumphant track, which will appear on Diddy-Dirty Money's forthcoming Last Train to Paris. As...

Taylor Martinez May Have Quit - There are a whole bunch of rumblings in Twitterland that Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez MAY, I repeat MAY, have left the Nebraska team. Those watching last night's game between the Huskers and Texas A&M saw coach Bo Pelini go nuts on his young quarterback while both were on the sideline. Martinez just stood there and took it in a way that could be described as indifferent. Even if these rumors are indeed unfounded, there is clearly some friction between QB and coach. Those looking for further analysis should check out the Better Off Red blog linked below. Farmer Ted did a little lip reading and implies that the cause of Pelini's wrath was Martinez's call to his father while in the locker room after the ankle injury. Taylor Martinez May Have Quit

Brett Barry's Wife - With allegations against San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker for sexting the wife of an ex-teammate, Erin Barry, along with Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre and his sexting accusations with Jenn Sterger, athletes have been spending a great deal of time on the negative end of the news. What has gotten into athletes where they are making such poor decisions removed from their sport? Rarely does a day pass where the sports news doesn't mention some kind of drama taking place—now more than ever—especially in terms of the "sexting" craze. By now, society understands that athletes aren't just about their sport. They have an image that carries away from the field, court or arena. Lately, it seems like athletes are forgetting about this second life they're required to live. They are acting in ways unbecoming for someone in the spotlight and that ultimately has negative effects on not only themselves, but society as a whole. ...

Cyber Monday 2010 - It will be a mad rush to the stores a few days from now as Black Friday 2010 happens this coming week. While many retailers have announced that deals will be available throughout the weekend, online stores have yet to post their Cyber Monday 2010 deals. Cyber Monday 2010, which will officially be on November 29, is the day when online shopping takes centerstage. Last year, it was reported that over $887 million was spent by consumers - will this year surpass that? One of the premier online shopping portals, Amazon.com is set to post their Black Friday deals by tomorrow, but according to reports - they are expecting their Cyber Monday deals to be what consumers will go for. Meanwhile, many Black Friday retailers and merchants, specially chain stores like Best Buy, Walmart and Target are prepared to take their deals on to their websites come Cyber Monday. That definitely is a good sign for those who do not like making their way into the stampede of Black Frid...

Lawrencia Bembenek (Laurie Bambi Bembenek) - The state pardon board will not consider a petition by the former Milwaukee police officer convicted of a decades-old murder at its meeting Wednesday. It's unclear whether the board, which meets twice in December, will consider Laurie Bembenek's petition before Gov. Jim Doyle leaves office. The board makes pardon recommendations to the governor who makes the final decision. Doyle spokesman Adam Collins says Bembenek's application is incomplete. He says it's missing a response from the judge and prosecutors in her case. Bembenek was convicted in 1982 of killing Christine Schultz, the ex-wife of her husband, Fred Schultz. Bembenek escaped from prison, was recaptured and later entered a no contest plea to a reduced charge of second-degree murder. Prosecutors agreed to release Bembenek on time she already served. Lawrencia Bembenek (Laurie Bambi Bembenek)

Udonis Haslem Has Torn Ligament - Udonis Haslem has played with broken fingers, separated shoulders, illnesses and sprained ankles. So when he needed to be carried to the locker room with his latest injury, the Miami Heat suspected it was bad. They were right. An MRI performed Sunday on Miami's leading rebounder confirmed he tore a ligament in his left foot during the fourth quarter of a loss in Memphis on Saturday night. When Haslem went down, he immediately began pointing to the inside of his left foot, and was quickly helped into the locker room. He will see a specialist on Monday, and surgery -- which could keep him out months instead of weeks -- remains an option. The Heat said they expect to have more information on Monday. Haslem does not start for the Heat, but losing him for any significant amount of time would be a major blow. He's considered to be Miami's toughest player and serves as the team's co-captain with Dwyane Wade, who is also banged-up. W...

Delta Airlines Flight Lands At JFK - A Delta Airlines flight landed safely at New York’s JFK Airport Sunday after the pilot complained of an engine problem, authorities said. Moscow-bound Flight 30 had just taken off from JFK around 5 p.m. when the pilot noticed a problem with the left engine on the Boeing 767, said a spokeswoman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, who added that ”everything’s fine.” Firefighters and emergency crews responded and the aircraft landed safely at 5:49 p.m. , Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Holly Baker said. CNN said the 193 passengers were being put on another plane for Moscow. Delta Airlines Flight Lands At JFK

AMA Awards 2010 - Justin Bieber will be performing tonight (November 21) at the 2010 American Music Awards. It is being reported that Justin will be performing his new single “Pray,” which is set to appear on his upcoming album “My Worlds Acoustic.” Also according to the reports Justin won’t be the only one taking the stage for the performance. Justin will also be joined by a number of special guests for his performances, but it has not been announced who those individuals will be. Do you think it will be Jaden Smith or Sean Kingston or someone else? Do you have any guesses? You can tune in for the 2010 AMAs tonight on ABC at 8/7c. AMA Awards 2010

Jimmie Johnson Wins 5th Nascar - Smooth and steady, five years running, Jimmie Johnson kept his NASCAR reign rolling. He stretched his record run of championships to five straight by making the fewest mistakes in Sunday's season finale. Johnson trailed Denny Hamlin by 15 points entering Homestead-Miami Speedway, but captured another title by running the cleanest race of the three championship contenders. He finished second to race winner Carl Edwards and claimed the championship by 39 points over Hamlin. Kevin Harvick was third in the race and third in the final standings, 41 points behind Johnson. "I am just so proud to be in this position, and so thankful to have my great race team," Johnson said. It was the first come-from-behind championship in the seven years of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship format, which debuted in 2004 and was won each year by the driver who took the points lead into the finale. That wasn't Johnson this year. Not even c...

HTC Merge Shown On Verizon Website - Verizon tipped its hand a bit last night by inadvertently outing its next Android smartphone. A 360-degree view of the HTC Merge landed on the carrier's Web site only to be abruptly pulled. AndroidCentral was quick enough to see the phone and capture a video of the device. The Merge, which once carried the nickname of Lexikon, should be Verizon's first sliding QWERTY world phone. Specifications include Android 2.2, an 800MHz processor, and a 3.7-inch touch screen. Incidentally, AndroidCentral was able to get its hands on the Merge and do a full review back in early October. One of its findings was that the phone carries Bing as the default search engine, something that might put off a few interested buyers. Rumors predicted that Verizon was ready to announce the phone, possibly as early as November 18, though we're already beyond that date. Recently, the Merge appeared in Best Buy's inventory system leading many to believe a f...

Saudi King Coming To The US - Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah will fly to the United States on Monday for treatment of a herniated spinal disc and a blood clot that is causing him back pain, the country's health minister said Sunday. "The medical team recommended that that he leaves to the U.S. to visit a spine-specialized medical center in order to complete medical examinations and for follow-up treatment," Health Minister Abdullah al-Rabeeah said during an interview with Saudi state television. "But I assure everyone that he is in a stable condition, and that he is enjoying health and well-being, and God willing, he will be back safe and sound to lead this proud nation." Doctors performed tests on the 86-year-old monarch Friday after he complained of back pain and had more tests on Sunday, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported. His doctors have advised him to rest, but he took calls from Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Iranian President Mahmoud ...

Plane Makes Emergency Landing At JFK Airport - A Delta Air Lines flight to Russia made an emergency landing Sunday evening after encountering an engine problem shortly after takeoff from New York, the Federal Aviation Administration reported. Delta Air Lines Flight 30 returned to John F. Kennedy International Airport at 5:49 p.m. ET, about 50 minutes after takeoff. The Moscow-bound Boeing 767 was forced to turn back after its crew reported a problem with its left engine, FAA spokeswoman Holly Baker said. No details of the problem were immediately available. Delta said the 193 passengers will be put on another jet for their nearly 10-hour flight to Moscow. Plane Makes Emergency Landing At JFK Airport

Laurie Bambi Bembenek - Laurie Bembenek, a former Milwaukee Police officer who escaped from prison after she was convicted of murder in a wild criminal saga that later became a TV miniseries, has died. She was 52. Bembenek's attorney, Mary Woehrer, says she died Saturday night at a hospice care center in Portland, Ore. Woehrer says the cause of death was liver failure. Bembenek, a former Playboy Club waitress, was convicted in 1982 of fatally shooting her police detective husband's ex-wife, Christine Schultz. She was sentenced to life in prison but always maintained her innocence, and in 1990 she escaped and fled to Canada, popularizing the catch phrase "Run Bambi Run." She was captured but later released after pleading no contest to second-degree murder. Woehrer says Bembenek's family will continue to seek a criminal pardon. Laurie Bambi Bembenek

Black Friday 3D TV - Amazon.com is offering a killer pre-Black Friday deal on a 3D LG HDTV. The LG 47LX6500 is a 47″ LED back-lit LCD HDTV that’s well-suited for watching sports and 3D movies. The TV has an MSRP of $2699.99, but Amazon.com is selling it for a limited time for just $1375.99, or just over half of its original price. To sweeten the deal, Amazon is throwing in four pairs of 3D active shutter glasses so your whole family can enjoy 3D content without taking turns. The glasses have a list price of $179.99 each and Amazon is currently selling them for $79.95 each without the TV. With a total savings of over $1,643.80, this is one HDTV deal that’s too good to pass up. In fact, I decided to buy one as soon as I came across this deal as I’ve just moved into a larger home and am in need of a second HDTV. My budget was $1,000 and I was going to settle for a standard 2D (No 3D) HDTV and was willing make other compromises, such as buying a TV with a standard florescent backlight (...

iPad Update Release Has Been Delayed Once Again - The update will bring one hundred updated features to the iPad. The biggest one being the ability to mutitask between applications. With the update users can have more than one application open at the same time. The iPads connectivity to other devices is also another improvement being made. With all the new features and benefits, it soundsl like it will definitely be worth the wait. iPad Update Release Has Been Delayed Once Again

Erin Barry Trail Leads To Tony Parker - Tony Parker is not hoping to "escalate things" by counter-petitioning his estranged wife, who originally sought to end the marriage on Wednesday. A friend explained: "He is just following standard procedure. This was not meant to escalate things. "He filed his own papers to protect his rights during the proceeding. They are still committed to working this out together amicably." Despite the claims, it is believed filing his own papers could lead to a bitter battle regarding where the divorce hearing will take place. If the 28-year-old sportsman's petition is granted in Texas, the couple's marriage could be dissolved in as little as 60 days, whereas if the 35-year-old actress' wish for the hearing to take place in Tony is now said to be coping with the breakdown of his marriage by focusing on his games with Texan basketball team the San Antonio Spurs. Erin Barry Trail Leads To Tony Parker

Has Darvocet Been Recalled - Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is cooperating with the FDA in recalling Darvocet and Darvon, their versions of the pain killer propoxyphene. Darvon, which is also sold as Darvocet (with acetaminophen added), could cause serious and potentially fatal heart rhythm abnormalities, according to new clinical data reviewed by the FDA. An outside advisory panel to the FDA recommended last year that Darvon and Darvocet be pulled from the market after concluding that the pain relief benefits of the drugs didn’t outweigh the significant risk of side effects related to overdose and addiction. However, the FDA is not required to follow the advice of the panel, and the two pain killers remained on the market until recent electrocardiography data from a clinical study revealed QT interval abnormalities occurred in healthy people taking normal doses of the drugs. The main active drug in Darvocet and Darvon is propoxyphene, which the FDA has also removed from the marke...

TSA Will Not Back Down On Pat Downs - How did an agency created to protect the public become the target of so much public scorn? After nine years of funneling travelers into ever longer lines with orders to have shoes off, sippy cups empty and laptops out for inspection, the most surprising thing about increasingly heated frustration with the federal Transportation Security Administration may be that it took so long to boil over. Even Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is not subjected to security pat-downs when she travels, understands the public's irritation. She, for one, wouldn't want to go through such scrutiny. "Not if I could avoid it. No. I mean, who would?" Clinton told CBS' "Face the Nation" in an interview broadcast Sunday. The agency, a marvel of nearly instant government when it was launched in the fearful months following the 9/11 terror attacks, started out with a strong measure of public goodwill. Americans wanted the...

Richard Seymour Will Get A Big Fine - The ugly side of Richard Seymour returned Sunday in Pittsburgh. It cost the Oakland Raiders and it will likely cost him later in the week. The defensive lineman blatantly and brutally popped Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the face mask after Roethlisberger inadvertently bumped into Seymour while beginning to celebrate a touchdown, giving the Steelers a 21-3 lead late in the first half. Seymour was immediately ejected from the game. Seymour is known for having quite the on-field temper. Pleasant and friendly off the field, Seymour -- who is having a brilliant season -- is nasty on it. San Diego center Nick Hardwick called Seymour a dirty player while he was with New England. Last season, Seymour pulled the hair of Denver left tackle Ryan Clady. Later in the season, he was called for two personal fouls against Cleveland. Because of his history and how blatant his infraction was Sunday, Seymour should expect a heavy fine. It’s...

Laurie Bembenek Saga Comes To An End - Milwaukee's longest running legal saga may have ended with the death last night of Lawrencia "Bambi" Bembenek. Bembenek died in Portland, Oregan, where she was in hospice care, her sister, Colette Bembenek of South Milwaukee, said. Bembenek, 52, who later changed her first name to Laurie, had been admitted to a hospital in recent days and then was transferred to a hospice, her sister said. Her health problems included hepatitis C and liver and kidney failure, Colette Bembenek said. "It went real fast. I'm glad she didn't linger," Colette Bembenek said. "I knew it was inevitable that she probably would be expiring early in life." Laurie Bembenek was the former Milwaukee police officer charged with killing her then-husband's ex-wife, Christine Schultz. She was convicted in 1982 and sentenced to life in prison, but that was far, far from the end of the story. In 1990, with the help of fia...

The Blue Moon Phenomenon - On November 21st, many will see what is known as a blue moon. Although it is referred to as a blue moon, it is not actually blue. Rather, it is called that because it is the third of fourth full moons in a season. Modern definitions of a blue moon consider it to be the second full moon in a calendar month. According to this, the next blue moon will not occur until August 31st, 2012. Typically, only three full moons happen in a season. However, when a fourth full moon occurs, the third one becomes known as the blue moon. The system for naming was created by the Maine Farmer’s Almanac. So, step outside tonight and enjoy the blue moon. It will be awhile before another one takes place. The Blue Moon Phenomenon

American Music Awards 2010 - Nobody can deny the Latino presence at this year’s American Music Awards. The ceremony scheduled for tonight at 8 p.m. EST at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, Ca., will have a variety of Latino celebrities. These include Rock Guitar legend Carlos Santana, Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull and Christina Aguilera who all will take the stage tonight. Aguilera, who is of Ecuadorian descent was recently awarded the 2,423 star in “The Walk of Fame” on Hollywood Boulevard. Her new movie “Burlesque” comes out Wednesday. Enrique Iglesias along with “She Wolf” Shakira, and reggaetón star Daddy Yankee have been nominated for “Favorite Artist” in the Latin Music category. Check out the video below of Tex-Mex Demi Lovato earlier this year announcing the nominees of the 2010 American Music Awards. American Music Awards 2010

FCS Playoffs 2010 - Montana State has received a first-round bye in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs and will host a second-round game on Dec. 4 at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman. Meanwhile, the University of Montana, 7-4, has been left out of the playoffs for the first time in 18 years. The NCAA announced the pairings Sunday. Montana State earned a spot in the 20-team tournament after compiling a 9-2 record. The Bobcats will play the winner of Saturday’s game between Robert Morris (8-2) and North Dakota State (7-4). The other Big Sky Conference team to make the playoffs is Eastern Washington, 9-2. It also received a first-round bye and will host Southeast Missouri State (9-2) on Dec. 4. FCS Playoffs 2010

Malin Ackerman Will Replace Lindsay Lohan - Now that we know Lindsay Lohan is no longer playing Linda Lovelace in "Inferno" ... who is? Malin Ackerman! Yup! It's been decided that the blonde bombshell from movies like "27 Dresses," "Watchmen," "Heartbreak Kid" and "Couples' Retreat" will take over Lohan's role as the legendary porno actress. "We are casting Malin Ackerman for the role of Linda Lovelace," director Matthew Wilder tells E!, "We are currently in negotiations and working out the legalities of bringing her on board." He also exclaims that they're very excited to get the project back on track and plan to shoot in the first quarter of 2011. Malin Ackerman Will Replace Lindsay Lohan

Josephine Baker - Keri Hilson's latest video, "Pretty Girl Rock," takes a trip through the decades, featuring inspiration from a bevy of legendary "pretty girl" stars, including Doris Day, Diana Ross, TLC, Janet Jackson, and Josephine Baker. If you're one of Hilson's young fans who may not be particularly familiar with Baker's legacy, allow us to educate you. Josephine Baker was the first African-American movie star -- in fact, the arguably the first African-American to become a world-famous artist. Born in 1906 as Freda McDonald, Baker worked for an abusive white woman as a child and was living on the streets of St. Louis by the age of 12. To raise money, she danced on a street corner, and was eventually recruited to the vaudeville stage at 15. Ultimately she moved to France, where she found fame as an exotic dancer who appeared in several successful films. Baker is often credited as a muse for Langston Hughes, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitz...

IMF To Bail Out Ireland - G7 and euro zone finance ministers including George Osborne, the Chancellor, held emergency telephone conference talks on a combined EU-IMF rescue package of up to £77 billion. British taxpayers now face paying a bill of at least £7 billion as under a deal signed by the last Labour government, British taxpayers are liable to share in the cost of any EU bail-out. On Monday Irish and euro zone governments will be watching the markets after Greece, which received a £94 billion bail-out in April, warned that the EU’s debt crisis was not finished yet. Portugal has already warned that there is a “high risk” it might need economic help. If investors are unconvinced by the Irish rescue package, the euro could come under pressure while the cost of borrowing for the Dublin government could rise. Wolfgang Schaeuble, the German finance minister, said that the deal was necessary to preserve the euro’s future. “We are not just defending a member state but our commo...

Federer Defeats Ferrer - Roger Federer and Andy Murray started their group matches at tennis’s season-ending ATP World Tour Finals with victories. Federer defeated Spain’s David Ferrer for the eleventh straight time, 6-1, 6-4. The Swiss winner of a men’s record 16 majors is trying to join Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras as the only players to have won the year-end championships five times. “It was a really tough match,” Federer, the top seed in Group B, said in a televised interview immediately after the match at The O2 arena in east London. “It’s not fair for David, one-and-half hours for that kind of scoreline shows how tough it was. I’m happy I was able to come through.” Federer, who is playing in the year-end event for a ninth time, started broke the Spaniard’s serve in the second game of the first set. It took Ferrer almost twenty minutes to get on the scoreboard, breaking back in the fifth game. Watched by Diego Maradona, Argentina’s 1986 soccer World Cup-winning captain, Fede...

Pope's Surprise Condoms Remark - A crack has opened in the Church's ban on contraception because of the Aids epidemic, particularly in Africa. Catholic moral theologians have been discussing for years the theory of what the Pope has now openly expressed in terms of accepting the lesser of two evils. This means accepting the fact that condom use by prostitutes does lessen the risk of infection for both men and women. There is some confusion about whether the Pope was referring to female or male prostitutes in his remarks - the word he used in the Italian version is ambiguous, but in English he talks about male prostitutes. News of Pope Benedict's headline-grabbing remarks, first published in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, on the acceptability of condom use in certain cases dropped at a completely unexpected moment at the Vatican on Saturday evening. The Pope's remarks caught everyone by surprise. Several thousand people were milling around r...

Ireland Debt Financial Crisis - EU-eurozone institutions are fighting the second debt crisis in six months and analysts now ponder openly how they would cope with a third and discuss how the single currency can be given a new lease on life. There are concerns that the strains could become systemic across Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain, the so-called weaker PIGS members of the eurozone, and infecting potentially even Italy. There is uncertainty about the structure of expected help for Ireland, and concern about what happens when an underlying EU-IMF rescue scheme for eurozone countries expires in two years' time. Unicredit bank chief economist Marco Annunziata, commenting that help for Ireland might calm markets temporarily, also referred to these broader issues of contagion to other countries and strains in the eurozone. "The real question which the markets are asking is what will happen after two years, at the end of the support programmes? Will it be really pos...

Brett Barry's Wife Caught Texting - Erin Barry (photos below) left a digital trail that Eva Longoria found, claims reports. Erin Barry allegedly sent hundreds of text message to Tony Parker. But how did Eva Longoria find them? Parker is accused of allegedly hiding his digital trail to Erin Barry behind a computer password protected program. Longoria found that trail after Parker allegedly forgot to close the program one day, claims reports. Longoria has accused Parker of sending hundreds of texts to another woman she knows. Longoria has not named the woman. Subsequent reports have claimed the recipient is Erin Barry. But a new report explained how Longoria allegedly found the texts that she has called cheating. “It was a double shot for her, because not only did she find all the information, but Eva also realized immediately that Tony had taken steps to hide it from her. “The fact that Tony had been hiding Erin’s information and their correspondence made Eva feel like he h...

Rampage Jackson Victorious - Quinton (Rampage) Jackson held on against Lyoto (The Dragon) Machida to win their light heavyweight fight by split decision at UFC 123 at the Palace on Saturday night. Jackson (31-8) was on the attack in the first two rounds of the three-round mixed martial arts main event, chasing the hard-to-hit Machida (16-2) around the octagon. Jackson landed the better punches in the first two rounds. Toward the end of Round 2, Machida of Salvador, Brazil, attacked Jackson with his own punches and kicks. Machida, a karate expert, took Jackson to the ground in the third round, looking for a submission hold. Jackson, who was born in Memphis, Tenn., got back to his feet and fought back. “Machida is hard to hit,” said Jackson after the fight. “He did a great job. It is different fighting Machida than looking at him. I’ve got more respect for his style now. Honestly, I’d like to move like him. But I wouldn’t want to watch (his style).” In the cage following the...

Stuffing Recipes - I think we’re all in agreement that the stuffing (or dressing – I say tomato, you say tomato) is the best part of the turkey feast, isn’t it? And while I almost always stick to the same old bread-onion-celery-sage stuffing of my childhood, I love to peruse stuffing recipes and dream of what I might make if I had the guts to do something new, for once. But you know the Thanksgiving rules: stray from the usual and you may get lynched by your family. I love getting new recipe ideas from fellow food bloggers, and so I took a little stroll around to see what everyone’s cooking up this year (and at Thanksgivings past). Here – I rounded up some links for you to peruse. (Yes, this is what I do on Saturday nights. My 20 year old self would likely not be impressed.) Stuffing Recipes

How To Cook A Turkey - Because really, what would Thanksgiving be without the bird? And thanks to modern-day sophistication, there's more than one way to cook a turkey. In fact, you might never even need to turn on the oven. "There is no one way that's better than the other," said Greg Fisher, owner of Fisher Quality Meats. "That's up to the individual how they like their turkey. There are many different ways. There's probably as many ways to cook a turkey as there are Crayola colors." Indeed. Roasting, frying, smoking, rotisserie, braising or grilling are options. You can use an oven bag or aluminum foil when roasting, season in brine or inject with spices and liquid, marinate or baste. Oh, roasted with stuffing or not? Really, there's no limit. "My son-in-law and I will deep fry one," said Mike Minars, owner of Minars' IGA in Albany. "He smokes, and then we put one in the oven. We usually use a cooking bag ... Person...

UFC123 - Quinton "Rampage" Jackson beat Lyoto Machida in a 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 decision in the main event at UFC 123 in front of a loud crowd at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Jackson won the with aggressiveness, and escaped a close call in the final round. The first round began just as expected, with Rampage immediately stalking, and Machida immediately being elusive. Machida used leg kicks, movement and misdirection to keep the distance, until Jackson finally chased him and was able to land combinations. After the second flurry of punches, Machida clinched with Rampage. They broke apart, and Machida again the clinch to defend against Jackson's aggressiveness. The clinching continued in the second round, with little action coming from it until two minutes in, when Jackson completed a takedown. They returned to their feet and the clinch. Machida landed a knee again, followed by Jackson breaking free and then landing a huge uppercut that Machida survived. Machida's e...

New Zealand Mine Explosion - Hopes of rescuing 29 miners, including two Britons, trapped a mile underground in New Zealand were receding today. A dangerous mixture of volatile and poisonous gases has kept search teams from entering the remote Pike River coal mine, on a rugged mountainside near Atarau, following a ‘catastrophic’ explosion early on Friday. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said: ‘If it was a matter of doing more we would all do more. Our rescuers are very brave but they could make the situation worse by going into the mine and igniting another explosion.’ Local mayor Tony Kokshoorn added: ‘We know there’s a clock ticking. The families accept that search and rescue teams are doing a good job but I’m seeing despair on their faces. We are praying.’ Prince William and David Cameron have sent personal messages of support. And in an echo of the successful Chilean miners rescue last month, scores of relatives – in New Zealand and in Britain – are waiting anxiously ...

Prince William Voted Next King - Most people also think the Prince of Wales should stand aside for his son. Only 15 per cent think Charles would make a better king, while 56 per cent preferred William, who last week announced he is to marry his girlfriend Kate Middleton. Asked directly whether Charles should make way for William to become king when Elizabeth II dies, 44 per cent said he should, 37 per cent said he should not. The views are part of a broader perception that the monarchy has an opportunity to renew itself by skipping a generation when the Queen's long reign comes to an end. An overwhelming majority believe it is right for William, 28, to marry a woman who does not come from royal or aristocratic lineage. Two-thirds of people think that by marrying a commoner William will help to make the monarchy more "relevant" in the modern world. If Elizabeth, who has been Queen since 1952, lives to a similar age to her mother, Charles could be nearly 80 by th...