The First Domed City?

Domed cities have been a staple of science fiction for almost since there has been science fiction. A recent episode of the Discovery Channel's Mega Engineering show imagines what it would take to build a dome over the modern city of Houston.
Domed cities have usually been imagined to have been built on some other world, like the Moon or Mars, or on a post Apocalypse Earth. However some people have dreamed of putting a dome over Houston for decades. Houston: The First Domed City?
Houston during the summer, when 90 plus degree heat and tropical humidity combine to make an outdoor environment that is, politely stated, character building would demonstrate why.
The prose in the program is just a little purple about hurricanes and environmental horrors brought on by too much green house gasses caused by too much air conditioning. Throwing up a dome over downtown Houston may have its virtues. But Galveston, closer to the coast and far more susceptible to hurricane damage, might be more deserving of a hurricane proof dome first. And expanding nuclear power might alleviate some of the greenhouse gasses, though most of Houston's power comes from natural gas, with wind mills coming on as a major new source of energy. The plan does not address any pollution caused by the petrochemical and oil refining facilities that dot the landscape around Houston.
"The dome would be higher than Houston's tallest skyscrapers and stretch over 21 million square feet, making it the biggest structure with the largest roof in the world.
"ETFE weighs just 1 percent as much as glass. ETFE was successfully used in Beijing's National Aquatic Centerfor the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Domes - Tomorrow's Future

With technology fast on the move and with our earth's natural growing demands and changes, the concept of Monolithic and Geodesic Domes replacing our traditional box-like homes is becoming widely accepted.We can thank R.Buckminster Fuller - one of our world's first global thinkers and futurists - for having introduced his scientific concept on domes. (Note: Refer to Source link: "Who Is Buckminster Fuller" ).
The advantages of having a "Home-Dome" are numerous.
Monolithic Dome
This type of dome is a permanent structure. It is energy efficient - saving up to fifty percent or more on heating and cooling costs when compared to a conventional building. Monolithic domes are also disaster resistant, cost effective and attractive. They are built for strength endurance and can withstand the force of a tornado, hurricane or earthquake. The term "Monolithic" means "one piece". In other words, the completed structure is literally a "one-piece design". They are a "thin shell" concrete structure, which is basically defined as a structure that is made using single or compound curves. The variety of materials used to create the "thin-shell" method includes - but is not limited to - metal, wood, concrete, brick, et cetera.
In general, the monolithic dome is built using structural materials such as foam and concrete and then applied in such a manner where these materials act as a single component. They are constructed by inflating a large vinyl airform in the shape of a dome, and then spraying the inside with three inches of foam insulation. Once done, then steel rebar is attached to the foam and three inches of concrete is sprayed inside.

Can a Geodesic Dome Save the City of Houston?

Recently the Discovery Channel aired an episode of Mega Engineering that mentioned constructing a geodesic dome over the city of Houston. Could this Houston dome really be the fourth most populated US city's only hope, as some environmental experts urge? As a resident of Houston, I have to admit that I am skeptical of the Houston dome project for a few reasons.
The dome must contain a clear material that can fill in all the holes in the frame, act as windows, and be able to withstand very high winds and other forces of nature. However, for a structure large enough to cover even just Downtown Houston, the material would need to be lightweight, but durable at the same time. According to clips shown on the Mega Engineering episode, a material called Texlon ETFE can make that possible, as well as protect the Houston dome from winds of up to 180 MPH.
That wind speed is faster than even the most forceful winds of the strongest category 5 hurricane. This brings experts to the conclusion that in combination with the specially-designed steel structure, the Houston Dome project could be successful. True, there will be air conditioning (and boy does Houston need that during the summer), but what about growing plant life? How well will it do under the dome?
What if people in Houston want to actually feel the rain or the sun - you know, the way it feels naturally. What about feeling the warm Houston breeze on my face or picking flowers in a field (or the backyard)?

virus iTunes

Trend Micro has detected a new IM-based worm, WORM_OPANKI.Y, which uses the file name ITUNES.EXE for its routines. The worm spreads via AOL Instant Messenger, one of the top three IM applications in the world, and exploits the popularity of the iTunes application for music downloads.

OPANKI.Y sends the message ?this picture never gets old? to all online contacts of the affected user. The message it sends contains a link to a downloadable file which contains a JPG extension to appear credible. However, the downloaded file is instead saved as ITUNES.EXE in the user’s system.

The Impact

In addition to backdoor capabilities, OPANKI.Y drops the following four known adware/greyware applications:

ADW_DYFUCA.EI: This adware creates a folder, “Internet Optimizer” and drops another spyware application, which displays pop-up advertisements on the affected system.

ADW_MEDTICKS.A: This is a popular adware program ?Media Tickets? (www.mediatickets.net). It has the ability to track what the user clicks on ? and how often they do it ? and can display pop-up ads. This adware also promises to pay 15 cents (USD) for every time a user clicks on the adware. This adware was also dropped in a number of variants of the popular MYTOB family of worms over the past few months. Please refer to the Trend Micro Virus Encyclopedia for more information (http://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/virusencyclo/default5.asp?VName=WORM_MYTOB.BI).

ADW_SOLU180.H: This adware is a well-known greyware application, “180 Search Assistant”. This application monitors an affected user’s Internet Explorer activities and transmits logs of every site visited, to profile Web users and trigger pop-up ads that target the user’s surfing habits.

ADW_SOLU180.K: This adware is commonly packaged with other adware programs, as seems to be the case here.

Threats that spread via IM applications are not new; the earliest known worm to do so was WORM_MENGER.A, which dates back to May 2001. Most of these IM-based threats use one of the big three IM vendors ? AIM, MSN Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger ? primarily due to their widespread adoption. And with IM usage on the rise, it has become a popular medium for virus authors, containing millions of potential victims, most of whom are unaware of virus and malware threats.

Jaime Lyndon “Jamz” A. Yaneza, Senior AV Research Engineer with antivirus and content security firm Trend Micro, believes that social engineering techniques like this can be particularly effective. ?With the popularity of the iPod and iTunes, it?s relatively easy for a user to mistake the file name ITUNES.EXE for the legitimate application,? says Yaneza. ?Effective social engineering relies on grabbing people?s attention. Appealing to people?s interests is a time-proven technique.?

To safeguard against this threat, security experts advise users to double-check AIM messages they receive ? even when messages appear to be from a friend or other known source.

For more information on WORM_OPANKI.Y, and for instructions on how to remove the worm in case of infection, please refer to the Trend Micro Virus Encyclopedia (http://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/virusencyclo/default5.asp?VName=WORM_OPANKI.Y).

source: net4now.com

Tiny Texas Houses and The Economist

The small house movement is going buck wild. Some say it's because of a concern for the environment. Others say it's because of the economy. We could all say it's a confluence of both the economy and the environment, but what's important is that people actually rethink what a home can be -- including how big it needs to be. Just the other day, The Economist, published a story about two of the main players in the super small home genre, Tiny Texas Houses and Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. We've mentioned Tumbleweed previously, but I learned something new about Tiny Texas Houses.
According to The Economist, Brad Kittel was running a salvage and architectural-antiques shop, but none of his stuff was moving. So he started Tiny Texas Houses and began building small-sized homes out of salvaged materials. And the idea caught on.
To this day, his houses are about 99% pure salvage -- each home is a one-of-a-kind, custom production from existing doors, floors, windows, lumber, porch posts, etc. He paints with milk paint, too, unless customers request something else. For about $38,000, TTH will build a 10' x 16' house that's wired, plumbed, insulated, and ready to ship. So if you're thinking about a lifestyle change, make sure to look at the various Tiny Texas House options ...

Tiny Texas Houses

Tiny Texas Houses of Luling, Texas is a new project by Brad Kittel to help reduce the carbon footprint.

The houses live up to the name, they are really “tiny”. Basically they have everything you need to live and reducing space by getting rid of unneeded features. Of course the Tiny Texas Houses are not for everyone, it’s probably good for 1-2 people to live in at most.

Brad Kittle says about the project:
My goal is to show people what can be done with a concept I call Salvage Building, thus what you see is 99% Pure Salvage. That means that everything from the doors, floors, windows, lumber, porch posts, glass, and even the siding has been saved and used to create houses that we hope will last for at least another century. I believe that there are presently enough building materials sitting on the ground to build much of the next generation of housing. All it takes to make it so is pure human energy, spirit, and the desire to build something that will last for several lifetimes.

I also believe we don’t need as much space as we have become accustomed to in this country. Therefore I have created Tiny Texas Houses to demonstrate just how great it can be to downsize our carbon footprint, simplify our lives, and live in a house with a soul that will be energy efficient as well as beautiful.

Sharpen up your knife skills

I met Peter Hertzmann, author of Knife Skills Illustrated, at a San Francisco Exploratorium event a few months ago (we're both long-time supporters of this world class, hands-on science museum).

We were chatting, drinking wine, and enjoying the excellent catered hors d'oeuvres while waiting for the art and music focused program to begin. We both waxed eloquent about French sea salt, which exhibits that je ne sais qua which makes it a flavoring agent rather than just, well, salt. He talked a bit about his writing and the classes he teaches for Sur Le Table. I made a mental note to get his book which was bound to be interesting.

I finally got around to ordering Knife Skills Illustrated last week; it arrived today and I read it immediately from cover to cover. What a delightful and informative book. There is material about the naming, care, and selection of knives, but it's really a book about how to use knives in the kitchen, nicely illustrated by Alan Witschonke. There are basically two sections: vegetables and meats.

In the vegetable section he covers individual vegetables, explaining step-by-step how to use your knife to produce professional results quickly. When it makes a difference in technique, he shows techniques for right-handed folks and for lefties. He's thorough, too; for example, the section on cutting onions runs nine page; shallots, four pages; and garlic, seven. I've had a bunch of experience in the kitchen, but his careful deconstruction of the process taught me new techniques.

In the meat, fish, and poultry section, he shows how to cut poultry into pieces, debone a chicken breast, prepare fish, butterfly a large piece of meat, prepare rack of lamb for roasting, and so forth, ending with instructons for carving whole poultry. Anyone with ambition in the kitchen will find this book helpful. It's not a deep book about the philosophy of food or the calculus of taste. If you want to step away from the practicum and read about food, visit Peter Hertzman's á la carte website. I'd recommend his essay assaionner and Les Secrets de la Cuisine, among others.

"DON'T MAKE ANY BREAKS TONIGHT."

The image on the cover to George McManus's Bringing Up Father (NBM) is a familiar one to readers of the long-running newspaper comic strip. In it, our title hero is being conked on the head by a rolling pin, an image that cartoonist used to cap many a gag in his forty years drawing the popular strip. Though hero Jiggs gets bruised and battered more than once, it's more from his predilection for getting into Popeye-styled fracases than any domestic disputes.

The story of an amiable working class mug and his ambitious wife -- who suddenly find themselves catapulted into the moneyed class -- "Bringing Up Father" captures an America in the throes of class and social assimilation. Hero Jiggs (sometimes spelled "Giggs" in these early strips) and his wife Maggie come from Irish-American stock, and while the latter wants to cast off all trace of that humble background, Jiggs continues to embrace it. While Maggie attempts to pull her reluctant husband up through the more rarefied upper crust, Jiggs defiantly sneaks out for a bucket of beer and a plate of corn beef and cabbage with his cronies, half of who appear to be named "Dinty."

This conflict, between honest proletarian living and bourgeois aspiration, is what fuels the strip, but no consideration of McManus's creation is complete without considering the sexual division in it, too. Though we're shown that Jiggs and Maggie have two adult children in the strip's entry, fact is that son Ethelbert (note the feminized name) rarely appears in the strip. Instead, it's Maggie and her incongruously lovely daughter Nora (called "Katy" in the early strip) who gang up on dad, pushing him to behave "appropriately." Maggie reacts with a "horrors!" Just as intriguingly, when the threesome return to the states, McManus devotes a series of gag strips to the growing news of war in Europe. Though Jiggs tries to avoid getting caught up in the news, he's unable to do so. If "Bringing Up Father" has its formulaic elements, they were well overcome by McManus's art, with its elegant line work, and sharp sense of contemporary fashion and furnishings. One of the early comic strip era's most accomplished comics draftsmen, McManus captures his era with wit and assuredness. The strips are a joy to look at (especially the Europe entries) even if you don't bother reading the word balloons.

Bringing Up Father is the third in a series of early comic strip collections being released by NBM as the "Forever Nuts" (first two in the series: Early Years of Mutt & Jeff and Happy Hooligan). The reproduction is strong, though I spotted one strip where part of the hand lettering had to be replaced by mechanically produced letters, while the art is crisp. McManus's beautifully spotted blacks are particularly well-served: when Jiggs goes out in his suit coat, it needs to be richly black.

As an aid to those readers who may not catch the strip's occasional era-specific references, the book includes an appendix of annotations by comic historian Allan Holtz. The asterisks aiming the reader to these annotations could be more immediately accessible to the reader, but this is a small grouse. In many cases, these notes were necessary -- I knew from The Untouchables about the practice of bringing beer home in a bucket -- but they did occasionally illuminate a gag, as when Jiggs busts up what he thinks is a collapsible top hat.

As a prime example of early American strip work, "Bringing Up Father" is not a comic for those who might be bothered by its sexist parameters and occasional ethnic caricatures. McManus himself was of Irish-American descent, so his take on his beer-swilling lug of a hero was anything but critical. If anything, Jiggs' fight to stay his illiterate, fun-loving self has a comic nobility to it -- one that McManus fruitfully and successfully mined for decades.

UPDATE: Alan Holtz notes in comments that the mechanical lettering change I spied in one strip was originally made by the newspaper when it was first printed, not by NBM.

Matt Holliday To Cardinals?

"The Athletics and Cardinals have completed a trade that sends outfielder Matt Holliday to St. Louis in exchange for third baseman Brett Wallace, outfielder Shane Peterson and right-handed pitcher Clayton Mortensen, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney."
It has been very quiet on the matt Holliday trade front. Well, until today...

"The St. Louis Cardinals and Oakland Athletics have been talking about a possible swap of All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday and top prospect Brett Wallace, according to sources, and one person familiar with the talks places the odds of a deal at 50-50 (ESPN)."

The A's need to trade Holliday as he s eligible for free agency after this season, but he is not helping them out with a very average season hitting .287 with 11 homers and 54 RBI. The good news is that he is hitting much better of late and the Cardinals really need another bat in their lineup. I think this deal will get done, because both sides are very motivated. This Wallace kid makes a lot of sense for the A's since they are loaded with young pitching, but don't really have a lot of bats comign up. Wallace, 22, is a former first-round pick who is hitting .292 in the minors this year, with a .372 on-base percentage.

Matt Holliday Officially

The Cardinals have officially landed the biggest prize of the 2009 trading season so far, acquiring left fielder Matt Holliday from the A's in exchange for three minor-league prospects.

FanHouse's Ed Price and Jeff Fletcher first confirmed the deal early Friday afternoon, with sources from both clubs indicating that initial reports from ESPN's Tim Kurkijan and FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, were "on the money."

"We are extremely excited to have acquired Matt Holliday," Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement. "Matt is an impact player who gives us an instant added threat in the middle of our lineup. These types of opportunities are rare. The price to complete this deal was steep, but our organization feels that it should greatly improve our chances to compete for a postseason berth."

The A's will get three minor leaguers -- third baseman Brett Wallace, outfielder Shane Patterson and right-handed pitcher Clayton Mortensen -- in return for the slugger. The A's are also expected to send cash to the Cardinals to help pay some of Holliday's remaining $6 million in salary this season.

Holliday has been on fire for about a month now, hitting .331/.410/.557 since June 26. Coupled with Ryan Ludwick, who's crushing the ball to the tune of a 1.130 OPS in July, the Cardinals finally have the lineup protection they desire for Albert Pujols. Making the deal without giving up anyone from their current big-league squad likely makes the Cardinals the favorites in the very tight NL Central.

The teams had been serious about a Holliday deal a few weeks ago, but at that time the Cardinals were unwilling to move Wallace. Wallace was likely a key to the trade from the A's perspective, because the team is bereft of top hitting prospects who are close to the majors. The A's also have voids at third and first base in the long term.

"Brett is a guy were familiar with, a guy we had longed for. Last year at draft time we had a difficult choice between him and Jemile [Weeks]. Wallace is an awfully steep price for Holliday. He has crushed the ball at almost every level since being drafted by St. Louis last June. "We think [Wallace] will be a middle-of-the-order power guy," Beane said.
Mortensen is a 24 year-old pitching prospect at Triple-A Memphis, and Peterson is a 21 year-old outfielder at Double-A Springfield. Peterson has shown some impressive plate patience for such a young player and Mortensen racked up some big strikeout numbers early in his minor-league career, but they're both regarded to be much lower down the Cardinals' prospect ladder.

Oakland will call up outfielder Eric Patterson to take Holliday's spot on the roster. Wallace is not expected to reach the majors this season.

article source:mlb.fanhouse.com

Chris Brown Issues Apology

Chris Brown has issued an apology video for the beating of girlfriend Rihanna back in February.Read more and see Chris’s apology video below. Do you think it’s sincere?

Chris Brown has posted a video on Youtube in which he apologizes to Rihanna and his fans and family. Brown had been advised by his attorney earlier not to comment but Brown wanted to finally be able to speak out and apologize for his naughty behavior. February he has been advised by his attorney not to make any comments. He wanted to finally speak and apologize for what he has done.

Brown says “I have told Rihanna countless times and I’m telling you today that I’m truly, truly sorry”

Brown admits that what he did was unacceptable. He says “I can only ask and pray that you forgive me. I hope that others learn from my mistake. I intend to live my life so I am truly worthy of the term role model.”

Check out Chris Brown’s apology video and let us know if you believe he is truly sorry or if this is an effort to win back some angered fans.

Commercial property investors see more short term pain

As the numbers of retailers closing their doors, moved from a trickle to a steady flow, store closures were forecast to rise by 27,000 by the end of February, leaving one in 10 outlets across the UK empty.

Experian, the market analysts, says a combination of store disposals, administrations and branch rationalizations would see the vacancy rate jump from 7% to 15% by the end of the year, a record level.

Meanwhile, property consultants King Sturge forecasts that commercial property values could fall a further 15% in 2009, after a 25% drop in 2008. Office space will be the hardest hit, says King Sturge, suffering a 50% drop in value from its peak, followed by retail at 40% and industrials at 35%.

The sector's downturn has hit the performance of UK commercial property funds, with the average fund in the Investment Management Association (IMA) Property Sector recording a 30% loss in the past 12 months, according to Lipper.

This has affected sentiment, with retail investors taking a net £117m out of property funds in October, according to the IMA. Fidelity International claims that the next 18 months "will offer the best opportunity to acquire commercial real estate in a generation".

"Instead of cutting their losses, current investors should sit tight and take a medium to long-term view as we believe there will be a turnaround in the next 12 to 18 months," says Gavin Haynes, investment manager with White church Securities, the financial advisers.

One of the sector's biggest funds, Aviva's £1.9billion Investors Property Investment, formerly the Norwich Property Trust, expects more pain in the short term, but says prospects are very favorable over the long term. "We see 2009 as a good opportunity, if not an unprecedented opportunity, to buy at exceptional value," says David Skinner, strategy and research director with Aviva Investors.

Skinner says gross initial yields for the sector are likely to have risen to about 7% since Bolton's comments.

But some advise against a hasty return to commercial property funds. "It might be tempting to improve yield, but it's too soon to move back," says Mark Dampier, investment director with Hargreaves Lansdowne. Brian Dennehy, managing director of Dennehy Weller, agrees that it is "too early" to return to equity-based investments in property and expects a recovery won't be felt uniformly. "Those funds more closely correlated with the stock market, such as Reits, are more likely to pick up sooner, compared with funds that invest directly in bricks and mortar," he argues. "Property share funds have taken a bigger battering, but the way the cycle works, they will bounce back much faster and further than bricks and mortar."

Although this week's forecasts have shed more gloom, some fund managers say they won't be making drastic changes to their portfolios. We don't invest in trophy assets, and avoid property developments."

Adam Yauch - Beastie Boys cancel all dates

BEASTIE BOYS TOUR DATES CANCELED, ALBUM RELEASE POSTPONED
ADAM YAUCH DIAGNOSED WITH PAROTID GLAND TUMOR
Adam "MCA" Yauch of Beastie Boys was diagnosed last week as having a cancerous tumor in his left parotid (salivary) gland. Luckily it was caught early and is localized in one area, and as such is considered very treatable. It will however require surgery and several weeks of additional treatment. Fortunately the cancer is not in a location that will affect Yauch's vocal chords.
Beastie Boys have canceled all upcoming concert appearances to allow time for Yauch's surgery and recovery. The release of the band's forthcoming album Hot Sauce Committee Part 1 will also be pushed back.
Paraphrasing from a video statement on Beastieboys.com [below], Yauch said, "I just need to take a little time to get this in check, and then we'll release the record and play some shows. It's a pain in the neck (sorry had to say it) because i was really looking forward to playing these shows, but the doctors have made it clear that this is not the kind of thing that can be put aside to deal with later."

168 Feared Dead Commercial Airliner Crashes in Iran

Tehran: A Russian-built commercial airliner reported to be carrying 168 passengers and crew crashed early this morning in Iran about 90 miles northwest of the capital of Tehran. Early reports indicate Caspian Air Flight 7908 was en route to Yerevan, Armenia and was just 16 minutes into its flight from Tehran when the plane crash occurred at 11:33am this morning Tehran time.

Earlier reports suggested that 150 people had died, but later bulletins carried by both CNN and the New York Times have pegged the death toll at 168.

The aircraft involved in the plane crash was reported to be a Russian-built Tupolev airliner. According to CNN a prior air accident involving a Tupolev aircraft occurred three years ago when an Iranian flight crashed and caught fire while landing. Quoting statistics from the web site airdisaster.com, there were 147 people on board when that plane went down in 2006. Of those on board, 29 people died.

According to footage shot at the scene of today’s plane crash by state-run Press TV the crash site is described as a huge crater in the earth scattered with pieces of the fuselage. Iranian Press TV reported that the plane went down in broad daylight near the Iranian city of Qazvin, the largest city in Qazvin province and serves as the provincial capital with a population of 330,000.

A report issued by the Associated Press (AP) and carried in the New York Times this morning describes a spokesperson for the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization that there were 153 passengers on board the plane, which had a crew of 15. Iranian Press TV, according to CNN, quoted the director of Qazvin Emergency Services Hussein Behzadpour as speculating all on board were “most probably” dead.

The only recognizable piece of the plane was a large chunk of wing, but the remainder of the plane appeared to present as small pieces.

The AP report carried in the New York Times this morning identified Caspian Air as a joint Russia-Iranian venture. Caspian Air aircraft are said to have maintenance protocols that are much better than other Iranian air carriers, which according to the AP report have trouble securing spare parts for aging aircraft due to the sanctions imposed on the country by the US.

Harry Potter's broomstick soars past Twilight

THE RUSH to buy tickets for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is on track to beat pre-release sales for Twilight.
Online box office Fandango says the number of tickets purchased for the Half-Blood Prince is about to swoop past figures for Twilight and take over the third spot on its all-time advanced ticket sales list, behind only The Dark Knight and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.
Fandango claims the sixth Harry Potter movie - released tomorrow - represents one of the fastest-selling titles in its nine-year history, with more advance tickets sold for Half-Blood Prince than for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Iron Man or Sex and the City at the same point before release.
Ticket purchases for Potter account for 96 per cent of daily ticket sales on the site, it says. In addition, 63 per cent of those who bought advance tickets are female and 45 pent are also fans of Twilight.
Compare 400 million Potter books with 42 million for the four Twilight novels.
Also, we're about to see the sixth Potter movie, so the films about the young wizard are much more well-established.
The Twilight franchise has been at the centre of a frenzy of ridiculous gossip, as I reported earlier, but I'm not sure if the tabloid nonsense will do any damage to the wider appeal of the franchise.

Girl Survives Indian Ocean Crash

Paris, FR: Earlier reports of a 5-year-old boy surviving the plane crash involving an Airbus A310-300 en route from Yemen to the African Island nation of Comoros, have been corrected. Officials now report that the survivor is a 14-year-old girl, Bahia Bariki. The Yemania Airlines plane carrying 153 people crashed into Deep Ocean off the east coast of Africa early in the morning on June 30. So far the planes in flight data recorder or "Black Box" have not been located. The plane's safety record is being questioned, after it was discovered that the same plane had been inspected by the French civil aviation authority two years ago, who found a number of faults on the plane. Furthermore, the very same A310 jet was banned from French airspace because of 'irregularities' and concerns over Yemania Airlines safety record.

Yemania Airlines is not on the list of banned airlines, kept by the European Union, however ABC news is reporting that the EU safety committee was due to hold hearings on the airline shortly.

ABC News is reporting that Farid Soilihi, spokesman for SOS Comoros Travel, an organization formed to call attention to the unsafe travel conditions to the African nation, told France 2 TV in Marseille that the planes are not safe. Last August the Comoro community in Marseille organized a demonstration to draw attention to the reportedly terrible condition of the planes and to alert authorities to the risk for disaster.

On June 1st an Air France plane went down off the coast of Brazil, killing everyone on board. There is, as yet no conclusive cause for that plane crash, although investigators are working on a theory that the plane broke up in mid-air. The location of debris fields, together with the location of bodies, appears to support that theory.

The Airbus aircrafts involved in both crashes are some of the most technologically advanced planes in the skies. Two Quantas flights narrowly avoided disaster in recent years after automatic sensors and computers fed erroneous data to the pilots. And Airbus uses new, state-of-the-art composite materials in certain areas of its planes. The failure of a composite part was said to have played a role in a previous crash of an Airbus plane.

source: lawyersandsettlements

Plane crash will receive $4.5 million

Daytona Beach, FL: The children of a man who died in a plane crash will receive $4.5 million after a say approved the settlement. The man, who was 29 years old when the plane crash occurred, was 1 of 4 people who died in the accident. Also killed were the man's mother, his sister and her husband, who was the plane's pilot.
According to a June 24, 2009 article in the Daytona Beach News-Journal Online, investigators found that the plane broke up in flight, before it crashed into an island in Mosquito Lagoon. Furthermore, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that "an in-flight loss of control and subsequent dive occurred for unknown reasons."

The lawsuit, filed against the plane's owner, Delta Connection Academy Inc., alleged the company failed to properly maintain or repair the aircraft. The lawsuit further alleged that the pilot's negligence contributed to the crash.

In a different investigation, NTSB investigators determined that the pilot of a plane carrying 9 skydivers suffered from a severe lack of oxygen prior to the plane's crash in Washington State.

Furthermore, the NTSB said the pilot failed to maintain adequate airspeed, did not make an adequate weather evaluation before take-off and likely did not know he was impaired due to oxygen loss. All 10 people aboard the plane died in the crash. Lawsuits have been filed alleging the plane was defective and should not have been flown in icy weather.

Meanwhile, the survivors of US Airways Flight 1549 are reportedly concerned that they may not be compensated for belongings lost when their plane crash-landed in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009. According to a June 16, 2009, article at charlotteobserver.com, passengers initially received $5,000 to cover immediate needs following the crash, but they now say AIG (now calling itself AIU) is not responding to passenger claims. AIG says it has offered passengers additional compensation to release their claim against US Airways.

Information Eileen Connolly

Eileen Ivers (Eileen Connolly) and Immigrant Soul kick off the 2009 Shenandoah Valley Music Festival Eileen Ivers, the woman who defines Celtic fiddle playing for many Americans, returns to the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival with her band Immigrant Soul this month. The Music Festival concerts are held in Orkney Springs, Va. on the grounds of Shrine Mont Camp and Conference Center.
Ms. Ivers grew up in the Bronx, New York as the daughter of Irish immigrants. She’s played the fiddle since she was eight-years-old and was a founding member of the band Cherish the Ladies, the Celtic group that rocked the Festival’s stage last summer. She was also the musical star for the now iconic show, Riverdance.
For almost two decades, Eileen Ivers has changed the way people think about the Celtic fiddle. A nine-time All-Ireland Fiddle Champion, she and her Immigrant Soul, are best known for their musical styling. Her Celtic tunes are infused with Latin, jazz, Caribbean, and world music flavors. This led to the Boston Globe’s opinion of her as “a beautifully inventive fiddler.”
Greg Anderson is a multi-instrumentalist and producer who has worked in many musical genres and adds to the diversity of the group. Bass guitarist Leo Traversa is a founding and current faculty member at the Bass Collective in New York City. This year is a special milestone for the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival, says executive director Dennis Lynch, as it is the 30th anniversary of the annual Fairfax Symphony Orchestra concerts at the festival. “It’s such a noteworthy anniversary, both for the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra and the Music Festival have grown and developed so much since then. They were frankly little more than a very earnest, very well-meaning group of part-time musicians. Shrine Mont is a renovated 19th century resort complex, centered around a historic hotel that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Ticket prices are $30 reserved pavilion, $25 general admission lawn. Tickets can be purchased on-line at www.musicfest.org or by calling (540) 459-3396 or (800) 459-3396.
Gates will open at 6 p.m. Picnics are welcome for all guests, although pavilion seat-holders must picnic on the lawn before taking their reserved seats. It is an extremely family-friendly atmosphere in a unique setting. Parking at the festival is free.

Michael Jackson Dead: Remembering Michael Jackson Girlfriend

Michael Jackson’s death sent all of us who adore him scrambling for words and going down the memory on Michael Jackson girlfriend. During the 50 years of his life, we only know 3 of them. The first was Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis Presley’s daughter. They married in 1993 but they never had a child. Media was castigating Michael Jackson’s timing because this was the time when he was accused of child molestation and was put into trial.

Michael Jackson’s second girlfriend is the mother of 2 of his 3 children. She’s a dermatologist who’s treating Michael Jackson’s skin problem. Her name is Deborah Jeanne Rowe. They spent a lot of time with each other because of the treatment. They were married and had 2 children, Michael Jackson Jr and Katherine Jackson. They divorced in 1999.

The last girlfriend of Michael Jackson to be reported is an unnamed woman who became the surrogate mother of Michael Jakcon’s 3rd kid Prince Michal Jackson. MJ was mum about the identity of the mother but he showed his son to the public from the balcony of a hotel.

Michael Jackson dead – this made a lot of us remember his life and his legacy to us. His personal life is controversial but all of the incidences passed. What will remain are his wonderful music videos and songs that changed the terrain of video productions and musical performances. So long, MJ. Even if there’s no Michael Jackson’s girlfriend beside him when he died, the world will be forever grateful for his unsurpassable talent he generously shared. Thank you, Michael Jackson.

E. Frederick wins district 9-10 LL

Steven DesRosier didn't think his last pitch against Brunswick was a game-ending called third strike Monday.

He was wrong.

"It felt like it would be close to the ground for a ball," DesRosier said. "It was right down the middle."

A relieved DesRosier earned the save for East Frederick and the city team won the District 2 9-10 Little League Baseball championship with a 4-2 win.

East Frederick moves on to the state 9-10 Little League Tournament, beginning Saturday, July 18, at Willards (Wicomico County) Little League field.

DesRosier had come on in relief of starter Joe McNulty, who left the game with two out in the fifth after reaching his pitch-count limit. He had held Brunswick , which fought its way out of the loser's bracket to earn a rematch with East Frederick in Monday's title game, to one earned run with six strikeouts and three walks, picking up the win.

He turned the game over to DesRosier, with East Frederick leading, 3-2, leaving the the reliever to protect the lead.

DesRosier retired the first batter he faced to end the inning. East Frederick scored a run in the top of the sixth for a 4-2 lead.

In the last of the sixth, DesRosier struck out James Shipe but gave up a double to Dylan Goodnough. Goodnough moved to third on a wild pitch.

DesRosier got Brunswick 's Austin Stockman to pop out to second base, but gave up a walk to Noah Hawes, putting runners at first and third. He worked into a full count against Luke Struss.

DesRosier said he took a deep breath, concentrated, and pitched.

Home plate umpire Jim Gill's signal of a called third strike removed any doubt on DeRosier's pitch, touching off a celebration on the field and in the East Frederick stands.

"I just told him to put it out over the plate," East Frederick manager Joe McNulty said. "I hadn't envisioned anything like this happening when we started practice. It's a great group of kids to work with."

East Frederick took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on an RBI single by Blake White. The winners got two more runs in the fifth on RBI singles from Travis Craney and Sean

Jodrie. East Frederick scored once in the sixth on an error.

Jodrie had three hits with a double. "Some of the pitches I saw were outside, but they were in the strike zone," he said.

"We take each game one pitch at a time," McNulty said. "We just reached out and played small ball. Get them on. Get them across."

Brunswick scored its runs in the fifth on an RBI single from Chase Loy and an error.

John Harding was Brunswick 's starter. He pitched 4 2-3 innings with eight strikeouts. He was relieved by Shipe.

"All of the pitchers dominated," Brunswick manager Curtis Anderson said. "They all pitched well."

District 2 10-11

National 13, American 1

Behind the strong pitching of Michael Bealmaer, Frederick National won on Sunday.

Bealmaer allowed one run and four hits in six innings. He struck out 13 and walked none.

Alex Enriquez led the winners with a single, double and triple. Tyler Magaha had a triple and CJ Minks had two hits.

Rucker Zigler had a home run for American.

National plays at Thurmont today.

Hancock squad takes District 9

Hancock scored nine runs in the top of the first inning en route to an 11-7 victory over Port Charlotte at South County Regional Park in Punta Gorda.

The same group of players won the District 9 9-year-old championship in 2007 for Hancock.

Hancock will represent District 9 at the Section 6 Tournament on July 24 at Sam Fleischman Regional Sports Complex in Fort Myers.

"We started out on fire with our bats," Hancock manager David Bechtol said. "They did a tremendous job hitting."

Hancock sent 13 hitters to the plate in the top of the first inning.

The big hit of the frame was a 2-run double by Jordan Thomas.

Jamie Mercado, Dolan Bechtol and Johnny Humbert each had an RBI double in the first. Angel Mena also had an RBI single for Hancock.

Port Charlotte scored its first run when Eddie Bauch singled home Shane LeMaster in the second inning. They made 9-2 in the fourth inning when Zach Specht scored on an errant throw and cut the Hancock lead to 9-3 after an RBI single by Jonathon Moss-Solomon in the fifth inning.

Hancock picked up two insurance runs in the top of the sixth inning thanks to RBI from Mercado and Dolan Bechtol.

Port Charlotte made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a 4-run rally. Matt Ranson and Shane Conway each had an RBI and Moss-Solomon had a 2-run double with two outs and the bases loaded.

"After that first inning, the kids really came out and fought," Port Charlotte manager Mickey Robles said. "The first inning was all nerves. We came so close to winning."

Anthony Churlin earned the win for Hancock, tossing 51Ú3 innings.

"You can't ask for more from him," David Bechtol said. "Coming out and pitching like he did today proves that he is a winner always."

Parking for MJ Memorial

Supply + demand + Michael Jackson = parking madness!!!

Tickets for the Michael Jackson memorial on Tuesday are tough to come by -- but parking may be even tougher. We talked to a couple of valets at the Holiday Inn across the street from Staples Center. They told us that guests will have first dibs on parking, but after that it will cost $200 for a spot -- and maybe even higher. Parking for non-guests can usually run up to $45/day.

Now get this -- a few residents of local apartments tell us they are going to try and sell their garage spots for the day and just leave their car at work for the day.

The lesson as always -- public transportation.

District 9 Poster

The new District 9 poster is here and it’s better than any we have seen. Apparently, Sony decided that it was time to wow us right before the new trailer debuted in this week in theaters before Bruno. Sure the new poster shows a desolate city with an enormous spaceship over it, but it’s the center piece that completes the poster– “No Humans Allowed,” outlined in red.

Take a look at the entire poster after the jump…
District 9 is a story about extraterrestrial beings forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth (that explains the lack of color in the poster), who later find a company that utilizes aliens. The film is set out to hit theaters later this year on August 14.

Houston fireworks Day 2009

Houston fireworks, The Houston Symphony 4th of July Celebration the largest celebration in the city of Houston, Taxas and the fireworks display is one of the biggest in the stat. The festival starts at 4 p.m. in Houston. This year July 4 Saturday Country singing sensation, Clay Walker, will set fire to the stage and a concert will precede the main event, the Independence Day fireworks presented by Shell Oil Company and choreographed by the world-renowned fireworks artists from Pyro Spectaculars “North by Souza”.

The Houston Independence Day 2009 is associated with fireworks, and other activates like, parades, carnivals, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating 4th July. The forth July is the day to relax, have fun and spend some time with friends and family.

This year’s grand celebration honors “Houston Heroes” including members of the military and NASA’s astronauts. Clay Walker performs at 8 p.m., and the fabulous fireworks show starts at 9:30 p.m. Through the daytime, three stages will keep everyone dancing with music running the gauntlet between country, rock ‘n’ roll, and Latin, pop and oldies.
Here is a list of some of the fireworks displays planned around the Houston area.

1. Eleanor Tinsley Park at Buffalo Bayou: The July 4 celebrates Independence Day with fireworks at dusk, around 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
2. Miller Outdoor Theater: The Houston annual salute to Independence Day starts on July 4 at 8:30 p.m. Of course, the evening concludes with a fantastic fireworks display.
3. Bicentennial Park: The Bicentennial Park celebrates Independence Day with special family-friendly activities and spectacular fireworks at 9:30 pm and the parade launch at 5:30 p.m.
4. Friendswood: The Friends wood celebrates Independence Day on July 4 at 7:30 p.m., Centenial Park (Evening Program) and the fireworks start at 9:20 p.m. Parade at 10:00 p.m. begins on F.M. 518 at Heritage Drive.
5. Kemah: The 4th of July fireworks launch at 9:30 p.m. over Galveston Bay and parade will starting on Bradford Avenue at 6th Street.
6. Galveston: The Galveston annual salute to Independence Day starts on July 4 at 10: 00pm parade throughout downtown.
7. Lake Conroe: The Lake Conroe fireworks start in Walden Marina on July 4 at 9:20pm.
8. The Woodlands: The Woodlands July4th parade at 9 a.m. through Town Center and Market Street and then the Red, Hot, and Blue Festival and Fireworks Extravaganza from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
9. Towne Lake: The Towne Lake community in NW Houston hosts July 4th festivities from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Barker Cypress and West Road.
   

Watch 4th July Fireworks live streaming online

4th of July 2009 Watch Fireworks Live online free – Watch 4th July Fireworks live streaming online – 4th july celebrations 2009 fireworks video streaming. Independence Day is the national day of the United States, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States.

Watch online live fireworks from rose bowl fireworks, Boston, Catonsville fireworks, Jones beach fireworks, san Diego, Annapolis fireworks, lass Vegas, san José, Pittsburgh fireworks, Seattle, phoenix, Tucson, Houston fireworks, new York, 4th of July fireworks, Philadelphia, Washington dc fireworks and more city at United State.

Tour de France starts tomorrow

Independence tomorrow (although most don't even realize it), the cycling community will be shooting off bottle rockets in celebration of another incredible day: the first stage of the 2009 Tour de France! This is a three-week long opportunity for all Americans to get into the spirit of competition and keep up with the world's fastest cyclists, and there are many ways to get involved.

The easiest way to get involved this year is to watch the race. For the next three weeks (I know! Three weeks!) the race will be broadcasted on the cable channel Versus three times a day. (Sorry WWF fans, this is our time. Hey, don't hate on us, we have our mutual love of spandex to bring us together, right?) For those unlucky few who do not have cable the cycling community's heart goes out to you. The Versus website is also a fantastic place to visit during the next month to see how to get involved.

For the first time this year, the actual Tour is sponsoring a kind of fantasy game for fans. It is completely free to play, one only has to download a quick special player and they are up and running, or, er, cycling, I should say. The gist of the game is that players pick their cyclists, they basically create a team, and then for the duration of the Tour they manage their hand-picked team through each stage of the race. For anyone incredibly devoted to cycling this time-consuming game could pay off in the end. There is a good sum to be won by the "best" team manager. All the rules and regulations, including amounts to be won, can be read by visiting the English version of the Tour de France website and clicking on Games.

The people behind the Versus channel have been very helpful in the last few years, as far as helping fans get more involved in the race. For instance, every day there is a secret code that can only be attained by watching the race on television which viewers can use to enter the online sweepstakes. And the prizes for the online games are usually very awesome. They include everything from autographed gear to extremely expensive and fancy bikes to visits with famous cyclists. The website has more than just one contest, too. Because they know cyclists love competition there is something for everyone online.

Before the sun sets tomorrow, all Americans, cyclists and wannabes alike should give a friendly salute to our beautiful Statue of Liberty and thank her country for hosting such a marvelous event for more than ninety years!

100 concerts in 100 days

HOT DOG! We wait all year, and now it's finally here - Coney Island's "2009 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest" (Saturday at noon and 1 p.m., ESPN). If one stop's not enough, try the cross-country trip "A Hot Dog Program" (Saturday at 2 p.m., WNET/13). Or savor another prefab food product: There's a SPAM cook-off on "America Wild and Wacky" (Sunday at 4 p.m., Smithsonian). Channel info at smithsonianchannel .com.

CROSSOVER SPORTS.Everybody knows Lance Armstrong, who saddles up again in cycling's annual "Tour de France" (Stage 1 live, today 9:30 a.m.- 2 p.m., Versus). It's preceded by the setup hour "Lance Armstrong: The Comeback Story" (today at 8:30 a.m., Versus). And baseball fans aren't the only ones hot to see Kevin Costner, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon in the '80s fave "Bull Durham" (today at 11 p.m., Sunday at 5 and 9 p.m., MSG; Wednesday at 1 p.m., WLNY/55/10). More Tour de France at versus.com/tdf.

BOLLYWOOD WEEKLY.Prepping for next month's Chris Kattan comedy series, "Bollywood Hero," IFC launches a Sunday morning festival from India's inimitable film industry. First up: "Johnny Gaddaar" (Sunday at 10 a.m., IFC), 2007's sharp noir crime thriller starring hottie Neil Nitin Mukesh.

REAKING OUT. Before " Breaking Bad," Bryan Cranston cooked as a hapless dad, with Jane Kaczmarek ("Raising the Bar") as his hot-tempered wife, on the single-camera comedy "Malcolm in the Middle" (Sunday 8 p.m.-6 a.m., Nick at Nite). The 2000 Fox series joins Nick at Nite's lineup tomorrow-Thursday at 8 and 8:30 p.m. Visit nickatnite .com.

CONCERT CARAVAN. Get ready for VH1 Classic's 100 Concerts in 100 Days stunt, running through Oct. 13. Kicking off the jams is 1983's "US Festival" (Monday at 11 a.m. and 11 p.m., VH1 Classic), featuring The Clash, INXS, Men at Work and The English Beat. Coming titles include "Bruce Spring- steen & The E Street Band: Live in NYC," " John Lennon: Live in NYC '72," " Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon," " Tina Turner Live in Holland" and " Brian Wilson Presents Pet Sounds: Live in London." Check out vh1classic.com.

GET READY TO RUMBLE.Boxing announcer Michael Buffer hosts the pop culture clash "The Great Debate" (Monday-Friday at 10 p.m., VH1), sort of a broader "Best Week Ever" look at life's big questions. You know - "Star Trek" or "Star Wars"? Angelina Jolie or Jennifer Aniston? Sneak peek at vh1.com/shows/ the_great_debate/series.jhtml.

ATTACK OF THE 1,000th! Celebrate a thousand episodes of the digital mag "Attack of the Show" (Thursday 7-9 p.m., G4) with even more stunts, skits and scoops on technology, games and Web/pop culture. All things "AOTS" at g4tv.com/aots.

Tour de France windfall

The race is divided into 21 stages, or "etapes", and being a town at the start or finish of an etape is a great honour and much sought after.

Tonnerre - a two-hour train ride south of Paris - is one such town.

It will become a "ville-etape" for the first time on 16 July, when the 211km (131-mile) 12th stage to Vittel begins there.

Tonnerre, sleepy but picturesque, will see its population of 6,500 more than double as the "caravan" - the travelling circus that accompanies the Tour de France - moves in.

The riders, technicians, support personnel, organisers, sponsors and journalists make up around 4,500 alone.

Add to that thousands of spectators arriving to cram up against the metal barriers lining the streets.

Meanwhile, millions more will watch on television as Tonnerre enjoys its five minutes of fame, with captivating aerial shots relayed round the world.

The benefits of being a ville-etape are - at first glance - easy to see, though the longer-term economic rewards are more difficult to calculate.

Aside from the income from visitors on the day, the hope is that tourism will grow in the days and months that follow.

Tonnerre does not lack attractions, such as the intriguing Fosse Dionne - a wide natural well more than 300m (900 ft) deep whose source remains a mystery despite numerous diving expeditions.

Tour De France TV Schedule

Versus will be covering the 2009 Tour de France for the US. Their Tour de France home page has a nice stage map, with links for each stage. The TV schedule page has complete listings for the actual race coverage, but there’s also plenty of additional Tour-related programming that you might not want to miss.

Note the ads for Road ID reflective safety bracelets, anklets, and labels. For more information about these, click the link above or below, on this page. Then your purchase will help support VBF.

FOX to Re-Air Michael Jackson-Featuring 'The Simpsons'

To preserve Michael Jackson's legacy, FOX is planning to air "The Simpsons" episode where the King of Pop contributed a voice. On Sunday, July 5 at 8/7c, the network will re-run "Stark Raving Dad", the first episode of season 3 that originally aired in September 1991.

Michael voiced the character of Leon Kompowsky, an overweight brick-layer whom Homer met during his stint at Mental Institution. Leon made Homer believe that he was Michael Jackson. Not recognizing the famous name, Homer brought Leon home to Springfield where many had anticipated the arrival of the star.

Michael was not credited when the episode was first aired because due to contractual reasons, he has to use the pseudonym of John Jay Smith. There is a time where Leon sings, but the singing voice was provided by impressionist Kipp Lennon.

However, Michael's contribution is beyond just making a guest voice on the show. He also composed the song "Do the Bartman" which was performed by Bart's voice Nancy Cartwright. The song appeared on The Simpsons' 1990 album "The Simpsons Sing the Blues" but again, Michael was not credited because he was under contract with another label.

"It was always amazing to me that no one ever found out that Michael Jackson wrote that song," creator Matt Groening said in 1998. "He was a big fan of the show."

Memorial Service - 11,000 Free Tickets Offered for Michael Jackson's

It turns out that the planned funeral for Michael Jackson, which according to earlier report will be held next Tuesday, July 7 at Staples Center in L.A., will serve as a memorial service opened for public. And while official confirmation on that matter is expected to be made by the late singer's family on Friday, July 3, speculation has just emerged that there will be 11,000 free tickets given for fans to attend the service.

Representatives for the Jacksons announced Thursday, July 2, a press conference will be held at 10 A.M. PT Friday, during when Tim Leiweke, the president and CEO of AEG, the parent company that owns the Staples Center, will share with the press details of the public memorial service. Further information on how fans can register for the tickets will also be outed during the press conference.

In the meantime, it is reported that more than 750,000 people from all over the world are expected to attend the memorial. According to ABC News, approximately 2,500 police will be placed around the Staples Center in a bid to anticipate the huge crowds occupying the downtown area.