Prince William and Kate Expecting Their First Baby

Posted by Sam in Royal Family

William and Kate are expecting their first baby confirms the Palace. No one knows yet whether it will be a boy or a girl.

Whatever the sex of the Royal couples new baby, thanks to a recent change in the rules allowing female first born to become Queen, they will be 3rd in line to the throne after Prince Charles and Prince William.

Prince William married Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in April 2011. Kate was last seen in public last week when visiting her old school near her family home in Berkshire.

It is understood that Kate is being looked after in a private hospital after suffering with very bad morning sickness that requires supplements and care over hydration.

In a statement the Palace said that,

“Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families are delighted with the news.”

It is understood that members of the Royal Family were told earlier in the day about the news.

President Obama sent congratulations on hearing the news,

“We extend our congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the welcome news we received from London that they are expecting their first child.”

Photo: nothingtoomuch1

David Beckham Leaves LA Galaxy on High After MLS Cup Win

Posted by James in Football, Sports

David Beckham guides LA Galaxy to a second successive MLS Cup win in his last game in the MLS.

David Beckham wanted to sign off from the MLS in style and he managed it after guiding LA Galaxy to a 3-1 win over Houston Dynamo.

LA Galaxy fell behind to a goal by Houstons Calen Carr but equalized when Omar Gonzalez scored from a header.

Then came 2 penalties for LA Galaxy, one converted by Landon Donovan and the other by Robbie Keane after he was tripped in the penalty box during overtime.

The 3-1 victory saw LA Galaxy win the MLS Cup for the successive seasons and gave David Beckham the send off he wanted as he contemplates his future in Soccer. He left the field in the 93rd minute to the LA Galaxy fans chants of “Thank you Beckham”.

David Beckham summed up his feelings,

“This is a very special place for me and it will continue to be. I am happy to have been part of this club for six years and I am grateful to have been successful for the last four years. I am sad this is the end.”

A whole host of clubs are now chasing the Beckham signature including big names from the European leagues. They know that they not only get a soccer player but a brand name like no other.

If anything, brand Beckham is stronger now than at anytime in the past with Victoria Beckham also enjoying a wave of success in the fashion world. David Beckham still pulls the fans and media to him like no one else.

Who Is David Beckham?

David Beckham is from East London, England (now known as the area that hosted the 2012 London Olympics) and his soccer career started when he won a place in the Bobby Charlton Soccer School after via a skills competition. This led to a place in the Manchester United youth scheme and David Beckham went on to play for the first team winning the league for the first time in 26 years and a dramatic European Cup win in extra time. David Beckham captained his country and played in the World Cup and European Championships. He won the Spanish league while at Real Madrid and the American league with LA Galaxy. He married the Spice Girl, Victoria, and they have had 3 sons and 1 daughter. The Beckhams are known all over the world as style icons, global superstars and David Beckham even has a statue in a Thai monastery.

Photo: The Bay Area Bias

Carly Rose Sonenclar & Ella Henderson Blow Away X Factor Judges

Posted by Sam in Entertainment, TV

Carly Rose Soneclar and Ella Henderson are 2 singers who have wowed the X Factor judges on both sides of the Atlantic this season. Given their young age, and assuming they will improve with age, have we witnessed 2 superstars of the future?

Add you comments below and tell us what you think.

One thing is for sure, you can no longer turn up to these talent shows with an okay voice. You need to be seriously good.

Carly Rose Sonenclar Sings ‘Feeling Good’

Carly Rose Sonenclar, from NY, went to the Providence audition of the X Factor USA and shocked the judges with her rendition of Nina Simone’s ‘Feeling Good’.

With a voice that belies her 13 years she blew the X Factor USA judges away with her tone, power and emotional version of the classic.

Initially Simon Cowell had a skeptical look when Carly Rose Sonenclar announced that she was going to sing the classic ‘Feeling Good’. And, lets face it, you have to either be very good or stupid to take on one of the all time great songs from an all time great singer, Nina Simone.

As soon as she started singing though, the Simon Cowell sneer turned to amazement as she proved she was equal to the song.

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Ella Henderson Makes Nicole Scherzinger Cry

Ella Henderson from the X Factor UK is only 16 years old but still succeeded in getting a standing ovation for her interpretation of the Cher song ‘Believe’.

Nicole Scherzinger was reduced to a blubbering wreck by the performance saying “We can’t touch her, we just have to be in awe of her.”

Apparently Cher herself broke down in tears when she saw the performance of her No.1 hit song.

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Ella Henderson also has another advantage apart from her stunning voice. She has been writing songs since she was 13 and performed one for her first X Factor UK audition.

Dedicated to her late Grandad who had inspired her to sing, it was an emotionally charged performance in which you could hear a pin drop. It took a few seconds for the audience to react at the end as they took it in.

It also earned a standing ovation, not bad for a self penned song by a 16 year old. See Ella Henderson’s first audition below.

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Later in the @XFactorUSA series, Carly Rose Sonenclar sung ‘If I Were a Boy’ by Beyonce after viewers voted for the track in a Pepsi poll.

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Best Way to Lose Weight

Posted by Jeff in Health, Press Releases

Best Way to Lose Weight – Whats the answer?

We spoke to Dr. Charlie D.C. from the Fat Loss Factor (click here to find out more) to find out some answers.

Hints For the Best Way to Lose Weight

When it comes to the best way to lose weight, it is a known fact that weight loss works faster when the daily calorie intake is reduced and exercises that help burn more calories are encouraged. However, according to Dr. Charlie, losing weight should not be as hard as many people try to make it.

Dr Charlie states that,

People who are desperate to lose fat are often prone to take more risks (something that I try to help you avoid). The truth is that with some basic principles you can make some serious progress toward fat loss without any major effort. Often a client will come to me looking for some hints that will help them shed some weight quickly. I am always happy to tell them my secret tips that are always surprisingly effective.

In fact, many people have found these tips to make an easy ten pound difference as they get started on a new program. You might thing that these suggestions are really hi-tech or mysterious, but in reality, they are basic principles that I’ve seen successful over and over again. Here they are.

	Avoid white food. This includes white breads, pastas, many cereal products, and even cracker-type snacks. Think about some other white things too like flour, potato products, rice, and even processed milk and cheese products. Some white foods that are OK for you to eat are cauliflowers, fish, and chicken.
	Ditch the sodas and other drinks that have calories, sugar, or even artificial sweeteners. I don’t want you to drink much coffee either. Creamer? No. It’s white, isn’t it? I want you to take in at least half the weight of your body in ounces of water. This means that if you weigh 250 pounds, you should be consuming 125 ounces of water every day. This will be essential for getting the fat loss process in gear.
	I’ve already taken you off white products, now you need to do away with wheat products. I don’t care if the package says whole wheat on it or not: it has to go. Check the ingredients of everything you’re eating and if it has wheat in it, don’t eat it.

 

These three rules are pretty easy to follow, aren’t they? Sure, you’ll have to adjust your habits a little bit, but it really won’t be very hard once you get started. Dr. Charles says that if you consistently adhere to these hints, you will be surprised at the progress you make in just a couple weeks.

If you want to read more about Dr. Charles fat loss program, you can click here.

Dr. Charles answers some more questions about weight loss.

 

	Does your belief that soy’s not good for health apply to all people or just to musclebuilders?
	This principle is accurate no matter who you are. I should emphasize, however, that it is especially true for those who are trying to develop their muscular systems. The problem is that soy causes your body to produce hormones that are contrary to your goal. The source of the problem is the phytoestrogen content of soy. The result is that your body reacts to it by reducing your testosterone level.A common place where soy shows up is in powdered proteins and bars, so you need to check the ingredients before buying any of those products.
	Is it OK if the protein-powder I have contains sweetening agents that are not natural?
	I think you can probably tell the answer to that question on your own. The answer is no. Artificial sweetening agents are poisonous and should be avoided. They affect your mind, your metabolic rate, and even organs such as the liver. Stay away from any sweetener that isn’t natural.Speaking of sweeteners, if you’re drinking colas, you should be able to lose ten pounds quickly just by cutting them out of your life.
	I don’t get it: if the soft drink is calorie-free, how can it be bad?
	When it’s all said and done, the food that has artificial sweeteners is bad for you. In fact, you’ll be better off using the equivalent products that have sugar. Again, the big risk here is you liver. If you spend all your time drinking diet sodas, you’re going to do a lot of harm to it. This is why I steer people toward all natural alternatives to sugar-free food products. These will get the job done without putting your internal organs at risk.
	I heard you talk about how some dairy products are good and others are bad. What does this mean?
	Pasteurized dairy products make you fat. That’s the simple truth. You need to start using raw dairy products.
	I have a problem footing the bill for all the organic food you want me to buy. I’m not sure if it’s going to make much of a difference in my program. Will it?
	Here we go back to the liver again. All the chemical sprays used on foods to kill bugs are bad for your liver. All the drugs and hormonal additives fed to cattle make things worse for your liver too. When you liver gets stopped up, you’re going to have fat-burning problems and even increase the amount of fat in your body. The answer is yes. If you want to build a healthy lifestyle, you’re going to have to make the switch to organically produced foods.
	Which fat burning supplement do you recommend?
	You should not be taking any of the fat burning supplements that are on the market. Even if you get some metabolic stimulation from taking the pills, you need to beware because most people will start gaining weight as soon as they get off the pills. To avoid problems with your metabolism, skip the pill intake and start eating healthy proteins during the day.
	Tell me more about the food that is poisonous to the body and how to spot them.
	If you want to get a real shock, just study what is in the food that most people are eating these days. You’ll find chemicals directly or indirectly added to almost everything at your typical supermarket. The worst things to look for are the hydrogenated oils and high-fructose corn syrup that are in many products. Look for these offenders in processed food, much of which comes in packaged goods that are intended to keep them fresh. The problem is that these ingredients contribute to the accumulation of excess fat and are contrary to the fitness goals most people have.Here are some of the physiological questions I get
	Does your program cover what food to eat to maintain a good metabolic response in the body?
	Yes. Your metabolism is directly related to the food you eat. When your metabolism isn’t working properly, you have lost an important ally in the battle to improve your body composition. I include training tools that help you learn what kinds of food contribute to fat burning and what kind of foods build fat. Fat Loss Factor is designed to teach people to have an overall healthy lifestyle.
	Is a fat-free regimen a good way to get started on weight loss?
	No. In fact, you will probably find examples all around you where people on that kind of diet have actually gained weight. The important thing to do is make sure you get the good kind of fat to keep your body running right. It seems weird that you have to include fat in your diet in order to lose fat, but it’s true. Also stay with natural fats, not the poison that comes with the fries and burgers at the fast food restaurant.
	I have read Fat Loss Factor and now I recognize that I need to do something to boost my energy. What do you recommend?
	Try some naturally raised whole eggs, dark poultry meat, and health fat.
	What is involved in learning my metabolism type and is it something I need to know?
	Typing your metabolism is the process of learning how you respond to different kinds of food. By learning what foods give your body the best results, you can target your nutrition plan accordingly. You need to get as much efficiency as possible from every segment of your life, and this is one way to do it with your diet.
	I want to stop eating. That will help me lose weight right?
	Wrong. You are going to find that your metabolism will adapt to the reduced food intake and then you will experience even less weight loss. In fact, part of the starvation response causes the body to retain fat, so this is not an approach that will work for you.
	Why is it that corporations are allowed to market and sell food that contains dangerous poisons in it?
	It boils down to cold hard cash. That’s what almost everyone is after. The problem is that some drug and food companies don’t care what the chemicals do to your body. It’s a shame too. Shouldn’t you be able to count on medicine being good for you rather than bad? Why can’t we have fresh food without all the toxins? The truth is that they will market what they can sell, and if it’s bad things people want, most companies will go ahead and let them buy them. Healthy eating won’t make billionaires, but it could make millions of people healthier so they can have better lives.

Apple iPhone 5 Arrives at Last

Posted by Jeff in Apple, Technology

Apple iPhone 5 arrives at last, Apple claims its the thinnest, lightest iPhone ever featuring an all new aluminum design.

Apple press release copied below to give you all of the juicy details.

Apple® today announced iPhone® 5, the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever, completely redesigned to feature a stunning new 4-inch Retina™ display; an Apple-designed A6 chip for blazing fast performance; and ultrafast wireless technology*—all while delivering even better battery life.**

iPhone 5 comes with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features including: the all new Maps app with Apple-designed cartography and turn-by-turn navigation; Facebook integration; Passbook® organization; and even more Siri® features and languages.

“iPhone 5 is the most beautiful consumer device that we’ve ever created,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “We’ve packed an amazing amount of innovation and advanced technology into a thin and light, jewel-like device with a stunning 4-inch Retina display, blazing fast A6 chip, ultrafast wireless, even longer battery life; and we think customers are going to love it.”

iPhone5 front & back image

iPhone 5 is the thinnest smartphone in the world, with an all-new 7.6 mm anodized aluminum body that is 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than iPhone 4S. Designed with an unprecedented level of precision, iPhone 5 combines an anodized aluminum body with diamond cut chamfered edges and glass inlays for a truly incredible fit and finish.

The new 4-inch Retina display on iPhone 5 delivers even more pixels than iPhone 4S, making the already incredible Retina display even better. By making the screen taller, not wider, iPhone 5 is just as easy to use with one hand so you can tap, type and scroll the same way you always have, while enjoying even more of your content including amazing apps optimized for the larger Retina display, widescreen HD video, a full five days of your Calendar and more of every web page.

iPhone 5 supports ultrafast wireless standards including LTE and DC-HSDPA, so you can browse, download and stream content even faster. To support the latest LTE technology, Apple has pioneered a unique single-radio LTE solution that provides blazing fast speeds while fitting perfectly into the new remarkably thin design. iPhone 5 features dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi support for a wireless experience up to 150 Mbps.***

The all-new A6 chip was designed by Apple to maximize performance and power efficiency to support all the incredible new features in iPhone 5, including the stunning new 4-inch Retina display—all while delivering even better battery life. With up to twice the CPU and graphics performance, almost everything you do on iPhone 5 is blazing fast for launching apps, loading web pages and downloading email attachments.

The 8 megapixel iSight® camera is the most popular camera in the world and with iPhone 5, it’s even better. The new camera is completely redesigned with incredible optical performance, yet amazingly it’s 25 percent smaller than the camera in iPhone 4S.

The new iSight camera in iPhone 5 features a sapphire crystal lens cover that is thinner and more durable than standard glass with the ability to provide crystal clear images. The new panorama feature lets you capture jaw-dropping panorama images of up to 28 megapixels by simply moving the camera across a scene in one smooth motion.

New video features include improved stabilization, video face detection for up to 10 faces and the ability to take still photos as you record. A new FaceTime® HD front facing camera makes FaceTime calls incredibly clear and can also be used for self portraits and recording 720p HD video. iPhone 5 also allows you to share photos with friends and family using iCloud’s Shared Photo Streams.

iPhone5 white image

iPhone 5 features the new Lightning™ connector that is smaller, smarter and more durable than the previous connector. The all-digital Lightning connector features an adaptive interface that uses only the signals that each accessory requires, and it’s reversible so you can instantly connect to your accessories. The Lightning-to-30-pin Adapter is also available to connect iPhone 5 to legacy 30-pin accessories.****

iPhone 5 introduces new enhanced audio features including a new beam-forming, directional microphone system for higher quality sound, while background noise fades away with new noise canceling technology. iPhone 5 now includes support for cellular wideband audio for crisper word clarity and more natural sounding speech. Wideband audio will be supported by over 20 carriers worldwide at launch.

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iPhone 5 comes with the new Apple EarPods™ featuring a breakthrough design for a more natural fit and increased durability, and an incredible acoustic quality typically reserved for higher-end earphones.

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iPhone 5 comes with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new user features including: an all new Maps app with Apple-designed cartography, turn-by-turn navigation and an amazing new Flyover™ view; Facebook integration for Contacts and Calendar, with the ability to post directly from Notification Center; Passbook, the simplest way to get all your passes in one place; new Siri features, including support for more languages, easy access to sports scores, restaurant recommendations and movie listings;*****

Siri and Facebook-enabled apps like Photos, Safari® and Maps; and Shared Photo Streams via iCloud®. Pricing & Availability iPhone 5 comes in either white & silver or black & slate, and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the 64GB model. iPhone 5 will be available from the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores, and through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

iPhone 5 will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK on Friday, September 21, and customers can pre-order their iPhone 5 beginning Friday, September 14.

iPhone 4S will also be available for just $99 (US) and iPhone 4 will be available for free with a two-year contract.******

iOS 6 software will be available on Wednesday, September 19 as a free software update. iPhone 5 will roll out worldwide to 22 more countries on September 28, including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

*LTE is available through select carriers. Network speeds are dependent on carrier networks, check with your carrier for details. ** Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary. *** Based on theoretical speeds, actual speeds may vary. **** Sold separately. ***** Not all features are supported in all countries. ****** Availability varies by carrier.

Andy Murray Wins the US Open

Posted by Jeff in Sports, Tennis

Andy Murray wins the 2012 US Open tennis championship & becomes the first British male in 76 years todo so.

Murray 7-6 (12-10) 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2 Djokovic

In an epic contest between in form Andy Murray and Novac Djokovic that lasted almost 5 hours, Murray came out on top on the final set.

In the year that London held the Olympics and on the day British Olympians paraded through London, it somehow seems appropriate that this should be the year that Murray finally achieved his dream and lived up to his potential by winning a Grand Slam.

Andy Murray got off to a flying start when he grabbed the first two sets 7-6 & 7-5. This was followed by a resurgence by Djokovic who managed to break in the 3rd set and maintain momentum to control the 4th.

So it went to the 5th set and Andy Murray regained his composure to start playing the best tennis of the match, possibly helped by a light injury to Djokovic’s thigh. In the end he was the comfortable winner, seeing the match out 6-2.

At the end Djokovic was his usual graceful self,

“It wasn’t to be but I want to congratulate Andy for his first Grand Slam, he absolutely deserves it,” said Novak Djokovic

The new US Open Champion Andy Murray summed up the match by saying,

“They were incredibly tricky conditions. After the third and fourth sets it was tough mentally, Novak is so strong. He fights until the end of every match & I don’t know how I managed to come through in the end.

Murray also joked about the iceman that is Ivan Lendl,

“That was almost a smile [from Ivan Lendl]. He’s one of greatest players ever to play, here he made eight consecutive finals. Having him here supporting me has helped in the tough moments, but not only him, everyone else too. They’ve been there since the start. Thanks very much.”

Photo: Karlnorling

London Olympic Stadium Comes Alive

Posted by Sam in Olympics, Sports

London Olympic Stadium is almost ready for the 2012 London Olympics

The London Olympic stadium is close to being completed and we have some timelapse videos of this and the other London Olympic stadias as they are being constructed.

London Olympic Stadium

This video shows the main Olympic Stadium which will be used for all the track events and post Olympics will become the home to one of the London football clubs.

London Olympic Velodrome Stadium

The Olympic velodrome stadium is a great piece of design that will be home to the indoor cycling events which were dominated by the British team in the last Olympics in Beijing.

London Olympic Aquatics Center

The Olympic Aquatics center hosts the swimming and diving events, bringing to mind the shape of a sting ray it was designed by the Pritzker Prize winning architect Zaha Hadid.

Fabrice Muamba Interviewed for the First Time

Posted by Jeff in Football, Sports

Fabrice Muamba speaks about his ‘death’ in his first interview since collapsing in a televised football match.

Fabrice Muamba was speaking in an interview with the sun newspaper when he said that he “asked God to protect me, and he didn’t let me down.”

Fabrice Muamba is a soccer star for the English Premier League team Bolton Wanderers and collapsed during an FA cup game with Tottenham Hotspur on 17th March 2012. The match was being shown live on TV and was eventually abandoned.

Fabrice Muamba said that he ‘died’ for 78 minutes during the ordeal and insists he did not feel unwell before his heart stopped beating in the 41st minute of the game.

It took doctors 15 goes to get his heart started again and Fabrice Muamba believes that it was a God given miracle that he not only survived, but survived without any brain damage or other serious effects.

Fabrice Muamba told how he had asked for protection from God before the game, he said “Someone up there was watching over me. On the morning of the game I preyed with my father and asked God to protect me and he didn’t let me down. I am walking proof of the power of prayer.”

Fabrice Muamba Unites Football

Fabrice Muamba tribute picture

The event that day had a profound effect of the football community as supporters from rival teams all over the country, indeed the world, came together to show their support for the footballer and his family.

Tributes were paid, t-shirts were worn by players, his name rang around the grounds of every football stadium in the country and scarves of every football club were placed at Boltons football ground.

Fabrice Muamba himself is overwhelmed by the support he has received and has set a goal for himself to make an appearance at a football match before the end of the season.

Photos: Crystian Cruz & Ronnie Macdonald

Instagram Bought by Facebook

Posted by Clive in Social Media

Instagram Bought by Facebook for $1 billion… Another Tech Bubble?

Instagram has announced that it has been bought by Facebook in a deal worth an incredible $1 billion. Incredible because Instagram is only 2 years old, it makes no recorded profit, it has 13 employees and it was up until this month, just an iPhone app (now it is also on Android).

Instagram allows people to take pictures on their smartphone, edit and stylize them using different filters, then share with friends on other social networking sites such as twitter and facebook.

Instagram Camera Filters

Instagram is another company born out of the technology mecca that is California and Stanford University. It was founded by Kevin Systrom and Mike Kriegar in 2010 out of a love of the old ‘instant’ Polaroid snapshots.

In March 2010 Systrom acquired $500,000 of seed investment and this was followed in February 2011 by another $7 million funding round valuing Instagram at around $25 million. Another funding round occurred this month just before the Facebook announcement.

Instagram managed to raise around $50 million giving it an approx. valuation of $500 million. The Facebook acquisition doubles that valuation, not bad for a weeks investment and perhaps another pointer towards a tech bubble?

In the past few weeks Instagram has launched on the Android platform instantly giving it access to millions of new users and markets.

Facebook obviously swooped in a strategic decision to purchase the company before someone else did. What they are getting for their money is a great app, a very strong userbase that loves the product, enourmous growth potential as other phone platforms are integrated and probably the most important thing for facebook, access to the skillset of the team behind the app.

Normally when Facebook get the chequebook out it is to take the talent over to their own site and shutdown their project. This time it will have to be different. 30 million people is alot of people to upset.

Lets just hope that all of those 13 employees were offered stock as part of their renumeration.

Instagram popular images

Instagram Statistics

Photos: Instagram