Limewire Shut Down for Good

By Karla Barone

New Rochelle, NY--

All good things must come to an end.

This saying is especially true now more than ever for music lovers who have been loyal fans of downloading music from websites such as Limewire and Limewire Pro.

After a four-year legal battle with the U.S. Music Industry, the ever-popular file sharing website has been shut down for good.

Limewire had been the world's most popular peer-to-peer file sharing network that enabled anyone with a computer and an internet connection to share files such as audio, video, and software.

It was started 10 years ago by founder Mark Gorton as a simple file sharing platform on the Gnutella Network. However, Limewire quickly grew into an enormous global file sharing phenomenon that only angered the music industry and that only got itself into many legal battles.

A permanent injunction has been ordered by a federal court in New York this past month that will prevent any searching or sharing of any copyrighted files.

U.S. Judge Kimba Woods ruled that record companies "have suffered-- and will continue to suffer irreparable harm from Limewire's inducement of widespread infringement of their works," adding that the potential damages were staggering.

According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Limewire has cost the industry hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. Also, according to their figures, U.S. recorded music sales fell to $7.7 billion in 2009 from $14.5 billion in 1999.

However it is hard to say if shutting down Limewire will truly help the music industry. Limewire is not the only file sharing website out there. Other websites such as Frostwire and BitTorrent are accessible alternatives for those looking to continue downloading free music. It is likely that nore and more people will start turning to these sites.

A trial is set for January of 2011, so that a federal court can decide the appropriate amount of compensation for record companies from all of the illegal downloading throughout the years. Due to the massive quantity of files that were downloaded in the past 10 years that Limewire has been available to the public, it is estimated that the damages could amount to around $1 billion dollars. However, despite the grim-sounding future, Limewire CEO, George Searle remains positive and has not lost all hope that his company will once again be up and running sometime in the future.

"We are extremely proud of our pioneering history and have, for years, worked hard to bridge the gap between technology and content rights holders," Searle said in the statement. "However at this time, we have no option but to cease further distribution and support of our software."

So, for the time being, music lovers everywhere will just have to be patient and wait for that promising solution or cough up the $1.29 per song fee from iTunes.

Links:

http://www.limewire.com

http://http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/03/limewire-to-shut-down-completely-december-31_n_791956.html

The Notorious Tea Party

By: Alex Bishop

New Rochelle, NY - The most traditional and popular political parties in the U.S.A. are the democratic and republican parties. Though the Tea Party is not a national political party, it is still influencing American politics.

The name “Tea Party” is a direct reference to the 1773 Boston Tea Party, which was when a protest was conducted by American colonists. The colonists were opposed to a British tax on tea. As a result of the British tax, the colonists disposed of tea into the harbor once it was taken from British ships. One of the popular chants that emerged from colonists because of the Boston Tea Party was “no taxation without representation.” This phrase has become a slogan for the Tea Party movement.

The Tea Party movement has assisted local and national protests since 2009. Since then, the Tea Party has gained much recognition but many people do not know what exactly the Tea Party movement is or what it stands for.

An American opinion pollster, Scott Rasmussen, says that the bailouts of banks by the Bush and Obama Administration have caused the Tea Party’s movement. Rasmussen explains two issues that anger the Tea Party: “They think federal spending, deficits and taxes are too high, and they think no one in Washington is listening to them, and that latter point is really, really important.”

The Tea Party’s political philosophy is populist- based and contains mostly conservative and libertarian views. In terms of what issues mean the most for the Tea Partiers, the Tea Party has publicly endorsed the reduction of government spending, the reduction of the national debt, the lowering of taxes and a reduction of the federal budget deficit. The Tea Party movement also focuses attention on an originalist interpretation of the U.S. Constitution.

The Tea Party has several aspects attributed to them that make it hard to really classify what kind of group the Tea Party is. For example, the Tea Party does not have a central leadership base. However, it does have relationships with certain groups that determine their own platforms and agendas. For this reason, the Tea Party movement has been identified as grassroots political activity which means the movement is driven by politics within a community.

In a July 2010 Washington Post article, written by Chris Cillizza, there is mentioning that some opponents of the Tea Party believe that the Tea Party is a marketing tool for the Republican policies and candidates. Because of similar views on the Tea Party, observers have also categorized the Tea Party as an example of astroturfing. Astroturfing is a formed campaign that has been planned by an organization but listed as grassroots political activity.

The Tea Party’s role in American politics greatly favors the Republican Party. Though the Tea Party has not officially run congressional candidates or appear on a ballot, 80% of the candidates that classify themselves as Tea Partiers are registered Republican.

So how popular is this movement? Google issued the top searches according to its search engine for the year 2010. The list has shown that Tea Party notables Rand Paul and Marco Rubio have gained interest due to their political ties with the Tea Party. As for the Tea Party as a whole, Google has declared that “tea party” has been an increasingly searched term especially as the year has proceeded. Google indicates that the Tea Party will continue to be an area of interest among users.

The Tea Party is still a movement that is developing. Though the Tea Party has made definite strides to become involved in the political system in America, the true impact of the Tea Party remains to be seen.

Below (in order) are three notable members of the Tea Party: Sarah Palin, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio






Expand Your Knowledge:
- Google's 2010 List of "Rising Searches"
- Washington Post Article
- The overlapping relationship between Tea Party members and Republicans

'Mo Money, Mo Problems'

By: Alex Bishop

New Rochelle, NY- New York Yankee shortstop, Derek Jeter, has sparked much media coverage in recent weeks and its not even baseball season.

The 36- year- old short stop for the New York Yankees major league baseball team, has expressed sincere irritation over the leaked information to the media regarding his financial negotiations. When he was asked recently if he was angry or disappointed, Jeter said, “A little bit of both. A lot of it was because of how I was being portrayed. Any time you have people saying you're this way or that way and you know it's not the truth, you're a little disappointed and angry at it. Most of them were saying, 'Why don't you just come out and say something?' I didn't because I said from the get-go I wasn't going to talk about it. Now that it's over with, I can address it today and then I won't talk about it anymore."

The deal, that has been discussed since the end of the last major league baseball season, involved Jeter, his personal agent and the New York Yankee baseball team, which has been the home of Derek Jeter since his first season in the major leagues in 1995.

Despite plenty of complaints on both sides, the deal has been reached. Jeter will be paid $51 million for 3 years as a Yankee. However, the specifics of the deal include incentives that Jeter can acquire through superb achievements. This aspect of the contract deal means that even though Jeter is scheduled to be paid a certain amount, he can still end up with more. There is a possible $17 million that Jeter can obtain through this part of the deal.

Here are the possible ways Jeter can gain more bucks for his bats:
• A $4 million bonus for winning AL MVP.
• A $2 million bonus for placing second through sixth in the AL MVP voting.
• A $1.5 million bonus for winning a Silver Slugger award.
• A $500,000 bonus for winning a Gold Glove.
• A $500,000 bonus for winning the League Championship Series MVP.
• A $500,000 bonus for winning the World Series MVP.

Kevin Davidoff, writer for newsday.com, expresses his opinion on Jeter’s contract and how he believes the Yankees benefited the most: “This is a team-friendly structure. Jeter is very unlikely to reach that $17 million figure. He's unlikely to get even halfway from $8 million to $17 million.”

Derek’s Jeter’s contract comes to many sport writers’ attention, including Adena Andrews. Andrews used to write for ESPN the Magazine and now is a contributing writer to espnW.com. Andrews expresses her issue with Jeter’s handling the media, but also notes that there is no denying Jeter’s accomplishments: “Note to Jeter, by voicing your dislike in the media you are extending the story and giving journalistic leeches more blood to suck out of the story. I was over the negotiations after the deal was signed, sealed and delivered. But once Jeter expressed his aversion to the negotiations the story was dragged through the 24-hour news cycle, and here I am writing a story about it a day later. This isn't to say that Jeter isn't the man. Five championships, an awesome arm and great hit-by-pitch acting skills are blessings not every man has in life. Jeter is privileged to have worked hard for them all.”

Online bloggers have been Jeter's biggest critics. Jason Gay, writer for the Wall Street Journal, offers little sympathy for Jeter’s recent media conundrum: “Well, la-dee-dah. Here's a brief list of things Mr. Jeter should be more angry at than the Yankees… That most people on earth would need to work for at least 10 years to earn his salary for one game…etc.”

Writers and columnists are quick to analyze a professional athlete, but what about a local fan of Jeter? Luis Amador, a junior at a New York College, expresses his feelings about Jeter’s situation: “It’s done now. A lot of people are going to continue to complain about his contract and whatnot. I still love him. Unlike Tiger Woods and other athletes that have harmed their reputation, Jeter hasn’t ruined his career. I just hope that he proves he’s worth at least half of what he’s being paid.”

Expand Your Knowledge:
- More by Adena Andrews regarding Jeter
- Other reasons why Jeter should be angry
- More specifics on the contract
- Steinbrenner's handling of Jeter's contract

An Ageless Society

Reaching the age of 100 has been a challenge for many but will soon become reality.

Recent research has found that there may be a way to expanding the human life expectancy in the near future to at least 100 years of age. Experts are predicting that with the proper medications and a healthy way of living, this can be the norm for millions of people.

“I guess its good news for individuals and a challenge for societies. If this trajectory continues half the babies will be 100 and I think that gives us a new perspective for how to plan your life,” said Dr. Kaare Christensen, an epidemiologist and lead author from the Danish Aging Research Center at the University of Southern Denmark.

Recently in the British Medical Journal Lancet, an article was released which revealed that babies born since 2007 will most likely live 15 years longer than their parents, 40 years longer than their grandparents and accomplish the goal of seeing their 100th birthday.

Whether this prediction proves to be correct is up to the individual and their willingness to live a certain lifestyle that will require daily medications and exercise.

Once people heard about the prediction, many opinions were expressed. However, Christensen added, “I don’t hear any concerns among the elderly that they are living too long.”

One question that was asked is if it is possible to maintain a healthy lifestyle if the life span was to expand?

Professionals in the medical field such as Hector Gonzalez, assistant professor of medicine and public health at Wayne State University, think this cannot be possible.

“I that’s a very optimistic scenario; however there may be chronic health problems that may not allow us to follow the best-case scenario, not yet,” said Gonzalez.

With the growing number of tribulations with health many are questioning whether or not the predictions will be true. The truth is there is a larger number of American’s population experiencing health problems due to the growing number of obesity, diabetes and the endless battle against cancer.

“There is no reason to think more than half the population living today can’t live until 100,” said Dr. Harrison Bloom, senior associate at the International Longevity Center of New York. “But that would assume better eating habits, a healthier lifestyle and continuing improvements in the environment.”

Keeping all that in mind, many are also wondering if the economy will be healthy enough to keep up with an increase in population. By the time the life span reaches 100 citizens will have to have saved enough to support the growing number of families as well as health care, social security, Medicare, etc. Time will only tell if we will have the resources to support a longer and healthier life span.

Expand your knowledge...

http://abcnews.go.com/wnt/video/cold-snap-reaches-canada-florida-12328365&tab=9482930§ion=1206853&playlist=11686190

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUPqrFpcB9E

Eminem Back From The Dead

He is referred to as Eminem or Slim Shady, but what a lot of people don’t know is that he’s about to take over rap. Marshall Mathers is back from the trenches and has overcome a drug problem that nearly took his life three years ago. Now, the 38 year-old rapper has one of the biggest-selling records of 2010 and isn’t looking back.

“Guess who’s back, back again? Shady’s back, tell a friend.” These lyrics are from the song called “Just lose it” off of the Curtain Call album that hit the radio in 2005. This album sold 1.2 million albums in the first three weeks of its release.

The only difference now is Eminem is actually back and is looking to take over the music industry. Throughout his twelve-year rap career, Eminem has sold 32 million albums, the most of any artist. The Beatles were the runner up in album sales not even coming close to Slim Shady. Eminem is also up for 10 Grammies, including album of the year, song of the year, and record of the year.

But it wasn’t an easy path to success for Eminem. From 2002 to 2008 the rapper was addicted to prescription drugs, including Vicodin, Ambien and Valium. His life was on a tailspin that was going down.

In an attempt to get clean in 2006, Eminem’s best friend Proof was shot and killed. The death of his childhood friend sparked a relapse, during which Eminem was found on a bathroom floor on the verge of death. According to an interview in Rolling Stones Magazine, the rapper said, “ The doctors told me I’d done the equivalent of four bags of heroin. They said I was two hours from dying.”

The painkillers were not only affecting Eminem’s body, but also his song writing. Around 2004, his songs were beginning to not make sense and reeked of stupidity and foolishness. Eminem has saved every piece of writing from the time he was on drugs, storing the influenced writing in a closet. According to Rolling Stone when asked why he does this, Eminem uses it as a tool of motivation. It reminds him of a place where he never wants to revisit. Eminem just celebrated his second year of sobriety.

The once bleached-blonde rapper, who was against everyone and anyone who didn’t support him, has matured. He is a rapper in the recording studio and a father at home. He has custody of three girls, two who are not biologically related to him. He lives with his 14-year-old daughter Haile, and two adopted daughters, 8-year-old Whitney and 17-year-old Alaina.

Life is full of second chances and Eminem made it known to the world that he is taking every advantage of being alive. The rapper has begun to go on tour. In September, he performed in New York City and in his hometown of Detroit. His hard work in the studio and in sobriety is paying off for Eminem. After it’s all said and done, Eminem could be labeled as one of the five greatest rappers to ever have picked up a microphone.

Limewire Shut Down for Good

Nothing in life is free.

This saying is especially true now more than ever for music lovers who have been loyal fans of downloading music from sites such as Limewire.

After a four-year legal battle with the U.S. music industry, the ever-popular file sharing website, Limewire has been shut down.

A permanent injuction has been ordered by a federal court in New York this past month that will prevent any searching or sharing of any copyrighted music files.

U.S. Judge Kimba woods ruled that record companies "have suffered – and will continue to suffer irreparable harm from LimeWire's inducement of widespread infringement of their works", adding that the potential damages were staggering.

According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Limewire has cost the industry hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. Also, according to their figures, U.S. recorded music sales fell to $7.7bn in 2009 from $14.5bn in 1999.

A trial is set for January 2011, so a federal court can decide the appropriate level of compensation for record companies for all of the illegal downloads.

Limewire, however is not the first service of this kind to be shut down. Back in 2002, Napster collapsed after dealing with a substantial amount of legal troubles.

Limewire CEO George Searle assures Limewire fans that they plan on working with the music industry to come up with a legal music service website.

However, music lovers will have to cough up the $1.29 per song to iTunes until a legal solution can be reached.

The Re-birth of Michael Vick

New Rochelle,Ny.
By: Brian Brabazon
It wasn’t too long ago that NFL star Michael Vick was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of sponsoring a dog fighting operation. The then Atlanta Falcons quarterback were charged with competitive dog fighting, and training pit bulls for fighting and conducting this dog fighting ring across state lines. How could something like this happen to such a young, highly touted quarterback, with seemingly everything? It wasn’t long after his indictment that Vick, turned himself in and received twenty three months in prison for committing such a heinous crime. Now the quarterback with everything had nothing, off to prison to wonder what could have been of his career.
Many including myself believed so, fast forward to nineteen months to the end of Vick’s prison sentence, now thirty years old, away from the game for over two years, left sitting stagnant in a Virginia federal prison surely would have diminished those jaw-dropping skills that gave opposing coaches nightmares. The Philadelphia Eagles and head coach Andy Reid were willing to give Vick this chance, to prove his worth, and complete a comeback. Vick said “I had to go through what I went through to be where I am now. I find myself in a position where I'm willing to listen; I've got coaches who are going to coach me regardless of what or how I feel. If I've got an attitude one day, or not just feeling it at the moment I'm going to get coached. And I respect that to the fullest. It brings out the best in me." According to an interview on CBS "60 minutes" Vick, who in the past would shift the blame around to everyone but himeself stated "I blame me, no one else".
Now, with a seemingly clear conscience and full focus on football, Vick's comeback has taken on the national spotlight, it has inevitably become the irresistible talking point all over the country, if you tune in to sports talk radio, flick on ESPN and watch sports center for six hours, scan the back page of newspapers across the country. The Michael Vick story is refreshed again and again each day of.
What blows many peoples minds is his ability to quickly adapt on the playing field after such a long layoff from the game. For about three to four hours, his comeback to the National Football League could have best been seen by what transpired when the Eagles played the Washington Redskins in the rain on Monday night two weeks ago, a mauling that left the Redskins embaressed. Vick was so impressive that night, leading the Eagles to touchdowns on their first five possessions. Showing off his impressive arm, he flicked his wrist and hit wide reciever DeSean Jackson with a 68 yard touchdown. Moments later he hit his other stud wideout Jeremy Maclin for a 48 yeard strike. "Unbelievable” Hall of Fame player and former coach Mike Ditka would say a day later. “It was like a man playing amongst boys”.
It was a thing of beauty to watch, Vicks transformation come to fruition, in the national spotlight with millions of people watching. It was a performance up there with anything that previous greats of the game have accomplished, the Hall of Fame even requesting Vick’s jersey after the game was finished. Vick had single-handedly put Philadelphia in the thick of a Super Bowl conversation and made himself a legitimate candidate for the MVP. After the game commissioner Goodell spoke to the media, proclaiming Vick as a true American success story, almost as if he was the Phoenix rising up from the ashes, resurrecting his life and his career.
Vick’s story however presents the league with an question that many people across the country believe. In a year where there are so many mediocre teams and few standout players, is the NFL ready to make the face of their league a convicted felon?
You can't help but admire his talent, and at the same time you can't forget what happened three years ago. His game is at an all-time high, but yet we can't quite forget about Bad News Kennelz. Will these questions ever go away? As long as Vick keeps playing well skeptics and critics will always be there.

Expand your Knowledge:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2940065
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/10/60minutes/main5231257.shtml

Smoking Spice: Legal + Lethal

Smokin Spice: Legal + Lethal

-KrisTina Antosik


There’s been a new trend among this generation’s recreational habits. The 60s had acid, the 70’s had pot, and the 90’s were primarily soaked in alcohol. This generation is trying to quit smoking tobacco, continue drinking, and also continue to apparently get high without getting in the way of the law.

People have managed to find a legal weed, which is scented like potpourri and is sold like incense, according to USA Today. This new phenomenon is known as “potpourri” and is technically called “K2”. It is a packet of herbs glazed with a synthetic chemical that mimics a marijuana high if smoked. K2 is also known as “Spice.” You know it’s bad when kids are turning to the spice rack to get high.



USA Today also reported that “The Sacred Journey,” which is a medicinal herb store located in Lawrence, Kan., started selling K2 in August. The store reportedly sold it as part of a collection of incense. The owner, Natalie McAnulia, says that her sales have skyrocketed from $1,000 a day to $10,000 a day!!!

However, before people start thinking that smoking spice is a simmering slice of fun, think again. Fox News reported that on August 4, of this year, a mother of two, had died from smoking what is known as K2. The 28-year-old
Lilly Helsley, 28, of Middletown, Ind. died suddenly after she smoked K2 or Spice.




According to Fox investigations, eight emergency room visits have been made after the patients had smoked spice, and there have been two other deaths related to K2 in Indiana, alone. Since the Food and Drug Administration is not regulating this potpourri, it has been responsible for a growing number of hospital visits.

Doug Hogan, a 16-year old in Indiana, says the drug is not hard to find and is sold in tobacco stores. “It's pretty much exactly like marijuana. It can be sold to anybody at any price at any time," says Doug. The 16-year old stated K2 can also be found in head shops and is sold on the streets.


The Deseret News of Logon, Utah, explains how the legal/lethal drug originated. K2, which is also known as “Black Mamba,” and comes from the plant Damiana. Damiana. The plant is then treated with the chemical “JWH-18,” which is melted with acetone, and sprayed on the plant to dry. JWH-18 is what gets people high. There have been eight reported incidents of hospitalization treatment in Utah, alone.



“The chemical has addictive properties, can cause panic attacks and if overdosed it can collapse your respiratory system. Apparently it has killed rats in the laboratory, ” According to the Deseret News.
By attempting to follow the law, people are turning to what is innocently sold as incense, yet imitates the direct effects of marijuana, an illegal drug.

Thus by people trying to follow the law, hence avoiding what it illegal, they are experiencing dire consequences. However marijuana never had this amount of hospitalizations on record, and people are dying from using Spice. This will bring a lot of events up for debate such as the possibility that legalizing marijuana may benefit the population, rather than people turning to this legal, yet lethal drug.



Expand Your Knowledge:

New trend. Smoking potpourri

Spice & Death

http://www.deseretnews.com/user/comments/700016635/6-treated-after-smoking-spice.html
http://www.azfamily.com/home/Surprise-students-smoke-spice-prompt-911-calls-after-becoming-sick-93733229.html

Capitalizing on the King of Pop

Michael Jackson's death equals an incredible bottom line
By Tom Corless

New Rochelle, NY --- Since the death of Michael Jackson in 2009, his family, record company, and his estate have been raking in the dough. Jackson became the highest selling musical artist of 2009 without even releasing a song, creating an unexpected wave of profits for anyone connected to the "King of Pop". Since the dust has settled and a year has passed, anyone who can has tried to profiteer on the passing of the music icon. Are these individuals trying to honor Jackson, or is this just good business? Most of the projects tend to be a Little bit of both, but there are some that really have people raising their eyebrows.

In March 2010, Sony records reached a deal with Jackson's estate worth $250 million to retain distribution rights on his music until 2017 and to release seven posthumous albums over the decade following his death. These albums would feature unfinished songs from Jackson completed by others. Jackson's family and fans have publicly stated they are unhappy with the concept, since Michael refused to release these particular tracks during his lifetime for not being of the quality he was happy with. Regardless, Sony announced that Michael, the first posthumous album, will be released on December 14, 2010 (Just in time for holiday shopping). Early reviews of the songs have been mixed, leading some to wonder how several more albums would perform if the first is only so-so.

Albums aren't the only new Michael Jackson offering this holiday season. Video game developer Ubisoft announced it would release a new dancing-and-singing game featuring Michael Jackson before 2010 is over.

The game entitled Michael Jackson: The Experience will be among the first to use Kinect and PlayStation Move, the respective motion-detecting control systems for Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Again, many people are asking if the game is in response to popular demand, or if Sony will license the music to just about anyone for anything to turn profit on their $250 million investment.

One of the stranger tie-ins with Michael Jackson was announced by Cirque du Soleil on November 3, 2010. They will launch "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour" in October 2011 in Montreal. The 90-minute, $57 million production will combine Jackson's iconic musical style and choreography with the Cirque's signature artistry, dance and aerial displays involving 65 artists. The tour was written and directed by Jamie King and centers on Jackson's "inspirational Giving Tree - the wellspring of creativity where his love of music and dance, fairy tale and magic, and the fragile beauty of nature are unlocked."

The Disney theme parks even entered the mix earlier this year, resurrecting the extinct 3-D attraction called Captain EO. The show originally debuted back in 1986, starring Michael Jackson and combining the creative forces of Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and Walt Disney Imagineering. As soon as Jackson died, fans asked Disney to bring the show back to the parks around the world. After months of rumors, Disneyland debuted the show in February 2010. After a successful opening, the attraction returned to Disneyland Resort Paris, Walt Disney World, and Tokyo Disneyland during the summer. In this case, it seemed like the public wanted this return, however, Disney has also seen huge profits from Captain EO merchandise sales.

While the public may never know what the true intentions of these projects are, it is safe to assume it is a little bit tribute and a little bit business. Is this flood of Michael Jackson an overdose that will destroy a legacy? Only time will tell, but results and reviews are mixed thus far.

Expand Your Knowledge
-The Unofficial Captain EO Fan Site
-The Official Michael Jackson Website

Christmas getting Kicked Out

By: Krista M. Knoblauch

New Rochelle, NY
In the midst of trimming the tree and hanging the lights watch out for all of the attacks on the word “Christmas” during the holiday season.
In recent weeks there have been plethora of public domain that has been changed not to include the word “Christmas,” some of them include a billboard, holiday sign, and renaming the Christmas Tree.

On the New Jersey side of the Lincoln Tunnel there is a billboard that states “You KNOW it’s a Myth.” This was put up by the American Atheists.
Without reading the billboard it looks as if it is a Christmas advertisement depicting the three wise men walking toward a manger. That is until you read it. This advertisement is an attack on Christian people and the things they believe and celebrate to be true.

Responding to the news coverage of this topic David Silverman, the president of the American Atheist wrote in a blog post the three reasons he has for why the advertisement is good and should stay up.

“1) To address those atheists who “go along to get along”, and to encourage them to come out of their closets
2) To attack the myth that Christianity owns the solstice season
3) To raise the awareness of the organization and the movement.”

Gretchen Carlson of FOX News stated on Fox and Friends the mornings show, “What
about religious tolerance? Shouldn’t that be true for all people?”
The two issues at hand are that Christians is being attacked or is freedom of speech being attacked when groups can’t put up whatever they choose.

In response to the negative billboard the Catholic League responded by putting up a billboard that affirmed, “You know it’s real. This Season, Celebrate Jesus.”
Both of the advertisements were successful. The blog post on the Atheist website received over a hundred comments. This was not the only debate between people whom have different beliefs that has arisen this season.

In Philadelphia, PA there is a “Christmas Village” every year in the city. People are welcomed in by a huge sign. This year the lit up sign no longer read “Christmas Village,” rather is said “Holiday Village.” It was taken down because of complaints that it was religiously insensitive.

"If we are to be a truly diverse and inclusive community, we must certainly be respectful of all the various celebrations that occur during this time of year," the Archdiocese of Philadelphia said in a statement. "Christmas deserves its rightful place among those."

After national news coverage and three days of protesting the sign was restored to its original form. Mayor Nutter responded to the recent controversy, “"In a big, bustling city like Philadelphia, we all experience moments of joy and discord," he said "Big cities can get hectic, and the last couple days have proven that."

He also emphasized the fact that the city was built on religious freedom and those rights should be respected by all. "Almost a century before those momentous events, it was in Philadelphia where William Penn established a colony dedicated to a revolutionary principle - that each person must have freedom of conscience, the right to his or her own religious views, and that civil government must not abridge that right in any way," he said.

Although the season and decorations are not meant to offend other religious groups, many view it as a slap in the face that it is a season for the Christians alone. One person whom is not offended by decorations or the holiday cheer is Ben Stein. Ben is a famous actor and a member of the Jewish faith. He said in an interview about the controversy in 2005, “I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu.

If people want a crèche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.
I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.”

Since the time of this interview he has appeared on several television and radio programs expressing his views.

The argument remains, is it a Christmas Tree or Holiday tree, is it a Christmas Village or Holiday Village? While there is no clear explanation or answer freedom of speech and religion allows for both, and both should be respected equally.


Further your knowledge:
Philadelphia Inquirer
Philyest Blog

And the Nomination May Go To... A 2011 Academy Award Preview

By Michael O’Connor

New Rochelle, NY – The year is coming to an end and for movie buffs that means Oscars. Historically, most movies that will be nominated for Academy Awards are just being released or haven’t even been released yet. While the nominations will not be announced until January 25, there are plenty of films that have the almighty thing in Hollywood called “buzz,” and seemingly have a great chance of garnerning nominations. Here is a rundown of the six major categories:

Best Actor
As of right now, the front-runner appears to be Colin Firth, who is receiving amazing reviews for his role as King George VI in The King’s Speech.

Close on his heels in terms of buzz is James Franco, for his role in 127 Hours, a true story about a man who is forced to cut off his own arm after being pinned underneath a boulder.

Other possibilities are Jeff Bridges for True Grit, Jesse Eisenberg for The Social Network, and Ryan Gosling for Blue Valentine.

Best Actress
As of this moment, the biggest buzz belongs to Natalie Portman. Her performance a mentally unstable ballet dancer in Black Swan is garnering her the best reviews of her career and helped the film achieve extraordinary box office in only a few theaters this past weekend.



The Kids Are All Right, which was released in July, has gained awards attention for not one but two of its female leads. Annette Bening and Julianne Moore play a domestic lesbian couple in the critically acclaimed film. Bening is seen as the more sure-fire nomination, but Moore could acquire the film a rare double Best Actress nomination.

Other likely or possible nominations are Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine, Halle Berry for Frankie and Alice, and Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole.

Best Supporting Actor
The largely male cast of The Social Network helped the film achieve some of the best reviews of the year. But the question is: who, or how many, of the supporting actors can and will receive nominations?

Andrew Garfield as Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin was favored by some critics, while others think scene-stealer Justin Timberlake as Napster founder Sean Parker could just as easily score a nomination. And don’t count out Armie Hammer, who played the role of twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss.



Some non-Social Network possibilities are Geoffrey Rush for The King’s Speech, Christian Bale for The Fighter and Mark Ruffalo for The Kids Are All Right.

Best Supporting Actress
The front-runner appears to be Helena Bonham Carter for her role as Queen Elizabeth in The King’s Speech. It appears that toning down her crazy roles paid off for Bonham Carter. However, it shouldn’t hurt that she had some of her more typical roles in critical and commercial successes Alice in Wonderland as the Red Queen and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One as Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange.



Other contenders include Melissa Leo for The Fighter, newcomer Hailee Steinfield for True Grit, and Marion Cotillard for Inception.

Best Director
The front-runner is Academy favorite David Fincher for The Social Network. Other possibilities are the directors of previously mentioned films like Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan, Tom Hooper for The King’s Speech, and Christopher Nolan for Inception.

And now, to the ultimate Academy Award,
Best Picture
Often times, the best director and best picture nominees coincide. So expect to see The Social Network, Inception and The King’s Speech nominated. It seems that for now The Social Network is the front-runner, but especially for Best Picture things can change in the months ahead.



In addition, this is only the second year where the Best Picture category has 10 nominees, not five. This was done to allow for more room for commercially successful yet critically well-regarded crowd-pleasers. Last year, it allowed for Avatar, Up, and The Blind Side to all be nominated.

Toy Story 3, which got some of the best reviews of the summer and became the highest-grossing animated film of all time, is expected to follow in Up’s footsteps as the animated film in the best picture category.

Other films that have a high chance of being nominated are The Kids Are All Right, 127 Hours, Black Swan, and True Grit.

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http://insidemovies.ew.com/2010/11/17/oscar-watch-best-picture-predictions/?ew%5FpackageID=20311937

http://www.starpulse.com/news/Jonathan_Teigland/2010/10/27/and_the_oscar_may_go_to

Wii vs. Playstation Move vs. Xbox Kinect: Let the motion gaming battle begin

By Phil Vecchione

Get Moving! Video games are no longer for couch potatoes. Sony and Microsoft have taken the plunge into the world of motion gaming with the recent releases of the Xbox 360 Kinect and Playstation Move. Watch your back Nintendo.

Nintendo is the father of motion gaming. The Wii, which was released on Nov. 6, 2006, was the first ever-motion gaming console. Wii revolutionized the video game world and promoted a healthier gaming experience by forcing people to get up off their Lazy Boys. But the Kinect and Move may pose a threat to the Wii.

Sony launched the Playstation Move on Sept. 17. The Move bundle sold at Best Buy for $99.99, includes a Move controller, which is shaped like a magic wand with a sparking ball of light at the top, and the Eye Camera that copies the motion of the gamer holding and waving the controller.

Microsoft just released the Xbox 360 Kinect on Nov. 4. This second generation motion console is sold at Best Buy for $149.99. The major advantage of the Kinect is that it requires no controller. The innovative motion tracking system makes the user the controller. All motions made are mimicked and copied within the game.

The no controller technology causes a problem for Wii and Playstation. The new technology gives more freedom with no controller, creating more natural motion within the game. Even the slightest movement of your finger will be detected.

The Wii reportedly reached 30 million sales in the U.S., as of August 2010. In a report from Nintendo, 600,000 Wii consoles were bought in the U.S. during Black Friday.

Sony says that they have sold 4.1 million retail units since the Move’s September release. The Kinect has reportedly sold 2.5 million sensors in its first month.

Some critics were skeptical of the Playstation Move. They felt the Move would produce an identical experience to the Wii. The only difference would be in the games released.

The critics were wrong. The ball at the top of the wand provides more pin-point accuracy then that of the Wii; Sony calls it “zero point.” Sony engineer Anton Mikhailov feels the Wii remote does not compare and that it's like moving blindly.

“The problem with inertial sensors is that they tell you where you’re going, but not really where you end up,” Mikhailov said on digitaltrends.com. “You don’t know with the Wii sensor bar whether you’re turning – like in the pointer scenario – or moving. Because of that ambiguity, you can’t discern whether you’re moving in space.”

A drawback of the Move is its dependence upon camera technology. The camera must be placed in perfect position so that the motions can be detected properly. The user must have 8 ft of distance between the camera and must always be in line with the camera. Sunlight has also disrupted the camera eye throwing off motion detection.

The Kinect on the other hand can be “laggy,” meaning that the motion is sometimes detected late. Making the gaming experience annoying and hard to play with. The Kinect also requires 6 feet of distance between the user and console.

Facial recognition is an issue with Kinect. Dark-skinned people have had trouble with the face recognition implemented into the system. But this is an issue that has been concurring with all motion sensor technology.

The camera devices used with the Kinect and Move also allow for video chat. Gamers can video chat with someone overseas as long as they have the camera technology and a Playstation 3 or Xbox 360. Only Playstation users can connect with Playstation users and Xbox users with other Xbox users. There is no market cross over. The Wii does not offer any type of video chat.

The two motion systems also come with microphones built into the cameras. The Kinect allows for voice command when navigating through its various menus. This can make using the Kinect simpler for those who may struggle with its interface.

At the moment, in regards to games, Wii still has the upper hand. It has over a hundred titles to choose from, many of which had record breaking sales. Will the Move and Kinect catch up? The Move and Kinect are too new at this point to understand the level of gaming they are to reach.

Expand your knowledge

Playstation Move vs. Wii

Latest sales information

Playstation Move hardware review

Kinect struggles with facial recognition

FDA Looks to Scare Smokers Through Graphic Labels

By Travis Chan

New Rochelle, NY--Will images of a mother blowing smoke into her baby’s face urge smokers to quit? Will the picture of a man smoking through a hole in his throat discourage teens from this activity? The FDA is asking these questions as they consider a new campaign to deter smoking.
The FDA is now examining (From now through Jan. 9) 36 images to place on the cigarette packages. By June 22, 2011, it will select nine warning labels to appear on the packages and by Oct. 22, 2012, all cigarette packages will have the new labels. The labels will cover half the surface of packs or cartons, as well as a fifth of any cigarette advertisement.
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The U.S. is not the only country to include these graphic labels. In 2000, Canada introduced similar warning labels. Since then, the country’s smoking rates have dropped from 26 percent to 20 percent. It’s unclear whether the labels played a role in the decline because the country implemented other tobacco control campaigns.
In Europe, it is mandatory that cigarette packages contain one of 14 warnings. The United Kingdom and Belgium are the only countries not to implement the warning labels.
The number of Americans who smoke has declined since 1970, from roughly 40 percent to 20 percent, however, the rate has stalled since 2004. It is still not clear as to why declines in smoking have become stagnant. Some experts point to tobacco discounts and a lack of funding for programs to help smokers quit. About 46 million adults smoke cigarettes in the U.S.
There is still debate about whether these new warnings will work. This campaign, created by the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services, seeks to reduce tobacco use, which causes 443,000 deaths a year, according to KGW.com. FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg says that, "Some very explicit, almost gruesome pictures may be necessary. This is a very, very serious public health issue, with very, very serious medical consequences."
Some say that the labels will work.
Patrick Reynolds, executive director of the Foundation for a Smokefree America says, "This is going to stop kids from starting to smoke ... and it's going to give smokers a strong incentive to quit smoking."
Stanton Glantz, a tobacco researcher at the University of California at San Francisco, thinks that they will be “tremendously effective.”
Others, however, think that the labels will not affect the smoking epidemic. Zak Hoffman, who is now 27-years-old, began smoking when he was 14. "I don't think they're going to be a deterrent at all for people who already smoke,” he says. “Most people start smoking when they're young, and I don't think they're going to think about the effects."
Twenty-year-old Gina Gatano adds that, “more tax increases would have more of an effect than scare tactics.”

Cancer. Damaged lungs. Rotten teeth. That’s what American smokers may be staring at the next time they buy a pack of cigarettes. Can Americans be scared smokeless? Or will it take another hit to our pocketbooks for them to snuff out their cigarettes? A year from now, we may have an answer.

Expand Ur Knowledge

CNN: The FDA unveils new cigarette labels

Feds Propose Graphic Cigarette Warning Labels

Facts About Smoking

Sources:

Proposed New Cigarette Labels Aim to Shock, But Will They Work?

Feds propose graphic cigarette warning labels

The European Union's Cigarette Warnings