Cloudcast News your news on your schedule

Highlights & Links for February 10, 2010

World/Politics

Fox News is reporting the president signalled he'd meet critics part way on health care.  President Obama said Tuesday he's willing to sign a bill even if it doesn't deliver everything he pursued through a year of grinding effort at risk of going down as a dismal failure.  Still, Republican leaders expressed renewed skepticism about Obama's call for bipartisanship and reiterated their demand that Obama jettison the Democratic bills and start from scratch. (Fox News)

The New York Times is reporting that a monster storm would deliver as much as 16 inches of fresh snow to the nations capital, which was still digging out from beneath the nearly two-foot thick blanket of snow that obliterated the city over the weekend.  By Tuesday afternoon, workers had to give up clearing from last week’s storm to prepare for the new one.  The weather caused more than a few federal delays. The House of Representatives called off all of its votes for the rest of the week as some members of Congress could not get to Capitol Hill. (NY Times)

Breitbart.com is telling us Haiti's government has raised the death toll for the Jan. 12 earthquake to 230,000 from 212,000 and says more bodies remain uncounted.  The new figure is not definitive as it does not include bodies buried by private funeral homes in private cemeteries or the dead buried by their own families.  The new figure gives the quake the same death toll as the 2004 Asian tsunami. (Breitbart)

CNN is reporting In what appears to be an attempt to call Iran's bluff on its nuclear program, the United States is poised to offer Tehran a way to obtain medical isotopes that Iran says it desperately needs to treat cancer patients, according to the State Department.  The new offer from the United States comes as Washington and other major countries move closer to imposing harsh new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, which those countries say is designed to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran says its nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes. President Obama told reporters on Tuesday that the international community will try to pressure Iran more if Iran is not willing to cooperate. (CNN)

Fox News is reporting The convicted killer of a Kansas abortion provider has little sympathy for the family of his victim, comparing them to the relatives of a hit man in a recording posted online.  Roeder, 51, was convicted Jan. 29 of first-degree murder for shooting Dr. George Tiller last May as the doctor served as an usher at his Wichita church. He will be sentenced March 9. (Fox News)

Tech News

Google buzz is what all of the big buzz is about and I’ll get to that in one second, but first here’s a few quickies that I thought you might find interesting.  I don’ t know if you’re a dog lover, but I am, I have 3, so I found this article on Engadget very interesting.  They introduced me to a gadget called the Dog-e-Minder which basically is a battery-powered device that records the last time your pup (or any pet that rocks a leash) ate, walked or took his / her medications. Essentially, owners simply mash the corresponding button after an event has occurred, and an internal timer keeps track of how long it has been since said event has happened. It also doubles as a dog identification tag (displaying the owner's contact information and the pet's name). Nice. (Engadget)

Mashable is telling us about a cool mobile phone promotion involving the Sports illustrated swimsuit edition.  All you need is a physical issue of the mag and a camera phone.  Once you pick up your issue simply search through the pages for the JAGTAGs — or 2D barcodes — featuring a black and white image of what they’re calling a “mobile beauty.” Snap a photo of the JAGTAG and send it via MMS in order to get behind-the-scenes videos of the models sent directly to your phone. (Mashable)

Techcrunch is reporting that Scrapblog, a startup that allows you to make beautiful Flash-based online scrapbooks, is hoping to help Facebook users make pretty collages of their photos via a new Facebook app, Share the Love.  When you first start using Share the Love, the app will employ Scrapblog’s recently launched QuickMix technology to instantly generate a photo collage with up to ten Facebook photos. The photos will be automatically arranged with a set theme, which you can change easily. The app offers users coordinated stickers, backgrounds and captions. And users can easily change photos from the photos they are tagged in and from their personal albums. You can also bypass Scrapblog’s technology and start from scratch by picking a theme and choosing the photos to feature. Once you are finished designing your collage, you can publish the scrapbook to your Facebook page and photo albums. (Techcrunch)

As I mentioned earlier the big news in the Tech world is about Google Buzz. Techcrunch describes it as a stream of status updates, pictures, links, and videos from your friends. You can “like” these items and you can comment on them. And if you use Flickr, Picasa, Google Reader, or Twitter, you can also automatically have those items imported into your stream. And Buzz will recommend items you might like based on your friends’ activity.  Buzz resides inside of Gmail and plays nice with Twitter, but it seems that Facebook and Buzz are not friendly at this point.  There is also a very active mobile component of buzz as well. I think the best coverage of the buzz announcement was from Techcrunch and I linked that on cloudcastnews.com as well as the videos introducing Buzz and Buzz mobile. It will be interesting to see if Buzz has what it takes to help Google break into the mainstream social networking scene. (TechCrunch)

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi50KlsCBio

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-kcVDNi6eg

Gossip & Entertainment

Tickets for Bonarroo went on sale yesterday and Mashable reported that they announced the acts throughout the course of the day on their myspace page. The full initial list is now available at myspace.com/bonaroo. It looks like it’s going to be a great show. (Mashable) http://www.myspace.com/bonnaroo

Radar online is reporting that Erin Andrews creepy peeping tom Michael David Barrett taped 16 other women and researched several more, including high profile celebrities.  Barrett pled guilty to an interstate stalking charge in a Los Angeles court back in December.  Prosecutors met in court Monday to convince the judge to sentence Barrett to 27 months, a sentence greatly reduced due to his plea bargain.  Prosecutors claim Andrews now suffers from "substantial emotional distress” following her ordeal and that she is seeking over $330,000 in restitution from Barrett. (Radar)

The last bit of news for today comes from TMZ who tells us Captain Phil Harris -- star of Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" -- died late last night ... sources tell TMZ. Harris was hospitalized a few weeks ago after suffering a stroke while unloading crabs. He had been doing better until the sudden turn.  Captain Harris died in a hospital in Alaska. He was 53. (TMZ)

Highlights & Links for February 9, 2010

World/Politics

CNN is reporting Representative John Murtha of Pennsylvania, a longtime fixture on the House subcommittee that oversees Pentagon spending, died after complications from gallbladder surgery, according to his office. He was 77 and had represented Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District since '74. (CNN)

Fox News is reporting Toyota said Tuesday it is recalling 170,000 Prius hybrid cars in Japan for braking problems and will soon disclose details of its global plans for a fix. The automaker will hold a news conference at its Tokyo office later today to outline details of the braking problem, including plans for a possible recall in the U.S. (Fox News)

Breitbart.com is reporting Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday that Iran is set to deliver a "punch" that will stun world powers during this week's 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution.  His comments came as Iran said it would begin to produce higher enriched uranium from Tuesday, in defiance of Western powers trying to ensure the country's nuclear drive is peaceful. (Breitbart)

CNN tells us that The Dow closed below 10,000 Monday for the first time in three months, with financial shares leading the way, as worries about the U.S. economy and European debt weighed on investor sentiment.  The last time the Dow finished below 10,000 was Nov. 4. (CNN)

In health care reform news the New York times is saying When Republicans take President Obama up on his invitation to hash out their differences over health care this month, they will carry with them a fairly well-developed set of ideas intended to make health insurance more widely available and affordable, by emphasizing tax incentives and state innovations, with no new federal mandates and only a modest expansion of the federal safety net.  It is not clear that Republicans and the White House are willing to negotiate seriously with each other, and Mr. Obama has rejected Republican demands that he start from scratch in developing health care legislation. (New York Times)

Tech News

Engadget is reporting Netflix Watch Instantly fans could be due for a big upgrade, as CNET has heard the company will roll out 5.1 surround sound and closed captioning later this year. No word on timing or any other details. (Engadget)

Techcrunch is reporting that there’s a way to view hundreds of photos on Facebook without lifting a finger: a new Facebook Prototype lets you turn these photo albums into slideshows. There is a link to activate the prototype here.  After activating it, you’ll find a ‘Play’ button nestled between the ‘Previous’ and ‘Next’ navigation buttons in the photo viewer. Clicking it will turn the album you’re currently viewing into a slideshow, displaying a new photo every five seconds. (Techcrunch)

Mashable is reporting EA Sports President Peter Moore told Bloomberg that the popular Madden NFL series of football video games will make its way to Facebook.  There’s no word on a launch date. Moore says we will definitely see Madden on the Facebook platform, but the social media version will be simpler than its console cousins, because EA wants to “make Madden more accessible.” (Mashable)

Engadget is telling us about The new zoomIt SD card reader from zoomMediaPlus.  It adds a bit of external, swappable memory to the iPhone and iPod touch at long last, giving you the ability to store your iPhone's pictures on the card, or pull stuff off it onto your handset using the free zoomIt app.  The Zoomit will cost $60 and will ship in April, but you can pre-order one now for a $10 discount. (Engadget)

The last and perhaps biggest bit of Tech news for the day comes from Mashable as they report that Gmail is set to become Google’s next major push into social media. According to The Wall Street Journal, the popular webmail service will soon launch a new feature for sharing content and status updates with friends. with this new social push, Gmail will offer a timeline-view of your friends’ status updates, just like on Facebook and Twitter.  According to the Wall Street Journal, Google-owned YouTube and Picasa will be integrated into the stream. The huge question then is whether or not the new feature will include updates from Twitter and Facebook.  If so, the new features could be thought of more like a TweetDeck or Seesmic, looking to provide an aggregate view of your friends’ social media activities along with the ability to push status updates to the services you use from inside of Gmail. If not, it could be thought of as a major competitor to Twitter and Facebook as Gmail looks to covert its millions of e-mail users into adherents to a whole new breed of social media service. (Mashable)

Gossip & Entertainment

The big news out of Hollywood is centering around the Conrad Murray Michael Jackson case. TMZ is reporting Dr. Conrad Murray was arraigned today and pled not guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges in the death of Michael Jackson. He was taken into custody for booking and bail was set at $75,000.  Jackson's parents and several of his siblings were front and center for the 25-minute hearing. The judge ruled as a condition to bail, Murray cannot be in possession of (or prescribe) anesthetics and specifically mentioned Propofol.  Murray will be in court again on April 5. (TMZ)

In related news TMZ is also telling us that the Medical Board is going After Murray with a vengeance.  According to documents filed with the court, the Medical Board of California believes Murray showed, "utter disregard for the care and well-being of the persons entrusted to his care" -- namely, Michael Jackson.  The Board wants the judge to step in because it takes the Medical Board a long time to yank a doctor's license. The judge will hear the Medical Board's request to suspend Dr. Murray's license as a bail condition in a few weeks.  (TMZ)

Radar online is reporting that Gary Coleman pleaded guilty in a Utah court to a misdemeanor criminal mischief charge related to a domestic violence incident last April.  The Different Strokes star, who turned 42 on Monday, was sentenced to 31 1/2 days in jail, but will only serve the time  if he fails to complete a domestic violence course and to pay a $595 fine. (Radar)

TMZ is reporting that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will sue News of the World for reporting the couple was splitting up.  The tabloid published a report January 24 that Pitt and Jolie had called it quits and agreed to custody and property division.  The London lawyers for Pitt and Jolie, Keith Schillings, called the report a "false and intrusive allegation." (TMZ)

For the last bit of G&E goodness we’ll delve into the world of Trash TV. VH1’s newest season of Celebrity Fit club started last night. If you missed the debut and you’re into that kind of thing, I’m sure VH1 will be replaying it about 500 times this week. Radar online tells us the cast this season includes Bobby Brown, K-Fed and his ex-girlfriend and baby momma Shar Jackson, ex-Skid Row front man Sebastian Bach, R & B bad boy Bobby Brown, Bad Girls Club star Tanisha Thomas, Project Runway Season 1 winner Jay McCarroll, High School Musical's KayCee Stroh and ex-Baywatch babe Nicole Eggert. (Radar)

Watch the Celebrity Fit Club Trailer:

Highlights & Links for February 8, 2010

World/Politics

First of all, there’s a Mardi Gras in Miami, congratulations go out to the New Orleans Saints who upset the Indianapolis Colts last night 31-17 in Super Bowl 44 and gave the Saints their first Super Bowl victory.

CNN is reporting that Five people were killed and at least 12 were injured in a gas explosion Sunday at an under-construction power plant in central Connecticut.  Residents up to 20 miles away reported hearing the blast at about 11:19 a.m. at the Kleen Power Plant in Middletown, a suburb of Hartford, Connecticut.  Middletown Mayor Sebastian Giuliano said plant workers were purging a natural gas pipeline when the explosion occurred and therefore terrorism has been ruled out .(CNN)

Politico is reporting that President Obama is planning to host a televised meeting with Republican and Democratic congressional leaders on health care reform. The Feb. 25 meeting is an attempt to reach across the aisle but not a signal that the president plans to start over, as Republicans have demanded, a White House official said.  Legislators from both parties applauded the meeting, while holding to their positions on the health care legislation.  (Politico)

Bloomberg is telling us that Baltimore, Washington and Philadelphia began digging out Sunday from a blizzard that dumped as much as three feet of snow on parts of the mid-Atlantic region and left thousands without power.  AccuWeather said another storm will arrive in the Northeast during the night of Feb. 9 into the morning of Feb. 10. Possible blizzard conditions are forecast for northeastern Pennsylvania to New England and as much as 12 inches of snow may fall. (Bloomberg)

CNN is reporting that In an interview recorded Saturday and broadcast on "FOX News Sunday," Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says she would consider a run for president in 2012 if the situation was right for her family and the nation.  In the interview with Fox, Palin said she believed President Obama would lose a re-election bid in 2012 if he fails to change the policies followed so far in just over a year in office. (CNN)

Tech News

I don’t have a lot to tell you about here today. The big thing on the tech blogosphere was Google running it’s Parisian Love advertisement during the Super Bowl. Mashable notes that this marks the tech giant’s first major push into TV advertising and a new frontier of marketing for the company that has triumphed online ads above all else.  If you missed the ad check it out online at cloudcast news.com.  (Mashable)

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnsSUqgkDwU

Engadget had a couple of write ups on two other commercials focusing on the tech world. The First of which was one of my favorite ads run during the Super Bowl and was for the Motorola Devour featuring Megan Fox. I’ve posted that one on cloudcastnews.com as well. (Engadet)

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m_r1dqYJnc

The next little bit of tech news today has to do with the Vizio ad featuring Beyonce, David Goes to the Dentist and Chocolate Rain.  Engadet is telling us that Vizio is still striving to remake its reputation from being merely a cheap HDTV manufacturer to a premium one offering lots of features.  The ad shows how Vizio is  bringing "the best of the internet" with VIZIO Internet Apps. The true test will be if its picture quality will measure up and whether the widget experience has gotten any faster in 2010.  (Engadget)

The last bit of Tech goodness also is focused around the ads from Super Bowl 44.  In case you missed any of the ads, or you want to check them out later at your leisure, Mashable is reporting that YouTube launched its Super Bowl ad channel at youtube.com/adblitz, which will allows viewers to watch and vote on the commercials.  The channel, sponsored by car maker Kia, has already been populated by content from the YouTube community, and the top rated commercial will be featured on the YouTube homepage on Thursday February 18th. (Mashable) (Youtube.com/adblitz)

Gossip & Entertainment

Entertainment Weekly is reporting Romance proved to be a powerful foe for the epic "Avatar," which has dominated the box office for the last seven weekends. The Lasse Hallstrom-directed romantic drama "Dear John" won the weekend in a big way, grossing an estimated $32.4 million and setting a record for the highest-grossing Superbowl Sunday frame in history. (Entertainment Weekly)

Radaronline is reporting that Charlie Sheen had a sense of humor Friday, after his Mercedes was found at the bottom of a 100-foot cliff in Sherman Oaks, California.  The Two and a Half Men star told The Insider he went to bed at 10:30 pm on Thursday and was woken up Friday morning by a call from OnStar, saying that his car had been in an accident. He said he peered out his window of his Mulholland Estates home to see the car was missing. (Radar)

TMZ tells us that Tiger Woods is headed back to his home in Florida sometime next week and has pinpointed his return to golf ... according to someone who works for the Woods family. The source tells TMZ he is aiming to play in the Tavistock Cup -- an event that pits pros from two local golf courses against one another and then it’s off to Georgia to get ready for a little something called ... The Masters. (TMZ)

The final bit of news again comes from TMZ who is reporting that Former NFL star Warren Sapp was arrested by Miami Beach police Saturday afternoon and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery stemming from an allegedly violent confrontation with his girlfriend.  According to the arrest report, the alleged victim had "a swollen right knee and bruises on the back of her neck."

Sapp posted bail Sunday morning while his lawyer asked everyone to "reserve judgment" on Sapp until all the facts come out.  Sapp was in Miami to cover the Super Bowl for the NFL Network -- but was suspended by the network pending further investigation. (TMZ)

Highlights & Links for February 5, 2010

World/Politics

The trouble keeps coming for Toyota. Fox News is reporting Toyota will recall 270,000 Prius hybrid vehicles over brake problems in the United States and Japan, a report said Friday, while the beleaguered auto giant launches an investigation into possible problems with the brakes in its luxury Lexus hybrid. Toyota, reeling from massive global recalls of 4.5 million vehicles involving faulty gas pedals, acknowledged Thursday design problems with the brakes in its prized Prius. the world's top-selling gas-electric hybrid. (Fox News)

The Huffington Post is reporting Stocks buckled Thursday under the growing belief that the global economy is weaker than many investors expected and likely to stop companies from hiring. The Dow Jones industrials briefly traded below 10,000 for the first time in three months.  The day's news reminded investors that the global economic recovery remains tenuous. It also raised questions about whether the market can resume its rebound from 12-year lows it hit last March. (HuffPo)

CNN is reporting that President Obama will meet with the Dalai Lama later this month.  The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, has speaking engagements scheduled in the United States in late February and in May.  Earlier this week, China warned that ties between two of the world's superpowers would be strained if Obama met with the Dalai Lama. (CNN)

It is official: Massachusetts has a Republican representing the state in the Senate.  Fox News is reporting that Scott Brown was sworn in by Vice President Biden shortly after 5 p.m., ending the Democrats' supermajority in the Senate.  Brown's election -- built in large part on his vow to block health care -- has been received as a warning by some Democrats who view the vote as a public affirmation of opposition.  Brown is filling the seat held by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy for 47 years but he won't get the desk Kennedy used. (Fox News)

Following up on a story from earlier this week CNN is reporting Ten Americans detained last week while trying to take 33 Haitian children out of the country were charged Thursday with kidnapping children and criminal association, a government official said.  Conviction on the kidnapping charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison; the criminal association charge carries a penalty of three to nine years, according to a former justice minister. (CNN)

Tech News

Tech Crunch is reporting that a new iphone app from vanity Fair to promote it’s Oscar related content.  Famous for its Oscar night party and Hollywood pics, Vanity Fair is also encouraging users to make your Oscar picks on the app. Within the app, you make your picks for the award categories and receive realtime results on the night of the big show. You can also invite your friends to vote for the people you think have the best chance of winning, compare your selections to those of friends and Vanity Fair editors, and chat within the app via Facebook chat. On Oscar night, the app will show you who is winning from your picks. Of course, the app also offers access to Vanity Fair editorial content including background information on nominees, stories, photos, profiles, trailers of nominated films, and slideshows. (Tech Crunch) (Download the App)

Mashable is reporting The online streaming version of Sirius XM satellite radio is now available on many of the newer BlackBerry smartphones. Sirius XM just announced that a free app is up for download at its website, though the service isn’t free. Sirius XM is offering a seven-day free trial to BlackBerry owners, but once that trial is over they’ll have to spend $13 per month to keep listening. (Mashable)

Tech Crunch is telling us that It’s been six years to the day that Facebook launched, and the company’s massive growth is showing no signs of slowing down. Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted a note to the site’s blog celebrating the milestone. In it, he says that Facebook will cross the 400 million user mark this week. And it’s been less than five months since the social network hit 300 million.(Tech Crunch)

In more facebook news  Mashable is reporting that the social networking giant is rolling out a dramatic redesign of the homepage that millions of people see when they log on every day.  It places a new emphasis on search and lets you sort through much more information without ever leaving the homepage. You can even send messages without navigating away.  Facebook confirmed to us that the redesign is already rolling out to users. Everyone will get access to the new homepage shortly, and Facebook plans to post an update to its blog announcing the changes later today. (Mashable)

Gossip & Entertainment

This week has been a rough one for Taylor Swift, which is strange because the week began with her winning a handful of grammy’s. But what everyone’s been talking about is her lackluster duet with Stevie Nicks.  The chatter got so loud that the head of Swift’s record label came out in her defense, and in doing so bashed American Idol. Now Radar on line is reporting that Kelly Clarkson blasted back with a nice little note of her own. In one line she kindly reminds Scott Borchetta that it’s not only about hitting the high notes in American Idol, it’s also about hitting the right ones. Ouch. Find a link to the whole letter at cloudcastnews.com. (Radar)

Radar online is reporting In a new interview with Los Angeles Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter confirms that there will be no criminal charges in the death of Brittany Murphy. He also reveals that not only was Murphy's death preventable, but that she already had an appointment to see a doctor within the same week she passed away. (Radar)

TMZ is telling us The scheduled arraignment Friday for Dr. Conrad Murray in the death of Michael Jackson will not take place as scheduled because of the feud between the L.A. County D.A. and the LAPD over Dr. Murray's surrender.  the LAPD was bent out of shape because the D.A. had kept cops in the dark and had been working with Dr. Murray's lawyers to arrange a voluntary surrender in court at the time of the arraignment. (TMZ)

TMZ is also reporting Charlie Sheen will be charged with felony menacing in connection with the Christmas Day incident with his wife, Brooke Mueller, in Aspen ... this according to law enforcement sources.  Charlie Sheen is set to appear in court Monday for an arraignment, though they are not expecting him to enter a plea. (TMZ)

Every now and then I stumble upon a video that I want to share with, and I had one of those moments this morning. Thanks to wwtdd.com for bringing this to my attention. It’s a video of a scene from the sitcom the big bang theory, except the laugh track is taken out, and that actually makes it watchable. Check out the video at cloudcastnews.com. (WWTDD)

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_iEY9pSHT0

Highlights & Links for February 4, 2010

Politics/World

There’s a lot going on so we’ll get right into it today. The Huffington Post is reporting Motivational speaker James Arthur Ray was arrested Wednesday on manslaughter charges after three people died following a northern Arizona sweat lodge ceremony he led last year.  Ray, who soared in popularity after appearing in the 2006 Rhonda Byrne documentary "The Secret,"has built a multimillion-dollar empire as a self-help superstar who teaches people about financial and spiritual wealth. (HuffPo)

Fox News is reporting Key Democrats and Republicans closed in Wednesday on a bipartisan plan to give businesses a tax break for hiring unemployed workers. It could pass the Senate as early as next week.  The Senate plan would exempt companies from paying the employer's share of Social Security payroll taxes for new workers hired this year, as long as those people had been unemployed at least 60 days. (Fox News)

Reuters is reporting President Barack Obama vowed to "get much tougher" with China on trade rules, including currency rates, to ensure that U.S. goods do not face a competitive disadvantage.U.S. manufacturers have complained for years Beijing's currency policies give Chinese companies an unfair price advantage. China says exchange rate policy is an internal matter. (Reuters)

Breitbart.com is reporting U.S. counterterrorism officials believe Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud is dead following a missile attack last month, a senior intelligence official said Wednesday in the strongest signal that Washington has offered about the militant's fate.  Mehsud's death would be the latest successful strike against suspected terrorists by the U.S. and its allies.  (Breitbart)

CNN is reporting United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon handed President Clinton additional responsibility Wednesday for earthquake-ravaged Haiti, charging him with overseeing aid efforts as well as reconstruction.  Ban asked Clinton "to assume a leadership role in coordinating international aid efforts, from emergency response to new construction of Haiti." (CNN)

Tech News

Engadget is reporting that Amazon just bought the touchscreen startup Touchco and merged it with it’s Kindle division.  Here's what’s exciting: the startup claims its interpolating force-sensitive resistance technology can be made completely transparent, works with color LCDs, and can detect "an unlimited number of simultaneous touch points" as well as distinguish between a finger and stylus. Current cost estimates put it at less than $10 per square foot, which The New York Times says is "considerably" less expensive than the iPad / iPhone screens. (Engadget)

In social networking news twitter has Launched new profile preview feature called Hovercards. Mashable tells us If you hover over a person’s username in your timeline, their profile information, location, and whether you follow them will appear. You also get the options menu, which allows you to follow, block, mention, or report someone right there.  The feature isn’t active for everyone yet — just like other Twitter launches, this one will be phased in over time. It also only affects users of the Twitter.com interface. (Mashable)

Mashable is reporting that you might have a harder time finding new releases at your convenient red box kiosk in the near future. On Monday, February 1, 2010, Walmart put into effect a DVD purchase cap on new releases, limiting customers to no more than 5 DVD new release purchases at a time. It’s a decision that could make it impossible for Redbox — the enemy of the entertainment industry — to keep their kiosks stocked with new releases.  In order to boost the sales of new release DVD’s the idea that seems to have the most traction right now is to create an extended delay between the date a new release becomes available for purchase and the date that consumers can rent the same title.  Given that the success of low cost rental services like Netflix and Redbox is contingent upon having vast quantities of titles to deliver to customers, studios are seeking to sell DVDs to these retailers at lower prices in exchange for the services delaying new release rentals by around 30 days. (Mashable)

In the last bit of tech news Mashable is telling us about a new online calendar service called plan.fm, which collects the plans you make on other services and organizes them into a single source that you and your friends can access from anywhere. Right now Plan.fm supports Facebook, Meetup, Eventbrite and Twitter, plus iCal subscriptions URLs.  By collecting notifications and invites from multiple sources, Plan.fm has the makings of a very convenient service for people who have a hard time managing their various social calendars. (Mashable)

Gossip & Entertainment

The Huffington Post is reporting that AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson is taking on Bono and Bob Geldof for their public displays of charity work.  Johnson said that his own band prefers to make their charitable contributions in private.  Johnson said. "I don't tell everybody they should give money - they can't afford it."  A 2005 New York Times op-ed accused Bono and other celebrity philanthropists like Angelina Jolie for being "mythomaniacs, people who wish to convince the world of their worth.” (HuffPo)

Radar online is reporting that Pam Anderson has signed to be on the next season of ABC’s hit Dancing With the Stars.  (Radar)

TMZ tells us that Leif Garrett was carrying black tar heroin in his shoe when he was arrested Monday morning in L.A., this according to law enforcement sources. We're told cops asked Garrett if he had any drugs on him -- at first, Garrett told them he didn't ... but then later admitted he was packing heroin in his shoe.  Cops seized the drugs and arrested Garrett on the spot -- before transporting him to a nearby jail where he stayed behind bars until Wednesday morning. Garrett was eventually released after posting $10,000 bail. (TMZ)

We’re going to wrap up the day with some Tiger news.  CNN is reporting that Golf legend Tom Watson says Tiger Woods needs to show some humility in public when he returns to the circuit after sorting out his tangled personal life.  Watson also criticized Woods for his behavior on the course, upbraiding him for bad language and angry outbursts.  Watson went on to say: "I think he needs to clean up his act and show the respect for the game that other people before him have shown." (CNN)

In related news, Radar online is reporting Tiger Woods is leaving sex addiction rehab by the end of this week.  Elin previously spent five days with Tiger as part of his therapy program in Mississippi.  Tiger reportedly “wants his life back” and plans to return to play golf by the spring of this year if not sooner. (Radar)

Highlights & Links for February 3, 2010

World/Politics

The “underwear bomber” has resumed cooperating with FBI counterterrorism agents and has provided “useful, current” intelligence, a law enforcement source told POLITICO on Tuesday.  The suspect, now being held in a federal prison outside Detroit, was questioned by the FBI for 50 minutes on the day of the attack, then was read his rights.  On Tuesday, intelligence officials told a congressional panel that Abdulmutallab has started talking federal agents again. (Politico)

CNN is reporting that another attempted terrorist attack on the United States in coming months is "certain," the heads of major U.S intelligence agencies told a Senate committee Tuesday. Al Qaeda remains the top security threat to the United States, but a growing cyber-security threat also must be addressed by the U.S. intelligence community, the heads of the CIA, the FBI and other agencies told the Senate Intelligence Committee. (CNN)

Politico is reporting that President Barack Obama brought his job creation message to New Hampshire Tuesday, amplifying his economic strategy with digs at Wall Street and offering a plan for small businesses on Main Street. Obama announced a new $30 billion proposal to use paid-back bailout funds to support local bank lending to small businesses, putting smaller companies at the center of his jobs plan. (Politico)

Fox News is reporting that A major British medical journal on Tuesday retracted a flawed study linking the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and bowel disease. The retraction by The Lancet comes a day after a competing medical journal, BMJ, issued an embargoed commentary calling for The Lancet to formally retract the study.  Since the controversial paper was published in 1998, British parents abandoned the vaccine in droves, leading to a resurgence of measles. Subsequent studies have found no proof that the vaccine is connected to autism, though some parents are still wary of the shot. (Fox News)

Tech News

After all of the tablet news last week, it seems like Google might not be too far behind apple. CNN is reporting that On Monday, Glen Murphy, a user interface designer for Google's Chrome browser and the Chrome operating system based on it, pointed to image and video concepts of a Chrome OS-based tablet that went live two days before the iPad launch. The tablet mock-ups show a variety of Chrome OS tablet ideas, including a virtual keyboard taking up the bottom half of the screen or detached and floating as a separate window. Also included are a slideshow mode, an application launcher, sidebar-mounted browser tabs, and a pop-up contextual menu.  It's all very rough at this stage, but none of it is too remote from a multitouch-enabled version of the Chrome OS. Google plans to debut Chrome OS in Netbooks later this year, and development of the open-source operating system is well under way.(CNN)

Tech Crunch is reporting Google has just started to deploy an update to the Nexus One that brings a long-desired feature to Android: Multi0touch.  In a blog post announcing the news, Google says that the new update will bring “Pinch-to-zoom functionality” to the Nexus One, which will allow users to pinch-to-zoom in the Android browser, Gallery, and Maps applications. (Tech Crunch)

In other phone news engadget is reporting that  Iphone & Itouch OS 3.1.3 is available now.  According to the changelog, we can expect better battery level reporting, fixes for problems with the Japanese Kana keyboard and some mysterious issues where third-party apps would fail to launch. (Engadget)

Mashable is reporting that Budweiser recently launched a campaign on Facebook asking fans which commercial should air during the Super Bowl. According to Ad Age Budweiser is the biggest advertiser this year, with 5 minutes of air time during the game.  Find a link to become a fan of Budweiser on Facebook, and let your voice be heard, get out the vote people! (Fan Budweiser on Facebook) (Mashable)

Gossip & Entertainment

Yesterday the nominees for the 2010 Academy Awards were announced.  The favorites for best picture are Avatar and the Hurt Locker. Find a link to the list of all of the nominees at cloudcastnews.com. (Moviefone)

Radar online is reporting that A North Carolina judge has ordered John Edwards' former aide Andrew Young and his wife Cheri back into court to answer why they have not returned the alleged Rielle Hunter sex tape.  In a sworn affidavit, Hunter claimed Young and his wife had stolen the tape (along with two others) from a hat box she had hid them in at a former North Carolina residence they had access to.  Young says he found the tape in the trash and it was marked “special.” Other sources say he was given the tape by Edwards during the affair cover up and was asked to hide it.  (Radar Online)

In late night news Radar online is telling us that the cast of the Jersey Shore will appear on the tonight show March 3, two days after his show gets back on the air.  (Radar Online)

Speaking of Late night, remember Coco? TMZ is reporting Conan O'Brien is shelling out his own cash to some ex-staffers who didn't get a dime from that $7.5 million separation deal from NBC.  According to sources close to production, Conan's stagehands from "The Tonight Show" were not covered by the NBC severance plan. But TMZ is told Conan is stepping up -- promising to pay his nearly 50 person crew at least six weeks severance out of his own pocket. (TMZ)

The last bit of news I’ve got for you today is a doozy. TMZ is telling us A frustrated Mel Gibson was pitching his new movie to a Chicago TV reporter yesterday, only to be repeatedly blocked by questions about his infamous anti-Semetic rant -- it resulted in an A-bomb explosion. Check out the video.(TMZ)

Highlights & Links for February 2, 2010

World/Politics

Fox News is reporting that A female homicide bomber walking among Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad detonated an explosives belt on Monday, killing at least 54 people and wounding more than 122, officials said.  Despite an overall decline in violence in Iraq, al-Qaida and other Sunni extremists have routinely targeted pilgrims in an attempt to stoke sectarian strife and weaken the Shiite-dominated government. (Fox News)

CNN is reporting Toyota said it has developed a fix for gas pedals in millions of recalled vehicles and is already shipping the new parts to dealers.  The fix involves reinforcing the pedal assembly in a way that eliminates the excess friction that has caused the pedals to stick, the company said in a press release. Toyota recalled 2.3 million vehicles in the United States for this problem. (CNN)

Breitbart.com is telling us that China on Tuesday warned US President Barack Obama against meeting the Dalai Lama, saying it would "seriously undermine" Sino-US ties -- the latest salvo in an escalating row between the two powers.  The exiled monk, whom China accuses of seeking independence for his homeland, is due in the United States this month for a visit that includes a stop in Washington, but a meeting with Obama has not been announced. (Breitbart)

Breitbart.com and the AP are announcing that Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday will take the first real steps toward lifting the ban on gays serving openly in the military, announcing a yearlong review aimed at answering practical and emotional questions about the effect of lifting the ban, and imposing looser standards for enforcing the ban in the meantime.  While the review is likely to take a year to complete, and even more time to implement, its initiation will advance President Barack Obama's goal of repealing the ban and bring a divisive issue for the military and Congress back to the fore. (Breitbart)

Preparing the U.S. military to fight two major conventional wars is "out of date" and does not reflect the numerous challenges U.S. military forces could face in the future, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday.  CNN reports that Gates made that pronouncement as he revealed the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review, the military's strategic outlook. He said the military needs to start planning for multiple operations such as major disasters in the United States and various scuffles around the planet. (CNN)

Tech News

Mashable is telling us The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google’s about to launch an app store for businesses, focused around creating software for Google Apps. According to the report, Google’s plan is to sell software built by third party developers to enhance Google’s suite of apps (e.g. Gmail, Docs, Calendar, Sites, GTalk) The announcement is slated to come in March or so, although now that news has broken, it’s likely an official blog post from Google will come sooner. (Mashable)

Speaking of Apps Engadget is reporting that the free Logitech app Touchmouse transforms your Iphone or Ipod into a wireless trackpad or keyboard, and thanks to its reliance on regular WiFi signals, you won't need any proprietary equipment to get it up and running. It's fully compatible with both Mac and PC platforms, and is said to be a pretty fantastic way to control your Home Theater PC without dragging a full-fledged keyboard / mouse into the living room. (Engadget)

Speaking of Home Theaters, Tech crunch is reporting today Netflix announced on Monday that it has secured deals with multiple distributors of independent films, giving users the opportunity to stream some 300 additional titles on-demand instantly – or in some cases starting ‘early next year’.  Indie Film lovers, rejoice! (Tech Crunch)

Speaking of Movies, see the segways just keep on coming, Mashable is telling us the Academy is breaking ground this year by broadcasting the Oscar nominee announcements live to the web.  Make sure to check out Anne Hathaway and Academy President Tom Sherak announce this year’s Oscar nominees broadcast live starting at 8am EST this morning. There are a few online viewing options listed at cloudcastnews.com. (Mashable)

And just like that the Segways end, but one last bit of tech news. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner picking out the perfect card can be quite a hassle. Mashable is telling us about a new online card service called enGreet who solves thie problem by offering a large selection of base greeting cards that you can customize with your own words, fonts, and images before sending them out to the recipient in as little as one day’s notice. Once the card is done, you can either ship it to yourself to sign it and deliver it in person, or have it sent directly to the person you made it for. Either way, it’s more personal than an e-card.  Scheduling is available, too. For example, if you’re afraid you’ll forget Valentine’s Day this month you can go to enGreet right now and schedule a card to be delivered in advance.  enGreet uses other services to make sure you’re on top of special events. You can sign up for e-mail notifications of upcoming dates that are important, and soon the site will integrate with Facebook to import friends’ birthdays. Text message reminders and follow-up calls are also in the works. (Mashable)

Gossip & Entertainment

First up Radar online is reporting Rip Torn is heading in the direction that many other troubled stars have gone previously after a brush with the law - straight to rehab.  The 78-year-old 30 Rock actor was arraigned in a Connecticut court Monday to answer numerous charges, including burglary, trespassing, carrying a firearm while intoxicated and carrying a weapon without a permit, relating to his drunken escapade Friday when he broke into a bank armed with a loaded gun.  Torn's attorney told the judge that his client needs help with his alcohol abuse and that he can start treatment as soon as tomorrow morning in New York state. (Radar)

TMZ is reporting that Dr. Conrad Murray is one step closer to being charged in the death of Michael Jackson after yet another top level meeting in the L.A. County District Attorney's Office last Friday -- this according to multiple law enforcement sources.  The D.A. is ready to charge Dr. Conrad Murray with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson and the case could be filed as early as this week. (TMZ)

That about does it. I am posting a video that I got a kick out of today. After all of the hype around the apple keynote speech last week there was bound to be some kind of reaction on the interwebs. I’ve seen a few videos, but the one I posted today really made me laugh. Go to cloudcastnews.com to see the entire apple IPad keynote speech in less than 180 seconds. Bravo.

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZS8HqOGTbA

Highlights & Links for February 1, 2010

World/Politics

CNN is reporting that A massive two-week food distribution effort aimed at reaching 2 million people began Sunday in Haiti's quake-ravaged capital.  The food aid plan involves at least eight private humanitarian agencies: Samaritan's Purse, Catholic Relief Services, CARE, World Vision, ACTED, Save The Children, GOAL and ADRA. (CNN)

Another story that is going on in Haiti involves Ten U.S. Baptists arrested trying to take 33 children out of earthquake-shattered Haitii.  Fox news is reporting Prime Minister Max Bellerive told The Associated Press Sunday he was outraged by the group's "illegal trafficking of children" in a country long afflicted by the scourge and by foreign meddling.  The church members, most from Idaho, said they were only trying to rescue abandoned and traumatized children.  Sean Lankford of Meridian, Idaho, whose wife and 18-year-old daughter were being held, told the AP that U.S. consular officials told him a court hearing was scheduled for Monday. The Americans were being held at judicial police headquarters.  Haiti's justice secretary, Amarick Louis, told the AP on Sunday that a commission would meet Monday to determine if the group would go before a judge. (Fox News)

The AP is reporting The government's response to the financial meltdown has made it more likely the United States will face a deeper crisis in the future, an independent watchdog at the Treasury Department warned.

The problems that led to the last crisis have not yet been addressed, and in some cases have grown worse, says Neil Barofsky, the special inspector general for the trouble asset relief program, or TARP. The quarterly report to Congress was released Sunday.  He said the key to preventing future crises is to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, create and improve loan underwriting and supervision of banks. He stopped short of endorsing specific proposals for overhauling financial regulation, but said many of the proposals would go far to improving the system. (AP-Yahoo News)

Politico is reporting President Barack Obama’s new budget, to be released Monday, forecasts two consecutive years of near $160 billion in war funding, far more than he hoped when elected and only modestly less than the last years of the Bush Administration. The 2011 budget debate won’t hit full stride until this spring, but Democrats may move earlier than usual on a supplemental spending bill for the current fiscal year. (Politico)

Tech News

A little warning from Mashable, there is a new worm on Facebook that involves a friend of yours who isn’t really trying to exact revenge on his super hot cheating ex girlfriend. Don’t click that link even though you know you really want to. The exact statement you want to avoid reads: “My Ex-Girlfriend Cheated on me… Here is my revenge!” (Mashable)

For you ipod touch owners who need a new nav system Engadget is reporting that Dual Electronics is now saying that its XGPS300 navigation cradle for the iPod touch will be available sometime in "late February." The price is $179.99 and also includes a bundled NavAtlas navigation app and, of course, an adjustable windshield mount. (Engadget)

Are all of your USB-connecting gizmos always running out of juice at the exact wrong time?  Engadet is reporting that the folks at Gadling had a chance to sit down with the ZAGGsparq. portable charger recently, and came away duly impressed. Essentially it’s a portable battery with a pair of USB inputs; you simply plug whatever USB gizmo you've got into it and watch as it provides life where there was none. It also supports international power sockets (which you'll have to provide separately), and it packs enough juice when fully charged to bring five dead iPhones back to full capacity. Not bad for just under $100. (Engadget)

With the super bowl about a week away I thought I’d give you a little football tech love today. First up Mashable is telling us that Hulu’s online TV catalog just added the NFL Network to its roster. The Fox/ABC/NBC joint venture just announced that it’s adding eight shows from the National Football League’s dedicated channel, along with highlights from past seasons for every NFL team. The shows that have just landed on Hulu are: America’s Game: The Super Bowl Champions, Hard Knocks, Greatest Games, Game of the Week, Live Wire, Season in Review, Sounds of the Game & Super Bowl Highlights. (Mashable)

Gossip & Entertainment

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l75o8IKSeE

Last night was the biggest night in pop music, the Grammy’s and there were a bunch of noteworthy moments and performances. People.com is saying the 5 grammy performances you need to check out incase you missed them are Beyonce, Pink, the Lady Gaga & Elton John Duet, The Michael Jackson Tribute & the black Eyed Peas. (People)

It was a big night as always, but it was especially big for Beyonce, according to Bretibart.com who made history at the Grammys on Sunday as she collected six trophies, including song of the year for her anthem "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)," making her the most decorated woman in one night in the 52-year history of the awards show. (Breitbart)

Record of the Year went to Kings of Leon for Use Somebody, album of the year went to Taylor Swift for Fearless & Best new artist went to the Zach Brown Band. (Grammy Winners & Nominees)

In not music, but noticed a new ring on the red carpet at the grammy news Radar online is reporting tonight Kristen Bell is now officially off the market as the romantic comedy star has gotten engaged to Ipboyfriend and When in Rome co-star Dax Shepard. (Radar)

Before I wrap it up today I want to let the Jersey Shore fanatics know that TMZ is reporting that MTV made it official last weekend that season 2 is on.  Pauly D, The Situation, Snooki, J-WOWW, Sammi, Ronnie and Vinny will return this summer, but not to New Jersey. The network says the crew will "escape the cold Northeast and find themselves in a new destination." (TMZ)

Highlights & Links for January 29, 2010

Politics/World

There’s a lot going on in political news today, so we’ll get right into it. The New York Daily News is reporting The White House ordered the Justice Department Thursday night to consider other places to try the 9/11 terror suspects after a wave of opposition to holding the trial in lower Manhattan. The dramatic turnabout came hours after Mayor Bloomberg said he would "prefer that they did it elsewhere" and then spoke to Attorney General Eric Holder.  Estimates put the cost of a multiyear terror trial in lower Manhattan at about $200 million a year. Leaders have suggested other venues for the trial, such as the Military Academy at West Point or Stewart Air National Guard Base in upstate Newburgh. (New York Daily News)

Fox news is reporting President Obama will Propose a $33B Tax Credit for New Jobs.  The plan, which Obama is scheduled to announce in a stop at a Baltimore business, would offer a $5,000 tax credit for each new worker hired this year, up to $500,000 per business.  The jobs plan, which needs congressional approval, would end on Dec. 31. Administration officials proposed funding it with money repaid to the government from the 2008-09 bank bailout program. (Fox News)

The Senate voted Thursday to confirm Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke for a second term.  Politico is reporting that while the Senate handily approved his nomination, 70-30, Bernanke still drew a record-breaking level of opposition and the Obama administration can’t feel entirely relieved that its nominee survived the rocky debate, since the distress and anger that fueled such a surge in anti-Bernanke feeling are unlikely to dissipate anytime soon. (Politico)

The Democratic-controlled Senate has pushed through a plan to allow the government to go $1.9 trillion deeper in debt. According to Breitbart.com The Democrats had to scramble to approve the plan, which means they won't have to vote on another increase until after the midterm elections this fall. To win the votes of moderate Democrats, President Barack Obama promised to appoint a special task force to come up with a plan to reduce the deficit. The House must still vote on the measure before it's sent to Obama for his signature. (Breitbart)

CNN is reporting Scott Roeder, the man on trial for gunning down Kansas late term abortion provider George Tiller in church said he had no regrets because "abortion is murder." He said he shot and killed Dr. Tiller as services began on May 31 to save the lives of the unborn.  Roeder's testimony was peppered with objections from prosecutors, many of which were sustained by Judge Wilbert, who has maintained he does not want the trial to become a forum on abortion. (CNN)

Tech News

Wow the Ipad really stole the mainstream tech thunder this week, but there are a couple of things that I want to tell you about. Engadget is telling us that Fring for iPhone now lets you call with Skype over 3G. Now that the iPhone software developers kit seems to allow for 3G  VOIP or Voice over internet protocol , it looks like the floodgates are beginning to open. Fring allows users to simply place calls as they usually do through the service -- yes, that includes Skype calls --  For those of you like me who don’t know what the hell Voice over internet protocol or VOIP means, I looked it up for you, basically, it’s a method for taking analog audio signals, like the kind you hear when you talk on the phone, and turning them into digital data that can be transmitted over the Internet, meaning VoIP can turn a standard Internet connection into a way to place free phone calls. (Engadget)

So if you’re like me, you’re starting to notice that more and more of your older relatives are befriending you on facebook.  Mashable is reporting A new eMarketer report shows that the number of Baby Boomers embracing social media, especially Facebook, jumped drastically between 2008 and 2009 with 73% of the group claiming to maintain a Facebook profile.  Watch those pictures kids, you don’t want to freak out your nanna. (Mashable)

Mashable is telling us Motorola plans to launch a device with Google later this year that will be sold directly to consumers, the same strategy used with the Nexus One.  According to TheStreet.com, the move was revealed in a conference call earlier today with Motorola co-CEO Sanjay Jha, who said the to-be-named device would be one of 20 smartphones the company releases this year. At this point, it’s not clear which carrier, if any, will offer a subsidy on the device. (Mashable)

Gossip & Entertainment

CNN is reporting that J.D. Salinger, the famously reclusive author whose 1951 novel, "The Catcher in the Rye," became a touchstone for generations of readers, has died. He was 91.  The author died Wednesday of natural causes at his home in New Hampshire, according to a family statement that his literary agent, Phyllis Westberg, provided Thursday. (CNN)

TMZ is reporting Steven Jackson -- the starting running back for the St. Louis Rams -- has been accused of one of the most vile crimes imaginable ... beating up his girlfriend while she was nine months pregnant with his child.  In her complaint, Harris says, "Steven became enraged and pushed me to the ground, repeatedly."  Harris says Jackson took her to a nearby hospital -- but instructed her to lie and tell doctors that she was injured from a fall in the shower.  Ten days after the alleged incident, Harris gave birth to their son. According to the complaint, Harris claims she left Steven 4 months later -- after he threatened to beat her up again at a music festival in New Orleans. (TMZ)

Jay Leno appeared on Oprah Thursday and the Huffington Post is reporting During his Winfrey appearance, Leno said he was devastated when NBC executives asked him to leave the "Tonight" show because they wanted to give the show to O'Brien. He said he told "a white lie on the air" when he said he was going to retire because he assumed he would find another job in show business.  He said he felt "really bad" for O'Brien, whom he hasn't talked with. "I think it's unfair, but TV is not fair," Leno said. (HuffPo) (TMZ)

In my last bit of news today TMZ is telling us that "General" Larry Platt's gripe with saggy bottoms has gotten the "American Idol" star all the way to the Grammys – he’s gonna be performing on the red carpet.  TMZ spoke with Platt's manager -- a charming woman named Pinky -- who told them the "Pants on the Ground" king will bust out his intoxicating anthem right before the awards show. (TMZ)

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMwhl4IrPNc

Highlights & Links for January 28, 2010

Politics/World

We’ll get started with political news today. I’m still a little loopy after playing the Huffington Post State Of The Union Drinking Game 2010, not really, but that was a hilarious bit, find the link at cloudcast news.com (State Of The Union Drinking Game 2010 on Huffington Post), In last nights State of the Union Speech President Obama took a populist tone, declaring that he was fighting for the “little guy.”  His focus was mainly on jobs and the economy but he also mentioned that he wanted to move forward with Healthcare reform.  There wasn’t a huge Joe Wilson moment, although Justice Alito looked to have mouthed the words quote “not true”  when the president criticized the Supreme Court's campaign finance decision.  President Obama said Wednesday night he will work with Congress and the military to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that bars gays and lesbians from openly serving in the armed forces. The Fox news headline reads “Obama Vows to Press Ahead With Agenda After 'Difficult' First Year, the CNN headline states Obama calls for unified effort to confront nation's problems and those combined pretty much sum it up. Find links to the full reports at CNN, Fox News, The Huffington Post, & The New York Times at cloudcastnews.com. (CNN) (HuffPo) (Fox News) (New York Times)

The Republican response was given by Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. He hammered the president on unemployment, taxes, spending, and the handling of national defense, specifically the Christmas day bomber receiving the same rights as US Citizens.  Find the link to the entire rebuttal at cloudcastnews.com (Read the entire response at CBS.com)

In other national news Fox News is reporting that the Human remains discovered on Va. farm are those of missing Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington. She was last seen at a Metallica concert in Virginia last October. (Fox News)

CNN is reporting that Toyota announced Wednesday night that it is adding another 1.1 million vehicles to an an earlier 4.2 million vehicle recall originally announced in November.  This recall is separate from one announced last week regarding accelerator pedals that could stick on their own. Find a link to the article containing all of the models recalled at cloudcastnews.com. (CNN)

Tech News

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S68CEaDyNm4

Let's just call this tablet news, this is all you’re getting in tech today friends. It’s official, yesterday Apple CEO Steve Jobs launched the newest offering from Apple, the I-Pad. Personally I’m already tired of the jokes, the I –tampon, yada yada, we get it, people, we get it. Some people are loving the new product and some are hating it here are some highlights of the new gadget. It’s 9.5 inches by 7.5 inches and ½ an inch thick, it weighs 1.5 lbs. or 1.6 lbs for the 3G model and it has a battery life of about 10 hours. Mashable sums it up best, it’s light and it’s fast. It looks like a bigger version of the iphone, it runs safari for internet browsing, google maps, but it doesn’t support adobe flash, which a lot of people are having a problem with, since that plug-in is responsible for much of the rich media content on the web. There are two models based on connectivity, both with WIFI access and the higher end model with 3G access. The 3G model has to be used on AT&T, but there is no contract necessary. The plan costs 14.99 for 250 MB worth of data or 29.99 for unlimited data.

The Ebooks and publishing features look pretty amazing. Ibooks is the new native app for the Iphone, Ipod Touch & Ipad that allows you to browse, download & read ebooks. Steve Jobs had this to say about I Book” “The iBooks app is a great, new way to read and buy books. Just download the app for free from the App Store, and you’ll be able to buy everything from classics to bestsellers from the built-in iBookstore. Once you’ve bought a book, it’s displayed on your Bookshelf. To read it, all you have to do is tap on it and it opens up. The high-resolution, LED-backlit screen displays everything in sharp, rich, color, so it’s very easy to read, even in low light.”

Next up on the feature list is TV, Movies & Video The video display itself is crisp and sharp, and that was on clear display when Apple demoed several movies on the device. The video interface is just like the iPhone’s video interface, with options for bookmarking, fast-forwarding, rewinding, etc. Oh, and it plays video in HD.  It also has an iTunes store-like interface for browsing videos, movie chapters, and purchasing video content.

The Gaming aspect of the IPad is set to make a huge splash, as EA and others will be building amazing games for the new platform. The same things that made the iPhone a popular gaming platform were apparent in these demos, however the iPad’s HD capabilities and its more advanced touch screen will make it a stronger gaming platform. And with all iPhone games running on the device, there’s already a big library in its collection.

Finally For productivity and business work on the iPad, Apple has introduced a new version of its iWork software specifically designed for the touchscreen device.

What’s this gonna cost? Pricing starts at 499 and goes up to 829 based on memory, and wifi or wifi + 3G.

Like I said before, some people are trashing the device, some are loving it. The hype was astounding and I hope I didn’t just bore you to tears with the rundown I just gave. Personally, I think it’s the first generation of a product that will change the way we consume media in the future, and I’m pretty stoked about it. Every tech website on the planet is covering this thing, my favorite coverage was from Mashable.com. Find a link to their comprehensive guide to the Ipad and the entire keynote at cloudcastnews.com. (Mashable) (Apple Keynote Video)

Entertainment & Gossip:

People is reporting that John Edwards and wife Elizabeth quietly separated before his admission he fathered a love child.  A spokeswoman for Elizabeth has released a statement saying she's "moving on with her life" after a "excruciatingly painful period for her." (People)

TMZ is reporting Tarino Lightbourne -- the ambulance driver who transported John Travolta's dying son to the hospital and has been charged with extortion -- says he's broke and needs help. Travolta retrial -- which is definitely putting a dent in Tarino's pocketbook -- is scheduled to start September 6.  (TMZ)

According to TMZ Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton won't be playing in the NBA any time soon -- they've officially been suspended for the season for bringing guns to the locker room. NBA Commissioner David Stern announced today that the two Washington Wizards players have been suspended for the remainder of the season without pay. (TMZ)

Here’s your video of the day, nine inches, huh fella?