Gaming Vet Pitches $99 Android Console on Kickstarter

A Southern California start-up is attempting to sell a game console to challenge more expensive devices from the likes of Sony Corp., Microsoft Corp. and Nintendo Co.

Boxer8

The Ouya game console and controller

Boxer8, founded by game industry veteran Julie Uhrma, has developed Ouya, a console about the size of a Rubik’s Cube that connects to a television and comes with a controller for playing games. The company hopes to make games less expensive and easier to distribute.
Boxer8 is shooting for a price tag of $99, and a requirement that all games offer some free aspect to it, such as a trial download.
To raise funds, Boxer8 turned to Kickstarter, a popular website that lets people solicit funds from individual backers. For a pledge of as little as $95, people can pre-order their own console and controller due out in March, or for more money receive a special developer’s version scheduled to ship in December.
The company began pitching Ouya on Kickstarter on Tuesday. Within a few hours, people had already pledged more than half of the device’s $950,000 funding goal; about eight hours after it launched, people had already pledged more than the company’s funding goal. Boxer8 will continue accepting pledges until Aug. 9.
Even with the modest price, Boxer8 doesn’t intend to skimp on performance. Rather, it hopes to offer an economical way to get three-quarters of the power of one of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 consoles–which carries a list price of $199—by exploiting Google Inc.’s Android mobile operating system and Nvidia Corp. chips that are meant for mobile phones and tablets.
By offering game-console quality at a low price, with free games to boot, the company expects to have some impact on the industry.
“We want this product to be powerful,” said Ms. Uhrman, who previously worked at companies such as GameFly Inc., a game rental service, IGN Entertainment Inc. and Vivendi Universal Games.
Tablets and smartphones, of course, are already being used to play games. What they typically lack, Ms. Uhrman argues, is a connection to a TV and a controller designed specifically for gaming.
Others have come to similar conclusions. There are devices such as the iCade, which attempts to turn Apple Inc.’s iPad into an arcade machine complete with a joystick and buttons. There’s also Apple’s own Apple TV device, which can be used to display game action from the screen of an iPad, an iPhone–and soon even a Mac computer–on an HD television using a wireless connection.
There are also other companies, such as GameStop Corp., which have built specialized controllers for Android devices.
But there’s a hitch: Many of the controllers require that game makers add code to their applications to work with the devices. Naturally, game makers are hesitant to do this for every device, since it not only takes up development time for them but also because they have to continue supporting it in the future.
Boxer8 will attempt to gain support among game makers by creating its own version of Android, with a different look and separate storefront. As a result, support for its controller will be part of the overall effort of making games for the Ouya. The controller will also have a touchpad, aside from its two analog sticks and array of buttons, to make it easy to bring mobile games to the device. And, the company is also giving away access to its development tools to anyone who purchases the device.
“What people will buy into is the idea,” Ms. Uhrman said.
The console already counts some popular game developers among its supporters—including Mojang, developer of a hit game called “Minecraft.” As the device gains more traction, Ms. Uhrman said she expects it will attract top-tier game makers as well.
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Google 'faces $22.5m fine for snooping on iPhone and iPad users' (But it will take them just 17 hours to make)

• Google used a special computer code - or 'cookies' - to trick Apple's Safari browser so it could monitor users
• Google said it was 'inadvertent' and has removed it
• Violated FTC agreement to be open about privacy practices

Google will reportedly be fined £14.5million for spying on millions of Apple customers.
The company is at the centre of yet another privacy row, having been accused of bypassing web security settings.
It allegedly tricked Apple’s Safari browser – found on iPhones, iPads and Mac computers – into dropping its automatic privacy safeguards, allowing it to snoop on users across the globe, including those in Britain.

The predicted fine would be the biggest ever levied on a single company by the US Federal Trade Commission. With Google reporting a net income of £1.8billion in the first quarter of this year, it would take the company just over 17 hours to earn enough to pay it off.


The firm, which generates billions from advertising, is still under investigation in the UK after it gathered personal data from homes’ unencrypted wireless networks while collecting information for its Street View maps.
It also signed a legal settlement with US regulators last year pledging not to ‘misrepresent’ its Internet monitoring activities.
Companies such as Google track browsing trends to demonstrate how well their adverts attract users’ attention. However, Safari, the most popular browser on mobile devices, is designed to prevent firms from being able to see people’s preferences and search choices.

It does this by barring the installation of small files, known as cookies – but according to the Wall Street Journal, which revealed the practice earlier this year, Google exploited a loophole that made an exception for adverts that invited interaction, such as those featuring forms to fill out.
The FTC launched the latest probe into Google in February after researcher Jonathan Mayer of Stanford University, California, discovered a hidden code that the firm reportedly used to circumvent Apple’s security settings.

GOOGLE: TRACKING APPLE USERS

When the Wall Street Journal carried out its investigation earlier this year, it found that the tracking system placed by Google's ad network was on scores of the most visited websites on the internet.

The tracking technology was found on websites on Apple computers and iPhones.

Websites included YouTube, aol.com, about.com, whitepages.com, nytimes.com, tmz.com, match.com and merriam-webster.com.

There is no indication that the sites knew of the tracking code.

A subsequent study by the WSJ spotted the code on some of the internet’s most popular sites, including YouTube, which is owned by Google, and that of the New York Times.

There is no indication that sites knew they were hosting the tracking code. Yesterday a spokesman for Google UK insisted the company had not infringed anyone’s privacy.
‘We cannot comment on any specifics,’ he said. ‘However, we do set the highest standards of privacy and security for our users.’
He said the FTC investigation centred on a statement made on a help page from 2009 ‘published more than two years before our consent decree, and a year before Apple changed its cookie-handling policy’.
The WSJ said Google scrapped the system when it was contacted by the newspaper earlier this year.
‘We have now changed that page and taken steps to remove the ad cookies, which collected no personal information, from Apple’s browsers,’ Google’s spokesman added.

Britain’s privacy watchdog reopened its investigation into Google last month, after US regulators revealed that the firm’s Street View cars deliberately collected personal data.

Google initially told the Information Commissioner that downloading data such as phone numbers and passwords had been ‘a simple mistake’.

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Obama's 'missing year' at Columbia found?

Clearinghouse claims its reports were wrong, transcript still under wraps

NEW YORK – Two separate database reports from the National Student Clearinghouse have contradicted President Obama’s claim he attended Columbia University for two years. The reports have added to the intrigue generated by Obama’s unwillingness to discuss his time at the Ivy League institution, his refusal to release educational records, and the fact that many political science students and faculty there in the early 1980s say they don’t remember him.
Swirling amid the black hole of information are a host of theories about Obama’s whereabouts – particularly during the 1981-1982 school year – including speculation he was working for the CIA in Pakistan.

Now, the clearinghouse, with permission from Columbia, has decided to make an exception to its media policy and address WND’s inquiry into the discrepancy. Why do clearinghouse records indicate Obama was at the school only during the 1982-83 school year while Obama and Columbia’s spokesman have insisted he began attending the New York City school in the fall of 1981?
Janine Greenwood, vice president and general counsel for the clearinghouse, told WND there was a “computer error” in their system that has been corrected. She said she confirmed with Columbia that Obama was at the university for two academic years, not one.
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Yankees to Mr. October: Stay away

After Reggie Jackson's disparaging comments about Alex Rodriguez and others last week, he was essentially benched by the Yankees and told to stay away from team events indefinitely, according to AL sources.

 Jackson, a special adviser for the Yankees, usually is around the team but has essentially been benched, sources say.

Jackson was not in Boston over the weekend, where the Yankees played the Red Sox.
Jackson, a special adviser for the Yankees, usually is around the team.
But at this time, there is enough anger at the Hall of Famer from within the organization that the team has decided that he should keep his distance until otherwise determined.
"A cooling-off period, but not a death penalty," a source with knowledge of the team's thinking called it when speaking to ESPNNewYork.com's Andrew Marchand.
At some point, Jackson is expected to be back with the team, the source said.
Jackson spent Friday apologizing to Rodriguez and the club's hierarchy, officials with knowledge of the conversations told ESPNNewYork.com last week.
Jackson contacted A-Rod, manager Joe Girardi and Yankees officials to apologize for the comments he made in last week's edition of Sports Illustrated. Rodriguez confirmed Jackson called him, but declined to reveal the nature of the talk.
"We're going to keep that very private," Rodriguez said Friday.
Rodriguez and Jackson have been friends for years, which caused the third baseman to joke about the comments.
"With friends like that, who needs enemies," Rodriguez said.
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Roubini: My 'Perfect Storm' Is Unfolding Now

"Dr. Doom" Nouriel Roubini, says the "perfect storm" scenario he forecast for the global economy earlier this year is unfolding right now as growth slows in the U.S., Europe as well as China.
In May, Roubini predicted four elements - stalling growth in the U.S., debt troubles in Europe, a slowdown in emerging markets, particularly China, and military conflict in Iran - would come together in to create a storm for the global economy in 2013.

"(The) 2013 perfect storm scenario I wrote on months ago is unfolding," Roubini said on Twitter on Monday.

Chinese inflation data released on Monday, suggested that the economy is cooling faster than expected, while employment data out of the U.S. on Friday indicated that jobs growth was tepid for a fourth straight month in June.

Roubini said that unlike in 2008 when central banks had "policy bullets" to stimulate the global economy, this time around policymakers are "running out of rabbits to pull out of the hat."

Policy easing moves by the European Central Bank (ECB), Bank of England (BoE) and the People's Bank of China (PBoC) last week did little to inspire confidence in global stock markets.

"Levitational force of policy easing can only temporarily lift asset prices as gravitational forces of weaker fundamentals dominate over time," he said.

Bill Smead, CEO of Smead Capital Management, agrees that there is little central banks can do arrest the global slowdown.

Last week, he told CNBC that there is "virtually zero chance" that pump-priming by central banks will succeed, suggesting that policymakers should instead let the economic bust work itself through the system.
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Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes Reach Divorce Settlement

Less than two weeks after Katie Holmes filed for divorce, the actress and Tom Cruise have reached a settlement.

Holmes's attorney Jonathan Wolfe confirmed the deal in a statement to PEOPLE:

"The case has been settled and the agreement has been signed. We are thrilled for Katie and her family and are excited to watch as she embarks on the next chapter of her life.

PHOTOS: The Holmes-Cruise Family in Happier Times

"This result could not have been achieved without the hard work of my partner Gary Skoloff and our co-counsel Allan Mayefsky, Michael Mosberg and Larry Trachtenberg of Aronson Mayefsky and Sloan and Peter Walzer and Chris Melcher of Walzer & Melcher in California.

"We thank Tom's counsel for their professionalism and diligence that helped bring about this speedy resolution."

Cruise's attorney Dennis Wasser separately told PEOPLE, "All the lawyers and the parties are happy that it's done, the deal was closed and we wish everyone well."

There was no immediate word on the details, but Holmes and Cruise said in a separate statement they focused on protecting daughter Suri, 6.

"We are committed to working together as parents to accomplish what is in our daughter Suri's best interests. We want to keep matters affecting our family private and express our respect for each other's commitment to each of our respective beliefs and support each other's roles as parents," says the statement from Holmes and Cruise's reps, Nanci Ryder and Amanda Lundberg respectively. 

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Dwight Howard deal more complex

The Brooklyn Nets' persistent efforts to land Magic center Dwight Howard are getting close to paying off, according to sources close to the process.
Sources told ESPN.com that the Nets and Magic are cautiously optimistic that the Cavaliers and Clippers will help them facilitate a four-way trade that lands Howard in Brooklyn.

Mike and Mike in the Morning

Mike Hill and Michael Smith share their thoughts on the latest trade rumors involving Dwight Howard and Ray Allen's move from Boston to Miami.

More Podcasts »

According to sources the Nets would receive Howard, Jason Richardson, Chris Duhon and Earl Clark in the proposed deal. The Magic would get Brook Lopez, Luke Walton, Damion James, Shelden Williams, Armon Johnson and three first-round picks -- two from the Nets and a lottery protected first from the Clippers. The Cavs would get Kris Humphries, Quentin Richardson, Sundiata Gaines, a first round pick from the Nets and three million in cash. The Clippers would receive MarShon Brooks.
Further hurdles exist in that Lopez, Humphries, James, Williams, Johnson and Gaines would all have to agree to sign-and-trades to move them.
Sources told ESPN.com that the complicated deal was getting "close."
As part of their due diligence the Nets and Magic have exchanged medical information on Howard, who had back surgery, and Lopez, who had foot surgery, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher.

 NBA free agency is under way, and ESPN.com has you covered with all the latest deals, trades and potential moves.

NBA Free Agency

Humphries' agent, Dan Fegan, is still trying to convince Humphries to settle for a deal that will be guaranteed for just one year. Fegan also represents Howard.
A couple of weeks ago, just before Orlando hired Rob Hennigan as its new general manager, Brooklyn offered a similar three-team trade proposal to the Cavs, sources said, only to be turned down by the Magic.
But there is another potential hurdle that the Nets and Magic are fighting.
Multiple league executives told ESPN.com on Sunday that there is growing reluctance among some teams to participate in the sort of three-team deal that would get Howard to Brooklyn, amid some leaguewide dissatisfaction that the Los Angeles Lakers were able to swing a deal for Steve Nash last week.
Being the cog in creating another super team in Brooklyn, with Deron Williams and Joe Johnson already in the mix, is not palatable to some teams concerned about competitive balance.
"You can talk about the new (luxury) tax all you want, but if the Lakers get Nash and the Nets get Howard, then what did the new CBA accomplish?" one GM said. "You have to realize part of long-term planning is making sure you don't help create teams you can't beat."
source: espn.com

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes reach divorce settlement

Well, that was fast. Less than two weeks after Katie Holmes surprised Tom Cruise with divorce papers to end their five-year marriage, the Hollywood stars have already settled. According to the actress’ attorney Jonathan Wolfe, “the agreement has been signed. We are thrilled for Katie and her family and are excited to watch as she embarks on the next chapter of her life … We thank Tom's counsel for their professionalism and diligence that helped bring about this speedy resolution."

Cruise's lawyer, Bert Fields, also told TMZ: "The Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes case has been settled with a signed agreement. Tom is really pleased we got there, and so am I."

The settlement comes just hours after Holmes, 33, and Cruise, 50, announced they were going to work together through their divorce, which they felt was in the best interest of their 6-year-old daughter Suri, of whom Holmes had requested sole custody. "We are committed to working together as parents to accomplish what is in our daughter Suri's best interests,” the exes said in a joint statement. “We want to keep matters affecting our family private and express our respect for each other's commitment to each of our respective beliefs and support each other's roles as parents.”

As TMZ had reported, Cruise had been pushing Holmes for "meaningful, significant contact with his daughter … She is the primary concern in his life.” Both sides spent the entire weekend hashing out the divorce settlement and custody arrangement. Holmes was spotted on Saturday arriving at her lawyer’s Manhattan office, while Cruise has remained on the set of his next movie, “Oblivion.”


Now that her divorce is settled, Holmes can focus on her many upcoming projects. In addition to showing her Holmes & Yang clothing line at Fashion Week in NYC this fall, she is also about to begin production on her next movie, "Molly" – coincidentally about a single mom – which she co-wrote and is co-producing.

Holmes filed for divorce in New York City on June 29, while Cruise was in Iceland filming. Soon after news broke, his rep released a statement saying, "Tom is deeply saddened and is concentrating on his three children," which include Isabella, 19, and Connor, 17, whom he adopted with ex-wife Nicole Kidman.
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Anti-zombie strongholds for sale

 

So  the rumor is that the zombie apocalypse may have arrived. Sure, the Centers for Disease Control denies it, but what does the CDC know? Just to be on the safe side, Realtor.com put together a list of prime zombie-defense real estate capable of putting those with an unquenchable thirst for human flesh at a distance from you and your family. (You can see many more pictures of these strongholds and others at Realtor.com. This slideshow is adapted from Realtor.com with its permission.)

Epic Lake Castle in Miami, FL

Price: $10.9 million
The Skinny: This insanely symmetrical, moat-surrounded masterpiece was designed by architect Charles Sieger. While it lacks a working drawbridge, simply destroying the only path that leads into the compound would be a logical first step.
Bonus Zombie Defense Feature: The rapper Birdman filmed a music video here, so there’s likely to be an automatic weapon or two that got left behind.
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Hot: Eagles RB Dion Lewis arrested

Posted by Henry onnJuly 9, 2012

Philadelphia Eagles running back Dion Lewis and his brother were arrested early Saturday morning after they pulled a fire alarm at an Albany, N.Y., area hotel, police told the Albany Times Union.

 According to the Times Union, police said Lewis and his brother were locked out of a Hampton Inn, and after attempts to re-enter the hotel failed, the two began banging on the locked sliding glass door in the lobby. The brothers then pulled the alarm, police told the paper.
The second-year running back and his brother were both intoxicated at the time of the incident, the paper said.
Lewis, an Albany native, was a guest at the hotel at the time of the incident, police told the Times Union. The hotel's manager told the paper that the door is locked after midnight to anyone without a key.
According to the Times Union, police charged both men with falsely reporting a fire, a felony, and misdemeanor reckless endangerment. Dion Lewis was released after an arraignment in city court, while his brother, Lamar Lewis, was being held without bail.
Dion Lewis issued a statement Monday apologizing for the arrest.

"It was never my intention to cause any public alarm or damage any property. I am sorry for any embarrassment and inconvenience that my actions have caused," Lewis said. "I am committed to continuing to conduct myself in conformance with the high moral, ethical and professional standards that I have my entire life and of which so many others rightly expect of me. Because the matter is still in the hands of the court system, I cannot comment any further."
The Eagles said in a separate statement they were aware of the incident and had spoken to Lewis about it. The club declined further comment, citing the pending legal case.
According to the Times Union, Lewis was scheduled to speak at the Troy Boys & Girls Club about "the value of working to the best of their abilities both on and off the playing field." The club's director, Sharon Smith, said the event could be rescheduled for later this year.
"He was supposed to talk about things like how to make better choices," Smith told the paper. "I think it's certainly a teachable moment."
The Eagles drafted Lewis in the fifth round last year out of the University of Pittsburgh. Lewis carried 23 times for 102 yards and one touchdown in 2012. The 5-foot-8, 195-pound back also returned 31 kicks for 669 yards in his rookie year.
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Justice unseals indictment charging 5 in Brian Terry's death, offers $1M reward for leads on fugitives

The Justice Department on Monday unsealed an indictment charging five individuals allegedly involved in Border Patrol agent Brian Terry's death, and announced a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to the arrest of those suspects still at large. 

For the first time, federal officials also revealed that Terry and an elite squad of federal agents initially fired bean bags -- not bullets -- at a heavily armed drug cartel crew in the mountains south of Tucson in December 2011. During the exchange, Terry was shot and killed.
The announcement comes amid an intensifying debate over the department's failed Fast and Furious anti-gunrunning operation. Weapons from that program were found at Terry's murder scene -- Republicans seeking documents pertaining to Fast and Furious last month escalated their probe by voting to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress.
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, praised the department Monday for its announcement but questioned the timing.
"I applaud what they're doing, but I condemn the timing. It's very clear that the timing has everything to do with the House of Representatives holding Eric Holder in contempt," Issa told Fox News.
Issa, who led the contempt push, said Justice could have been doing more to find the suspects all along -- he called the timing of the FBI reward money "another example of using politics over good policy."
In a statement, the Brian Terry Foundation applauded federal prosecutors for taking additional steps to bring suspects to justice, but continued to call on Holder to turn over Fast and Furious documents.
"Today's developments certainly mean that the criminal prosecution of Brian Terry's killers is moving forward," Terry family attorney Patrick McGroder said.
The 11-count indictment, originally handed up by a grand jury in November 2011, implicates five defendants in the killing. A sixth suspect has also been charged in a related incident.
The two men in custody are Manuel Osario Arellanes -- who was wounded in the foot the night of the firefight -- and his brother Rito. Rito, who was arrested two nights before the Terry shooting, allegedly helped provide weapons to the criminal gang used in the shooting. All six men named in the indictment are either related or friends.
The other four are believed to be hiding out in Mexico, and the U.S. is now offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to their arrest. They are: Jesus Rosario Favela-Astorga; Ivan Soto-Barraza; Heraclio Osorio-Arellanes; and Lionel Portillo-Meza.
According to the indictment, the five defendants are charged with crimes including first-degree murder, second-degree murder and assault on a federal officer. The indictment alleges that the five defendants also assaulted three other Border Patrol agents who were with Terry at the time.
"Agent Terry served his country honorably and made the ultimate sacrifice in trying to protect it from harm, and we will stop at nothing to bring those responsible for his murder to justice," Holder said in a statement.  "This investigation has previously resulted in one defendant being charged with Agent Terry's murder and taken into custody, and today's announcement reflects the department's unrelenting commitment to finding and arresting the other individuals responsible for this horrific tragedy so that Agent Terry's family, friends and fellow law enforcement agents receive the justice they deserve."
The names of the four suspects were revealed Monday, and their pictures released, to the public. Police in the U.S. and in Mexico are cooperating and under intense pressure to find them.
The FBI says it has been actively searching for the outstanding fugitives.
The case is being prosecuted in Tuscon by federal attorneys from the department's southern California district.
Anyone with information on the fugitives is asked to call the FBI's Phoenix office at 623-466-1999.
Fox News' William LaJeunesse contributed to this report. 

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Checking out that hottie on the street could cost you $90

Doug Maclean says he's totally capable of driving and checking out the backside of a woman walking past his car. The cops, however, weren't as impressed with his multitasking skills, issuing the U.K. man a $93 fine for taking his eyes off the road to put them on the pedestrian's back pockets. Despite arguing that he was neither leaning out the window nor "wolf-whistling," the officers still cited him, as he was caught on camera scoping out her as...sets. According to Maclean, one officer agreed with Maclean's assessment and admitted giving the girl a look too, but his partner quickly pointed out that "he wasn't driving." Got that, guys? Pull over or park before you get all creepy.

Driver fined £60... for admiring a pretty girl: Police insist motorists must not be distracted by 'gorgeous people'

• Doug Maclean admits getting a 'good eyeful' of the attractive pedestrian
• But 26-year-old gunsmith claims he was always in full control of his car
• Pulled over by police officers for driving without due care and attention
• Mr Maclean: 'Nicking me for looking at a pretty girl is no way to earn a living'

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Operation Ghost ClickInternational Cyber Ring That Infected Millions of Computers Dismantled

Six Estonian nationals have been arrested and charged with running a sophisticated Internet fraud ring that infected millions of computers worldwide with a virus and enabled the thieves to manipulate the multi-billion-dollar Internet advertising industry. Users of infected machines were unaware that their computers had been compromised—or that the malicious software rendered their machines vulnerable to a host of other viruses.
Details of the two-year FBI investigation called Operation Ghost Click were announced today in New York when a federal indictment was unsealed. Officials also described their efforts to make sure infected users’ Internet access would not be disrupted as a result of the operation.

FBI Statement:  Janice Fedarcyk, New York Assistant Director in Charge “Today, with the flip of a switch, the FBI and our partners dismantled the Rove criminal enterprise. Thanks to the collective effort across the U.S. and in Estonia, six leaders of the criminal enterprise have been arrested and numerous servers operated by the criminal organization have been disabled. Additionally, thanks to a coordinated effort of trusted industry partners, a mitigation plan commenced today, beginning with the replacement of rogue DNS servers with clean DNS servers to keep millions online, while providing ISPs the opportunity to coordinate user remediation efforts.” More

The indictment, said Janice Fedarcyk, assistant director in charge of our New York office, “describes an intricate international conspiracy conceived and carried out by sophisticated criminals.” She added, “The harm inflicted by the defendants was not merely a matter of reaping illegitimate income.”
Beginning in 2007, the cyber ring used a class of malware called DNSChanger to infect approximately 4 million computers in more than 100 countries. There were about 500,000 infections in the U.S., including computers belonging to individuals, businesses, and government agencies such as NASA. The thieves were able to manipulate Internet advertising to generate at least $14 million in illicit fees. In some cases, the malware had the additional effect of preventing users’ anti-virus software and operating systems from updating, thereby exposing infected machines to even more malicious software.
“They were organized and operating as a traditional business but profiting illegally as the result of the malware,” said one of our cyber agents who worked the case. “There was a level of complexity here that we haven’t seen before.”
DNS—Domain Name System—is a critical Internet service that converts user-friendly domain names, such as www.fbi.gov, into numerical addresses that allow computers to talk to each other. Without DNS and the DNS servers operated by Internet service providers, computer users would not be able to browse websites or send e-mail.

Success Through Partnerships A complex international investigation such as Operation Ghost Click could only have been successful through the strong working relationships between law enforcement, private industry, and our international partners. Announcing today’s arrests, Preet Bharara, (above left) U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, praised the investigative work of the FBI, NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board, and he specially thanked the National High Tech Crime Unit of the Dutch National Police Agency. In addition, the FBI and NASA-OIG received assistance from multiple domestic and international private sector partners, including Georgia Tech University, Internet Systems Consortium, Mandiant, National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance, Neustar, Spamhaus, Team Cymru, Trend Micro, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and members of an ad hoc group of subject matter experts known as the DNS Changer Working Group (DCWG).

DNSChanger was used to redirect unsuspecting users to rogue servers controlled by the cyber thieves, allowing them to manipulate users’ web activity. When users of infected computers clicked on the link for the official website of iTunes, for example, they were instead taken to a website for a business unaffiliated with Apple Inc. that purported to sell Apple software. Not only did the cyber thieves make money from these schemes, they deprived legitimate website operators and advertisers of substantial revenue.
The six cyber criminals were taken into custody yesterday in Estonia by local authorities, and the U.S. will seek to extradite them. In conjunction with the arrests, U.S. authorities seized computers and rogue DNS servers at various locations. As part of a federal court order, the rogue DNS servers have been replaced with legitimate servers in the hopes that users who were infected will not have their Internet access disrupted.
It is important to note that the replacement servers will not remove the DNSChanger malware—or other viruses it may have facilitated—from infected computers. Users who believe their computers may be infected should contact a computer professional. They can also find additional information in the links on this page, including how to register as a victim of the DNSChanger malware. And the FBI’s Office for Victim Assistance will provide case updates periodically at 877-236-8947.
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Federer wins seventh Wimbledon title

 WIMBLEDON, England

Once the Centre Court roof was closed, nothing could stop Roger Federer from winning his record-tying seventh Wimbledon title.

JACKED UP

It was a banner day in Great Britain as Andy Murray faced Roger Federer in the Wimbledon men's singles final. See the best photos.

The 30-year-old Federer finally equaled Pete Sampras' record at the All England Club, and won his 17th Grand Slam title overall, by beating Andy Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 Sunday.
''It has worked out so many times over the years here at Wimbledon that I play my best in the semis and the finals,'' Federer said. ''I couldn't be more happy. It feels great being back here as the winner.''
Once Murray's forehand landed wide on match point, Federer collapsed to the grass with tears welling in his eyes. He got up quickly and shook hands with Murray at the net.
Up in the players' box, Federer's wife and twin daughters cheered and smiled as he took his seat to await yet another Wimbledon trophy presentation.
''When the roof closed, he played unbelievable tennis,'' Murray said.
Federer is now 17-7 in Grand Slam finals, including 7-1 at Wimbledon. Murray dropped to 0-4 in major finals, with three of those losses coming against Federer.
''It's amazing. It equals me with Pete Sampras, who's my hero,'' Federer said. ''It just feels amazing.''
Besides Sampras, 1880s player William Renshaw also won seven Wimbledon titles, but he did it at a time when the defending champion was given a bye into the following year's final.
Sunday's match was the first Wimbledon singles final to be played with the roof closed. The roof was first used at the All England Club in 2009.
Britain has been waiting 76 years for a homegrown men's champion at the All England Club, and the expectations on Murray were huge. Thousands of fans watched the match on a huge screen on ''Murray Mount,'' but left the grounds still waiting for a British winner.
Inside the stadium, Prince William's wife, Kate, sat in the Royal Box along with David Beckham, British Prime Minister David Cameron and a slew of former Wimbledon champions.

2012 Wimbledon

• Federer wins 7th title
• Serena wins 5th title

Many of them left a bit disappointed as well.
''Everybody always talks about the pressure of playing at Wimbledon, how tough it is,'' Murray said. ''It's not the people watching. They make it so much easier to play. The support has been incredible, so thank you.''
With his victory, Federer regained the No. 1 ranking from Novak Djokovic, allowing him to equal Sampras' record of 286 weeks as the top-ranked player.
''I never stopped believing. I started playing more, even though I have a family,'' Federer said. ''It all worked out. I got great momentum, great confidence and it all came together. So it's a magical moment for me.''
Murray is coached by eight-time Grand Slam champion Ivan Lendl, the only other man who lost his first four major finals.
At the start of the match, Murray was the one dictating play and winning the tough points. He broke Federer in the first game of the first set, and then broke again late before serving it out. It was the first set Murray has won in his four major finals.
The second set was much more even, and both had early break points that they couldn't convert. Federer, however, finally got it done in the final game of the set, hitting a backhand drop volley that Murray couldn't get to.
Both held easily to start the third set, but then the rain started abruptly, suspending play for 40 minutes. Shortly after they returned, it turned into a one-man show.
With Federer leading 3-2, they played a 26-point, 20-minute game in which Federer finally converted his sixth break point - after Murray had slipped on the grass three times. Federer lost only five points on his serve in that set.
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Oscar-winning film star Ernest Borgnine dies in LA at age 95

 Lifetime achievement honoree Ernest Borgnine waves after receiving his award at the 17th annual Screen Actors Guild …Ernest Borgnine, who created a variety of memorable characters in both movies and television and won the best-actor Oscar for his role as a lovesick butcher in "Marty" in 1955, died Sunday. He was 95.

Borgnine's longtime spokesman, Harry Flynn, told The Associated Press that Borgnine died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles with his family by his side.

A prolific and talented character actor, Borgnine was known for gruff, villainous roles such as the heavy who beats up Frank Sinatra in "From Here to Eternity" and one of the bad guys who harasses Spencer Tracy in "Bad Day at Black Rock."

Borgnine, who earned a salary of $5,000 for playing his Academy-Award winning role Marty, once said "I would have done it for nothing."

Borgnine, who was born Ermes Effron Borgnino on Jan. 24, 1917 in Hamden, Conn., began acting after serving in the Navy during World War II. He made his film debut in 1951's "Whistle at Eaton Falls" before winning an Academy Award four years later. He appeared in other notable films including "Jubal," "Flight of the Phoenix," "The Dirty Dozen,""The Wild Bunch," "The Poseidon Adventure," "Johnny Guitar," and "Escape from New York."

He was also known as the Navy officer in the television series "McHale's Navy," which aired from 1962-66. Younger audiences would know him as the voice of Mermaid Man in "Spongebob Squarepants."

Borgnine earned an Emmy Award nomination at age 92 for his work on the series "ER," and was honored with the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2011.

"The Oscar made me a star, and I'm grateful," AP reports that Borgnine told an interviewer in 1966. "But I feel had I not won the Oscar I wouldn't have gotten into the messes I did in my personal life."

The actor was married five times, including to singer Ethel Merman, who became his third wife in 1964. The marriage barely lasted a month.

He is survived by his fifth wife, Tova Traesnaes — whom he married in 1973 — son Christopher and daughters Sharon and Diana.

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How can you detect if your computer has been violated and infected with DNS Changer?

An industry wide team has developed easy “are you infected” web sites.  They are a quick way to determine if you are infected with DNS Changer. Each site is designed for any normal computer user to browse to a link, follow the instructions, and see if they might be infected. Each site has instructions in their local languages on the next steps to clean up possible infections.

For example, the http://www.dns-ok.us/ will state if you are or are not infected (see below).

• No Software is Downloaded! The tools do not need to to load any software on your computer to perform the check.
• No changes are performed on your computer! Nothing is changed on your computer when you use sites like http://www.dns-ok.us/.
• No scanning!  The “are you infected with DNS Changer” tool does not need to scan your computer.

If you think your computer is infected with DNS Changer or any other malware, please refer to the security guides from your operating system or the self -help references from our fix page (http://www.dcwg.org/fix).


If you are not affected by DNS Changer then do nothing.
If the Check-Up Site indicates that you are affected then either follow the instructions on that site or go to the “FIX” page.

Manually Checking if your DNS server have been Changed

The following pages would help check to manually see if you have DNS Changer DNS servers configured on your computer. Use of the “check up” pages are more effective, but some would want to check manually.

• Checking for DNS Changer on Windows XP
• Checking for DNS Changer on Windows Vista (pending)
• Checking Windows 7 for Infections
• Checking OSX for Infections

Would my Service Provider Help Me?

Many service providers are notifying their customers.

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News: Internet blackout looms for thousands: What you need to know

Posted by Henry on sun Jul 7, 2012

Thousands of computer users may lose Internet access on Monday, when the deadline for a temporary fix to a malicious software scam shut down by the FBI last year expires.

What is it?

Millions of computers were infected with the so-called "Internet Doomsday" virus used in the hacking scam, which redirected Internet searches through DNS servers used by the scammers. (Who, in turn, allegedly netted $14 million in bogus advertising revenue.) After U.S. and Estonian authorities busted the malware ring last November, a federal judge ordered that the FBI use temporary servers while the malware victims' PCs were repaired. The temporary servers will shut down at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Monday, meaning anyone using a computer still infected with the virus will likely lose Internet access.

"Connectivity will be lost to the Internet PERIOD," Symantec, the online security firm, said in a blog post. "If your computer is still using DNS entries that are pointing to the FBI servers on July 9, you will lose TOTAL access to the Internet. No connecting to the office from home, no updating Facebook, nothing until the DNS settings are fixed."

What is it?

Millions of computers were infected with the so-called "Internet Doomsday" virus used in the hacking scam, which redirected Internet searches through DNS servers used by the scammers. (Who, in turn, allegedly netted $14 million in bogus advertising revenue.) After U.S. and Estonian authorities busted the malware ring last November, a federal judge ordered that the FBI use temporary servers while the malware victims' PCs were repaired. The temporary servers will shut down at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Monday, meaning anyone using a computer still infected with the virus will likely lose Internet access.

"Connectivity will be lost to the Internet PERIOD," Symantec, the online security firm, said in a blog post. "If your computer is still using DNS entries that are pointing to the FBI servers on July 9, you will lose TOTAL access to the Internet. No connecting to the office from home, no updating Facebook, nothing until the DNS settings are fixed."

How many computers have it?

It's unclear how widespread the "blackout" will be. According to a working group set up by security experts, more than 300,000 computers remained infected as of June 11, including 69,000 in the United States. Last week, 245,000 computers were said to be still infected with the so-called Alureon virus, according online security firm Deteque, including 45,355 U.S. machines.

Wired estimates 64,000 U.S. users and an additional 200,000 users outside the United States are still infected with the malware, "despite repeated warnings in the news, e-mail messages sent by ISPs and alerts posted by Google and Facebook." According to Internet Identity, another IT security firm, "12 percent of all Fortune 500 companies and four percent of 'major' U.S. federal agencies are still infected with DNSChanger malware."

But it's also unclear how many of those machines are still in use.

What you can do

According to Reuters, U.S. Internet providers including AT&T and Time Warner Cable "have made temporary arrangements so that their customers will be able to access the Internet using the address of the rogue DNS servers." And the problem, security experts say, is relatively easy to fix.

"It's a very easy one to fix," Gunter Ollmann, vice president of research for security company Damballa, told the news service. "There are plenty of tools available."

Online security firms, Facebook and the FBI are offering free diagnostic checks for users whose computers may be infected. 

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Tightrope walker survives high-wire fall (00:47)

 08/07/12 

Chinese Tightrope Walker Falls Between Hot Air... by NewsLook A tightrope walker suffers only minor injuries after falling off a high-wire while attempting to walk backwards and blindfolded across a ravine in central China. 

Chris Brown 'Disses' Drake In New Song?

Breezy reportedly takes a pop at Drizzy after NY brawl...

Mon, 2 July 2012

Chris Brown's feud with rival rapper Drake appears to show no signs of letting up.
After last month's alleged New York bar brawl, the pair have been involved in a war of words.
And now Breezy appears to have dissed Drizzy on a new song. The track, released on djorator.com, is a freestyled version of I Don't Like, remixed by The Game.
According to E! Online, Breezy raps about bottles being thrown - before slipping in the title of Drake's new album Take Care.
The website reports that Chris sings: "One on one, what you scared bruh? Huh, matter of fact, take care bruh. You're a p**** n****."
Since the altercation at NY hotspot W.I.P, Drizzy has denied any wrongdoing but Breezy's lawyer, Mark Geragos, has reportedly presented evidence against the rapper.
The rival rappers have since been offered $1 million to settle the score in a celebrity boxing match.
source:  mtv.co.uk

Glamour girl brands Posh 'Misery Spice' after girl band reunion...

Mon, 2 July 2012

Katie Price has reignited her long-standing feud with Victoria Beckham - by branding her "Misery Spice".
The pair have been sniping on and off since 2000, when the glamour model accused Posh of ruining her relationship with Dane Bowers.
Now Pricey has got the claws out for Mrs Beckham again, suggesting she's "forgotten her roots".
In her The Sun newspaper column, Pricey wrote about the recent Spice Girls reunion, and was quick to point out that all the girls were "gleaming with joy" - apart from one.
She wrote: "Cue Misery Spice, who couldn't muster up a single smile for all those fans who have made her what she is.

BET Awards Red Carpet 2012: All The Dresses, Jewels, Shoes And More! 

Posted: 07/01/2012 

The biggest night in black entertainment is finally here!
The 2012 BET Awards are in full swing and we're bringing you all the hot (and not-so-hot) looks from the red carpet.
Full Story

Spain Smashes Italy 4-0  

Posted on Jul 2nd 2012 

Italy Spain Euro 2012 Italy's Mario Balotelli, left, and Spain's Sergio Ramos vie for the ball during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group C match between Spain and Italy in Gdansk, Poland, Sunday, June 10, 2012. 

Italy's Mario Balotelli, left, and Spain's Sergio Ramos vie for the ball during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group C match between Spain and Italy in Gdansk, Poland, Sunday, June 10, 2012. KIEV, Ukraine -- And so they meet again at Euro 2012. This time, however, Spain and Italy are playing for the European Championship and a place in the history books.The Mediterranean rivals meet Sunday in Kiev's Olympic Stadium, three weeks after they drew 1-1 in their opening match of the tournament's group stage.

As the defending champion and World Cup holder, Spain is bidding to win a third straight major title, cementing its place as one of the greatest national teams. It would also match Germany's record of three European Championship titles.
Only the unpredictable Mario Balotelli and a surprising Italy team - orchestrated by Andrea Pirlo - stand between Spain and what many see as its destiny.
Even Italy coach Cesare Prandelli reckons that Spain is the best bet to lift the trophy.
"At the moment, even if I open my eyes, I am still dreaming," Prandelli said after his side's 2-1 victory over Germany in the semifinals, when Balotelli scored both goals.
"Spain remain favorites because of the years of hard work that they have put in. They have been dominant in every game they've played so far."
Spain hasn't lost in a European Championship since 2004 and has already matched West Germany as the only defending champion to return to the final after winning the World Cup. The West Germans managed it in 1976, but subsequently lost to Czechoslovakia following Antonin Panenka's famous chip shot in a penalty shootout.

This final brings together teams with players brazen enough to have successfully copied Panenka's audacious spot kick during their penalty shootouts in the knockout rounds. Spain defender Sergio Ramos used it in the semifinal win over Portugal, after Pirlo employed it against England in the quarterfinals.
It also features the tournament's best defensive team against one of its most exciting attacking squads.
Spain has not conceded a goal since that opening draw with Italy and hasn't been scored upon in nine elimination games at major tournaments. Balotelli, Antonio Cassano and Pirlo are leading one of Italy's top attacking teams in recent history.
"We always just tried to play, I think that is our strength," said Prandelli, whose team is bidding to give Italy its second European title, the same number as Spain and France.
"When we started off at this tournament, we were convinced that by working in a certain way we could become a proper team - not just a quality team, but also a team with the right spirit."
Though Balotelli's selection had been in doubt due to troubles both on and off the pitch at Manchester City, the 21-year-old Italian of Ghanaian descent has scored three times at Euro 2012.
"I waited a long time for this moment, especially because my mother came all the way here and I wanted to make her happy," he said after the victory over Germany.
"This is the greatest evening of my life, but I hope Sunday will be even better," added the striker, who has a chance to finish as the tournament's top scorer with one more goal.
"For the final my father is coming, too," he added. "So I hope to score . . ."
Along with their players, the Azzurri also have an encouraging statistic on their side: Spain hasn't beaten Italy in a competitive match that didn't end in penalties since 1920.
Spain's attack has featured a rotating cast of forwards, with attacking midfielder Cesc Fabregas usually being preferred to striker Fernando Torres. On Sunday, coach Vicente del Bosque is likely to repeat the 4-6 formation he first deployed against Italy on June 10.
Substitutes Pedro Rodriguez and Jesus Navas have had impressive tournaments, and Del Bosque certainly values the contribution of players who don't feel slighted by being on the bench.
"When you send out a substitute who is upset it always makes things more difficult. When you send out a player who is happy and ready to play one minute if that's what's needed, that is very important," said Del Bosque, who can match West Germany's Helmut Schoen as the only coaches to have won a European Championship and a World Cup.
Del Bosque admitted that Portugal not only made Spain look sloppy for over an hour, but had taken his players "to the limit."
However, his team's extra day of rest compared to the Azzurri will help with preparations, while Italy is keeping an eye on any injury problems after Balotelli came off in the second half against Germany due to cramps.
"We're proud of what we are doing and, of course, we hope to achieve what no one else has done before," Del Bosque said, before touching on what victory would mean with an economic crisis back home.
"It would be good for everyone, for Spanish football and for our country."
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Kentucky NASCAR race winner celebrates by 'Tebowing'

Jul 02, 2012

Brad Keselowski's celebrations are among the most unique in NASCAR. Instead of flying a checkered flag outside his driver's side window after wins, the Penske Racing driver waves the American flag while doing burnouts for the fans.

mas

Earlier this year, he tweeted a photo before exiting his victorious No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge at Bristol Motor Speedway.After Saturday night's win in the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway, Keselowski delivered another celebratory wrinkle by "Tebowing" in victory lane.
The patented kneel-down made famous by NFL quarterback Tim Tebow was fitting, as Keselowski had a lot to be thankful for Saturday at the 1.5-mile speedway. He was driving a backup car after crashing in Friday's first practice, had a broken steering wheel moments before Saturday's green flag and even ran out of gas at one point. And he still was able to come away with a Sprint Cup Series-best third win of 2012.
"(It) says a lot about everybody on the team, and some of the things we do back at Penske Racing — the process that we go through to build our cars," Keselowski said. "Knowing that when we bring out a backup car, there really wasn't any concerns for me. ... I knew the car we had was still capable of winning."
As for "Tebowing", the Twitter legend replied to SB Nation's Jeff Gluck with the explanation. "It was a bet I had with the miller guys to be the first to Tebow with a beer," Keselowski tweeted.
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Keselowski's 3rd Cup win shakes things up

 SPARTA, Ky. (AP) -- Brad Keselowski was the only driver at Kentucky Speedway to compete in all three NASCAR races.

Late on a hot Saturday night in the Bluegrass countryside, he also was the only one to pick up a third Sprint Cup win of the season.
''I wanted all three, but sometimes that ain't meant to happen,'' a happy Keselowski said about his starts in the Truck, Nationwide and Cup races at the 1.5-mile oval. ''But second, seventh and a first ain't bad at all.''
It sure isn't.
Now Keselowski is elbowing his way into the season-ending Chase picture and making more than a couple of other drivers nervous about their own chances.
As the Cup series builds to its climactic stretch run, Keselowski, who also won at Bristol and Talladega and is now 10th in the standings, is making a lot of people take notice.
Kyle Busch stands 12th with the top 12 through the first 26 races making the Chase ''playoffs.'' He realizes that 10th-place finishes - like he had at Kentucky - might not be good enough.
''We're still within reach and everything,'' he said in the din of the postrace bustle, before adding, ''We're certainly not running the way we need to be running.''
Kasey Kahne, who used a late rally to close to second in Kentucky, climbed into the final wild-card position at 14th.
''A top-five (finish) is good, but it's probably not going to get us in the Chase,'' he said. ''We need to win a race or two more to make the Chase.''
Kahne rallied from a lap down to squeeze Keselowski's final advantage to 4.399 seconds. Kahne had finished higher than 19th just once in the season's first six races. Crashes at Pocono and Michigan put a damper on his hopes before he started picking off cars in the final few laps on the bumpy track in Kentucky.
''We've got to keep working on it and got to be a little stronger throughout,'' he said. ''But my car was fast. The longer the run went, the better we seemed to get.''
Because Carl Edwards, 11th in the standings, and 13th-place Paul Menard have yet to win, Kahne has an advantage thanks to his win at Charlotte.
''It's time for us to get it in gear,'' Edwards said. ''I am real frustrated. (Crew chief) Bob (Osborne) is real frustrated. I know we can do this.''
Heading into this weekend's Cup race at Daytona, Matt Kenseth is first in the standings, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr., Tony Stewart and Keselowski.
While the Chase sublots were accumulating, Keselowski was adding to an extraordinary year. In three of his first seven starts, he finished near the bottom. He also had not cracked the top 10 in his four previous starts before coming to Kentucky.
Keselowski conceded that his team had ''reliability issues'' early in the year.
But he has had his Penske Dodge in contention in almost all the rest of the 17 races so far. With just nine races left before the Chase, the 28-year-old Michigan native is just confident enough to believe he can create even more havoc.
''The only thing that means anything is who's in the top 10 and who has the most wins when the Chase gets going,'' he said. ''That is the only thing that matters.''
Crew chief Paul Wolfe pulled a Houdini move during Friday's practice. Keselowski collided with Juan Pablo Montoya on the very first lap of warmups, wrecking his best car. Wolfe and his crew grabbed last year's car and, in an hour's time in 100-degree heat, transformed it into the vehicle that dominated the final 60 laps.
''Any time people think we're down and out, (we seem) to be able to get up to another level,'' Wolfe said.
While everybody else, it seems, is anxiously glancing at the remaining races and counting in their heads what they need to do to get into or remain in contention for the big money at the end of the season, the easy-going Keselowski continues to be oblivious to the pressure.
''I'm looking forward,'' he said. ''Not looking back. If you're worried about being 10th in points, then you're looking back.''
He's not the only driver with designs on stealing the biggest prize.
Earnhardt hadn't won a race in 143 starts dating to 2008 before winning at Michigan two weeks ago. After placing fourth at Kentucky, he said he's not so willing to wait for another trip to Victory Lane.
''I ain't going to be as patient this time,'' he said, laughing.
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