CheapLog

Britney Spears: an "over the hill Lolita"

2006-01-11T13:54:00.000+02:00

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pop singer Britney Spears on Tuesday topped an annual Hollywood worst-dressed list compiled by a fashion designer who called her an "over-the-hill Lolita." Mr. Blackwell's list, which also slammed starlets Mary-Kate Olsen, Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton, summed up 2005 as a particularly bad year for "couture chaos, wardrobe wrecks and stylistic sleaze."

Greek Superstar Prog Masters

2005-08-03T02:11:00.000+03:00

I didn't realize until recently how amazing some of the progressive Greek DJs are! With the likes of:

Kosmas Epsilon
Andrew K
V-Sag
DJ Leoni
G-Pal
Christian Cambas
and a few others

Check 'em out if you haven't. Impressive!....but still not quite like the Dutch :)

See also

Audio Therapy - Across Borders : Greece

Ιάπωνας αποστηθίζει τα 83.000 πρώτα ψηφία του π

2005-07-05T20:27:00.000+03:00

59χρονος Ιάπωνας κατέρριψε το παγκόσμιο ρεκόρ αποστήθισης των ψηφίων της μαθηματικής σταθεράς π, απαριθμώντας από μνήμης τα πρώτα 83.431 δεκαδικά ψηφία.

Ο Ακίρα Χαραγκούτσι, σύμβουλος ψυχικής υγείας, κατέρριψε την Κυριακή το σημερινό επίσημο ρεκόρ Guinnes, το οποίο κατέχει από το 1995 ένας άλλος Ιάπωνας, ο οποίος απομνημόνευσε τα πρώτα 42.195 ψηφία. Πάντως το προσωπικό ρεκόρ του Χαραγκούτσι είναι ακόμα μεγαλύτερο (54.000 ψηφία πέρυσι το Σεπτέμβριο- αλλά δεν έχει έπιβεβαιωθεί ακόμα από το Βιβλίο των Ρεκόρ Guinness.

Ο Χαραγκούτσι ξεκίνησε την προσπάθειά του την Παρασκευή στην πόλη Σίμπα, ανατολικά του Τόκιο, αλλά τρεις ώρες αργότερα σταμάτησε και ξανάρχισε από την αρχή. Έσπασε το προσωπικό του ρεκόρ το απόγευμα της ίδιας ημέρας και συνέχισε να λέει νούμερα τα ξημερώματα της Κυριακής.

Μέχρι σήμερα, η τιμή του π έχει υπολογιστεί με τη βοήθεια υπερυπολογιστή στα πρώτα 1,24 τρισεκατομμύρια ψηφία.

Habermas on the EU Constitution

2005-05-24T17:41:00.000+03:00

On May 29, the French will vote for the EU constitution. A "non" vote in one of the most pro-Union countries will probably spell the end for this particular draft, if not delay further the process of European intergration for many years to come. At the moment polls suggest a small lead for those opposed to the constitution, including an unholy alliance of Right and Left wing groups.

In a recent article, the German philosopher Jürgen Habermas has urged the European Left to vote "yes" for a European constitution. His point is a simple one - the only way to protect the "European social model" against the excesses of neo-liberal economic reform is through the political will of united Europe, one strong enough to resist the globalisation agenda which is being dictated by the U.S. As we know, the individual nation-state is powerless to counter the pressures of global market forces in this respect. But on a European scale the Left will have the opportunity to push for their own economic agenda in favor of proper regulations.

Critic takes on logic of female orgasm

2005-05-17T17:46:00.000+03:00

Dinitia Smith
New York Times News Service

Evolutionary scientists have never had difficulty explaining the male orgasm, closely tied as it is to reproduction.

But the Darwinian logic behind the female orgasm has remained elusive. Women can have sexual intercourse and even become pregnant - doing their part for the perpetuation of the species - without experiencing orgasm. So what is its evolutionary purpose?

Over the last four decades, scientists have come up with a variety of theories, arguing, for example, that orgasm encourages women to have sex and, therefore, reproduce, or that it leads women to favor stronger and healthier men, maximizing their offspring's chances of survival.

But in a new book, Dr. Elisabeth A. Lloyd, a philosopher of science and professor of biology at Indiana University, takes on 20 leading theories and finds them wanting.
[..]
The female orgasm, she said, "is for fun."

Σεμνά και Ταπεινά (σα τη κοιμωμένη του Χαλεπά)

2005-05-12T12:34:00.000+03:00

Από το σημερινό ΕΘΝΟΣ (3η Σελίδα)

Οπως είπε και ένας από τους "εγκλωβισμένους" του Πολυτεχνείου: "Ευτυχώς, η κυβέρνηση δεν μπορούσε να κάνει πολλά πράγματα, και έτσι βγήκαμε ζωντανοί..."

Croatian's gymnastics career a bust

2005-05-10T08:41:00.000+03:00

In a commendable example of original reporting and service journalism, today Sports by Brooks tells its readers the very sad story of former Croatian National Rhythmic Gymnastics Champion Stefany Hohnjec.

At the tender age of 18, Stefany finds herself no longer able to compete in gymnastics because of a tragic glandular problem that has caused her to gain nearly twenty-five pounds - almost entirely in her breasts. In clinical terms, her boobs freaking exploded.

Just a few years ago Miss Hohnjec was a (flat as a) board member of the Eastern European Regional Itty Bitty Titty Committee, as well as a world class gymnast. But today, sadly, she is neither. Hohnjec has been forced into retirement by the oppressive weight of her newly gigantic gazongas, each of which has grown larger and heavier than her head. Hohnjec’s entire center of gravity has been thrown off, and since rhythmic gymnastics does not add points for mammary undulation, jiggling, gainaxing, or general bodaciousness, she’s out. At the age of 18, her gymnastics career is over.

Decoded at last: the 'classical holy grail' that may rewrite the history of the world

2005-04-18T17:53:00.000+03:00

Scientists begin to unlock the secrets of papyrus scraps bearing long-lost words by the literary giants of Greece and Rome

By David Keys and Nicholas Pyk

For more than a century, it has caused excitement and frustration in equal measure - a collection of Greek and Roman writings so vast it could redraw the map of classical civilisation. If only it was legible.

Now, in a breakthrough described as the classical equivalent of finding the holy grail, Oxford University scientists have employed infra-red technology to open up the hoard, known as the Oxyrhynchus Papyri, and with it the prospect that hundreds of lost Greek comedies, tragedies and epic poems will soon be revealed.

In the past four days alone, Oxford's classicists have used it to make a series of astonishing discoveries, including writing by Sophocles, Euripides, Hesiod and other literary giants of the ancient world, lost for millennia. They even believe they are likely to find lost Christian gospels, the originals of which were written around the time of the earliest books of the New Testament.

Ann Coulter on Time's cover

2005-04-18T15:58:00.000+03:00

WND columnist subject of 6,000-word story, strange photo

The new issue of Time magazine hitting the streets today boasts a cover story on conservative flamethrowing WND columnist and author Ann Coulter – and a cover photo some fans are calling "bizarre."

Coulter told Matt Drudge last night Time used a more flattering photo of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il.

While the story itself, written by Time's John Cloud, is generally quite favorable, Coulter and her fans are focused on the strange cover photo that seems to distort the image of the tall, thin, blond pundit.
[..]
Coulter is compared with other conservatives on the scene – from Rush Limbaugh to Sean Hannity to George Will and Thomas Sowell.

"But no one on the right is so iconic, such a totem of this particular moment," writes Cloud. "Coulter epitomizes the way politics is now discussed on the airwaves, where opinions must come violently fast and cause as much friction as possible. No one, right or left, delivers the required apothegmatic commentary on the world with as much glee or effectiveness as Coulter. It is almost impossible to watch her and not be sluiced into rage or elation, depending on your views. As a congressional staff member 10 years ago, Coulter used to help write the nation's laws. Now she is far more powerful: she helps set the nation's tone."

Save Jordan's giant jugs

2005-04-16T18:39:00.000+03:00

TODAY The Sun launches a campaign to save two of Britain’s most outstanding monuments — Jordan’s boobs.

Yesterday the model revealed she wants to have surgery to reduce the much-loved landmarks. It left many upset the national treasures will be lost for ever. Often open to the public, the silicon edifices have become one of Britain’s biggest attractions. But Jordan — who boosted her original 32B assets to 32FF — now says they are "a little big."

Last night the National Trust reluctantly insisted they would be unable to step in to preserve the massive monuments. Spokesman Julian Lloyd said: "Our remit is to preserve places of outstanding natural beauty – so we will have to pass on this." Now it’s up to readers to Save Jordan’s Giant Jugs – so e-mail your support today.

email features@the-sun.co.uk

Vida Guerra Stolen Phone And Webcam Photos

2005-04-12T18:14:00.000+03:00

Sideways' side effects

2005-04-10T19:19:00.000+03:00

"If anyone orders merlot, I'm leaving. I am not drinking any fuckin' merlot."

About halfway through the wine-loving buddy movie "Sideways," the film's main character shows shocking disdain for merlot, America's most popular varietal of red wine. It was a throwaway line that the movie's writers didn't think would generate much reaction from audiences, but now merlot, a drinkable and uncomplicated Everyman's red, is fighting to be cool again. Its sales growth sputtered a bit when the movie came out and it's been the butt of jokes among the wine-savvy.

On the flip side, in the wake of the success of "Sideways," sales of pinot noir jumped 15 percent in the three months ended Jan. 15, according to ACNielsen. Retailers and wineries, pushing pinot with all kinds of "Sideways" tie-ins, say the movie has prompted the biggest buzz in the wine industry since a 1991 "60 Minutes" program touted the health benefits of red wine.

Click here for a new Pope

2005-04-08T16:07:00.000+03:00

Surely, it's only a matter of time now before someone sets up a website that lets you vote online for the next pope. There have been quite a few articles on how the next pope needs to be hip to technology and new media, and certainly the old pope blessed the internet and was an early adaptor - the Vatican has had a website since 1999. In these past days, journalists were informed of the Pope's health and eventual passing by official Vatican SMS messages.

On 3QuarksDaily a reader suggests a wiki with information about each candidate, and a feedback system that helps the 117 cardinals come to a decision. e-Democracy meets the Catholic church. "Do we even need the Church or can we DIY this?" asks Cory Doctorow on BoingBoing. It may seem silly now, but I sincerely believe this will happen someday. How else would you poll 1 billion Catholics around the world? The difficult part is getting the Church to care what they think in the first place.

Brad's Jolie good time

2005-04-08T15:33:00.000+03:00

Here's the burning question about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie: If it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, is it just an innocent friendship?

"They were kissing and holding each other. He was rubbing her back. It looked romantic," an eyewitness tells Us magazine about Pitt and Jolie's four-day Easter weekend at a secluded villa at the posh Parker Palm Springs hotel.

"It's obvious they were a couple," hotel employee Levi Sotomayor dishes.

Another staffer (who prudently remained anonymous) chimes in: "Brad and Angelina were definitely having an intense romantic relationship, from what I saw. They did not behave like just friends." The two spent a lot of time indoors, Us reports, and Saturday night Jolie called room service and ordered a pricey bottle of Pinot Grigio and a dark chocolate marquise dessert with pistachio sauce.

Jenna in dirty disco dance

2005-04-08T15:26:00.000+03:00

April 7, 2005 -- VIDEOTAPE of Jenna Bush in very high spirits at a bachelorette party is being sold and could end up on national TV by the end of the week. Luckily for Jenna, the cameraman missed "the high point . . . Jenna on all fours doing 'the butt dance' — and doing it very well — as guys were ogling her thong," said our source. Club patrons do the suggestive dance when the deejay plays the 1988 hit "Da Butt," by E.U. The president's blond daughter arrived at NerveAna, a '90s-themed lounge on Varick Street, at 10:30 p.m. last Friday with several other pretty young things in a battered old blue minivan. Sources said it was Jenna's third visit to the club, which features replicas of Monica Lewinsky's blue dress and O.J. Simpson's white Bronco. Jenna, who plans to teach school in D.C. next fall, wore jeans, moccasin boots and a midriff-baring, satiny blue top. She lit up a cigarette "and she was very polite when she was told she'd have to go outside to smoke," said our source. Before leaving at 3:30 a.m., Jenna and her pals gamely joined a conga line and danced around the club.

Ο Tom Haden Church πιάνει αράχνες

2005-03-22T23:09:00.000+02:00

Ποιος είπε πώς μόνο ένας μπορεί να βγει κερδισμένος απ’ τα Όσκαρ; Πάντως σίγουρα όχι ο Thomas Haden Church, ο οποίος μετά την πρόσφατη υποψηφιότητά του για Όσκαρ β’ Ανδρικού για το Sideways, έστρεψε αρκετά βλέμματα πάνω του για να κερδίσει μια θέση στο cast του Spider-Man 3.

Στην τρίτη ταινία της σειράς, που προγραμματίζεται να βγει στις αίθουσες στις αρχές του Μάη του 2007, ο ηθοποιός με το πλούσιο βιογραφικό σε τηλεοπτικές σειρές, θα παίξει το ρόλο της νέμεσης του ήρωα με τα μπλέ κολάν και τους ιστούς στους καρπούς, σύμφωνα με ανακοίνωση του σκηνοθέτη της ταινίας Sam Raimi την περασμένη Δευτέρα. Δεν έχει διευκρινιστεί ακόμη, ποιον από τους δεκάδες εχθρούς του Spider-Man θα υποδυθεί.

Read Her Like a Book

2005-03-17T15:56:00.000+02:00

Modern romance novels reveal the disturbing truth about what turns women on. Heaving bosoms not included

By: Joe Queenan

One of my female friends maintains that you can't understand women without reading romance novels, just as you can't understand men without watching porn. Romance novels, she says, embody the hopes, dreams, and fantasies of many--though not all--women, just as porn embodies the hopes, dreams, and fantasies of many--though not all--men. (Right, all men; what was she thinking?) But then my friend told me that, in contemporary romantic fiction, oral sex and even a smidgen of good-natured lesbianism are increasingly common. It seems porn and romance novels are converging.

That got my attention.

Internet Pornography Statistics

2005-03-15T16:23:00.000+02:00

Internet Pornography Statistics

Pornographic websites 4.2 million (12% of total websites)
Pornographic pages 372 million
Daily pornographic search engine requests 68 million (25% of total search engine requests)
Daily pornographic emails 2.5 billion (8% of total emails)

[..]

Women and Pornography

70% of women keep their cyber activities secret.
17% of all women struggle with pornography addiction.
Women, far more than men, are likely to act out their behaviors in real life, such as having multiple partners, casual sex, or affairs.
Women favor chat rooms 2X more than men.
1 of 3 visitors to all adult web sites are women.
9.4 million women access adult web sites each month.
Women admitting to accessing pornography at work 13%

Angelina's girlie sex

2005-03-15T16:08:00.000+02:00

Hollywood beauty Angelina Jolie has boasted that she is an expert in lesbian sex.

Tomb Raider star Angelina, who is bisexual, says she knows what women like. She told OK! magazine: "I absolutely love women and find them incredibly sexy. "I have loved women in the past and slept with them. I think if you love and want to pleasure a woman, particularly if you are a woman yourself, then certainly you know how to do things a certain way."

The Check-secutioner Checks Out

2005-03-14T01:27:00.000+02:00

Garry Kasparov, the undisputed chess champion of the world for the past two decades, regarded by many as the greatest chess player of all time and by the rest as perhaps not the greatest chess player of all time, shocked the chess world by announcing his retirement from professional play yesterday.

Γαμώτο, πάνω που έλεγα να βάλω σε δράση το σχέδιο μου να τον ταπεινώσω, αρχίζοντας να μαθαίνω πόσα τετράγωνα έχει μια σκακιέρα...

Make up party (18+)

2005-03-08T16:44:00.000+02:00

Is Lebanon walking into another nightmare?

2005-03-08T16:40:00.000+02:00

By Robert Fisk in Beirut
The Independent

Lebanon confronts a nightmare today. As the Syrian army begins its withdrawal from the country this morning, after mounting pressure from President George Bush - whose anger at the Syrians has been provoked by the insurgency against American troops in Iraq - there are growing signs that the Syrian retreat is reopening the sectarian divisions of the 1975-1990 Lebanese civil war.

The first Syrian units are expected to cross the Lebanese-Syrian border at Masnaa before midday and their military redeployment should be completed by Wednesday.

To the outside world, this may seem a victory devoutly to be wished: just two weeks after the murder of the former prime minister Rafik Hariri - a prominent opponent of the Syrian presence in Lebanon - the army of Damascus is pulling out of the country it has dominated for 29 long years. At last, free elections might be held in Lebanon, further proof that - thanks to Mr Bush - democracy is breaking out across the Arab world. Iraq held elections, Saudi Arabia held local elections, President Hosni Mubarak promises a contended election for the presidency of Egypt. So why shouldn't Lebanon be happy?

Was Bush right after all?

The Porn King

2005-03-08T13:53:00.000+02:00

NEW YORK - "Sex is a very powerful thing."

As a guy who has spent much of his life around the porn industry, Steven Hirsch, the 43-year-old head of the adult film studio Vivid Entertainment, has no doubt uttered similar statements countless times before. Yet still, he speaks passionately about his closely held company, its growth prospects and the potential for an initial public offering in the coming months. "With all of the new technologies and the excitement surrounding them," Hirsch says, "this is the right time for us."

As one of adult entertainment's largest film studios, Vivid already generates an estimated $100 million a year in revenue, cranking out 60 films per year and selling them in video stores, hotel rooms, on cable systems and on the Internet. The company sells Vivid-branded merchandise, such as condoms, snowboards, apparel and sexually explicit comic books. And through a licensing deal with Ark Restaurants, the company just opened its first night club, Vivid, inside The Venetian hotel and casino in Las Vegas.

England's EBay for Sex

2005-03-08T13:38:00.000+02:00

By Jason Walsh

Just as myriad swingers sites allow soccer moms to commit adultery and married men to cheat with impunity, a new British website is helping people to become part-time prostitutes. Across Britain and Ireland plenty of people are willing to pay for sex -- and plenty more are willing to provide it, but until now it has largely been the domain of professional sex workers.

Britain's AdultWork website is plugging into the growing niche industry of sex-work dilettantes, people who spend a few hours a week in front of a camera, or in bed with a client, to augment their income -- or maybe even just because they like it.
[..]
For Melissa, escorting is part-time work that provides good money. She insists it's not sordid.

"Prostitution suggests standing on a street corner to feed a drug habit," she said. "I think of myself as a Holly Golightly, Breakfast at Tiffany's kind of call girl.... It's been a bit of a fantasy for me to have this secret life that only I know about."

It's not just the hormones ...

2005-03-04T14:14:00.000+02:00

Scientists are discovering the real reasons for the hell of adolescence, writes Vivienne Parry
[..]
Something very strange happens at puberty, when truckloads of hormones begin arriving by the day. Children who were once sweet, helpful and good fun to be around turn, almost overnight, into grunting creatures, who wear nothing but black, lie abed until noon and consume 5,000-calorie snacks (followed immediately by saying that they are still hungry).
[..]
It is tempting - indeed it has always been assumed - that such behaviours are entirely hormone-driven. After all, aren't teenagers hormones on wheels? From all that I have said so far, it seems logical. But links between hormone levels and poor behaviour in teenagers are either weak, or non-existent.

"The End Is Nigh!" - Official

2005-03-04T13:59:00.000+02:00

A quite staggering article has appeared on the web in the latest issue of the ASPO Newsletter (Link to PDF). ASPO is the Association for the Study of Peak Oil. ASPO is openly an organisation with an agenda, but even those who disagree with that agenda acknowledge that it is made up of serious people with no personal axe to grind, and who are putting forward very well researched information.
[..]
In summary, the DoE seems to be saying that the problems posed by the peaking of oil supplies are massively worse than has previously been acknowledged. They suggest that in order to mitigate these problems, a Crash program (and by this they mean a huge focus of political will, resources and time; making it a major priority of our society) needs to be implemented 20 years prior to the peak of oil supply.
[..]
Hand in hand with the DoE announcement, it is clear to me that the rise in target band tells us two things. One (the less significant) is that OPEC has lost faith in the strength of the dollar. The second is that OPEC is sending the world a coded message.

We're running out of oil.

Το αντι-Ομηρικό πανηγύρι ξεκίνησε ξανά

2005-03-03T20:41:00.000+02:00

Ματαιώθηκε την Τετάρτη η προβολή της ταινίας Όμηρος του Κωνσταντίνου Γιάνναρη στον κινηματογράφο «Ολύμπιον» της Θεσσαλονίκης, μετά από τηλεφώνημα για βόμβα.

Νωρίτερα, ο πατέρας του Γιώργου Κουλούρη, που είχε χάσει τη ζωή του κατά τον αιματηρό τερματισμό της λεωφορειοπειρατείας, τον Ιούνιο του 1999, επί αλβανικού εδάφους, εισήλθε στην αίθουσα του κινηματογράφου και εξέφρασε ιδιαίτερα έντονα την αγανάκτηση του για την προβολή της ταινίας, η οποία, όπως υποστηρίζει, προσβάλλει τη μνήμη του παιδιού του.

Ο πατέρας του Γιώργου Κουλούρη φώναζε συνθήματα εναντίον του σκηνοθέτη, αλλά και των θεατών, υποστηρίζοντας ότι το σενάριο διάκειται θετικά υπέρ του Αλβανού δράστη.

Ακολούθησε ένταση στο χώρο του κινηματογράφου, ενώ στη συνέχεια τηλεφώνημα αγνώστων στην Άμεσο Δράση περί τοποθέτησης βόμβας στο «Ολύμπιον» είχε ως συνέπεια την εκκένωση της αίθουσας και τη ματαίωση της προβολής.

Πηγή: in.gr

Αν και η θεωρία όλο αυτό το σύστριγγλο να είναι υποκινούμενο απο την εταιρεία διανομής της ταινίας, θα έφτιαχνε ένα υπέροχο σενάριο συνομωσίας, το πράγμα έχει πάει τόσο μακριά που απο στιγμή σε στιγμή περιμένω την εμφάνιση της κυρίας Λουκά με Καλάσνικοφ και μολότωφ να καλεί το λαό σε εξέγερση και αντίσταση στη Γιανναρική λαίλαπα.

Το πανηγύρι του μποϋκοτάζ έχει ξεκινήσει. Κάντε μια βόλτα απ'το επίσημο forum του Ομήρου για τρελό αποκριάτικο κέφι

Greeks pick their Eurovision number one

2005-03-03T16:40:00.000+02:00

The Greeks have chosen the song ‘My Number One’ for Helena Paparizou to sing at the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest final on 21 May.

Voting during the Greek national final yesterday evening was split between a jury and SMS/Televoters. The nine jury members accounted for 40% of the overall vote. Helena mimed each of the songs rather than sing live to ensure that each was heard at its best.

During a live show from the Fever Music Centre in Athens, Paparizou sang three songs. She was joined on stage by guest stars that will also be performing at the 2005 contest. Chiara from Malta, Glennis Grace from the Netherlands, Angelica Agurbash from Belarus and Marian van de Wal from Andorra were there to perform their Eurovision songs. There were also appearances from Swedish group Alcazar and the runner up from 2004, Zeljko Jocksimovic.

The result:

1st: My Number One - 66.47%
2nd: OK - 24.55%
3rd: Let’s get Wild - 8.98%

hmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmmmm

2005-03-03T15:41:00.000+02:00

je veux dire que je t'aime, je t'aime, je t'aime, mais...voici un truc bizarre, il y a de fois que tu m'enerves, tu m'enerves, tu m'enerves:P

China issues human rights record of the United States

2005-03-03T14:19:00.000+02:00

China issued the Human Rights Record of the US in 2004 Thursday in response to the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2004 issued by the US on Feb. 28.

Released by the Information Office of China's State Council, the Chinese report listed a multitude of cases to show that serious violations of human rights exist on the homeland of the United States.

"In 2004 the atrocity of US troops abusing Iraqi POWs exposed the dark side of human rights performance of the United States. The scandal shocked the humanity and was condemned by the international community. It is quite ironic that on Feb. 28 of this year, the State Department of the United States once again posed as the 'the world human rights police' and released its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2004. As in previous years, the reports pointed fingers at human rights situation in more than 190 countries and regions (including China) but kept silent on the US misdeeds in this field. Therefore, the world people have to probe the human rights record behind the Statue of Liberty in the United States," said the report.

Yahoo! Netrospective: 10 years, 100 moments of the Web

2005-03-02T16:21:00.000+02:00

The Book Stops Here

2005-03-02T15:48:00.000+02:00

Jimmy Wales wanted to build a free encyclopedia on the Internet. So he raised an army of amateurs and created the self-organizing, self-repairing, hyperaddictive library of the future called Wikipedia.

By Daniel H. Pink

Dixon, New Mexico, is a rural town with a few hundred residents and no traffic lights. At the end of a dirt road, in the shadow of a small mountain sits a gray trailer. It is the home of Einar Kvaran. To understand the most audacious experiment of the postboom Internet, this is a good place to begin.

How Latin America turned to the left

2005-03-02T15:27:00.000+02:00

Uruguay swears in its first left-wing President today, joined by the new wave of leaders in the region - and Fidel Castro. The event symbolises waning US influence, says Rupert Cornwell

At presidential inaugurations, as at weddings, the guest list says everything. In Montevideo today, Tabare Vazquez will be sworn in as the first left-wing president in the 170-year history of Uruguay. That is noteworthy enough, but even more remarkable are the foreign dignitaries in attendance.

Luis Inacio "Lula" da Silva, the centre-left President of Brazil will be there. So will Hugo Chavez, the fiery demagogue who leads Venezuela, and Argentina's Nestor Kirchner. Adding the revolutionary topping will be none other than Fidel Castro. No gathering could better symbolise the slow drift of Latin America out of the US orbit.

Las revelaciones de la increíble Miss Reef 2005

2005-02-14T18:19:00.000+02:00

Karina Muñoz no se anda con chicas. Cuando sólo cuenta 18 años, a la flamante reina del concurso de belleza del verano le llueven las ofertas de trabajo. Por lo mismo tendrá que coordinar sus horarios de gimnasio, colegio y de pololeo, aun cuando sea una relación "abierta". (Fotos: Dany Alveal)

Pictures from the Miss Reef 2005 contest

Τεχνολογική και εγκεφαλική υπανάπτυξη

2005-02-14T16:58:00.000+02:00

Συντάκτης: Βιβή Παπαστεφάνου
Πηγή: ΝΕΤ 105,8

Μεγάλη απάτη που γινόταν μέσω διαδικτύου εξιχνίασε η ασφάλεια Αττικής, με δράστη έναν 34χρονο γλύπτη. Ο δράστης εξαπατούσε τα θύματά του παρουσιάζοντας στην ιστοσελίδα του φωτογραφίες πολιτικών, που υποτίθεται ότι τους γνώριζε και με φωτομοντάζ τους εμφάνιζε να κρατούν χαρτιά με το λογότυπο της εταιρείας του. Μέσω της ιστοσελίδας υποσχόταν διορισμούς στο Δημόσιο, μετεγγραφές φοιτητών, νομιμοποίηση αυθαιρέτων και επιτυχία στους διαγωνισμούς του ΑΣΕΠ. Το ποσό που έπαιρνε ο 34χρονος ξεκινούσε από 500 ευρώ και έφτανε τα 2000, ανάλογα με την περίπτωση του ανυποψίαστου επισκέπτη. Η πληρωμή γινόταν μέσω πιστωτικής κάρτας, όπου ο ενδιαφερόμενος συμπλήρωνε σε ειδική φόρμα, τα προσωπικά του στοιχεία, τον αριθμό, τον κωδικό ασφαλείας και τη λήξη της κάρτας. Σε έρευνα που έγινε στο σπίτι του βρέθηκαν και κατασχέθηκαν ένας σκληρός δίσκος, τρεις πιστωτικές κάρτες, πλήθος από CD Rom ηλεκτρονικού υπολογιστή και σημειώσεις που αποδείκνυαν τα αδικήματα που διέπραττε. Το τελευταίο 2μηνο η ιστοσελίδα του δέχθηκε χιλιάδες επισκέπτες από όλο τον κόσμο, καθώς και από παιδιά Ελλήνων μεταναστών. Την ίδια στιγμή η ασφάλεια δεχόταν δεκάδες καταγγελίες από αλλοδαπούς και ημεδαπούς που κατήγγειλαν την απάτη. Σε βάρος του σχηματίστηκε δικογραφία και στάλθηκε στον εισαγγελέα.

Kylie: From top bum to mum

2005-02-14T16:20:00.000+02:00

By THOMAS WHITAKER

CURVY Kylie Minogue IS finally taking her famous bum out of the spotlight. And the pop princess has hinted she may take a break from music too — to become a mum.

Kylie, 36, first declared she was covering up her pert bottom in October 2003 — because she felt too old to flaunt it. But she cheekily continued to show it off following protests from millions of male admirers.

Now the Aussie star — this week voted the world’s sexiest 30-something — has confirmed she is fed-up with wearing figure-hugging skirts and hotpants.

Leykis 101

2005-02-09T18:47:00.000+02:00

NEVER, and I mean EVER...date a single mother or father
Follow the "three strikes and your out" rule. Which means if she hasn't put out in the first three dates, dump the bitch.
Never pick up your phone Friday through Sunday. Screen all of your phone calls
No cuddling after sex. You kick their ass out in time for Sportscenter
Always wear a condom. Even if she is on birth control. No exceptions
Never spend more than $40 on a date. And if she pays, all the better
Pick out the women with the lowest self esteem. The lower the better. Beautiful women normally have a very low self esteem
Get in touch with your "inner A-hole". Women are drawn to assholes. If your a nice guy (pussy), you won't get laid. She'll categorize you as her "friend"
Women are attention whores and will do almost anything to get it. So keep that in mind when you see some woman dressed to kill
never have coffee or lunch with a woman unless you want to be "friends". Women have dinner with the men that they bang, not lunch or coffee.
Women, you have no male friends. Every male you call a friend wants to bang the living fuck out of you. If you don't believe me, then as a test...tell any one of your male friends that you want to sleep with them and see if they turn you down
Stay away from any women who says the words "All my friends are guys". That is trouble and should be avoided at all costs
If the person you are dating stops putting out, Dump that bitch
Men, the reason why you are friends with a woman with the exception of having a past relationship with her...is that she doesn't find you attractive. The truth hurts. Move on
Men, the more confidence you show the better chances you have of getting the girl. Women smell a pussy a mile away and they can also smell confidence. Women are attracted to confidence almost more than anything else
Don't ever tell a woman you love her unless you really do. Don't do it especially just to get in her pants. The consequences are many and get you in to big trouble
If your girlfriend is spending a lot of time with a "friend" of the opposite sex, dump that bitch
Do not get married until you are at least 25 years of age
Do not buy her flowers until the second year you are married
Don't do anything in the beginning of the relationship you wouldn't normally do later in the relationship. Because her expectations of anything you do for her will cause you problems later
Never hold her purse. Unless you are a pussy or have a pussy, you shouldn't be holding a purse
Always become unavailable during the holidays. Never pick up the phone close to holiday seasons. Especially Valentine's Day or Thanksgiving
Do not go to a concert with a woman if she invites you. Especially if she has backstage passes or has a friend in the band she is going to see. It just means she is there to fuck the other guy. She probably just used you for the ride there
Never buy a woman a drink. It's just another way of a woman getting something she wants for free while the man thinks she's interested in him (applies outside of relationships)
Eat before you go out on a date. Purpose is that a woman normally wouldn't be caught dead eating more than her date. So this results in a lower costing date by the end of the evening. You tell her that you are trying to eat healthy
Do not order a bottle of wine. And the reason you don't when she asks is because you want to make sure you get her home safely. And to ensure this to the best of your ability, you don't want to drink any alcohol.
If your date picks up their cell phone, silently get up and drive off without them. If they wouldn't give you the lack of respect to pay attention to you on the date, you don't give them the respect of driving them home
This came from listener comments, so here it is. Keep a bottle of hot sauce Every place you have sex (Bathroom, bedroom etc.) After you use the condom, put a few drops into the used condom and throw it away. This results in the "Burning of the cooch" if the bitch tries to actually use the contents.

Everyone else has had more sex than me

2005-02-07T18:19:00.000+02:00

Everyone else has had more sex than me.
Everyone else has had more sex than me.

Corporate chambers and office amore.
Shenanigans outdoor and in.
Resist and then later your find out there's more
Regret in not doing the sin.

Beyond the Headlines

2005-02-07T17:38:00.000+02:00

The mistakes of laissez-faire revisited

2005-02-07T17:21:00.000+02:00

Larry Elliott
[..]

It has become clear in recent years that there is a need for bodies that can help manage globalisation. Unlike a decade ago, it is no longer assumed - even by multinational corporations - that everything can be left to the self-regulating market. Put bluntly, the modern world is re-learning some of the lessons of the past. Back in the 19th century, there was a similar belief that leaving the forces of supply and demand unencumbered by restrictions and constraints would lead to perfect equilibrium. If only wages could be set by demand and supply, if only all tariffs could be removed, if only entrepreneurs could be encouraged by low taxes, there would be a state of grace.

Things didn't quite work out as planned. The Austrian economist and historian Karl Polanyi pointed out in his book The Great Transformation that this was a wholly utopian view of the world and he was absolutely right. Those who were victims of 19th century laissez-faire did not just take it on the chin.

Δείγμα τυπικής γυναίκας

2005-02-05T19:39:00.000+02:00

Κείμενο Καταχώρησης: Ψάχνω παθιασμένους άντρες να με κάνουν να περάσω καλά. Θέλω να σας νοιώσω παντού. Να κάνετε δικό σας όλο μου το κορμάκι. Απο το καυτό μου στόμα μέχρι τα τρυφερά μου πόδια. Να μπείτε μέσα μου από όλες μου τις εισόδους και να κάνετε έρωτα σε όλο μου το σώμα. Μετά θα γυρίσω στο αγόρι μου να γίνω η ήσυχη και ντροπαλή κοπέλα του...

Εμφάνιση: Ομορφος/η
Χρώμα Ματιών: Μαύρα
Χρώμα Μαλλιών: Καστανά
Βάρος: 50-55 κιλά
Ύψος: 165-170
Θρήσκευμα: Χριστιανός Ορθόδοξος

Μιά φαντασίωση?: Δύο άντρες κι εγώ...
Φετίχ: Μεγάλα αντρικά όργανα
Κάτι που με χαρακτηρίζει: Με ερεθίζει η ιδέα να απατάω το αγόρι μου. Να γίνομαι ένα πουτανάκι που το παιρνουν όλοι και αυτός νομίζει πως είμαι δική του...

Orgasmatron just the job to get romance buzzing around Valentine's Day

2005-02-04T17:35:00.000+02:00

Lowri Turner, Western Mail

The lights are dimmed, soft music tinkles in the background and a glass of champagne fizzes on the bedside table. Under the duvet though, things are not quite as relaxed. As he works away like someone trying to bore a second Channel Tunnel, she runs through her shopping list for the morning. "Washing up liquid, cornflakes, 5lbs of potatoes...."

Valentine's Day is just over a week away.

Many couples are already planning a romantic evening. The sad truth, however, is that while he is pretty much assured a good night, things are more in doubt for her. If reaching orgasm is the sexual equivalent of scaling a peak in the Himalayas, many women have trouble getting over a speed hump.

Now one scientist claims to have come up with a solution. The Orgasmatron, named after the device in the 1968 film Barbarella, is an implant, or rather two, that are said to guarantee a female orgasm. For £9,000, patients can have a pair of tiny electrodes implanted. These are connected by wires to nerves in the spinal chord. Then, using a remote control, tiny pulses of electricity can be sent to the spine, so resulting in orgasm.

I tested the Orgasmatron

Mumbo-jumbo’s survival instinct

2005-02-04T17:08:00.000+02:00

Colin MacCabe

In his recent book scholar-journalist Francis Wheen hilariously exposes the madness and irrationality of today's world and asks: whatever happened to the Enlightenment? But one of those he reproaches now says that Wheen himself has not gone far enough.

The paperback publication of Francis Wheen’s How Mumbo-Jumbo conquered the world allows the possibility of reflecting on one of the most amusing and informative of recent books. Wheen is that very unusual thing, a journalist who is also a real scholar, and a writer who is not afraid to think. His biography of Karl Marx combined wide-reaching scholarship with faultless prose to provide an enduring portrait of the author of Das Kapital. Mumbo-Jumbo, which aspires to analyse the intellectual Zeitgeist of the last generation – from self-help to modern management, from post-structuralism to the weightless economy – gives him a large canvas on which to execute some savage portraits.

The very best part of the book is an account of the speculative bubble of the late 1990s where the positive thinking of the self-help books, the meretricious inanities of modern management and the wishful thinking of those trying to get rich quick came together in an orgy of stupidity which Wheen savours expertly.

Search and you shall find

2005-02-04T16:46:00.000+02:00

With the launch yesterday of MSN search, Bill Gates is taking Google on at its own game. But it's not just a fight for web hits and advertising dollars: it is also a reflection of how a simple tool has become essential to the way we live our lives. Oliver Burkeman and Bobbie Johnson report
[..]

"It becomes an extension of my mind, an extension of my taste, my sensibility, my active memory," says Sherry Turkle, a philosopher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston. We no longer need to remember, yet nor can we ever truly forget, because everything's out there, logged and stored. It's not so much that knowledge is power. Dominating the market in the tools people use to navigate that knowledge - which is what Gates wants to do now - is the true source of power. Own that, and is it too much of an overstatement to say that you own a little piece of people's brains?

The Cell chip - what it is, and why you should care

2005-02-04T15:44:00.000+02:00

By Andrew Orlowski in San Francisco

Analysis No chip in years has caused as much excitement as the Cell processor developed by IBM, Sony and Toshiba. It promises to be the most important microprocessor of the decade, with potentially enormous repercussions for how the industry computes, and how the rest of us use digital media. It will power the PlayStation 3 and technical and commercial computing.

Technical details of Cell will be disclosed at the International Solid State Circuits Conference in San Francisco next week, and in anticipation we'll look first at how the Cell works and then tomorrow at what it means to the industry and consumers.

Excitement about Cell has already led to some wild and poorly informed speculation, as Ars Technica's Jon Stokes rued last week. But earlier in the month, Microprocessor Report's Tom Halfhill published an investigation into a detailed patent filed in 2001, and published by the USPTO in October, and he was kind enough to discuss it with us. We'll refer to it as the '734 patent.

The Cell Chip - how will MS and Intel face the music?

Golden Globes

2005-02-03T17:24:00.000+02:00

A literate look at the most unforgettable breasts in movie history

She rises from the depths like the Venus of the San Fernando Valley—slicked hair glistening, water dripping from her smiling lips, dark eyes glittering with libidinal mischief. Then—in a scene that will forever grant an otherwise incomprehensible erotic aura to the Cars—the new-wave chestnut “Moving in Stereo” kicks in as Phoebe Cates begins her slo-mo poolside strut. And boy, do they move in stereo, those pert, secondary sexual characteristics of teenage Phoebe Cates, as—in one breathtaking gesture—she frees her frisky buds from their front-fastening red bikini top to quiver in the balletic perfection of Judge Reinhold’s furtive spank dream.

'Zero intelligence' trading closely mimics stock market

2005-02-03T16:39:00.000+02:00

NewScientist.com news service
Katharine Davis

A model that assumes stock market traders have zero intelligence has been found to mimic the behaviour of the London Stock Exchange very closely.
However, the surprising result does not mean traders are actually just buying and selling at random, say researchers. Instead, it suggests that the movement of markets depend less on the strategic behaviour of traders and more on the structure and constraints of the trading system itself.

The research, led by J Doyne Farmer and his colleagues at the Santa Fe Institute, New Mexico, US, say the finding could be used to identify ways to lower volatility in the stock markets and reduce transaction costs, both of which would benefit small investors and perhaps bigger investors too.

A spokesperson for the London Stock Exchange says: "It's an interesting bit of work that mirrors things we're looking at ourselves."

Are bloggers journalists? Do they deserve press protections?

2005-02-03T15:40:00.000+02:00

An Apple lawsuit against the operators of fan websites stirs debate on whether bloggers can claim legal protections.
By Randy Dotinga Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor

In the small universe of powerful bloggers, Joshua Micah Marshall and John Hinderaker are separated by 900 miles and an even wider political divide. Mr. Marshall leans to the left from Washington D.C., while Mr. Hinderaker, a Minneapolis attorney, sits firmly in the conservative camp. But the two men do share something in common: No one is really sure what to think of them.

Are they journalists with an obligation to check facts, run corrections, and disclose conflicts of interest? Or are they ordinary opinion-slingers, like barbers or bartenders, with no special responsibilities - or rights?

Even in a country where most citizens probably have no idea what a blog is, it's not just an academic debate. Bloggers, some observers say, are becoming major players in everything from national politics to consumer trends. As a result, "their conflicts, motives, and agendas matter enormously," says Zephyr Teachout, who served as Internet director for the Howard Dean campaign.

Thus I Refute Chyng Sun

2005-02-03T14:05:00.000+02:00

Feminists for Porn
By NINA HARTLEY

It was with a growing sense of outrage that I read Prof.Chyng Sun's report of her visit this past January to the Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas. I couldn't help wondering it the author had done any prior research whatsoever into the active, twenty-year debate among women over the impact of pornography on their individual lives and their status as a gender. There's nothing new in her indignation, nothing fresh in her insights and nothing unfamiliar in her arguments. As a sex-worker and sex-worker advocate for over two decades, I've heard and read it all before.

The professor appears wholly unfamiliar with the work of accomplished, feminist women who reject her fundamental contentions about porn and sex-work. If she bothered to consider the writings of Nadine Strossen, Carol Queen, Pat Califia, Susie Bright, Wendy McElroy, Sallie Tisdale, Linda Williams, Annie Sprinkle, myself and others, her homework wasn't reflected in what she showed me. Clearly, testimony that failed to corroborate her pre-conceived notions of what porn is "really" about, or what it "really" means didn't register on her radar screen.

Casino rents eBay cleavage for £422

2005-02-01T13:57:00.000+02:00

It appears that online casino Golden Palace has successfully rented the legally-displayable portion of the Scotswoman's breasts offered as advertising space on eBay.

If so, the gambling outfit has - for a modest £422 - added another pair of assets to its unusual eBay purchase portfolio - the company recently paid $28,000 (£15,000) for an amusing simulacrum of the Virgin Mary in a toasted cheese sandwich.

We now await with relish the deployment of Golden Palace's logo on Angel's 42GG mams. She will display said image for 15 days, during which "I can have photos taken of me, with your logo, in front of any of the popular landmarks in Glasgow, or our nation's capital."

World's news channels play to prejudices

2005-02-01T13:44:00.000+02:00

In the studios at Fox News, Rupert Murdoch's American channel, they could scarcely contain their joy at the "incredible" reports that voter turnout in Iraq had reached 95% "in some areas". "It really is unbelievable," one of the anchors said jubilantly, apparently without intending to cast doubt on the reports.

The channel, which critics have accused of being slavish to the Bush administration, was looking determinedly on the bright side.

[..]

At al-Jazeera, a different picture emerged: at least 32 dead in a day of election-related violence. The Qatar-based satellite channel showed people clearing up at the scene of a bombing and what looked like a ballot paper stained with blood.

Flynn Boyle's 'Scandalous Nude Flight'

2005-01-31T18:39:00.000+02:00

Movie beauty LARA FLYNN BOYLE has been accused of stripping nude and trying to seduce a fellow passenger during a recent first-class flight to London.

Passengers claim the MEN IN BLACK 2 star started behaving strangely halfway through the ten-hour British Airways journey from Los Angeles to the capital's Heathrow Airport.

But they were stunned when she stripped off her clothes and tried to climb into the bed of a sleeping stranger, reports British newspaper THE MAIL ON SUNDAY.

Shades of War and Blue at Sundance

2005-01-31T13:43:00.000+02:00

The Sundance Film Festival wound up today by awarding the top awards to the documentary "Why We Fight" and the drama “Forty Shades of Blue.”

War dominated the winners’ list this year with “The Liberace of Baghdad,” which follows one of Iraq’s most famous pianists as his world crumbles in the war torn city, being awarded a special prize and best world drama going to "The Hero," which is set in the aftermath of the Angolan war.

Rounding up the jury prizes was the Dutch film "Shape of the Moon” picking up best world documentary; with no narration the film tracks three generations of one family weather the challenges of living in modern-day Indonesia.

How Disco* women set pace for fashion trends

2005-01-31T13:32:00.000+02:00

*That's Discerning, Increasing years, Stylish and Comfortably Off

She is 45, a single mother and has a style habit that demands a healthy bank balance. In many ways Yasmin Yusuf, one of the most powerful people in British fashion, personifies the woman the youth-obsessed style industry must learn to love.

In her first interview since leaving struggling M&S, she identifies a breed of women which the high street ignores very much at its peril. By next year, she says, half the women in this country will be aged 40-plus. It is these women, and those coming up just behind them, whose influence will be unprecedented, because it is they who will make the buying decisions for themselves and for their households.

Porn tape on Greek school bus

2005-01-28T18:03:00.000+02:00

ATHENS (Reuters) - A bus driver shuttling pupils to school in northern Greece shocked their parents when he put on a porn tape, say officials.

The incident on Tuesday in the town of Kilkis prompted dozens of complaints by parents who have asked the bus company to sack him.

"The driver said 'kids we've got porn, do you want to watch it'," one of the pupils told reporters on Thursday. "Everyone started shouting yes, yes and he just put in a tape and we watched it on the small TV screens on the bus."

Mommy hottest

2005-01-28T14:28:00.000+02:00

Irene Slatest, 41, has been wearing basically the same uniform since her 20s: "I'm all about the low-cut (tops), the 3-inch heels, the tight clothes."

But as she fixed breakfast one morning at home in suburban Long Beach, N.Y., her daughter, Victoria, noticed something amiss. Hair, makeup and form-fitting outfit intact and impeccable, Slatest nonetheless stood at the stove in ... fuzzy slippers.

"Mom, you look like a housewife!" Slatest recalls her 7-year-old exclaiming.

"I was like, 'Oh, my God, we can't have this,' " Slatest says.
So she finished making eggs in heels.

Iran nears nuclear 'point of no return'

2005-01-28T14:11:00.000+02:00

The Israeli defence minister, Shaul Mofaz, warned yesterday that Iran will reach "the point of no return" within the next 12 months in its covert attempt to secure a nuclear weapons capability.

Tehran denies pursuing a nuclear weapons programme.

Speaking in London before a meeting today with Tony Blair, Lieutenant General Mofaz said Iran was the main long-term threat to the world and stressed that it will not be permitted to build a nuclear bomb. "None of the western countries can live with Iran having a nuclear capability," he told reporters.

Plague and flu change history of the world

2005-01-28T13:41:00.000+02:00

The history of humanity is inseparable from the history of epidemics

Specialists distinguish outbursts of serious infectious diseases into pandemics and epidemics. Millions of people may die all over the world as a result of a pandemic, whereas an epidemic is of a smaller scale.

Several large-scale pandemics have been registered in the history of the human civilization. The majority of them were of zoonotic character, when people caught diseases from animals. Smallpox, diphtheria, flu and TB are the diseases that carry a global danger.

εσύ είσαι...

2005-01-03T16:56:00.000+02:00

Άσε που τώρα ούτε που θυμάμαι τις παλιές μου αγάπες. Είμαι γαντζωμένη φανατικά στην καινούργια, μεγάλη και ελπίζω όχι απατηλή. Έχω ψιλοξεχάσει και τα μέρη που άλλοτε τα έβλεπα και χαιρόμουν και έλεγα την ιστορία τους σε όποιον κακόμοιρο είχα εκείνη τη στιγμή παραμάσχαλα. Τώρα στεναχωριέμαι που δεν έχω το μωρό μου να το κάνω βόλτες πάνω-κάτω στην παραλία και να το φιλάω με πάθος σε κάθε παγκάκι, έτσι ώστε να αποκτήσουν τα πάντα γύρω νέο νόημα για μένα.

Esther Baxter, Cutie of the Year

2004-12-20T17:05:00.000+02:00

Congratulations to Miami-born men's magazine and music video model Esther Baxter, whose considerable charms won her the coveted title of Cutie of the Year at Cutie Central (which knows a prize-winning cutie when they see one). If you don't recognize her from her appearances in videos for Nelly and Petey Pablo, keep an eye out for her in 2005—we think she'll be sticking around for a while.

Esther Baxter (bio and Flash photo gallery @ Cutie Central)

See also: Esther 4sho! (Esther fan site w/photos, vidcaps and wallpaper @ esther.el.cx)