n what's just the latest Facebook phishing scam, hackers on Thursday broke into accounts and sent e-mails to friends urging them to log on to fake Facebook sites, according to new reports and anecdotes from members.
Facebook phishing
The social-networking site is in the process of cleaning up from the hack and is blocking compromised accounts, Reuters reported. "Victims were directed to log back in to the site, but actually logged into the one controlled by the hackers, unwittingly giving away their passwords," Reuters said, adding that the fake domains include www.151.im, www.121.im and www.123.im.
Facebook did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking confirmation and information about the hack. The number of users affected remains unknown, but a Facebook spokesman told The New York Times it "is not widespread and is only impacting a small fraction of a percent of users."
In addition to the scam, Facebook security made the news Thursday in relation to upcoming plans for "verified apps" on the site. Under this program, Facebook will review developer apps for a $375 fee to make sure they fit security and transparency standards, and will award a graphic badge to apps that make the cut.
Obama names Dr. Thomas Frieden as director of CDC
Reporting from Washington -- President Barack Obama today named Dr. Thomas Frieden, currently commissioner of the New York City Health Department, to serve as director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Rich Besser, who has served as an unusually high-profile acting CDC director throughout weeks of government response to the emergence of a new strain of flu, will stay to run the Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, which he has overseen for four years, the White House said today.
"America relies on a strong public health system, and the work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is critical to our mission to preserve and protect the health and safety of our citizens,'' Obama said in a statement issued this morning.
Calling Frieden "an expert in preparedness and response to health emergencies,'' the president said that the New York health commissioner "has been at the forefront of the fight against heart disease, cancer and obesity, infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and AIDS, and in the establishment of electronic health records'' as well as a "leader'' care in health reform.
"His experiences confronting public health challenges in our country and abroad will be essential in this new role,'' Obama said.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and the president also praised Besser for his handling of the H1N1 flu, which in several weeks has spread from 20 known cases inside the United States to today's CDC-reported count of 4,298 confirmed or probable cases in 46 states and the District of Columbia. Three deaths in the U.S. also have been attributed to the disease.
Frieden will start in June, the White House said.
Frieden has run one of the nation's largest public health agencies, in New York, since January 2002. The White House credits him with leading efforts to reduce smoking, increase cancer screening and combat AIDS.
Frieden had served at the CDC from 1990 to 2002. In the early 1990s, as an Epidemiologic Intelligence Service Officer, he investigated issues such as a spread of drug-resistant tuberculosis, according to the White House.
He holds medical and public health from Columbia University and completed infectious disease training at Yale University and has written more than 200 scientific articles.
Dr. Rich Besser, who has served as an unusually high-profile acting CDC director throughout weeks of government response to the emergence of a new strain of flu, will stay to run the Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, which he has overseen for four years, the White House said today.
"America relies on a strong public health system, and the work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is critical to our mission to preserve and protect the health and safety of our citizens,'' Obama said in a statement issued this morning.
Calling Frieden "an expert in preparedness and response to health emergencies,'' the president said that the New York health commissioner "has been at the forefront of the fight against heart disease, cancer and obesity, infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and AIDS, and in the establishment of electronic health records'' as well as a "leader'' care in health reform.
"His experiences confronting public health challenges in our country and abroad will be essential in this new role,'' Obama said.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and the president also praised Besser for his handling of the H1N1 flu, which in several weeks has spread from 20 known cases inside the United States to today's CDC-reported count of 4,298 confirmed or probable cases in 46 states and the District of Columbia. Three deaths in the U.S. also have been attributed to the disease.
Frieden will start in June, the White House said.
Frieden has run one of the nation's largest public health agencies, in New York, since January 2002. The White House credits him with leading efforts to reduce smoking, increase cancer screening and combat AIDS.
Frieden had served at the CDC from 1990 to 2002. In the early 1990s, as an Epidemiologic Intelligence Service Officer, he investigated issues such as a spread of drug-resistant tuberculosis, according to the White House.
He holds medical and public health from Columbia University and completed infectious disease training at Yale University and has written more than 200 scientific articles.
Viruses now penetrating deeper
New malware variants have taken researchers by surprise by adapting new "stealth" methods to penetrate systems deeper so as to avoid detection, according to Kaspersky Lab.
The antivirus company said in a video conference Wednesday, a new variant of botnet, Sinowal--also known as Torpig--marks the first time cybercriminals have used such sophisticated methods.
Kaspersky said Sinowal writes itself to the user's hard drive master boot record (MBR), the operating system's lowest level, and has been successful in avoiding detection by antivirus products.
It said the worm has has over the last month been actively spreading through a number of methods including Web sites exploiting the Neosploit rootkit and a vulnerability in PDF software, Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Konstantin Sapronov, head, virus lab, China, Kaspersky, said new methods of infiltration have also rendered it nearly impossible for users to avoid infection, even if they are careful. Seemingly clean sites can also perform backend redirection to malware-ridden sites.
Sapronov said Web malware authors have favored redirection exploits on Web apps and search fields, like iFrame attacks during 2008, compared to 2007 which saw more Trojan horses and droppers being used.
The Web has also overtaken e-mail as the top transport medium for viruses, with the number of infected sites growing 300 percent in 2008, he said.
The antivirus company said in a video conference Wednesday, a new variant of botnet, Sinowal--also known as Torpig--marks the first time cybercriminals have used such sophisticated methods.
Kaspersky said Sinowal writes itself to the user's hard drive master boot record (MBR), the operating system's lowest level, and has been successful in avoiding detection by antivirus products.
It said the worm has has over the last month been actively spreading through a number of methods including Web sites exploiting the Neosploit rootkit and a vulnerability in PDF software, Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Konstantin Sapronov, head, virus lab, China, Kaspersky, said new methods of infiltration have also rendered it nearly impossible for users to avoid infection, even if they are careful. Seemingly clean sites can also perform backend redirection to malware-ridden sites.
Sapronov said Web malware authors have favored redirection exploits on Web apps and search fields, like iFrame attacks during 2008, compared to 2007 which saw more Trojan horses and droppers being used.
The Web has also overtaken e-mail as the top transport medium for viruses, with the number of infected sites growing 300 percent in 2008, he said.
Swine flu infects the net
HEALTH WEBSITES have had a bad case of swine flu fever over recent weeks as hypochondriacs walloped the sites to learn if their sniffles were something a bit more serious.
According to the AP, Internet traffic to the website of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention soared in April as Americans searched for information about swine flu.
Comscore said the number of unique US visitors to CDC.gov rose by 142 per cent in April compared with the previous month to 5.7 million.
Jack Flanagan, executive vice president of Comscore Media Metrix said that when news of the swine flu pandemic erupted, many Americans turned to the Internet as their primary source of information for how to keep themselves and their families safe.
As a result many of them may now think they are suffering from either swine flu or the bubonic plague when all they really have is a slight case of the spring sniffles.
According to the AP, Internet traffic to the website of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention soared in April as Americans searched for information about swine flu.
Comscore said the number of unique US visitors to CDC.gov rose by 142 per cent in April compared with the previous month to 5.7 million.
Jack Flanagan, executive vice president of Comscore Media Metrix said that when news of the swine flu pandemic erupted, many Americans turned to the Internet as their primary source of information for how to keep themselves and their families safe.
As a result many of them may now think they are suffering from either swine flu or the bubonic plague when all they really have is a slight case of the spring sniffles.
Microsoft, China's Hangzhou set 'model city' pact
SHANGHAI -
Microsoft Corp. announced a partnership aimed at helping make the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou a model for innovation and protection of intellectual property, in the company's latest attempt to combat rampant software piracy.
A three-year agreement signed Friday calls for setting up two new centers in Hangzhou to focus on developing the local technology industry. Microsoft will provide curriculum support, technology and training for teachers at Hangzhou Normal University through an institute set up to nurture local innovation.
"Partnering with leading IT companies like Microsoft will greatly boost Hangzhou's innovative capabilities and help us build a model information technology city in China," Cai Qi, Hangzhou's mayor, said in a statement.
No dollar figure was announced for the plan. Spending will be above the roughly $1 billion the company pledged in November to spend on research and development in China over the following three years.
The deal came after Hangzhou pledged to improve its enforcement of anti-piracy laws and promote the use of legitimate, non-pirated software by individuals, government offices and companies based in the city, which is west of Shanghai.
Software, movie and music makers, among many industries, say they lose billions of dollars each year to counterfeited and pirated products.
The deal calls for the two sides to set up a working team from both sides that will hold regular meetings to assess progress in that area, Alec Cooper, general manager of Microsoft Greater China's "Genuine Software Initiative," told reporters in a conference call.
"There is some degree of piracy in virtually every country around the world. We said, here's what we think are the best practices and here's what we think will work in China, and make it a more positive approach," Cooper said.
He said the partnership will focus on educating local people and businesses on the importance of fighting piracy of software and other intellectual property to their own economic future.
"We think it's an approach that addresses the root of the problem," he said.
Raising consumer awareness was the motivation behind Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage program, which turns the wallpaper of computers using pirated Windows software black and notifies users, urging them to get a legitimate copy.
That effort continues, Cooper said, despite complaints from some Chinese computer users.
Software piracy is still rampant despite individual countries' attempts at cracking down. Research commissioned by the Business Software Alliance, an industry trade group, found that 82 percent of the software used in China in 2007 was not legitimately purchased, more than double the worldwide piracy rate of 38 percent.
But Hangzhou, one of China's wealthiest cities, is seeking to build up its technology industries as it shifts away from textile making and other traditional manufacturing.
"They understand that to get the best companies in the world to be located in Hangzhou ... companies need to feel comfortable about their intellectual property," Cooper said, adding that Microsoft may seek such arrangements with other cities in the future.
Microsoft Corp. announced a partnership aimed at helping make the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou a model for innovation and protection of intellectual property, in the company's latest attempt to combat rampant software piracy.
A three-year agreement signed Friday calls for setting up two new centers in Hangzhou to focus on developing the local technology industry. Microsoft will provide curriculum support, technology and training for teachers at Hangzhou Normal University through an institute set up to nurture local innovation.
"Partnering with leading IT companies like Microsoft will greatly boost Hangzhou's innovative capabilities and help us build a model information technology city in China," Cai Qi, Hangzhou's mayor, said in a statement.
No dollar figure was announced for the plan. Spending will be above the roughly $1 billion the company pledged in November to spend on research and development in China over the following three years.
The deal came after Hangzhou pledged to improve its enforcement of anti-piracy laws and promote the use of legitimate, non-pirated software by individuals, government offices and companies based in the city, which is west of Shanghai.
Software, movie and music makers, among many industries, say they lose billions of dollars each year to counterfeited and pirated products.
The deal calls for the two sides to set up a working team from both sides that will hold regular meetings to assess progress in that area, Alec Cooper, general manager of Microsoft Greater China's "Genuine Software Initiative," told reporters in a conference call.
"There is some degree of piracy in virtually every country around the world. We said, here's what we think are the best practices and here's what we think will work in China, and make it a more positive approach," Cooper said.
He said the partnership will focus on educating local people and businesses on the importance of fighting piracy of software and other intellectual property to their own economic future.
"We think it's an approach that addresses the root of the problem," he said.
Raising consumer awareness was the motivation behind Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage program, which turns the wallpaper of computers using pirated Windows software black and notifies users, urging them to get a legitimate copy.
That effort continues, Cooper said, despite complaints from some Chinese computer users.
Software piracy is still rampant despite individual countries' attempts at cracking down. Research commissioned by the Business Software Alliance, an industry trade group, found that 82 percent of the software used in China in 2007 was not legitimately purchased, more than double the worldwide piracy rate of 38 percent.
But Hangzhou, one of China's wealthiest cities, is seeking to build up its technology industries as it shifts away from textile making and other traditional manufacturing.
"They understand that to get the best companies in the world to be located in Hangzhou ... companies need to feel comfortable about their intellectual property," Cooper said, adding that Microsoft may seek such arrangements with other cities in the future.
Felon stalked woman on Web before stabbing her in public, cops say; dying victim whispered his name
An ex-con was charged Thursday with the fatal-attraction stabbing of a Bronx woman he wooed on the Internet and ambushed on a park bench - after the dying victim whispered his name to cops, police said.
Nimzay Aponte, 23, was close to death at Lincoln Hospital when she told cops at her bedside, "Mike did it," police said.
"Mike" was the screen name used by violent Bronx felon Raymond Dennis, 35, on the Internet dating site Local-Hookupz.com, cops said.
Investigators believe Dennis flew into a rage when Aponte refused to meet him in person after the pair chatted online through Local Hookupz and AOL Instant Messenger.
A convicted drug dealer with more than a dozen arrests, Dennis allegedly tracked Aponte to a job fair she was attending in the Bronx on Monday.
He found her outside the job fair, chatting with a group of men and women.
"Isn't this lovely?" Dennis fumed at Aponte, according to police sources. "What's this? Some kind of double date?"
Dennis stormed off, but the following day, he returned to the facility inside St.Mary's Park with a knife, cops said.
He spotted his Internet crush chatting with another guy on a park bench.
Enraged, he crept up behind the pair and stabbed the man in the leg before plunging his knife into Aponte's lower back and side, police said.
"I told you not to lie!" Dennis screamed before fleeing, sources said.
Aponte was fatally wounded. Her 25-year-old pal survived.
Armed with Dennis' screen name, cops tracked him down at the corner of Webster and Tremont Aves. Thursday. He was charged with murder, criminal possession of a weapon and assault.
Aponte's longtime friend and roommate, Carbet Tapia, 24, said Aponte told her Dennis was "a crackhead" and a stalker who had threatened her the day before she was stabbed.
Tragically, Aponte considered him harmless and just "an annoyance."
"The day before she was murdered, this guy confronted Nimzay and the guy in the same park where she was killed," Tapia said. "He said he didn't want to see her with another guy."
It wasn't the first time Dennis had allegedly attacked a woman.
Last October, he was busted for punching a woman in the face so hard she spit blood, police said. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four months behind bars.
In 2007, he threatened ex-wife Rashida Dunne, who had an order of protection against him. "I'm going to take you off this Earth," he told her in a phone call.
He pleaded guilty to harassment and was sentenced to a conditional discharge.
Nimzay Aponte, 23, was close to death at Lincoln Hospital when she told cops at her bedside, "Mike did it," police said.
"Mike" was the screen name used by violent Bronx felon Raymond Dennis, 35, on the Internet dating site Local-Hookupz.com, cops said.
Investigators believe Dennis flew into a rage when Aponte refused to meet him in person after the pair chatted online through Local Hookupz and AOL Instant Messenger.
A convicted drug dealer with more than a dozen arrests, Dennis allegedly tracked Aponte to a job fair she was attending in the Bronx on Monday.
He found her outside the job fair, chatting with a group of men and women.
"Isn't this lovely?" Dennis fumed at Aponte, according to police sources. "What's this? Some kind of double date?"
Dennis stormed off, but the following day, he returned to the facility inside St.Mary's Park with a knife, cops said.
He spotted his Internet crush chatting with another guy on a park bench.
Enraged, he crept up behind the pair and stabbed the man in the leg before plunging his knife into Aponte's lower back and side, police said.
"I told you not to lie!" Dennis screamed before fleeing, sources said.
Aponte was fatally wounded. Her 25-year-old pal survived.
Armed with Dennis' screen name, cops tracked him down at the corner of Webster and Tremont Aves. Thursday. He was charged with murder, criminal possession of a weapon and assault.
Aponte's longtime friend and roommate, Carbet Tapia, 24, said Aponte told her Dennis was "a crackhead" and a stalker who had threatened her the day before she was stabbed.
Tragically, Aponte considered him harmless and just "an annoyance."
"The day before she was murdered, this guy confronted Nimzay and the guy in the same park where she was killed," Tapia said. "He said he didn't want to see her with another guy."
It wasn't the first time Dennis had allegedly attacked a woman.
Last October, he was busted for punching a woman in the face so hard she spit blood, police said. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four months behind bars.
In 2007, he threatened ex-wife Rashida Dunne, who had an order of protection against him. "I'm going to take you off this Earth," he told her in a phone call.
He pleaded guilty to harassment and was sentenced to a conditional discharge.
Mayor Bloomberg on hot seat in harassment case against Bloomberg L.P.
was grilled for five hours Thursday about claims that his company discriminates against women who try to take maternity leave.
The closed-door session allowed lawyers suing Bloomberg L.P. to ask the mayor about claims that more than 80 pregnant women were harassed, demoted or fired if they took leave.
"Mr. Bloomberg does pride himself as a hands-on, detail-oriented owner, businessman and now mayor," said Richard Roth, the lawyer for five of the women. "We are determining if and when Mr. Bloomberg became aware of these issues, whether they were happening under his watch and if so, what he did about them."
Bloomberg is not a defendant in the lawsuit, and his company has denied the allegations.
Roth said the mayor was cooperative, cool and collected during the session.
Bloomberg came to the meeting straight from a speech at the New York Women's Foundation, which Bloomberg's company has donated to for 12 years.
"It's been a very exciting week for me and New York women," the mayor said.
The closed-door session allowed lawyers suing Bloomberg L.P. to ask the mayor about claims that more than 80 pregnant women were harassed, demoted or fired if they took leave.
"Mr. Bloomberg does pride himself as a hands-on, detail-oriented owner, businessman and now mayor," said Richard Roth, the lawyer for five of the women. "We are determining if and when Mr. Bloomberg became aware of these issues, whether they were happening under his watch and if so, what he did about them."
Bloomberg is not a defendant in the lawsuit, and his company has denied the allegations.
Roth said the mayor was cooperative, cool and collected during the session.
Bloomberg came to the meeting straight from a speech at the New York Women's Foundation, which Bloomberg's company has donated to for 12 years.
"It's been a very exciting week for me and New York women," the mayor said.
Wenger won't rule out selling stars to rivals
LONDON (AFP) – Arsene Wenger admits he would consider selling star players including Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor to Arsenal's Premier League rivals if the price is right.
Adebayor has endured a difficult season after failing to recapture last season's form and hinting he would be ready to leave Arsenal if a top club came in for him.
Many Arsenal fans feel Adebayor only stayed at the Emirates Stadium because he couldn't get a better offer and the out-spoken forward has been jeered by his own supporters several times this season.
Chelsea are the latest club to show interest in Adebayor and Wenger, speaking at a fans' forum on Thursday, conceded he would sell any player if he felt it would improve the team.
"I don't want to go especially into any individual assessment of who we want to keep and who not, at the moment, and normally Adebayor is part of our plans for the future," he said.
"If I feel that a player should go, or could go, why not sell him to one of the other top four?
"Yes, of course, it's unusual, but we sold Ashley Cole to Chelsea and we bought William Gallas (from Chelsea) so you can never say I never do it because I've already done it."
Adebayor's lacklustre displays in the Champions League semi-final defeat to Manchester United caused fans to boo him during Sunday's defeat against Chelsea and Wenger knows the negative comments have taken their toll.
"I believe he has been disturbed by bad feelings from the fans because he was close to leaving and it unsettled him a little bit," he continued.
"He had a big injury but in training he looks very, very sharp and is coming back to his best."
Wenger hit back at those fans who claim Adebayor encapsulates the team's lack of heart to come-back when they are struggling.
"It is easy to sit in the stand and say that they are not up for the fight," Wenger said. "What they have done in this season in a negative environment shows what they can do.
"There is a massive difference between the away fans, who are absolutely fantastic, and the home ones. It is always that negative way of thinking, that the players do not care.
If we do not get there next year playing in this style then I am responsible and will stand up for it. But what this team needs is people who are fans of the club."
Although Arsenal have now gone four seasons without a trophy and never threatened to challenge for the Premier League this season, Wenger mounted a staunch defence of his policy of blooding young players instead of signing more experienced stars.
"I believe every manager has the same problem, to manage within his own resources," Wenger said.
"I look now like I do not want to spend money, but I have nothing against spending money.
"I just feel we have a team who can be very competitive and we want, as always, to manage this club within its resources. I will do that.
"If you want me to get the club bust, I am not the person to do that, that is for sure."
Adebayor has endured a difficult season after failing to recapture last season's form and hinting he would be ready to leave Arsenal if a top club came in for him.
Many Arsenal fans feel Adebayor only stayed at the Emirates Stadium because he couldn't get a better offer and the out-spoken forward has been jeered by his own supporters several times this season.
Chelsea are the latest club to show interest in Adebayor and Wenger, speaking at a fans' forum on Thursday, conceded he would sell any player if he felt it would improve the team.
"I don't want to go especially into any individual assessment of who we want to keep and who not, at the moment, and normally Adebayor is part of our plans for the future," he said.
"If I feel that a player should go, or could go, why not sell him to one of the other top four?
"Yes, of course, it's unusual, but we sold Ashley Cole to Chelsea and we bought William Gallas (from Chelsea) so you can never say I never do it because I've already done it."
Adebayor's lacklustre displays in the Champions League semi-final defeat to Manchester United caused fans to boo him during Sunday's defeat against Chelsea and Wenger knows the negative comments have taken their toll.
"I believe he has been disturbed by bad feelings from the fans because he was close to leaving and it unsettled him a little bit," he continued.
"He had a big injury but in training he looks very, very sharp and is coming back to his best."
Wenger hit back at those fans who claim Adebayor encapsulates the team's lack of heart to come-back when they are struggling.
"It is easy to sit in the stand and say that they are not up for the fight," Wenger said. "What they have done in this season in a negative environment shows what they can do.
"There is a massive difference between the away fans, who are absolutely fantastic, and the home ones. It is always that negative way of thinking, that the players do not care.
If we do not get there next year playing in this style then I am responsible and will stand up for it. But what this team needs is people who are fans of the club."
Although Arsenal have now gone four seasons without a trophy and never threatened to challenge for the Premier League this season, Wenger mounted a staunch defence of his policy of blooding young players instead of signing more experienced stars.
"I believe every manager has the same problem, to manage within his own resources," Wenger said.
"I look now like I do not want to spend money, but I have nothing against spending money.
"I just feel we have a team who can be very competitive and we want, as always, to manage this club within its resources. I will do that.
"If you want me to get the club bust, I am not the person to do that, that is for sure."
Google apology for slow service
Google apologised for what it called a "traffic jam" that resulted in slow service or even interruption on the internet search giant's main page.
Gmail and Google's news site were also reported as "sluggish" or unavailable to millions of users for about an hour.
This is not the first time the company has faced such problems.
"An error in one of our systems caused us to direct some of our traffic through Asia," said Urs Hoelzle, a spokesman for the company.
"As a result, about 14% of our users experienced slow services or even interruptions," he said. "We've been working hard to make our services ultrafast and 'always on', so it's especially embarrassing when a glitch like this one happens.
"We're very sorry that it happened, and you can be sure that we'll be working even harder to make sure that a similar problem won't happen again," said Mr Hoelzle, Google's senior vice president of operations.
Sympathy
The outage has called into question the reliability of web-based services.
Google's "efforts to have some of their services, in particular their apps, and to a less extent Gmail, treated as serious business services that one can use instead of locally installed and maintained apps could be seriously undermined by a major outage like that," said Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research.
at googolplex crossing
Early reports claimed a denial of service attack was to blame
"This is bad news for Google's efforts to build up Apps, and to a less extent, Gmail, as critical business tools. If the mighty Google can stumble, then who can be trusted?" Mr Gottheil told Computerworld.com
Other industry watchers say the interruption might cause businesses to reconsider using these services.
"Maybe companies that are thinking about a cloud strategy - such as Google Apps - need to look into backup clouds" said Sam Diaz, a senior editor at technology news site ZDNet.
On the microblogging service Twitter the service failure became a major topic of discussion.
"Funny how something we lived without for the longest time is suddenly something we can't live without," tweeted simonnet.
While k_sasha tweeted "Sympathies to the Google servers. Happens to everyone. But this is why the world needs more than one search engine."
Napolebsis posted "The Google outage endorses my recent decision to move some services back to offline apps."
This is not the first time that Google has had technical problems.
In February 2009, Google's Gmail service experienced a breakdown leaving millions of people worldwide without access to the free web-based e-mail service for a few hours.
In January, the internet company was hit by technical problems resulting in users being unable to access search results.
Gmail and Google's news site were also reported as "sluggish" or unavailable to millions of users for about an hour.
This is not the first time the company has faced such problems.
"An error in one of our systems caused us to direct some of our traffic through Asia," said Urs Hoelzle, a spokesman for the company.
"As a result, about 14% of our users experienced slow services or even interruptions," he said. "We've been working hard to make our services ultrafast and 'always on', so it's especially embarrassing when a glitch like this one happens.
"We're very sorry that it happened, and you can be sure that we'll be working even harder to make sure that a similar problem won't happen again," said Mr Hoelzle, Google's senior vice president of operations.
Sympathy
The outage has called into question the reliability of web-based services.
Google's "efforts to have some of their services, in particular their apps, and to a less extent Gmail, treated as serious business services that one can use instead of locally installed and maintained apps could be seriously undermined by a major outage like that," said Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research.
at googolplex crossing
Early reports claimed a denial of service attack was to blame
"This is bad news for Google's efforts to build up Apps, and to a less extent, Gmail, as critical business tools. If the mighty Google can stumble, then who can be trusted?" Mr Gottheil told Computerworld.com
Other industry watchers say the interruption might cause businesses to reconsider using these services.
"Maybe companies that are thinking about a cloud strategy - such as Google Apps - need to look into backup clouds" said Sam Diaz, a senior editor at technology news site ZDNet.
On the microblogging service Twitter the service failure became a major topic of discussion.
"Funny how something we lived without for the longest time is suddenly something we can't live without," tweeted simonnet.
While k_sasha tweeted "Sympathies to the Google servers. Happens to everyone. But this is why the world needs more than one search engine."
Napolebsis posted "The Google outage endorses my recent decision to move some services back to offline apps."
This is not the first time that Google has had technical problems.
In February 2009, Google's Gmail service experienced a breakdown leaving millions of people worldwide without access to the free web-based e-mail service for a few hours.
In January, the internet company was hit by technical problems resulting in users being unable to access search results.
'Hurt' Wenger left deflated
Gunners boss labels result the 'most disappointing defeat' Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger felt his side 'gave the game away' after they slumped to a UEFA Champions league semi-final exit against Manchester United.
The Gunners were looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit in the second leg at Emirates Stadium but two early goals handed United a huge advantage, and the visitors ultimately ran out 4-1 winners on aggregate.
Wenger could not hide his frustration after the final whistle and conceded the loss was 'hard to swallow' as the club were condemned to a fourth season in a row without silverware.
"It's the most disappointing defeat. The fans were up for a big night and to disappoint people, it hurts really," Wenger said.
"The most difficult thing for me is that we have the feeling that we never played in the semi-final.
"We started quite well but the most disappointing thing was that the game was over before it started. That is hard to swallow.
"We can only look at ourselves. It's very disappointing to fight such a long way and then to give the game away like we did.
"We don't blame individuals but it's like that. We conceded two in three minutes and that's too much against a side that defends well and which likes to counter attack."
The Gunners were looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit in the second leg at Emirates Stadium but two early goals handed United a huge advantage, and the visitors ultimately ran out 4-1 winners on aggregate.
Wenger could not hide his frustration after the final whistle and conceded the loss was 'hard to swallow' as the club were condemned to a fourth season in a row without silverware.
"It's the most disappointing defeat. The fans were up for a big night and to disappoint people, it hurts really," Wenger said.
"The most difficult thing for me is that we have the feeling that we never played in the semi-final.
"We started quite well but the most disappointing thing was that the game was over before it started. That is hard to swallow.
"We can only look at ourselves. It's very disappointing to fight such a long way and then to give the game away like we did.
"We don't blame individuals but it's like that. We conceded two in three minutes and that's too much against a side that defends well and which likes to counter attack."
First lady: 'Sesame Street' tops everything so far
Inauguration Day? Nope. First puppy? Negative. Triumphal tour of Europe? Not even. First lady Michelle Obama called her appearance Tuesday on "Sesame Street" probably the best thing she's done since arriving in the White House.
At the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, she thanked the diplomats and staff members promoting her husband's new foreign policy of global engagement.
"I'm thrilled to be here, but I was just at 'Sesame Street' — I'm sorry," she said. "And I never thought I'd be on 'Sesame Street' with Elmo and Big Bird and I was thrilled. I'm still thrilled. I'm on a high."
"I think it's probably the best thing I've done so far in the White House. But we were there talking about nutrition and healthy eating, and it's just been a thrill," Mrs. Obama said.
On a more serious note, she stressed that the work of some 150 U.S. Mission staff at the U.N. was more important than ever as President Barack Obama pursues "a new era of engagement."
As the swine flu outbreak clearly demonstrates, she said, "we know now that we cannot wall ourself off from issues that are challenging our neighbors."
"This new policy recognizes that America's future is intricately linked to the rest of the world, that the threats facing the global community know no borders, and no single country can tackle them alone," Mrs. Obama said.
The first lady was introduced by Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, who called the first lady "a regular human being ... down to earth, funny, charming and wicked smart."
The first lady, on her first trip to New York since the inauguration, was wearing the scoop-neck dress that she wore to the prayer service the day after the inauguration.
She said her husband had received a letter from the son of one U.S. Mission staffer, Scott Turner.
"Can you move to New York?" she quoted first grader Jack Turner. "People are doing bad stuff in New York. I will help you get the bad people and when I catch the bad people I will put them in jail. That's why I want you to move to New York."
"Well, ladies and gentlemen," Mrs. Obama quipped, "I think we've identified the new future New York police commissioner."
At the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, she thanked the diplomats and staff members promoting her husband's new foreign policy of global engagement.
"I'm thrilled to be here, but I was just at 'Sesame Street' — I'm sorry," she said. "And I never thought I'd be on 'Sesame Street' with Elmo and Big Bird and I was thrilled. I'm still thrilled. I'm on a high."
"I think it's probably the best thing I've done so far in the White House. But we were there talking about nutrition and healthy eating, and it's just been a thrill," Mrs. Obama said.
On a more serious note, she stressed that the work of some 150 U.S. Mission staff at the U.N. was more important than ever as President Barack Obama pursues "a new era of engagement."
As the swine flu outbreak clearly demonstrates, she said, "we know now that we cannot wall ourself off from issues that are challenging our neighbors."
"This new policy recognizes that America's future is intricately linked to the rest of the world, that the threats facing the global community know no borders, and no single country can tackle them alone," Mrs. Obama said.
The first lady was introduced by Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, who called the first lady "a regular human being ... down to earth, funny, charming and wicked smart."
The first lady, on her first trip to New York since the inauguration, was wearing the scoop-neck dress that she wore to the prayer service the day after the inauguration.
She said her husband had received a letter from the son of one U.S. Mission staffer, Scott Turner.
"Can you move to New York?" she quoted first grader Jack Turner. "People are doing bad stuff in New York. I will help you get the bad people and when I catch the bad people I will put them in jail. That's why I want you to move to New York."
"Well, ladies and gentlemen," Mrs. Obama quipped, "I think we've identified the new future New York police commissioner."
SIR ALEX FERGUSONS GRANDCHILDREN BADLY HURT IN HEAD-ON CAR CRASH
Sir Alex Ferguson at a press conference on Monday. His grandchildren were seriously injured in a car crash
Sir Alex Ferguson' s grandchildren were seriously injured in a head-on crash yesterday.
Charlie, ten, and Grace, six, were being driven to school bytheir mother Nadine when their Vauxhall Corsa collided with a FordFiesta.
It took firemen almost an hour to cut Mrs Ferguson free from the car.
The 30-year-old - ex-wife of the Manchester United boss's son Darren - suffered a shattered pelvis and broken leg.
Paramedics treated her at the scene and took her to hospital when her condition worsened.
Charlie was sitting in the front passenger seat and smashed hisforehead against the dashboard. It is believed he was not sitting on abooster seat.
His sister, sitting behind him, was also not thought to be on a booster seat and suffered cuts and bruises.
All three were said by doctors to be in a serious condition in hospital last night.
The two children were being treated in Macclesfield Hospital and their mother in Wythenshawe Hospital in South Manchester.
The accident took place in the Cheshire village of Lower Withington, near the family's home.
One witness said: 'Nadine kept saying that she was in a lot of pain and was really upset to be separated from her children.
'Herboy had a really nasty cut on his forehead and was screaming as theambulance man was trying to treat him. It looked like a real mess asthe cars both had to be cut by firefighters.'
Arsenal 1 United 3 (agg 1-4): Ronaldo and Park blow away GunnersSame again for Sir Alex! Manchester United boss eyes second straight Champions League title MANCHESTER UN ITED FC
Sir Alex Ferguson' s grandchildren were seriously injured in a head-on crash yesterday.
Charlie, ten, and Grace, six, were being driven to school bytheir mother Nadine when their Vauxhall Corsa collided with a FordFiesta.
It took firemen almost an hour to cut Mrs Ferguson free from the car.
The 30-year-old - ex-wife of the Manchester United boss's son Darren - suffered a shattered pelvis and broken leg.
Paramedics treated her at the scene and took her to hospital when her condition worsened.
Charlie was sitting in the front passenger seat and smashed hisforehead against the dashboard. It is believed he was not sitting on abooster seat.
His sister, sitting behind him, was also not thought to be on a booster seat and suffered cuts and bruises.
All three were said by doctors to be in a serious condition in hospital last night.
The two children were being treated in Macclesfield Hospital and their mother in Wythenshawe Hospital in South Manchester.
The accident took place in the Cheshire village of Lower Withington, near the family's home.
One witness said: 'Nadine kept saying that she was in a lot of pain and was really upset to be separated from her children.
'Herboy had a really nasty cut on his forehead and was screaming as theambulance man was trying to treat him. It looked like a real mess asthe cars both had to be cut by firefighters.'
Arsenal 1 United 3 (agg 1-4): Ronaldo and Park blow away GunnersSame again for Sir Alex! Manchester United boss eyes second straight Champions League title MANCHESTER UN ITED FC
Twitter's Security Woes Continue
For the second time in two weeks, microblogging site Twitter has suffered a high-profile security breach, this time at the hands of a hacker who gained access to the accounts of several celebrities' accounts.
A post under the handle "Hacker Croll" appeared on a French Web site containing screen shots of the back end of several Twitter profiles, seemingly taken while logged in as the site's administrator.
Among those targeted: Barack Obama, Britney Spears, and self-anointed Twitter kingpin Ashton Kutcher.
Describing the exploit in an online discussion forum, Hacker Croll wrote, "one of the admins has a yahoo account, i've reset the password by answering to the secret question. Then, in the mailbox, i have found her twitter password."
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In a blog post, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone confirmed the breach but sought to downplay the damage.
"This week, unauthorized access to Twitter was gained by an outside party," Stone wrote. "Our initial security reviews and investigations indicate that no account information was altered or removed in any way. However, we discovered that 10 individual accounts were viewed during this unauthorized access."
Stone said Twitter had notified the 10 people whose accounts had been viewed. He said the company had determined that the hacker was unable to access users' passwords or any direct messages they had sent.
However, the hacker was able to view personal information in the profiles such as an e-mail address, a list of blocked accounts and a cell phone number, if one was associated with the account.
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In response to the breach, Stone said the company would commission a third-party security audit and implement "additional anti-intrusion measures to further safeguard user data."
This week's hack closely follows a worm that spread across Twitter over Easter weekend, infiltrating about 200 accounts and sending out thousands of spam tweets.
Stone did not immediately respond to a request for further comment by press time.
A post under the handle "Hacker Croll" appeared on a French Web site containing screen shots of the back end of several Twitter profiles, seemingly taken while logged in as the site's administrator.
Among those targeted: Barack Obama, Britney Spears, and self-anointed Twitter kingpin Ashton Kutcher.
Describing the exploit in an online discussion forum, Hacker Croll wrote, "one of the admins has a yahoo account, i've reset the password by answering to the secret question. Then, in the mailbox, i have found her twitter password."
RELATED ARTICLES
What Keeps Twitter Chirping Along
Pew: Twitter a Status Symbol on the Web
CNN/Twitter Buy Marks Need for Business Plan
Is Twitter a Fad? Nielsen Says It Just Might Be
Twitter Still Under Siege by Worm
For more stories on this topic:
In a blog post, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone confirmed the breach but sought to downplay the damage.
"This week, unauthorized access to Twitter was gained by an outside party," Stone wrote. "Our initial security reviews and investigations indicate that no account information was altered or removed in any way. However, we discovered that 10 individual accounts were viewed during this unauthorized access."
Stone said Twitter had notified the 10 people whose accounts had been viewed. He said the company had determined that the hacker was unable to access users' passwords or any direct messages they had sent.
However, the hacker was able to view personal information in the profiles such as an e-mail address, a list of blocked accounts and a cell phone number, if one was associated with the account.
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Apple, Google Facing Antitrust Scrutiny: Report
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Apple and Twitter: The Latest Rumored Pairing
In response to the breach, Stone said the company would commission a third-party security audit and implement "additional anti-intrusion measures to further safeguard user data."
This week's hack closely follows a worm that spread across Twitter over Easter weekend, infiltrating about 200 accounts and sending out thousands of spam tweets.
Stone did not immediately respond to a request for further comment by press time.
Africa scrambles to prevent arrival of swine flu
African nations are scrambling to prevent swine flu from reaching a continent already struggling with the burden of AIDS and malaria, fearing an outbreak could wreak much more devastation than in North America or Europe.
There have been no confirmed cases of the virus in Africa, and medical workers have stepped up surveillance at airports and border posts although funds for such efforts are limited. If worst fears are realized, experts say the disease could collapse weak health systems and take a huge human toll.
Some 22 million people are living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, and their weakened immune systems could make them particularly vulnerable to swine flu, especially in rural areas with little access to health facilities.“People living with HIV/AIDS would be much affected by the disease because their immune system is already weak,” said Dr. Sam Zaramba, director of health services in Uganda.
The threat of swine flu also comes as southern African countries are heading into winter when even seasonal influenza causes sickness and death worsened by poverty, lack of decent shelter and food and overcrowding.
Swine flu has killed 29 people in Mexico and two people in the United States. Although the number of deaths is low, there are fears that if the virus spreads, it could mutate into a more dangerous form and that there could be a second, more lethal wave.
‘Overly hysterical response’
And yet, as global attention focuses on swine flu — which has infected more than 1,600 people in more than 20 countries — thousands of Africans die unseen and unnoticed every day of preventable and treatable diseases.
“Why isn’t there such an emergency mobilization against diarrheal diseases which kill 2.5 million children a year?” said David Sanders, professor of public health at the University of the Western Cape. “Maybe it (swine fever) is a huge threat but it does seem to have triggered an overly hysterical response,” he said Tuesday of the global mobilization.
“One can’t help but wonder if there isn’t a North-South divide expressing itself here,” said Sanders, one of South Africa’s top public health experts.
The burden of ill health in Africa is crippling. Nearly 3,000 children die each day of malaria, often for lack of a simple bed net. More than 1,900 people have died and 56,000 people have been sickened since January in a meningitis epidemic that has swept Nigeria, Niger and Chad but gained little international attention.
Interactive map
Infections around the world
A country-by-country look at where the swine flu has spread.
msnbc.com
The chaotic health system in Nigeria has prompted concern about whether authorities in Africa’s most populous nation would be able to trace or control swine flu cases. Zimbabwe struggled to cope with easily treatable cholera, resulting in an epidemic that killed more than 4,000 people and sickened 80,000 — in an ominous sign of what might happen in the event of the swine flu virus taking hold.
The continent’s richest nation, South Africa, is also beset by health problems, with an estimated 1,000 people dying each day from HIV/AIDS and even more become newly infected with the virus. In the worst-hit South Africa urban sprawls, tuberculosis has reached four times the level classified as an emergency by the World Health Organization.
“We are in a country that faces several health emergencies on a regular basis and we have few resources to deal with them,” said Eric Goemaere, a veteran with Medecins Sans Frontieres who cares for people with HIV and TB in a sprawling township near Cape Town. “We just don’t have the luxury to build up stocks of Tamiflu where we have lots of other priorities.”
Burkina Faso’s government, for example, has no stock of Tamiflu but has sent a request to the World Health Organization, according to Dr. Ousmane Badolo, head of department of epidemiologic surveillance at the country’s health ministry.
Doing their best
Despite a lack of Tamiflu stocks and sophisticated surveillance equipment, African countries are doing their best to keep the continent clear of the virus.
Swine flu claims life of first U.S. resident
World’s flu response was hardly hype
Mexico gets some bustle back after flu fears
Flu fears subside, but next wave looms
Mexican player suspended for flu gesture
How swine flu outbreak hopscotched the globe
MSN's swine flu coverage
MSN: How to start preparing for the worst
MSN: How serious is the global threat?
Discuss: How concerned are you?
In Zambia, authorities stationed medical doctors and epidemiologists at border crossing points and international airports for round-the-clock surveillance and held training sessions for airport staff on how to handle suspected flu carriers. Airports near the famed Victoria Falls and the sprawling Luangwa game sanctuary also have established special screening rooms.
Ugandan Health Minister Stephen Malinga said Tuesday that the eastern African nation would oblige all arriving visitors at airports and border posts to fill out forms and would monitor everyone who had visited a country with reported cases of swine fever.
“We take their contacts like phone numbers, addresses of places they’re going. We then tell them about swine flu symptoms and what they should do if they get such symptoms,” Malinga told journalists. He said one hospital near the airport and another in the capital Entebbe had been designated for swine flu cases.
In Ethiopia, the ministry of health has alerted hospitals and regional health bureaus and set up an examination center and 10-bed quarantine unit at the main international airport, according to spokesman Ahmed Emano.
And authorities in South Africa — where two suspected cases tested negative — plan to install a thermal image detection system at the main international airport to check passengers for fever. South Africa is the regional air hub and handles millions of passengers each year. It is expecting an influx of visitors in the coming weeks for sporting events including soccer’s Confederations Cup.
South Africa also had been due to host a big international influenza conference next week, according to Lucille Blumberg, deputy director of South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases.
She said the symposium had now been canceled — delegates said they couldn’t attend because they were too busy.
There have been no confirmed cases of the virus in Africa, and medical workers have stepped up surveillance at airports and border posts although funds for such efforts are limited. If worst fears are realized, experts say the disease could collapse weak health systems and take a huge human toll.
Some 22 million people are living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, and their weakened immune systems could make them particularly vulnerable to swine flu, especially in rural areas with little access to health facilities.“People living with HIV/AIDS would be much affected by the disease because their immune system is already weak,” said Dr. Sam Zaramba, director of health services in Uganda.
The threat of swine flu also comes as southern African countries are heading into winter when even seasonal influenza causes sickness and death worsened by poverty, lack of decent shelter and food and overcrowding.
Swine flu has killed 29 people in Mexico and two people in the United States. Although the number of deaths is low, there are fears that if the virus spreads, it could mutate into a more dangerous form and that there could be a second, more lethal wave.
‘Overly hysterical response’
And yet, as global attention focuses on swine flu — which has infected more than 1,600 people in more than 20 countries — thousands of Africans die unseen and unnoticed every day of preventable and treatable diseases.
“Why isn’t there such an emergency mobilization against diarrheal diseases which kill 2.5 million children a year?” said David Sanders, professor of public health at the University of the Western Cape. “Maybe it (swine fever) is a huge threat but it does seem to have triggered an overly hysterical response,” he said Tuesday of the global mobilization.
“One can’t help but wonder if there isn’t a North-South divide expressing itself here,” said Sanders, one of South Africa’s top public health experts.
The burden of ill health in Africa is crippling. Nearly 3,000 children die each day of malaria, often for lack of a simple bed net. More than 1,900 people have died and 56,000 people have been sickened since January in a meningitis epidemic that has swept Nigeria, Niger and Chad but gained little international attention.
Interactive map
Infections around the world
A country-by-country look at where the swine flu has spread.
msnbc.com
The chaotic health system in Nigeria has prompted concern about whether authorities in Africa’s most populous nation would be able to trace or control swine flu cases. Zimbabwe struggled to cope with easily treatable cholera, resulting in an epidemic that killed more than 4,000 people and sickened 80,000 — in an ominous sign of what might happen in the event of the swine flu virus taking hold.
The continent’s richest nation, South Africa, is also beset by health problems, with an estimated 1,000 people dying each day from HIV/AIDS and even more become newly infected with the virus. In the worst-hit South Africa urban sprawls, tuberculosis has reached four times the level classified as an emergency by the World Health Organization.
“We are in a country that faces several health emergencies on a regular basis and we have few resources to deal with them,” said Eric Goemaere, a veteran with Medecins Sans Frontieres who cares for people with HIV and TB in a sprawling township near Cape Town. “We just don’t have the luxury to build up stocks of Tamiflu where we have lots of other priorities.”
Burkina Faso’s government, for example, has no stock of Tamiflu but has sent a request to the World Health Organization, according to Dr. Ousmane Badolo, head of department of epidemiologic surveillance at the country’s health ministry.
Doing their best
Despite a lack of Tamiflu stocks and sophisticated surveillance equipment, African countries are doing their best to keep the continent clear of the virus.
Swine flu claims life of first U.S. resident
World’s flu response was hardly hype
Mexico gets some bustle back after flu fears
Flu fears subside, but next wave looms
Mexican player suspended for flu gesture
How swine flu outbreak hopscotched the globe
MSN's swine flu coverage
MSN: How to start preparing for the worst
MSN: How serious is the global threat?
Discuss: How concerned are you?
In Zambia, authorities stationed medical doctors and epidemiologists at border crossing points and international airports for round-the-clock surveillance and held training sessions for airport staff on how to handle suspected flu carriers. Airports near the famed Victoria Falls and the sprawling Luangwa game sanctuary also have established special screening rooms.
Ugandan Health Minister Stephen Malinga said Tuesday that the eastern African nation would oblige all arriving visitors at airports and border posts to fill out forms and would monitor everyone who had visited a country with reported cases of swine fever.
“We take their contacts like phone numbers, addresses of places they’re going. We then tell them about swine flu symptoms and what they should do if they get such symptoms,” Malinga told journalists. He said one hospital near the airport and another in the capital Entebbe had been designated for swine flu cases.
In Ethiopia, the ministry of health has alerted hospitals and regional health bureaus and set up an examination center and 10-bed quarantine unit at the main international airport, according to spokesman Ahmed Emano.
And authorities in South Africa — where two suspected cases tested negative — plan to install a thermal image detection system at the main international airport to check passengers for fever. South Africa is the regional air hub and handles millions of passengers each year. It is expecting an influx of visitors in the coming weeks for sporting events including soccer’s Confederations Cup.
South Africa also had been due to host a big international influenza conference next week, according to Lucille Blumberg, deputy director of South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases.
She said the symposium had now been canceled — delegates said they couldn’t attend because they were too busy.
Microsoft lays off workers, more job cuts coming?
SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp said on Tuesday it is laying off more workers, almost completing its plan to cut 5,000 jobs by June 2010, and left the door open for yet more job cuts.
"As we move forward, we will continue to closely monitor the impact of the economic downturn on the company and if necessary, take further actions on our cost structure, including additional job eliminations," Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said in an e-mail to employees on Tuesday.
In January, against a backdrop of falling computer sales and a U.S. recession, Microsoft announced a plan to cut 5,000 jobs, or about 5 percent of its 96,000 staff, over 18 months, in an attempt to save $1.5 billion a year.
Microsoft laid off some workers immediately in January and said on Tuesday that those cuts were "mostly but not all done."
(Reporting by Bill Rigby; Editing by Andre Grenon)
"As we move forward, we will continue to closely monitor the impact of the economic downturn on the company and if necessary, take further actions on our cost structure, including additional job eliminations," Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said in an e-mail to employees on Tuesday.
In January, against a backdrop of falling computer sales and a U.S. recession, Microsoft announced a plan to cut 5,000 jobs, or about 5 percent of its 96,000 staff, over 18 months, in an attempt to save $1.5 billion a year.
Microsoft laid off some workers immediately in January and said on Tuesday that those cuts were "mostly but not all done."
(Reporting by Bill Rigby; Editing by Andre Grenon)
Obama's tax plans raises high-tech hackles
President Barack Obama's plan to impose U.S. taxes on corporate America's overseas profits threatens to open a big crater in the financial statements of technology companies.
While additional taxes are rarely popular, Obama's decision to go after corporate earnings outside the United States is a particularly prickly subject for technology executives because the industry has been steadily boosting its overseas sales amid rising demand for its gadgetry and services.
If Obama's proposal becomes law, the hard-hit companies would include tech bellwethers like Hewlett-Packard Co., IBM Corp., Cisco Systems Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc. Each of those companies realized a benefit of more than $1 billion from lower foreign tax rates in their most recent fiscal years — an advantage that could lost if Obama is able to change the rules.
"It would be like an earthquake for high tech," said Carl Guardino, chief executive of Silicon Valley Leadership Group, an industry trade association. "On a Richter scale of 1 to 10, this would be a 12."
Collectively, HP, IBM, Cisco, Microsoft and Google lowered their tax bills by a combined $7.4 billion in their last fiscal years by taking advantage of lower tax rates outside the United States, according to an analysis by The Associated Press.
Through the years, these five tax companies have avoided U.S. income taxes and foreign withholding taxes on a combined $72 billion in undistributed earnings from their foreign operations.
While Obama's proposal might not tax all the money U.S. companies keep overseas, it apparently would target a big chunk. Obama estimated his plan would raise a total of $210 billion, or an average of about $21 billion annually, over a 10-year period.
By reinvesting their earnings overseas, U.S. companies insulate themselves from much higher tax rates had the money been made in their home country.
Google, for instance, would have been hit with an effective tax rate of 45.2 percent instead of 27.8 percent last year if it hadn't been able to capitalize on lower rates overseas, according to the Mountain View-based company's annual report. Without the lower foreign rates, Google's 2008 tax bill would have been $1.02 billion higher. Google's income before taxes totaled $5.85 billion last year.
Obama has been strongly supported so far by Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who campaigned for the president last year and has subsequently served as a technology adviser.
Google spokesman Adam Kovacevich said Monday it was too early to evaluate how Obama's tax proposal might affect the Internet search leader's operations because the idea is likely to be revised as it wends its way through Congress.
HP reaped a $1.77 billion benefit in its fiscal 2008 from lower foreign tax rates while Cisco and Microsoft each saw benefits of more than $1.6 billion, according to the companies' annual reports. IBM's foreign tax advantage last year totaled about $1.3 billion.
The high-tech industry isn't the only beneficiary from the current tax rules. General Electric Co., for instance, lowered its effective tax rate by nearly 27 percent last year by keeping profits outside the United States. That saved the company more than $5 billion in potential U.S. taxes.
And offshore earnings enabled drug maker Johnson & Johnson to lower its effective tax rate by 12.4 percentage points last year, saving about $2 billion.
Obama reasons that U.S. companies will create more jobs in the United States if there is less of an advantage to setting up operations overseas.
But Guardino disagrees, maintaining that high-tech firms and other U.S.companies are establishing more foreign offices to take advantage of their biggest growth opportunities. And as they bring in more revenue overseas, companies are also able to hire more workers in the United States as well as in other countries, Guardino said.
As it is, Google already generates more than half its revenue outside the United States and that percentage is expected to increase as more people around the world go online and gravitate to the company's services.
If they face higher taxes on their foreign earnings, high-tech companies will be at a competitive disadvantage that will discourage them from expanding their payrolls, Guardino said.
By coincidence, Guardino and about 50 Silicon Valley executives had already scheduled a trip to Washington this week. Guardino said the group plans to focus on meeting with lawmakers to explain why Obama's idea to tax overseas profits would do more harm than good.
While additional taxes are rarely popular, Obama's decision to go after corporate earnings outside the United States is a particularly prickly subject for technology executives because the industry has been steadily boosting its overseas sales amid rising demand for its gadgetry and services.
If Obama's proposal becomes law, the hard-hit companies would include tech bellwethers like Hewlett-Packard Co., IBM Corp., Cisco Systems Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc. Each of those companies realized a benefit of more than $1 billion from lower foreign tax rates in their most recent fiscal years — an advantage that could lost if Obama is able to change the rules.
"It would be like an earthquake for high tech," said Carl Guardino, chief executive of Silicon Valley Leadership Group, an industry trade association. "On a Richter scale of 1 to 10, this would be a 12."
Collectively, HP, IBM, Cisco, Microsoft and Google lowered their tax bills by a combined $7.4 billion in their last fiscal years by taking advantage of lower tax rates outside the United States, according to an analysis by The Associated Press.
Through the years, these five tax companies have avoided U.S. income taxes and foreign withholding taxes on a combined $72 billion in undistributed earnings from their foreign operations.
While Obama's proposal might not tax all the money U.S. companies keep overseas, it apparently would target a big chunk. Obama estimated his plan would raise a total of $210 billion, or an average of about $21 billion annually, over a 10-year period.
By reinvesting their earnings overseas, U.S. companies insulate themselves from much higher tax rates had the money been made in their home country.
Google, for instance, would have been hit with an effective tax rate of 45.2 percent instead of 27.8 percent last year if it hadn't been able to capitalize on lower rates overseas, according to the Mountain View-based company's annual report. Without the lower foreign rates, Google's 2008 tax bill would have been $1.02 billion higher. Google's income before taxes totaled $5.85 billion last year.
Obama has been strongly supported so far by Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who campaigned for the president last year and has subsequently served as a technology adviser.
Google spokesman Adam Kovacevich said Monday it was too early to evaluate how Obama's tax proposal might affect the Internet search leader's operations because the idea is likely to be revised as it wends its way through Congress.
HP reaped a $1.77 billion benefit in its fiscal 2008 from lower foreign tax rates while Cisco and Microsoft each saw benefits of more than $1.6 billion, according to the companies' annual reports. IBM's foreign tax advantage last year totaled about $1.3 billion.
The high-tech industry isn't the only beneficiary from the current tax rules. General Electric Co., for instance, lowered its effective tax rate by nearly 27 percent last year by keeping profits outside the United States. That saved the company more than $5 billion in potential U.S. taxes.
And offshore earnings enabled drug maker Johnson & Johnson to lower its effective tax rate by 12.4 percentage points last year, saving about $2 billion.
Obama reasons that U.S. companies will create more jobs in the United States if there is less of an advantage to setting up operations overseas.
But Guardino disagrees, maintaining that high-tech firms and other U.S.companies are establishing more foreign offices to take advantage of their biggest growth opportunities. And as they bring in more revenue overseas, companies are also able to hire more workers in the United States as well as in other countries, Guardino said.
As it is, Google already generates more than half its revenue outside the United States and that percentage is expected to increase as more people around the world go online and gravitate to the company's services.
If they face higher taxes on their foreign earnings, high-tech companies will be at a competitive disadvantage that will discourage them from expanding their payrolls, Guardino said.
By coincidence, Guardino and about 50 Silicon Valley executives had already scheduled a trip to Washington this week. Guardino said the group plans to focus on meeting with lawmakers to explain why Obama's idea to tax overseas profits would do more harm than good.
United cruise into final
Manchester United booked their place in the UEFA Champions League final with a 3-1 victory over Arsenal at Emirates Stadium.
Much of the damage was done inside the opening 11 minutes as United, leading 1-0 from the first leg, scored early goals through Park Ji-sung and Cristiano Ronaldo.
United knew that scoring one goal would leave Arsenal needing three and it took just eight minutes for them to break the deadlock, Park capitalising on a slip from Kieran Gibbs to fire home Ronaldo's cut-back.
Ronaldo then silenced the home crowd and effectively killed off the contest three minutes later with a ferocious free-kick from distance that beat a despairing Manuel Almunia.
The defending European champions remained in complete control and Ronaldo made it 3-0 on the night in the 61st minute following a lightning-quick counter-attack involving Park and Wayne Rooney.
There was some disappointment for United when Darren Fletcher was shown a straight red card on 75 minutes despite appearing to have won the ball from Cesc Fabregas with a fair tackle.
A penalty was awarded and Robin van Persie converted his chance emphatically, but there was never any chance of a fightback and United held on to claim a 4-1 aggregate success.
Early strike
It had been an eagerly-awaited clash but United never looked back after a moment to forget from Gibbs early on.
Gibbs lost his footing as Ronaldo pulled the ball back and hit the ground with a thump. Like lightning, Park seized on the loose ball, delicately lifting it over Almunia, whose arrival came just too late.
The United contingent went delirious. Fans, coaches, manager, players, David Beckham alike all knew what it meant. They knew the prospect of Arsenal getting three to go through was so remote to be beyond comprehension.
But if United's opener came courtesy of good fortune, their next was the result of audacity, mixed with high ability.
To even think of going for goal from the spot when Van Persie had clattered into Ronaldo would be dismissed by most professionals as foolhardy.
Yet, in Porto three weeks ago, the World Player of the Year drove home a shot measured at exactly 39.1 yards. As Ronaldo stepped back and waited from even further out, ready to unleash his missile, Almunia knew what to expect.
Indeed, it could be argued that from such distances, no goalkeeper should be beaten.
But as Ronaldo let fly, with venom, and watched his shot dip and flicker, Almunia was powerless to prevent it ripping into the net.
Experienced
If three was unlikely, four was an impossibility, turning the remaining 79 minutes into an extended wake, leaving Arsene Wenger on the bench wondering what had hit him, knowing his Champions League obsession will not end in Roman triumph.
In fairness, Arsenal tried to rally. It was just that by pushing forward, they left wide open gaps that United are too experienced to ignore.
Almunia's fingertips denied Wayne Rooney, Ronaldo's header from the corner whistled wide, then two more free-kicks from the latter were saved.
When the Portuguese player cut inside Emmanuel Eboue, on as a half-time replacement to put Gibbs out of his misery, the shot would have found the bottom corner had Almunia not denied him.
There was nothing the Spaniard could do when United attacked again, Ronaldo supplying the finish to Rooney's cross.
As his players cavorted in glee, Ferguson ordered them to tone down their celebrations out of respect to the hosts.
It was the only mercy the Red Devils showed all night, although for Fletcher there was a nasty sting in the tail.
The Scot got studs on the ball before sending Fabregas flying in the penalty area, earning him a red card which will rule him out of the final. Van Persie impressively converted the spot-kick - but it was little consolation for Arsenal.
Much of the damage was done inside the opening 11 minutes as United, leading 1-0 from the first leg, scored early goals through Park Ji-sung and Cristiano Ronaldo.
United knew that scoring one goal would leave Arsenal needing three and it took just eight minutes for them to break the deadlock, Park capitalising on a slip from Kieran Gibbs to fire home Ronaldo's cut-back.
Ronaldo then silenced the home crowd and effectively killed off the contest three minutes later with a ferocious free-kick from distance that beat a despairing Manuel Almunia.
The defending European champions remained in complete control and Ronaldo made it 3-0 on the night in the 61st minute following a lightning-quick counter-attack involving Park and Wayne Rooney.
There was some disappointment for United when Darren Fletcher was shown a straight red card on 75 minutes despite appearing to have won the ball from Cesc Fabregas with a fair tackle.
A penalty was awarded and Robin van Persie converted his chance emphatically, but there was never any chance of a fightback and United held on to claim a 4-1 aggregate success.
Early strike
It had been an eagerly-awaited clash but United never looked back after a moment to forget from Gibbs early on.
Gibbs lost his footing as Ronaldo pulled the ball back and hit the ground with a thump. Like lightning, Park seized on the loose ball, delicately lifting it over Almunia, whose arrival came just too late.
The United contingent went delirious. Fans, coaches, manager, players, David Beckham alike all knew what it meant. They knew the prospect of Arsenal getting three to go through was so remote to be beyond comprehension.
But if United's opener came courtesy of good fortune, their next was the result of audacity, mixed with high ability.
To even think of going for goal from the spot when Van Persie had clattered into Ronaldo would be dismissed by most professionals as foolhardy.
Yet, in Porto three weeks ago, the World Player of the Year drove home a shot measured at exactly 39.1 yards. As Ronaldo stepped back and waited from even further out, ready to unleash his missile, Almunia knew what to expect.
Indeed, it could be argued that from such distances, no goalkeeper should be beaten.
But as Ronaldo let fly, with venom, and watched his shot dip and flicker, Almunia was powerless to prevent it ripping into the net.
Experienced
If three was unlikely, four was an impossibility, turning the remaining 79 minutes into an extended wake, leaving Arsene Wenger on the bench wondering what had hit him, knowing his Champions League obsession will not end in Roman triumph.
In fairness, Arsenal tried to rally. It was just that by pushing forward, they left wide open gaps that United are too experienced to ignore.
Almunia's fingertips denied Wayne Rooney, Ronaldo's header from the corner whistled wide, then two more free-kicks from the latter were saved.
When the Portuguese player cut inside Emmanuel Eboue, on as a half-time replacement to put Gibbs out of his misery, the shot would have found the bottom corner had Almunia not denied him.
There was nothing the Spaniard could do when United attacked again, Ronaldo supplying the finish to Rooney's cross.
As his players cavorted in glee, Ferguson ordered them to tone down their celebrations out of respect to the hosts.
It was the only mercy the Red Devils showed all night, although for Fletcher there was a nasty sting in the tail.
The Scot got studs on the ball before sending Fabregas flying in the penalty area, earning him a red card which will rule him out of the final. Van Persie impressively converted the spot-kick - but it was little consolation for Arsenal.
Miss California to appear at gospel music awards
Miss California Carrie Prejean (pray-ZHAWN') is keeping with the Christian theme by scheduling an appearance at the upcoming Gospel Music Association's Dove Awards.
Prejean has drawn attention for her comments against gay marriage at the Miss USA pageant, where she was first runner-up last weekend.
A spokeswoman for the beauty queen says she'll introduce a performance by Mercy Me of their hit "I Can Only Imagine" on Thursday night. The Dove Awards will air live from Nashville on the Gospel Music Channel beginning 8 p.m. Eastern.
During Sunday's Miss USA pageant, Prejean said in response to a question from celebrity blogger Perez Hilton that she believes "marriage should be between a man and a woman."
FDA to allow Plan B birth control for 17-year-olds
WASHINGTON – Women's groups cheered the government's decision to allow 17-year-olds to buy the "morning-after" emergency contraceptive without a doctor's prescription, but conservatives denounced it as a blow to parental supervision of teens.
The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday it would accept, not appeal, a federal judge's order that lifts Bush administration restrictions limiting over-the-counter sales of "Plan B" to women 18 and older. U.S. District Judge Edward Korman ruled last month in a lawsuit filed in New York that President George W. Bush's appointees let politics, not science, drive their decision to restrict over-the-counter access.
Women's groups said the FDA's action was long overdue, since the agency's own medical reviewers had initially recommended that the contraceptive be made available without any age restrictions.
Korman ordered the FDA to let 17-year-olds get the birth control pills. He also directed the agency to evaluate clinical data to determine whether all age restrictions should be lifted.
The FDA's latest action does not mean that Plan B will be immediately available to 17-year-olds. The manufacturer must first submit a request.
"It's a good indication that the agency will move expeditiously to ensure its policy on Plan B is based solely on science," said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which filed the lawsuit.
Conservatives said politics drove the decision.
"Parents should be furious at the FDA's complete disregard of parental rights and the safety of minors," said Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America.
Plan B is emergency contraception that contains a high dose of birth control drugs and will not interfere with an established pregnancy. It works by preventing ovulation or fertilization. In medical terms, pregnancy begins when a fertilized egg attaches itself to the wall of the uterus.
If taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, it can reduce a woman's chances of pregnancy by as much as 89 percent.
Critics of the contraceptive say Plan B is the equivalent of an abortion pill because it can prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus. Recent research suggests that's possible but not likely.
The battle over access to Plan B has dragged on for the better part of a decade, through the terms of three FDA commissioners. Among many in the medical community, it came to symbolize the decline of science at the agency because top FDA managers refused to go along with the recommendations of scientific staff and outside advisers that the drug be made available with no age restrictions.
"The FDA got caught up in a saga, it got caught up in a drama," said Susan Wood, who served as the agency's top women's health official and resigned in 2005 over delays in issuing a decision. "This issue served as a clear example of the agency being taken off track, and it highlighted the problems FDA was facing in many other areas."
The treatment consists of two pills and sells for $35 to $60. Women must ask for Plan B at the pharmacy counter and show identification with their date of birth. The drug is made by a subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, an Israeli company. It does not prevent sexually transmitted infections, such as HIV/AIDS.
Supporters of broader access argued that Plan B is safe and effective in preventing unwanted pregnancy and could help reduce the number of abortions.
Opponents, including prominent conservatives, counter that it would encourage promiscuity and might even become a tool for criminals running prostitution rings, as well as for sexual predators.
Early in the Bush administration, more than 60 organizations petitioned the FDA to allow sales without a prescription. But according to court documents, the issue quickly became politicized.
In 2003, a panel of outside advisers voted 23-4 to recommend over-the-counter sales without age restrictions. But top FDA officials told their subordinates that no approval could be issued at the time, and the decision would be made at a higher level. That's considered highly unusual, since the FDA usually has the last word on drug decisions.
In his ruling, Korman said that FDA staffers were told the White House had been involved in the decision on Plan B. The government said in court papers that politics played no role.
In 2005, the Center for Reproductive Rights and other organizations sued in federal court to force an FDA decision.
The following year, the FDA allowed Plan B to be sold without a prescription to adults. But the controversy raged on over access for teens.
The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday it would accept, not appeal, a federal judge's order that lifts Bush administration restrictions limiting over-the-counter sales of "Plan B" to women 18 and older. U.S. District Judge Edward Korman ruled last month in a lawsuit filed in New York that President George W. Bush's appointees let politics, not science, drive their decision to restrict over-the-counter access.
Women's groups said the FDA's action was long overdue, since the agency's own medical reviewers had initially recommended that the contraceptive be made available without any age restrictions.
Korman ordered the FDA to let 17-year-olds get the birth control pills. He also directed the agency to evaluate clinical data to determine whether all age restrictions should be lifted.
The FDA's latest action does not mean that Plan B will be immediately available to 17-year-olds. The manufacturer must first submit a request.
"It's a good indication that the agency will move expeditiously to ensure its policy on Plan B is based solely on science," said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which filed the lawsuit.
Conservatives said politics drove the decision.
"Parents should be furious at the FDA's complete disregard of parental rights and the safety of minors," said Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America.
Plan B is emergency contraception that contains a high dose of birth control drugs and will not interfere with an established pregnancy. It works by preventing ovulation or fertilization. In medical terms, pregnancy begins when a fertilized egg attaches itself to the wall of the uterus.
If taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, it can reduce a woman's chances of pregnancy by as much as 89 percent.
Critics of the contraceptive say Plan B is the equivalent of an abortion pill because it can prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus. Recent research suggests that's possible but not likely.
The battle over access to Plan B has dragged on for the better part of a decade, through the terms of three FDA commissioners. Among many in the medical community, it came to symbolize the decline of science at the agency because top FDA managers refused to go along with the recommendations of scientific staff and outside advisers that the drug be made available with no age restrictions.
"The FDA got caught up in a saga, it got caught up in a drama," said Susan Wood, who served as the agency's top women's health official and resigned in 2005 over delays in issuing a decision. "This issue served as a clear example of the agency being taken off track, and it highlighted the problems FDA was facing in many other areas."
The treatment consists of two pills and sells for $35 to $60. Women must ask for Plan B at the pharmacy counter and show identification with their date of birth. The drug is made by a subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, an Israeli company. It does not prevent sexually transmitted infections, such as HIV/AIDS.
Supporters of broader access argued that Plan B is safe and effective in preventing unwanted pregnancy and could help reduce the number of abortions.
Opponents, including prominent conservatives, counter that it would encourage promiscuity and might even become a tool for criminals running prostitution rings, as well as for sexual predators.
Early in the Bush administration, more than 60 organizations petitioned the FDA to allow sales without a prescription. But according to court documents, the issue quickly became politicized.
In 2003, a panel of outside advisers voted 23-4 to recommend over-the-counter sales without age restrictions. But top FDA officials told their subordinates that no approval could be issued at the time, and the decision would be made at a higher level. That's considered highly unusual, since the FDA usually has the last word on drug decisions.
In his ruling, Korman said that FDA staffers were told the White House had been involved in the decision on Plan B. The government said in court papers that politics played no role.
In 2005, the Center for Reproductive Rights and other organizations sued in federal court to force an FDA decision.
The following year, the FDA allowed Plan B to be sold without a prescription to adults. But the controversy raged on over access for teens.
Ferguson & Wenger predict classic
Manchester United and Arsenal enjoy a fierce rivalry
Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger are both predicting the upcoming Manchester United-Arsenal Champions League semi-final will produce two classic matches.
The two legs of the tie, on 29 April and 5 May, will be the first time the two fierce rivals have met each other on the European stage.
"We always produce exciting games. Both teams go forward so it will be a promising semi-final," said Wenger.
Ferguson added: "That it's an English side gives it a different spice."
With the first leg taking place at Old Trafford, Ferguson has already set his sights on taking a lead to the Emirates.
FERGUSON v WENGER
Played: 37
Manchester United wins: 14
Arsenal wins: 15
Draws: 8
(all competitions; wins/losses include games decided on penalties)
"We are two good footballing sides, so it should be a terrific semi-final," said Ferguson.
"Our game earlier in the season was fantastic. It was the way football should be played and we will look forward to it.
"The first leg is at home, so 1-0 would be perfect for us. But it is not going to be easy."
Both teams are also vying for the FA Cup, with their semi-finals 10 days before the Old Trafford encounter, while the end-of-season run-in will ensure it comes down to "form on the day", according to Wenger.
"You have two teams with the same programme," said the Frenchman.
"We are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup and both have a game in hand to play the week after.
Wenger hails confident Gunners
"I believe that the form of the day and how much we can manage to be physically well on the day will have a big impact.
"We are up for the challenge and it will be very interesting. I would not like to speculate on any weakness of Manchester United - it is always difficult to play an English team because of their quality."
Arsenal beat Manchester United 2-1 at The Emirates earlier this season, and the teams are scheduled to meet again on the penultimate weekend of the Premier League season.
Ever since Ferguson suggested Wenger was "a novice who should keep his opinions to Japanese football" towards the end of the Frenchman's first season in the Premier League, in 1996, the rivalry between the two clubs has veered between fierce and explosive.
In the 1997/98 campaign Arsenal won the Double after overturning United's 12-point Premier League lead in a sensational late season charge that included a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford.
The following season - United's historic treble winning year - the Red Devils beat the Gunners in a famous FA Cup semi-final replay in which Roy Keane was sent off, Peter Schmeichel saved a Dennis Bergkamp penalty and Ryan Giggs scored a stunning solo extra-time winner.
In Arsenal's 2003/04 'Invincibles' season a fiery clash at Old Trafford erupted in a brawl in the tunnel after the game as a result of the Arsenal players taunting Ruud van Nistelrooy after he missed a late penalty.
606: DEBATE
Barcelona, Chelsea, Arsenal and Man Utd - about as good a semi-final line-up as you can get
Redsince83
Probably most famously of all though was in 2004 when players and staff clashed in the tunnel after United's 2-0 win at Old Trafford brought to an end the Gunners' 49-game Premier League unbeaten run.
During the clash Ferguson was said to have been hit in the face by a slice of pizza, causing the incident to be known as 'Pizzagate' or the 'Battle of the buffet'.
Despite their familiarity with each other after decades of battling it out at the sharp end of the league, the semi-final will be the first time the two teams have ever met in the Champions League.
"I'm looking forward to it," said United striker Wayne Rooney.
"The only other English team we've played against in this competition was Chelsea, so it should be an exciting couple of games and hopefully we can overcome them."
Cristiano Ronaldo, whose memorable goal against Porto sealed United's progress, added: "We have an opportunity to win everything and we are very confident that we can."
Players' freshness was key - Ferguson
And Arsenal forward Theo Walcott, who opened the scoring in the second leg against Villareal, said he is under no illusions about the size of the task facing the Gunners.
"It will be very difficult," he said. "We always do well against them in the league but they are probably the best team in the world, I'd say, so we'll find it tough.
"But as long as we dig in and try to play like we did tonight, I'm sure we'll be fine."
Barcelona and Chelsea contest the other semi-final, meaning this year's final could be a repeat of last year's showpiece, when Manchester United beat the Blues on penalties, while Arsenal faced Barcelona in the 2006 final, losing 2-1.
Flying laptop kills driver
A CANADIAN WOMAN HAS BEEN KILLED by her laptop computer which was left unsecured on the back seat of her car.
25-year-old Heather Story was hit by a tow truck whilst driving in British Columbia and it seems that the laptop was propelled out of the rear seat by the impact and struck her in the back of the head.
Investigators have concluded that she would probably have survived the accident had she not been hit by the computer.
"She simply didn't have it secured within the confines of her car, and ultimately it has been the instrument of her death," said Mountie Robert Morrow.
Oh Lord
Here comes the Laptop Safty seats!
posted by : Doug Lytle, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Thank you.
I'll always put the safety belt on my notebook!
posted by : Curious, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
If only..
It had been a Netbook or UMPC?
There would be a different headline...
"Flyng laptop bruises driver"?
posted by : Slappy, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Lame
Was this story supposed to be amusing? Maybe it's a Three Stooges thing: the laws of physics sometimes mediate surprising injury and death. HahHahHah!
posted by : j21064, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
What Brand?
Maybe she could have survived if it was a MacBook air, as it would have floated away to cyberdom
posted by : Brand Conscious Freak, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
It used to be textbooks.
I was an EMT. Fatalities or brain trauma(which can be worse) have been caused by textbooks, bottles or canned goods. Don't leave heavy objects to become projectiles in your vehicle. It's usually kids who get smashed. I can't see the humour.
posted by : Nemo, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
not funnt
not funny at all. this is lame
emil, a href="http://www.citate-celebre.com/famous-quotes/" best quotes /a .com
posted by : dan, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Funny?
What's with all the dummies complaining that this isn't funny? It wasn't presented as a "funny" article.
The article is very simply and factually put, with even a safety recommendation at the end.
So the question is: why do the people who are complaining that this isn't funny, think it is funny?
Nitwits.
posted by : JP, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Funny?
Oh it was Nemo with the safety recommendation...still though people are idiots....they're the worst.
posted by : JP, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Ignorance can kill
Maybe better judgment by the driver would have saved her life?
posted by : Jorge, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
seatbelt killed her, not the laptop
If she wasn't wearing that death dealing seat belt, she would have been thrown safely from the car away for the evil seat belt forced on her by her evil over-controlling govt.
Death to seat-belt pushers everywhere! no really, kill them all.
posted by : mogwai, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Darwin Award
Well, this is an obvious candidate for a Darwin Award. Removing oneself from the gene pool in this way must increase the chances for a safer gene pool. A gene pool where people will not be as inclined to place heavy ballistic objects behind them in moving vehicles.
(Ok, I'll get my coat now)
posted by : Bertho, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Almost happened to me...
Or rather, I was driving a hatchback and struck in a side-impact around the rear wheel; the car spun a good 180 and a laptop, which had been loose in the back, went through the rear glass (along with some other belongings). Better than my head, I suppose. Laptops have the "benefit" of being somewhat heavy and made of slippery plastic, so they're going to fly relatively easily in a crash.
In light of my experience: If you have a hatch or wagon with a cargo cover of some type, use it; nobody gets in an accident on purpose, and it'll keep your stuff from going projectile if you're struck. (Similarly, never rest projectiles -- that includes coat hangers, so watch out if you use your coathooks -- in front of your front or side airbags unless you're shooting for a Darwin Award.)
posted by : A. Peon, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
@bertho
The gene pool need chlorine
posted by : brickling, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
hard to imagine
It's quite hard to imagine since the seat area will be a lot lower than the head area inside a car. but yeah I have always put a seatbelt on my laptop if it's not inside the laptop bag, if it's in the bag I put it in the leg area between the drivers seat and the backseat, although I have to admit I do it in order to protect the computer :P
posted by : Kim Leo Jensen, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Right...
There seem to be a lot of people criticising the victim...
I assume every last one of them straps down every item that weighs more than 8oz before they set off.
Let this story be a warning, anything loose in the car can become a lethal missile. Laptop, briefcase, frozen food from Tescos or even your mobile phone (especially if you still have a motorola 8800!)
posted by : Steve, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Not Funny?
How can anyone think this is not funny? I think it's DAMN funny. Getting a laptop to the head and dying.. that's physical comedy at its finest.
Unless of course you're one of those soft touches who still has respect human life and all. We call people like that "pussies".
@ Brand Conscious Freak - No, if it was a MacBook Air it would be so razer thin it would have lopped her head clear off.. which would be even funnier.
posted by : Dick Verant, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
I Love Dick
This man has said everything I was to polite to post myself. Word.
posted by : Lachlan W, 17 April 2009Complain about this comment
25-year-old Heather Story was hit by a tow truck whilst driving in British Columbia and it seems that the laptop was propelled out of the rear seat by the impact and struck her in the back of the head.
Investigators have concluded that she would probably have survived the accident had she not been hit by the computer.
"She simply didn't have it secured within the confines of her car, and ultimately it has been the instrument of her death," said Mountie Robert Morrow.
Oh Lord
Here comes the Laptop Safty seats!
posted by : Doug Lytle, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Thank you.
I'll always put the safety belt on my notebook!
posted by : Curious, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
If only..
It had been a Netbook or UMPC?
There would be a different headline...
"Flyng laptop bruises driver"?
posted by : Slappy, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Lame
Was this story supposed to be amusing? Maybe it's a Three Stooges thing: the laws of physics sometimes mediate surprising injury and death. HahHahHah!
posted by : j21064, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
What Brand?
Maybe she could have survived if it was a MacBook air, as it would have floated away to cyberdom
posted by : Brand Conscious Freak, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
It used to be textbooks.
I was an EMT. Fatalities or brain trauma(which can be worse) have been caused by textbooks, bottles or canned goods. Don't leave heavy objects to become projectiles in your vehicle. It's usually kids who get smashed. I can't see the humour.
posted by : Nemo, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
not funnt
not funny at all. this is lame
emil, a href="http://www.citate-celebre.com/famous-quotes/" best quotes /a .com
posted by : dan, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Funny?
What's with all the dummies complaining that this isn't funny? It wasn't presented as a "funny" article.
The article is very simply and factually put, with even a safety recommendation at the end.
So the question is: why do the people who are complaining that this isn't funny, think it is funny?
Nitwits.
posted by : JP, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Funny?
Oh it was Nemo with the safety recommendation...still though people are idiots....they're the worst.
posted by : JP, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Ignorance can kill
Maybe better judgment by the driver would have saved her life?
posted by : Jorge, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
seatbelt killed her, not the laptop
If she wasn't wearing that death dealing seat belt, she would have been thrown safely from the car away for the evil seat belt forced on her by her evil over-controlling govt.
Death to seat-belt pushers everywhere! no really, kill them all.
posted by : mogwai, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Darwin Award
Well, this is an obvious candidate for a Darwin Award. Removing oneself from the gene pool in this way must increase the chances for a safer gene pool. A gene pool where people will not be as inclined to place heavy ballistic objects behind them in moving vehicles.
(Ok, I'll get my coat now)
posted by : Bertho, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Almost happened to me...
Or rather, I was driving a hatchback and struck in a side-impact around the rear wheel; the car spun a good 180 and a laptop, which had been loose in the back, went through the rear glass (along with some other belongings). Better than my head, I suppose. Laptops have the "benefit" of being somewhat heavy and made of slippery plastic, so they're going to fly relatively easily in a crash.
In light of my experience: If you have a hatch or wagon with a cargo cover of some type, use it; nobody gets in an accident on purpose, and it'll keep your stuff from going projectile if you're struck. (Similarly, never rest projectiles -- that includes coat hangers, so watch out if you use your coathooks -- in front of your front or side airbags unless you're shooting for a Darwin Award.)
posted by : A. Peon, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
@bertho
The gene pool need chlorine
posted by : brickling, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
hard to imagine
It's quite hard to imagine since the seat area will be a lot lower than the head area inside a car. but yeah I have always put a seatbelt on my laptop if it's not inside the laptop bag, if it's in the bag I put it in the leg area between the drivers seat and the backseat, although I have to admit I do it in order to protect the computer :P
posted by : Kim Leo Jensen, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Right...
There seem to be a lot of people criticising the victim...
I assume every last one of them straps down every item that weighs more than 8oz before they set off.
Let this story be a warning, anything loose in the car can become a lethal missile. Laptop, briefcase, frozen food from Tescos or even your mobile phone (especially if you still have a motorola 8800!)
posted by : Steve, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
Not Funny?
How can anyone think this is not funny? I think it's DAMN funny. Getting a laptop to the head and dying.. that's physical comedy at its finest.
Unless of course you're one of those soft touches who still has respect human life and all. We call people like that "pussies".
@ Brand Conscious Freak - No, if it was a MacBook Air it would be so razer thin it would have lopped her head clear off.. which would be even funnier.
posted by : Dick Verant, 16 April 2009Complain about this comment
I Love Dick
This man has said everything I was to polite to post myself. Word.
posted by : Lachlan W, 17 April 2009Complain about this comment
President Obama Backs Mexican War On Drugs
8:05pm UK, Thursday April 16, 2009
In his second big trip overseas since becoming US president, Barack Obama has arrived in Mexico in a show of support for the government's anti-drugs effort.
Federal police patrol in Mexico City where Obama is meeting Calderon
Mr Obama, who made his first foray onto the international stage in Europe earlier this month, will discuss energy and the economy with President Felipe Calderon in Mexico City.
White House officials have played up the symbolism of his Mexico visit, which is struggling to contain unprecedented criminal violence and combat a drugs war that is spilling over into the US.
Denis McDonough, of the National Security Council, said the President's visit underscores America's support for its southern neighbour at the highest levels.
Sky's Adam Boulton on Obama's trip
"It's designed to send a very clear signal to our friends in Mexico City that we have a series of shared challenges as it relates to the economy, as it relates to security, insecurity, the threat of violence, and the impact of drug trafficking on both our countries," he said.
Soldiers watch 14 tons of drugs burn
The Obama administration is tightening its border with Mexico to prevent trafficking of American guns to Mexican cartels.
It also plans to send Black Hawk helicopters to help the Mexican president defeat the well-armed drug gangs that killed thousands last year.
Mr Obama wants to improve relations with Mexico and other Latin American countries during his trip after a deterioration in relations his advisers blame on his predecessor.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has paved the way, acknowledging that the violence in Mexico stems partly from America's "insatiable demand" for drugs.
The US president is also meeting Mexican legislators during his visit and before heading to Trinidad and Tobago for the fifth Summit of the Americas.
In his second big trip overseas since becoming US president, Barack Obama has arrived in Mexico in a show of support for the government's anti-drugs effort.
Federal police patrol in Mexico City where Obama is meeting Calderon
Mr Obama, who made his first foray onto the international stage in Europe earlier this month, will discuss energy and the economy with President Felipe Calderon in Mexico City.
White House officials have played up the symbolism of his Mexico visit, which is struggling to contain unprecedented criminal violence and combat a drugs war that is spilling over into the US.
Denis McDonough, of the National Security Council, said the President's visit underscores America's support for its southern neighbour at the highest levels.
Sky's Adam Boulton on Obama's trip
"It's designed to send a very clear signal to our friends in Mexico City that we have a series of shared challenges as it relates to the economy, as it relates to security, insecurity, the threat of violence, and the impact of drug trafficking on both our countries," he said.
Soldiers watch 14 tons of drugs burn
The Obama administration is tightening its border with Mexico to prevent trafficking of American guns to Mexican cartels.
It also plans to send Black Hawk helicopters to help the Mexican president defeat the well-armed drug gangs that killed thousands last year.
Mr Obama wants to improve relations with Mexico and other Latin American countries during his trip after a deterioration in relations his advisers blame on his predecessor.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has paved the way, acknowledging that the violence in Mexico stems partly from America's "insatiable demand" for drugs.
The US president is also meeting Mexican legislators during his visit and before heading to Trinidad and Tobago for the fifth Summit of the Americas.
Arsenal under no real threat, but Manchester United need to break new ground in Europe
After the drama and excitement of Chelsea v Liverpool, it's a very different story for the other two Premier League teams.After the drama and excitement of Chelsea v Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal both face potential difficulties in their Champions League second leg encounters tonight.
Do the two sides have what it takes to ensure that the semi-finals this year will feature three English sides?
PORTO v MANCHESTER UNITED (tonight 19.45):
Porto drew 2-2 at Old Trafford in the first leg last week, to pick up two vital away goals. In their Champions League campaign this season, they have won four, drawn three and lost two, scoring 13 and conceding 12 goals in the process. Porto will be without defender Jorge Fucile (ankle) for the match.
United's draw with Porto last week was their sixth of the campaign this season. They have won three others, scoring 13 goals and conceding five. They could welcome back Dimitar Berbatov and Rio Ferdinand from injury, as both are included in the squad that travelled to Portugal. Rafael and Anderson are also included, although they are still carrying minor injuries.
Prediction: United have still not recovered fully from their recent downturn in form, with their apparent defensive weakness still on show. They have conceded 12 goals in all competitions since the beginning of March, which is a far cry from the form that saw United go over three months (15/11/08 to 21/02/09) without conceding a single goal in the Premier League.
Obama exempts CIA 'torture' staff
US President Barack Obama says CIA agents who used harsh interrogation techniques on terrorism suspects during the Bush era will not be prosecuted.
Mr Obama banned the use of methods such as sleep deprivation and simulated drowning in his first week in office.
He has now released four memos detailing techniques the CIA was able to use under the Bush administration.
Rights groups have criticised his decision to protect CIA agents involved in the interrogation procedures.
Amnesty International said the Department of Justice appeared to be offering a "get-out-of-jail-free card" to individuals who were involved in acts of torture.
The Centre for Constitutional Rights, which has championed the legal rights of the "war on terror" detainees, also expressed its disappointment.
"It is one of the deepest disappointments of this administration that it appears unwilling to uphold the law where crimes have been committed by former officials," it said in a statement.
Harsh techniques
On Thursday, the Obama administration published four secret memos detailing legal justification for the Bush-era CIA interrogation programme, whose methods critics say amounted to torture.
Announcing the publication of the memos, Mr Obama gave an assurance that "those who carried out their duties relying in good faith upon legal advice from the Department of Justice... will not be subject to prosecution".
One of the documents contained legal authorisation for a list of specific harsh interrogation techniques, including pushing detainees against a wall, facial slaps, cramped confinement, stress positions and sleep deprivation.
The memo also authorises the use of "waterboarding", or simulated drowning, and the placing of a detainee into a confined space with an insect.
Critics of the Bush administration's interrogation programme say the memos provide evidence that many of the methods amount to torture under US and international law.
During his first week in office, President Obama issued an executive order officially outlawing the use of harsh interrogation techniques by the CIA, and forcing the agency to adhere to standards laid out in the US Army Field Manual.
The release of the memos stems from a request by civil rights group the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Chris Brown pleads not guilty to threatening and assaulting Rihanna
Baby-faced R&B star Chris Brown pleaded not guilty Monday to charges he beat his pop-singing girlfriend Rihanna during a nasty lovers' quarrel that spilled into a Los Angeles street.
In a soft voice, the 19-year-old platinum-selling artist entered his plea in Los Angeles Superior Court to felony charges of assault and making criminal threats.
Rihanna, 21, who has reportedly accepted Brown back as her beau, skipped the hearing, but sent her lawyer, Donald Etra.
Dressed in black tuxedo pants and a black cardigan sweater, Brown stood next to his lawyer, Mark Geragos. Brown's mother, Joyce Hawkins, sat in the front row, her eyes red-rimmed as she watched Geragos coach her son through the plea hearing
The "Run It!" singer was ordered to return to court April 29 for another hearing.
If convicted, Brown faces a five-year prison sentence.
Brown's lawyers have been in "intense" negotiations to hammer out a plea deal that would spare him jail time. Prosecutors declined comment.
Etra said Rihanna, who flew to her native Barbados earlier Monday for a family celebration, "would be pleased if this were over quickly."
"I believe that there are efforts on behalf of all of the parties to resolve the case expeditiously, to see if the case can be resolved prior to preliminary hearing," Etra said. "I think that would benefit everybody."
The shocking charges stem from what prosecutors said was an early-morning attack Feb. 8, the day the couple were both scheduled to perform at at the Grammy Awards.
They were driving home from a pre-Grammy party when they began fighting over a provocative text message Brown had received from another woman.
Rihanna told cops that Brown preceded to pummel her in a rented Lamborghini.
Bloodied and badly bruised, the Barbados-born beauty managed to get out of the car and scream for help.
In a soft voice, the 19-year-old platinum-selling artist entered his plea in Los Angeles Superior Court to felony charges of assault and making criminal threats.
Rihanna, 21, who has reportedly accepted Brown back as her beau, skipped the hearing, but sent her lawyer, Donald Etra.
Dressed in black tuxedo pants and a black cardigan sweater, Brown stood next to his lawyer, Mark Geragos. Brown's mother, Joyce Hawkins, sat in the front row, her eyes red-rimmed as she watched Geragos coach her son through the plea hearing
The "Run It!" singer was ordered to return to court April 29 for another hearing.
If convicted, Brown faces a five-year prison sentence.
Brown's lawyers have been in "intense" negotiations to hammer out a plea deal that would spare him jail time. Prosecutors declined comment.
Etra said Rihanna, who flew to her native Barbados earlier Monday for a family celebration, "would be pleased if this were over quickly."
"I believe that there are efforts on behalf of all of the parties to resolve the case expeditiously, to see if the case can be resolved prior to preliminary hearing," Etra said. "I think that would benefit everybody."
The shocking charges stem from what prosecutors said was an early-morning attack Feb. 8, the day the couple were both scheduled to perform at at the Grammy Awards.
They were driving home from a pre-Grammy party when they began fighting over a provocative text message Brown had received from another woman.
Rihanna told cops that Brown preceded to pummel her in a rented Lamborghini.
Bloodied and badly bruised, the Barbados-born beauty managed to get out of the car and scream for help.
Ronaldo rejects speculation
Cristiano Ronaldo has once again reiterated his desire to stay at Manchester United despite rumours of his future resurfacing.
Reports over the weekend suggested that Real Madrid had agreed a price for the winger but that has now been dismissed by United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
The question received a frosty response from the Scot with the 23-year-old World Player of the year also seemingly unimpressed with the query.
The 67-year-old manager was quoted as saying that he 'wouldn't sell Madrid a virus' during the World Club Cup in December and that viewpoint does not seem to have softened.
"I am happy at this club. I think it is the right club," Ronaldo said.
The reports also suggested that Real had stepped up their interest after hearing that the Portuguese international was growing tired of the constant rough treatment he receives in England.
But the former Sporting ace admitted that this season was no different to the previous five at Old Trafford.
Rough treatment
"It has always been like that," he added.
"It is only normal this season that the defenders have kicked me to try and stop me. It is just normal."
United moved back to the top of the Premier League on Sunday with a last-gasp 3-2 win over Aston Villa thanks to a brace from Ronaldo.
The win ended a run of two straight league defeats and the player is now confident United can secure success at home and abroad.
"We are the best team in England. We have shown that by being top of the table. That speaks for itself." he insisted.
"We respect all our opponents but if we carry on winning, we will win the title again. We have a chance to win everything this season.
"First we have to beat FC Porto. After that, we must carry on."
Ronaldo also sees similarities between his own debut against Bolton in August 2003 and 17-year-old Federico Macheda's first appearance for the senior team on Sunday.
Similarities
The Italian youngster curled a sublime winner past Brad Friedel to ensure a valuable three points for the champions and his team-mate could not be more pleased for him.
"It's similar to me," he pointed out.
"The feeling is quite the same. I remember when I started to play for Manchester against Bolton when I came on (with) 70,000 supporters - it's not easy.
"I play good, I did good skills, good passes. When Kiko (Macheda) scored I know what he is feeling, it is one of the best days of his life.
"He is young and he can still improve and he is good. It is good to be involved with the first team and he scored a goal to help the team.
"I am really, really happy for him."
Reports over the weekend suggested that Real Madrid had agreed a price for the winger but that has now been dismissed by United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
The question received a frosty response from the Scot with the 23-year-old World Player of the year also seemingly unimpressed with the query.
The 67-year-old manager was quoted as saying that he 'wouldn't sell Madrid a virus' during the World Club Cup in December and that viewpoint does not seem to have softened.
"I am happy at this club. I think it is the right club," Ronaldo said.
The reports also suggested that Real had stepped up their interest after hearing that the Portuguese international was growing tired of the constant rough treatment he receives in England.
But the former Sporting ace admitted that this season was no different to the previous five at Old Trafford.
Rough treatment
"It has always been like that," he added.
"It is only normal this season that the defenders have kicked me to try and stop me. It is just normal."
United moved back to the top of the Premier League on Sunday with a last-gasp 3-2 win over Aston Villa thanks to a brace from Ronaldo.
The win ended a run of two straight league defeats and the player is now confident United can secure success at home and abroad.
"We are the best team in England. We have shown that by being top of the table. That speaks for itself." he insisted.
"We respect all our opponents but if we carry on winning, we will win the title again. We have a chance to win everything this season.
"First we have to beat FC Porto. After that, we must carry on."
Ronaldo also sees similarities between his own debut against Bolton in August 2003 and 17-year-old Federico Macheda's first appearance for the senior team on Sunday.
Similarities
The Italian youngster curled a sublime winner past Brad Friedel to ensure a valuable three points for the champions and his team-mate could not be more pleased for him.
"It's similar to me," he pointed out.
"The feeling is quite the same. I remember when I started to play for Manchester against Bolton when I came on (with) 70,000 supporters - it's not easy.
"I play good, I did good skills, good passes. When Kiko (Macheda) scored I know what he is feeling, it is one of the best days of his life.
"He is young and he can still improve and he is good. It is good to be involved with the first team and he scored a goal to help the team.
"I am really, really happy for him."
Profs: Sex with oldies or youngsters will give you the clap
In a finding sure to send ripples of fear through the showbiz world, profs in Florida have disclosed that having sex with people who are much older or younger than you increases your chances of catching a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD).
“Partner selection is an area of STD prevention that could complement what we are already doing with promoting condom use, and could possibly really help people,” says Stephanie Staras, Florida Uni epidemiology prof.
RegAd('mpu1', 'reg.science.4159/biology', 'pos=top;sz=336x280', VCs);
“If somehow we could convince individuals to incorporate this information in a meaningful way into their decision-making, then we could reduce STDs.”
Staras' team evaluated various things about sexual partners which might indicate that they'd be likely to give you the clap. These included obvious ones like them having had an STD before or having had sex with other people lately. Other warning signs of a possible Cupid's catarrh carrier are these: having done jail time, marjuana or alcohol problems, or a five-year-plus age difference from oneself.
Apparently if all these factors in a partner are considered together, they can affect one's chances of getting a dose even more than use or non-use of condoms. Or in other words, having sex with dope-smoking, alcoholic, poxed jailbird philanderers outside your own age group is riskier than doing it unprotected.
“It’s all about the risk of the partner and sometimes we forget that,” commented Richard A Crosby, who is "the DDI endowed professor" at Kentucky Uni.
Staras' and her colleagues' research was carried out by surveying people who attended STD clinics between 1999 and 2002.
The resulting paper, Sexual Partner Characteristics and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Adolescents and Young Adults, can be read by subscibers to Sexually Transmitted Diseases - Journal of the American Sexually Transmitted Disease Association. ®
“Partner selection is an area of STD prevention that could complement what we are already doing with promoting condom use, and could possibly really help people,” says Stephanie Staras, Florida Uni epidemiology prof.
RegAd('mpu1', 'reg.science.4159/biology', 'pos=top;sz=336x280', VCs);
“If somehow we could convince individuals to incorporate this information in a meaningful way into their decision-making, then we could reduce STDs.”
Staras' team evaluated various things about sexual partners which might indicate that they'd be likely to give you the clap. These included obvious ones like them having had an STD before or having had sex with other people lately. Other warning signs of a possible Cupid's catarrh carrier are these: having done jail time, marjuana or alcohol problems, or a five-year-plus age difference from oneself.
Apparently if all these factors in a partner are considered together, they can affect one's chances of getting a dose even more than use or non-use of condoms. Or in other words, having sex with dope-smoking, alcoholic, poxed jailbird philanderers outside your own age group is riskier than doing it unprotected.
“It’s all about the risk of the partner and sometimes we forget that,” commented Richard A Crosby, who is "the DDI endowed professor" at Kentucky Uni.
Staras' and her colleagues' research was carried out by surveying people who attended STD clinics between 1999 and 2002.
The resulting paper, Sexual Partner Characteristics and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Adolescents and Young Adults, can be read by subscibers to Sexually Transmitted Diseases - Journal of the American Sexually Transmitted Disease Association. ®
Obama to end Turkish visit with student town hall
ISTANBUL, Turkey – Seeking to give America a fresh start with the Muslim world, President Barack Obama is finishing a two-day stay in Turkey with an appeal to Turkish youth.
At a town-hall meeting with college students in Turkey's largest city, he'll say he understands the frustrations America's actions have spawned among Muslims — and wants to turn the page.
"We will listen carefully. We will bridge misunderstandings. And we will seek common ground," Obama told Turkey's parliament in a speech Monday.
His final day in Turkey on Tuesday also featured a meeting with religious leaders and stops at top tourist sites in this city on the Bosporus that spans Europe and Asia. He was visiting the Hagia Sophia museum and the Blue Mosque, accompanied by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The museum — first a basilica, then a mosque, now a Byzantine architectural wonder — dates to 537 and is a shrine to the art, religion and culture of this city of 20 million once known as Constantinople. The nearby Blue or Sultan Ahmet Mosque is famed for its massive dome, minarets and thousands of hand-painted blue tiles.
Speaking to Turkish lawmakers, Obama praised this country's historical role as a bridge between East and West. "This is not where East and West divide — this is where they come together," he said.
But he also said he understands the strains imposed on Turkey by the Iraq war — and the feeling of many Muslims that the war on terror was aimed at them.
"The United States is not, and will never be, at war with Islam," Obama declared, adding that America's relationship with the Muslim world "cannot, and will not, just be based upon opposition to terrorism. We seek broader engagement based on mutual interest and mutual respect."
Obama's Turkish visit capped his first overseas trip as president, which in many respects has been a European listening tour.
He told the G-20 summit in London that global cooperation is the key to ending a crippling recession. And at a NATO summit in France and Germany, he said his new strategy for Afghanistan reflects extensive consultation.
In Ankara, Turkey's capital, Obama told lawmakers their country can help ensure Muslims and the West listen to each other.
Obama has personal ties to Islam. His father was a Muslim Kenyan, and Obama lived as a child in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country. He told lawmakers that he knows Americans have been enriched by their country's Muslim heritage — "I know, because I am one of them."
At a town-hall meeting with college students in Turkey's largest city, he'll say he understands the frustrations America's actions have spawned among Muslims — and wants to turn the page.
"We will listen carefully. We will bridge misunderstandings. And we will seek common ground," Obama told Turkey's parliament in a speech Monday.
His final day in Turkey on Tuesday also featured a meeting with religious leaders and stops at top tourist sites in this city on the Bosporus that spans Europe and Asia. He was visiting the Hagia Sophia museum and the Blue Mosque, accompanied by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The museum — first a basilica, then a mosque, now a Byzantine architectural wonder — dates to 537 and is a shrine to the art, religion and culture of this city of 20 million once known as Constantinople. The nearby Blue or Sultan Ahmet Mosque is famed for its massive dome, minarets and thousands of hand-painted blue tiles.
Speaking to Turkish lawmakers, Obama praised this country's historical role as a bridge between East and West. "This is not where East and West divide — this is where they come together," he said.
But he also said he understands the strains imposed on Turkey by the Iraq war — and the feeling of many Muslims that the war on terror was aimed at them.
"The United States is not, and will never be, at war with Islam," Obama declared, adding that America's relationship with the Muslim world "cannot, and will not, just be based upon opposition to terrorism. We seek broader engagement based on mutual interest and mutual respect."
Obama's Turkish visit capped his first overseas trip as president, which in many respects has been a European listening tour.
He told the G-20 summit in London that global cooperation is the key to ending a crippling recession. And at a NATO summit in France and Germany, he said his new strategy for Afghanistan reflects extensive consultation.
In Ankara, Turkey's capital, Obama told lawmakers their country can help ensure Muslims and the West listen to each other.
Obama has personal ties to Islam. His father was a Muslim Kenyan, and Obama lived as a child in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country. He told lawmakers that he knows Americans have been enriched by their country's Muslim heritage — "I know, because I am one of them."
Serena Williams beat sister at Key Biscayne
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) — Serena Williams retained the No. 1 world ranking by being the best player in her family Thursday night.
Williams defeated older sister Venus 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the semifinals of the Sony Ericsson Open. It was their 20th sibling showdown, and each has won 10 times.
Serena needed to reach the final to retain the top ranking she has held since Feb. 2.
"I'm excited," Serena said. "I was thinking I'd love to remain No. 1. I think I was more happy about that than winning the match."
If Venus had won, Serena would have been supplanted in next week's rankings by No. 2 Dinara Safina.
"Even though she's my sister, I'm still here to win," Venus said. "I can't give anyone anything. So I'm disappointed that I lost tonight, whether or not she kept the ranking."
No. 1 Rafael Nadal lost in the men's quarterfinals to 20-year-old Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (3). The upset delighted a partisan crowd that included many transplants from Argentina.
"Wonderful for the crowd," Nadal said. "Terrible for me."
The No. 6-seeded del Potro's opponent Friday will be No. 4 Andy Murray, who beat No. 8 Fernando Verdasco 6-1, 6-2.
Serena Williams will try for a record sixth Key Biscayne title Saturday against 19-year-old Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. Azarenka became sick to her stomach before losing a fourth-round match against Williams at the Australian Open in January.
Serena raced to a 4-1 lead in the final set and broke serve for the sixth time in the last game. When she closed out her victory, she hopped in delight, raised a fist and shouted "Yes!" She then met her sister at the net with a handshake and slap on the back.
"It never gets easy," Serena said. "She's the toughest player I think on the tour, besides me of course."
As often happens, Williams vs. Williams was an aesthetic disappointment. Both players repeatedly went for winners, which resulted in many errors and few long rallies. Fans were subdued, with the majority heading back to the mainland by the third set.
The players were subdued, too, wearing impassive expressions and refraining from any demonstrative reactions to points — until the final game.
With Venus serving at 3-5, Serena hit a backhand winner and punched the air, then repeated the sequence five points later to reach match point.
The sisters say they're close, and the match offered evidence. Serena won 82 points, Venus 81. Serena had 38 unforced errors, Venus 40. Serena hit 19 winners, Venus 22.
One big difference: Venus twice double-faulted on break point.
"It was a well-fought match," Venus said. "My serve wasn't going as well as I wanted. But she brought a lot of balls back and played tough."
Venus, a three-time Key Biscayne champion, fell to 15-2 this year. Serena has won the tournament the past two years and is 52-5 in the event, with one loss since 2001 — to her sister.
After losing her past two meetings with Venus, Serena said she was glad to pull even in the rivalry.
"I would love to be in the lead again," she said.
Del Potro had lost all nine sets in his four previous matches against Nadal, but the Argentine was buoyed by a home-court advantage, with many fans singing "Del-Po" between points.
"They helped me a lot," del Potro said.
The 6-foot-6 Del Potro showed patience in long rallies and used his looping forehand to keep Nadal deep as their three-hour match built to a dramatic finish.
"I beat him with my mind and with my game," del Potro said. "When we played long points, I was dominating every time."
Nadal was up two breaks in the final set at 3-love, but del Potro climbed back into the match by winning 12 of the next 14 points.
"I played really bad all the time," Nadal said. "When I have it 3-love in the third, I played worse. It was amazing disaster."
When Nadal lost serve for the second consecutive time for 3-all, del Potro let loose a primal scream. There was more noise to come.
In the 12th game of the set, Nadal saved three match points, two with aces. He caught a break in the tiebreaker when his return skipped along the net cord before clearing it for a winner and a 3-2 lead.
That was the last point Nadal won. Del Potro hit three consecutive winners to go up 6-3, and on the final point Nadal put a backhand in the net as the crowd erupted one last time.
"I beat the No. 1," del Potro said. "If you don't play unbelievable, you cannot beat him."
Nadal is a six-time Grand Slam champion, and he won at Indian Wells two weeks ago, but his best finish at Key Biscayne was as the runner-up in 2005 and 2008.
"I didn't play well during this tournament," Nadal said. "I didn't adapt well. I played really bad."
Azarenka kept waving clenched fists during her semifinal, as if there was any doubt she meant business. Celebrating every important point she won, the teenager earned her biggest victory yet.
"It's the first final in such a big tournament for me," the No. 11-seeded Azarenka said. "It's all kind of an experience for me. It's a new thing that I'm going to be introduced to on how to handle."
Azarenka closed out the victory on her fourth match point when Kuznetsova netted a backhand to end the 2-hour, 40-minute endurance test played in 85-degree sunshine.
"I'm just so happy that I found energy in that fighting moment," Azarenka said. "That was kind of adrenaline, I would say, on the last games."
Azarenka, who trains in Scottsdale, Ariz., is ranked a career-best 10th after reaching the semifinals at Indian Wells two weeks ago.
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