Saturday, November 29, 2008
Wal-Mart Stampede Kills Worker (Video)
Jdimytai Damour was run over by a crowd at Wal-Mart on Black Friday. More than 2000 holiday shoppers surrounded a Long Island Wal-Mart in the Green Acres mall and literally stampeded into the store when it opened at 5 a.m. The unlucky 34-year-old temporary worker was knocked over and stepped on as hundreds of bargain hunters rushed inside.
Later, as police officers tried to give Damour CPR, a crowd of people could still be seen entering the store, trying to take advantage of a $798 Samsung 50-inch Plasma HDTV, a $28 Bissel Compact Upright Vacuum, and a $69 Samsung 10.2 megapixel digital camera. The crowd was so frenzied that they even bent the metal frame of the door as they entered Wal-Mart.
Historically, shoppers have been so eager for the drastic price reductions offered by Wal-Mart that they literally camped out in front of the store, hoping to be first in line. See the second video for a non-fatal example of this where a woman is only knocked down.
Jdimytai Damour Given CPR after Wal-Mart Stampede Video
Wal-Mart Stampede on Black Friday 2007 Video
Friday, November 28, 2008
Caroline Caz Pal: Michael Phelps' Girlfriend (Photos)
Caroline Pal is Michael Phelps' girlfriend. She is a 26-year-old Las Vegas cocktail waitress in the Moon Nightclub at the Palms Casino Resort. She graduated from Cal State-Northridge. The couple met after the Olympic gold medalist's record success at the Beijing Olympics this summer and have been together for two months.
Michael Phelps has previously been linked to fellow high-profile celebrities, including an Australian swimmer (Stephanie Rice), country singer (Carrie Underwood), and beauty pageant winner (Nicole Johnson). It turns out that these were just rumors. Instead, Caroline Pal is in Baltimore celebrating Thanksgiving with the Phelps family.
After tackling and mastering swimming, Michael Phelps has apparently turned his attentions to professional poker and is working to enter the World Series of Poker in 2009. His choice of girlfriend certainly matches his new interests.
Caroline Caz Pal Photos
Caroline Caz Pal
Caroline Caz Pal with Friend
Caroline Caz Pal with Models
Caroline Caz Pal Bites Candy
Michael Phelps Photos
Michael Phelps Swimming
Michael Phelps Wins Gold
Michael Phelps on Sports Illustrated Cover
Michael Phelps Shows Physique
Andreas Liveras: Yacht Tycoon on BBC Before Death
Andreas Liveras was killed in the Mumbai attacks shortly after a cell phone interview with the BBC. The 73-year-old self-made millionaire died only moments after a two-minute conversation where he described events in the Taj Mahal Hotel. He was having dinner in the Wasabi Restaurant when gunfire erupted:
We hid ourselves under the table and then they switched all the lights off. But the machine guns kept going, and they took us into the kitchen, and from there into a basement, before we came up into a salon where we are now.
As bombs exploded outside, Andreas Liveras ended his call, saying, "Everybody is just living on their nerves." Over a 1000 hotel guests and local residents were crowded into the salon and provided food and water. The doors were locked. Moments later, he was hit and rushed to St. George's Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Worth almost $500 million, Andreas Liveras was in Mumbai to attend a boat show. Starting from a humble background, he emigrated from Cyprus to London in 1963 and delivered baked goods for the Fleur De Lys bakery. After buying the business from his boss and reselling it later for an eight-figure sum, he was able to enter the luxury yacht chartering business with Liveras Yachts. His lavish yachts came complete with "Roman baths, saunas, steam rooms, jacuzzis, cinemas and helicopter landing pads." Two 90-meter long superyachts are currently listed for charter on the company website.
Listen to Andreas Liveras' last moments in the BBC interview.
Andreas Liveras Photos
Andreas Liveras
Andreas Liveras on Yacht Business
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Sara Sidner: CNN India Reporter (Video)
Sara Sidner is a CNN reporter. She has been reporting on the Mumbai attacks as CNN's New Delhi-based international correspondent. Prior to this, she investigated an organ selling scheme in India, covered the oil conglomerate Reliance's IPO on the stock exchange, and reported on India's export industry.
Before joining CNN in 2008, Sara Sidner worked at KTVU, a local TV station in the Bay Area, as both an anchor and reporter. She covered the rescue of four hikers lost in the Sierra mountains as well as the tragic case of a girl found dead in Castro Valley. She also reported on the Southeast Asia tsunami on location in Sri Lanka in 2004.
For her journalistic efforts, Sidner has won the Northern California Radio and Television News Directors award for Reporting, the Peninsula Press Club first place award for Reporting, and four Emmy nominations.
Sara Sidner Indian Outsourcing Video
Oberoi, Taj Mahal Attacked in Mumbai (Video)
Two luxury hotels were attacked in Mumbai yesterday night. The Taj Mahal Palace and the Oberoi Trident hotels are two of the most famous hotels in the coastal city of 13 million people. Gunmen stormed the two five-star hotels demanding to know which guests had British or American passports which is a departure from previous attacks that did not target foreigners.
The Oberoi Trident Hotel has hosted such guests as Bill Gates, Rupert Murdoch, and leaders of countries such as the United States, China, and Iceland. It is known for its personal butler service and sea-facing room views. A British diner in one of the hotel's three restaurants describes the scene:
They were talking about British and Americans specifically. There was an Italian guy, who, you know, they said: "Where are you from?" and he said he's from Italy and they said "fine" and they left him alone.
Rock star Prince's ex-wife, Manuela Testolini, was also at the Oberoi, saying, "We left everything behind, including purses and phones. There was a lot of panic." Between 100 and 200 hostages were being held in the Oberoi.
At the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, around 15 people were held. Legislators for the European Union-India summit were staying at the hotel at the time. One said, "A gunman just stood there spraying bullets around, right next to me. I managed to turn away and I ran into the hotel kitchen." The hotel had previously housed guests like Bill Clinton, Elvis Presley, and Mick Jagger.
At the moment, 101 people are reported dead.
Taj Hotel Attack Video
Oberoi, Taj Mahal Mumbai Attack Photos
Taj Mahal Hotel Fire
Taj Guest Looks out Window
Police Stand Watch in Mumbai
Taj Fire Doused
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Kristen Stewart Smoking Pot (Photos)
Kristen Stewart was photographed smoking pot in public a few days ago. The 18-year-old actress, who's star has risen on the success of the vampire movie "Twilight", is shown lighting up a pipe with fellow actor and boyfriend, Michael Angarano.
Although some question whether she was actually smoking pot, Kristen Stewart is known to smoke cigarettes despite denying it in interviews which has caused considerable controversy among her fans. In the photos, she takes a lighter to a short pipe and takes a drag before handing it to "Forbidden Kingdom" star Michael Angarano. The couple have been dating since she was 14.
Kristen Stewart, Michael Angarano Video
In this video, Kristen Stewart poses for photographs, drops her cigarette, and doesn't answer how it was to work with Jodie Foster in "Panic Room."
Kristen Stewart Smoking Pot Photos
Kristen Stewart Lights Pipe
Michael Angarano Smokes Pipe after Kristen
Kristen Stewart Exhales Cloud of Smoke
Kristen Stewart Smoking on Beach Shoot
Game After Ambush: Army Builds $50M Video Game
The U.S. Army will spend $50 million to upgrade its video game training system. DARWARS Ambush, the current first-person shooter (FPS) video game, teaches soldiers how to handle ambushes and roadside attacks, but is limited in the number of players it can host. The new game in development, Game After Ambush, builds on it, promising to integrate real world data and allow trainers to modify the game on-the-fly. More specifically,
Soldiers will be able to drive virtual vehicles, fire virtual weapons, pilot virtual unmanned aerial vehicles and do "most anything a soldier does" in a virtual battle space as large as 100 kilometers by 100 kilometers
Despite the confidence of the Army in video game training for soldiers, work on Game After Ambush is expected to begin only in 2010 and finish five years later.
On the consumer side, the official Army video game America's Army lets regular people experience life in the military. Launched in 2002 as a recruiting tool, it has spawned 25 sequels and has become as popular as commercial video games like Counter-Strike and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six. There are over 9 million registered users
America's Army Screenshot
Siri Pinter: Carson Daly's Pregnant Girlfriend (Photos)
Siri Pinter is Carson Daly's girlfriend . She works as a writer's assistant on his show, "Last Call with Carson Daly", and is five months pregnant with the nightly TV host's child. Before joining "Last Call", she was a production assistant for "Nobody's Watching" and an assistant to producers on "Frasier."
In an interview last year, Siri Pinter revealed that she is Dutch, but recently pretended to be British while on vacation in Hong Kong. She also mentioned that her cousin looks like Carson Daly and was even asked who would play his love interest in a possible movie.
In time for the story to break, Siri Pinter took her blog offline and also took down her Facebook profile so not much more information is available on her.
For his part, Carson Daly's representative released a formulaic statement on the matter: "Carson is thrilled to be a father and they are looking forward to an extra special Thanksgiving this year with family and friends."
Siri Pinter Photos
Siri Pinter: Carson Daly's Pregnant Girlfriend
Siri Pinter Naps under Desk
Siri Pinter on Couch
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Trism iPhone Game Nets Quarter Million
Trism has earned its developer over $250,000 since it was released in July. The Apple iPhone puzzle game asks players to arrange triangles of the same color in certain configurations to earn points somewhat like the classic Bejeweled. Taking advantage of the iPhone's tilt sensor, however, Trism allows you to shift triangles simply by tilting the phone.
Sold on the online App Store for $4.99, Trism quickly sold tens of thousands of copies and allowed Steve Demeter to quick his day job as an ATM software designer. Now, he runs an iPhone game development company, Demiforce, which has five games in the pipeline.
Perhaps in anticipation of the upcoming Christmas release of the sequel, Trismology, Trism has been discounted to $2.99. Not to be forgotten, the competition in the iPhone game space has almost doubled in two months time with 1500 games available in the App Store from 900.
Trism Game Demonstration Video
Labels: Money
Adam Guerbuez Fined $900M for Facebook Spam
Adam Guerbuez has been fined $873 million for spamming Facebook. The Canadian entrepreneur and his company, Atlantis Blue Capital, recently lost a four month legal battle in a San Jose court and are liable for statutory and aggravated statutory damages summing up to almost $900 billion under the CAN-SPAM Act.
In March and April, Adam Guerbuez sent four million emails advertising drugs and adult products to Facebook users. He managed to compromise users' accounts and send messages to their friends and Wall posts asking them to visit certain websites selling those products.
Although Adam Guerbuez did not show up to defend himself in court, Facebook's attorney are looking for him: "We know where he is and where he lives and we're looking for him to execute the judgment." He lives in Montreal, Canada. Although they don't expect to collect on the full judgment, Guerbuez appears to have "substantial resources."
Of course, Adam Guerbuez has also been banned from using Facebook.
Labels: Technology
Monday, November 24, 2008
Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt Wedding (Photos)
Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are married. The couple from MTV's "The Hills" eloped to Mexico and were married in a private ceremony on November 20. Their courtship was documented in season two of their reality TV series and continued through later seasons despite occasional troubles.
At their marriage ceremony in Cabos San Lucas, 22-year-old bride Heidi Montag and 25-year-old groom Spencer Pratt spoke some eloquent vows. Heidi said:
From the moment I met you, I knew I wanted to marry you. I never knew love existed like this. You have opened my eyes and shown me a new world. Every moment with you is magical and amazing. You are truly my prince charming and dream guy. I love you with all my heart and soul and promise to be the best wife to you every day for the rest of our lives. I can't wait to see what life brings us. I will always be by your side!
For his part, Spencer adoringly replied:
Heidi, from the moment you came into my life, I knew my life would never be the same without you. You are the light in my life like the sun to the earth! Your loving warmth makes me want to be a better person. Being with you, I feel complete. I'm honored to even be able to call you my wife. You are the most amazing, loving and caring woman on this planet. I will love you forever and always.
Despite the happy occasion, many observers including Heidi's mother are wondering how long the relationship will last.
Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt Marriage Photos
Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt Married
Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt on Roller Coaster
Hiroshi Nohara Lives at Airport
Hiroshi Nohara is living in an airport terminal. Like Tom Hanks in "The Terminal," the Japanese man is literally eating and sleeping in Mexico's Benito Juarez International Airport. He appears to spend all of his time eating, whether from fast-food restaurant or passenger charity. He lives in the food court and sleeps in a chair.
Asked why he has stayed at the airport for almost three months, Hiroshi Nohara replied, "I don't understand why I'm here. I don't have a reason." The stay has taken its toll: his goatee is wildly unkempt, his clothes are tattered, and he smells unwashed. However, he frequently appears in television interviews, appearing almost daily.
Despite his unorthodox accommodations, Hiroshi Nohara is unmovable until his visa expires in March. He appears set to live life in the terminal until then.
Video: Hiroshi Nohara Interviewed on Mexican TV (Spanish)
Watch "24: Redemption" Online (Video)
"24" begins its seventh season a little early this year with "24: Redemption." The prequel, 2-hour movie sets the stage for season 7 when the TV show returns in full in January and breaks the mold by being set in Africa and Washington, D.C., instead of Los Angeles. After airing last night, the television movie was quickly made available online on various torrent and video sharing sites. U.S. viewers can watch the entire show on FOX on Demand.
On the subject of a "24" movie, executive producer Howard Gordon reveals:
In many ways, this was a dry run for a movie. It gives you an idea of what can be done. We did it on a TV budget, for television and on a TV schedule, so those considerations play into it. However, it did give us some idea for a movie, but again, that movie too is looking for a story.
On Tuesday, in a quick move to take advantage of fan momentum, the DVD of "24: Redemption" will be released with 12 additional minutes of footage. The first 16 minutes of season 7 are also included.
Watch the "Redemption" trailer below for more plot details.
"24: Redemption" Trailer
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Saudi King in Rochester, Spends $1.5 M
Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz was in Rochester, Minnesota last week. The 84-year-old Saudi Arabian monarch was in town, visiting the renowned Mayo Clinic for medical reasons and bringing with him hundreds of staff and relatives. His entourage managed to spend $1.5 million in the short time they were there, cleaning out clothing stores and drinking vintage wines. Five U-Haul trucks were needed to transport their purchases, and two Boeing 747 planes were needed to take them the rest of the way back home.
While in Rochester, King Abdullah stayed at the International Hotel, billed as the only world-class accommodation in the city and located at the top of the Kahler Grand Hotel. Suites at the hotel start at $900 and go all the way up to $3000. Helpfully, the hotel is also connected directly to the Mayo Clinic.
On the free spending ways of the Saudis, the manager of Macy's at the Apache Mall said simply, "It's been good for our store and good for our community here — they spend money." But the Saudi royal family has demanding tastes even checking the silverware at restaurant before deciding to dine there.
Saudi King Rochester Photos
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz
King Abdullah's Lodgings: International Hotel
Labels: Money
Tina Sherman Sues McDonald's over Photos
Tina Sherman is suing McDonald's for leaking nude pictures of her online. The Arkansas housewife and her husband, Phillip Sherman, were at the Fayetteville McDonalds's on July 5, and he left his cell phone at the fast food restaurant while leaving. The store manager assured him that the phone would be kept safe for his retrieval when he called to locate it, but almost immediately, the photos that she had sent to his phone were uploaded onto a website where users discovered her identity, address, and phone number.
After the distribution of her photos online, Tina Sherman started receiving strange phone calls and text messages. She and her husband were forced to move to a new home and are claiming they suffered emotional distress and damage to their reputations. They are seeking $3 million in damages. No photos of her are available anymore online.
