Microsoft Stock Drops In Biggest Fall Since 2009
Microsoft Corp shares fell their most in almost two years on Friday, a day after the software company reported a dip in its Windows operating system sales.
The world's second-largest tech company behind Apple Inc met Wall Street's profit estimate and beat on overall sales in its earnings report on Thursday.
But investors were concerned with lower personal computer sales nagging at Windows, Xbox sales bringing down profit margins and losses in its online business.
Microsoft shares were down 4.8 percent at $25.41 in afternoon Nasdaq trading, the biggest one-day percentage fall since July 2009.
The shares are back to the level they were at on Monday, before a run-up leading into quarterly earnings. The stock had risen sharply after chip maker Intel Corp forecast revenue above Wall Street estimates, feeding optimism that a dip in PC sales last quarter did not indicate a long-term trend.
"Everyone, including myself, pounded the table on the Intel trade," said BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis. "And it just didn't happen." (By Bill Rigby, Reuters)
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Space Shuttle Endeavour The Most Expensive Payloads in NASA's 30-Year Shuttle History
The launch team began loading more than a half-million gallons of fuel into Endeavour at dawn, moments after royal wedding vows were exchanged across the ocean between Prince William and Kate Middleton in London.
Commanding Endeavour on NASA's next-to-last shuttle flight is Navy Capt. Mark Kelly, who is married to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. She was to watch the launch from Kennedy Space Center. Giffords was shot in the head in January and left rehab behind to attend the afternoon liftoff.
President Barack Obama also will attend with his wife and two daughters – the first time in NASA history that a sitting president and his family will have witnessed a launch.
Launch time was 3:47 p.m. Forecasters put the odds of good weather at 70 percent; low clouds and stiff crosswind were the main concern.
Endeavour is bound for the International Space Station.
For its last hurrah, it's carrying one of the most expensive payloads in NASA's 30-year shuttle history: a $2 billion particle physics detector that will seek out antimatter and dark energy across the universe. Many in and outside NASA say the experiment, if successful, could validate science operations at the decade-old orbiting lab.
Kelly and his all-male crew – all six of them space veterans – saw their families for the last time, face to face, Thursday. They awoke a little before sunrise Friday as launch controllers gathered for the fueling operation.
"Watched 'Patriot' with the crew. Bonding before a big day," pilot Gregory Johnson said in a Twitter update late Thursday.
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The Ceremony of Prince William and Kate Middleton
NEW YORK — Like guests who whisper asides to their friends from the back pews, the commoners in the media kept the mood lighthearted Friday as cameras captured every angle of the royal wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Millions followed the event throughout the world on television, their computers and hand-held devices. The media enabled anyone who cared to become a wedding guest.
"At this moment every woman in the world envies Kate," a blogger who writes under the pen name Xiao Luolo said on China's Internet news portal Sohu.
Without a royal title, royal friendship or celebrity pedigree, few made it into the ceremony in person. Yet the cameras made it a remarkably intimate event: You could see William struggle slightly to fit a ring on his new wife's finger and the choir singer who neglected to shave in the morning. You wondered whether William's heavy eyelids indicated he would drift off during the service. He didn't.
Even the private moments truly weren't. Media members used lip-readers to suggest that William joked on the altar to his father-in-law, "We were supposed to have just a small family affair."
"I've been crying," said Jenny Crwys-Williams of South Africa's Radio 702, where the wedding dominated the media in early afternoon there. "I don't think anyone who's watching the ceremony hasn't been crying."
Media members studied up on royal trivia, and commentators stood at the ready to opine on Middleton's dress and tiara. The verdict was mostly thumbs-up, with magazine editor Tina Brown, working for ABC News in the U.S., calling the gown "deceptively sexy."
"Doesn't she look gorgeous?" asked ABC's Barbara Walters.
The bride's always a star on her wedding day, so much so that NBC's Martin Bashir even seemed impressed that Middleton could hold a bouquet in one hand and wave with the other as she was driven through the crowds to Westminster Abbey.
During the ceremony, a cheer from the crowd outside could faintly be heard at the moment the couple officially married.
"We hope you could hear the roar of England at that moment," ABC's Diane Sawyer said.
Wedding coverage started at 4 a.m. on the U.S. East Coast, and was a late-late night affair out West. Commentators kept mostly quiet during the ceremony, usually adding brief asides – like when CBS' Katie Couric noted that William wouldn't be wearing a ring, unlike his wife.
After the ceremony and the carriage rides to Buckingham Palace, things got a little giddy. NBC's "Today" show ran a ticking "countdown to the kiss" clock for when William and Kate were expected to appear on a balcony and share a smooch for the crowd below. Then it happened so quickly the cameras almost missed it.
"That was a peck!" complained Meredith Vieira.
NBC ran a slow-motion replay of the kiss before the couple bowed to pressure from the chanting crowd to kiss again. "Yeah, that's it," an approving Vieira said.
Television networks viewed the event as a respite, and the world's woes rarely intruded upon their coverage. NBC's top anchor Brian Williams was absent, however, after flying back to the United States before the wedding to anchor news coverage of the South's deadly tornado outbreak.
Couric wore a striking pink jacket for what is likely her last major news event at CBS (she's stepping down as anchor in the coming weeks). She looked comfortable in a setting that reflected her time on morning television at the "Today" show and allowed her to flash some irreverence. She reported about the queen conferring long new titles upon her grandson and his bride.
"What the heck does that mean?" she asked a dour-faced historian sitting beside her.
Her former NBC colleague, Matt Lauer, read the titles and joked that it was going to require "a business card seven and a half inches long. It's going to be huge." Befitting their status as American television's most popular morning show, the "Today" team sat behind a desk decorated with their show's name topped by a crown.
Brits brought on to the American networks were noticeably most excited by the event. ABC's "royal correspondent" Katie Nicholl seemed heavily caffeinated next to Sawyer and Walters. Former London tabloid editor Piers Morgan, Larry King's replacement in CNN's prime time, was the centerpiece for the news network's coverage.
"I actually got goose bumps," Morgan said, noting that his 13-year-old son had just texted "happy wedding day" to him.
Fashion was a central focus as the royal guests arrived. Fox News Channel's Shepard Smith noted the tall blue perch of a woman who arrived at the abbey with a man who looked like actor Rainn Wilson of "The Office."
"I don't know where she got that hat, but you know it's going to be a big seller," said the jaunty Smith, who earlier adopted what seemed to be an exaggerated Winston Churchill impersonation in asking Steve Doocy to fill him in on the weather for "this royal morning here across the pond."
On CNN, Morgan announced the breaking news update that soccer star David Beckham was wearing a Ralph Lauren suit.
"As am I," broadcast partner Anderson Cooper interjected.
ABC's team, seemingly armed with books full of facts, chatted about wedding trains worn by royal brides in the past. Brown noted the trouble that Williams' mother, Princess Diana, had with the large headgear she wore for her wedding.
"The bridesmaids were told, time and time again, not to trod on the train," she said.
CBS took a different approach to avoid much of the dead time of small talk as guests were arriving. It broke away for an extended look back at Diana and Prince Charles' wedding in 1981.
Diana's wedding provided an important backdrop to coverage in the former British colony of Hong Kong, where the wedding was telecast in the late afternoon and early evening.
"It is exactly because Princess Diana provided the first installment, people realized, `Oh, marrying into the royal family isn't that great,'" Anny Chong said on Hong Kong's Cantonese-language Cable TV. "Firstly, now everyone wants to compare Prince William to his mother and secondly, people want to see if Kate will end up like her mother-in-law after becoming a duchess. There is a lot of suspense."
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New games 2011 XBOX360
As ever, the bitter rivalry between Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 gamers has forced Microsoft and Sony to knuckle down and come up with some amazing exclusive titles for each console in 2011 in a bid to entice users to their side. Whether you enjoy some casual racing, energetic sports games or hardcore fighting and strategy games, both consoles are offering some real gems this year.
Xbox 360 owners will no doubt already be eagerly anticipating the release of Gears of War 3, the latest sequel to possibly the best third person shooter on the console. Epic Games promise gamers a more interactive experience, with emphasis on multiplayer matches and more strategy required than previous episodes. Gears fans will be pleased to hear it also promises to be bold, brash and as in your face as you have come to expect of this legendary series.
In reply to the hype for Gears, Playstation 3 games developers are releasing an explosion of top exclusive titles this season, with over 20 announced prior to the New Year and many more on the way. Many of these will build on existing popular games series or will revamp some of the PS1 and 2 classics which are sure to have gamers queuing to pre order.
Amongst the most anticipated are The Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection, classic masterpieces re-released in high definition and of course Killzone 3, which claims augmented playability with the incorporation of the Playstation Move functionality.
A triumph for Microsoft in 2010 had to be the Xbox 360 add on, the Kinect. The pre Christmas launch put it top of the most wanted list for Christmas presents across the globe, although some of the games to date have been less than engrossing and definitely aimed at the more casual market. 2011 exclusive dragon flying game, Project Draco, aims to change this with an engaging storyline and body gameplay that doesn’t exhaust the player.
Another series add on, the latest in the Forza series, Forza 4, will have racing fans drooling as they anticipate the enhanced graphics, wider selection of vehicles and better multiplayer integration than before. Added to which the Kinect compatibility promises to add another dimension to the game, although thankfully, it will not be in a Joyride invisible steering wheel sort of way.
Playstation’s answer to the Kinect, the Move is also seeing some exclusive releases this year, with Playstation Move Heroes offering users the chance to whip, grenade, blast and bowl their way through the levels.
Whilst Xbox exclusives seem to be less numerous than Playstation 3′s, that’s not the only apparent difference. Xbox seem to be more focussed on the casual Kinect based sports and casual games market, whilst Playstation are offering a good slice of gaming pie for everyone. It could be speculated that Xbox are aiming to entice some of the fitness gamers away from the world of the Wii. Or maybe it’s even more simple than that. Maybe they just ran out of ideas. So whether you’re playing an Xbox 360 or a PlayStation 3 this year, you can be guaranteed it’ll at least compar eto this year’s Nintendo Wii games.
Expansys offer the latest games for the Xbox 360 – check it out!
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Birmingham Storm Disturbing Residents
Birmingham News : There were 25 confirmed death after thunderstorms and severe winds slammed the South Wednesday, creating an estimated mile-wide tornado that hit Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, Ala. Even after confirmed deaths, forecasters warned people to brace for even worse weather.
According to Greg Carbin of the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center in Oklahoma, the weather system is expected to move into Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky by the night and into the Carolinas by Thursday morning.
In Mississippi, Louisiana police officer Lt. Wade Sharp was killed during a camping trip in a state park when a tree limb fell on his tent. Three other men who have not been identified were also killed because of fallen trees. In Arkansas, the Department of Emergency Management said today that one person had died in a storm in Sharp County. And in Tennessee, a woman was killed in her Chattanooga trailer. A 3-year-old Mississippi girl died Tuesday after a tree fell on her house, authorities said, and 10 have been reported dead in Arkansas because of flooding and a tornado.
Louisiana authorities are investigating whether two deaths in that state are storm-related.
Meanwhile, a hospital in an Alabama city pummeled by a tornado has admitted more than 100 people to its emergency room. That number comes from spokesman Brad Fisher at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa. He also says that the hospital has pronounced three people dead.
I don’t know how this disaster feels, but I am sorry for the victims and family members. Condolences for everyone that lost someone in the storm.
source : http://www.lugaluda.com
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My ideal Miami Dolphins first round scenario at 2011 NFL Draft
The long wait is over. Draft Day is finally here! And we will have you covered throughout the three day event. So be sure to check back often for update and join us for our live threads as the 2011 NFL Draft unfolds. Also be sure to follow me on Twitter, where I'll be posting whatever random thoughts strike me (as I typically do) as well as re-tweeting any important or relevant NFL Draft news from the many respected analysts and reporters.
If you're like me, then you probably feel like a kid on Christmas morning right now. You're laying in bed, anxiously awaiting your opportunity to run down the hall or down the stairs and see what Santa Claus left you. Except today, we are all waiting to see what Santa Ireland leaves us under the NFL Draft tree.
Of course, we all probably have varying thoughts on what we'd like to see under that tree. And that's what I want to discuss this morning.
To me, this is simple. And it's not something I even considered might be remotely possible until I saw this very scenario play out in the mock draft of NFL.com's Pat Kirwan. Kirwan is projecting Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert to fall all the way to the 15th pick, where the Miami Dolphins make him their pick.
All I can say when I think of this is simply, "Wow."
Is it highly unlikely for Gabbert to fall? It sure is. But this is my ideal first round scenario and I'm going to hope against hope.
Like I've said for months now, Gabbert is the guy in this draft and a player I'd be willing to trade up to get. And it's all of the intangibles that most impress me with Gabbert. He's very bright. He goes through his progressions well. He can anticipate his throws and then accurately deliver. He's a leader and is somebody that teammates will rally around when things get tough. And most importantly, he has that "it" factor that elite quarterbacks possess.
But even if you aren't on board with the idea of taking Gabbert at 15 if he was to slide, there's another reason why this scenario would be an ideal situation for the Dolphins. We know the Dolphins would like to trade down and pick up additional picks - particularly a second rounder to replace the pick given to Denver for Brandon Marshall.
You have to assume there would be a number of teams looking to move up to select Blaine if he was to fall. The Seahawks, who currently sit at pick 25, might be a possible suitor, for example.
Of course, for this scenario to happen, Gabbert would have to make it past a number of possible destinations. Buffalo could take Gabbert at 3, though it's looking more likely they go defense in round one. The Bengals, who have to come up with a contingency plan in case Carson Palmer really does retire (or force a trade) would be eying Gabbert at 4. The Cardinals at 5 were a popular landing spot in mock drafts just weeks ago before word began spreading that they may address other needs and take a quarterback in round two.
The Niners, Titans, Redskins, and Vikings all could be targeting a quarterback early and all pick before the Dolphins at 15.
So this particular scenario of Gabbert falling to the Dolphins at 15 might now be too likely. But like I said, it would be my ideal first round scenario.
source : http://www.thephinsider.com
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News :"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2' Official Trailer"
First of all, were we right or were we right when we guessed what would make it into the final trailer? What we didn't allow ourselves the glimmer of hope of anticipating, though, was just how fantastically Warner Bros. would nail what we so desperately wanted to see. The trailer was ripe full of great scenes like Snape's flashbacks (of Lily especially), the battle at Hogwarts and all our favorite characters like Tonks and Molly Weasley that we haven't seen in far too long. Epic would be an understatement in describing this one.
After the jump, we take a look at our favorite moments from the trailer that we have watched over and over again since its premiere.
Horcruxes
Ravenclaw's diadem. Tom Riddle's diary. And, well, that whole Room of Requirements sequence. There are quite a few horcruxes left to find and destroy in "Deathly Hallows: Part 2," so we're glad we're reminded that they're out there and that Harry and his friends are pretty darn close to finding them.
Snape's Memories
These give me chills every time. It was during my reading of "Deathly Hallows" that Snape became my number one favorite character (which, considering my obsession with Sirius Black, is saying something), and it's so clear that the same transition will happen in this film for those who haven't read the books. That opening shaky sequence is so great, and I love that Snape is getting an overcompensated amount of attention in this movie since he was sadly absent in "Part 1."
Lily
Does it matter that we only see one Lily scene? No. Watching that flower grow in her hand at the beginning of the trailer reminds us why we fell in love with Snape's memories to begin with. Also, we're pretty sure that's her and Petunia we see standing in that field.
Final Battle Continues To Be Epic
If you've seen the trailer, this bullet should come without saying: the final battle looks like everything we could have possibly dreamed of, and more. While we kind of question that whole scene where Harry and Voldemort jump off the ramparts of Hogwarts (uhh, what?), those scenes of the wizards storming Hogwarts make us ready to count down the minutes until we see this on the big screen.
The Death of [REDACTED]?
Big spoiler coming your way in about one sentence, so consider this your last chance to turn away... but we're pretty sure there's a moment about a quarter of the way through the trailer where Voldemort hits Snape with the killing curse. But considering they aren't in the Shrieking Shack, we could be completely mistaken. Then again, we heard this scene was changed around for the film, so, we'll just have to wait and see
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Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton
Royal Palace issued a full list of guests invited to the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, Including many British and international celebrities.
The list has been received by news agencies on Saturday, has been approved by most of the predictions reported in the media in recent days, By stating the name of soccer star David Beckham and wife Victoria, along with singer Elton John and filmmaker Guy Ritchie, and comic actor Rowan Atkinson, known as "Mr Bean",
A close friend of Prince Charles.
But the list is also not without some unexpected names of some celebrities, like singer Joss Stone.
The list includes the names of several members of royal families in other countries including Bahrain, Denmark, Spain, Morocco. As well as government officials and some activists in charity work.
According to the statement that the royal menu is limited to the crowned in monarchies, and the Presidents - like President Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy - No names appear in the list of invitees.
The British Queen Elizabeth granted the formal approval of marriage for her grandson Prince William and Kate Middleton on Friday,
And waiting for the media and the royal wedding which will be held in Westminster Abbey on 29 April this with great interest. In preparation for the wedding, Prince William returned to London from a base belonging to the Royal Air Force in the city of Ongelesi in Wales, where he pilots a search and rescue there.
The couple will spend some time in the proofs of the wedding in the church of "Westminster Abbey" where the wedding will be held. It is expected to travel about eight thousand news to London to attend the event, which will be monitoring him about two billion television viewers around the world,
Compared to 750 thousand watched the wedding Prince Charles and Princess Diana three decades ago
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President Barack Obama has a Birth Certificate
The White House on Wednesday morning released the president's long form birth certificate (pdf) in an attempt to put "birther" questions to rest.
"The President believed the distraction over his birth certificate wasn't good for the country. It may have been good politics and good T.V., but it was bad for the American people and distracting from the many challenges we face as a country," White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer said in a statement.
The president had released his certificate of live birth in 2008, but many "birthers" said the absence of a long form birth certificate prompted questions about Obama's birthplace of Hawaii. In recent weeks potential GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump has brought birther questions into the forefront of the media.
"At a time of great consequence for this country--when we should be debating how we win the future, reduce our deficit, deal with high gas prices, and bring stability to the Middle East, Washington, DC, was once again distracted by a fake issue," Pfeiffer said. "The President's hope is that with this step, we can move on to debating the bigger issues that matter to the American people and the future of the country."
Obama admitted at a White House press conference following the document's release Wednesday morning that he's been both amused and puzzled by the degree to which his place of birth has become an issue.
The president echoed Pfeiffer's statements saying that Americans and their representatives need to come together to solve issues such as how to "invest in our future" while tackling the federal deficit and federal debt:
But we're not going to be able to do it if we are distracted. We're not going to be able to do it if we spend time vilifying each other. We're not going to be able to do it if we just make stuff up and pretend that facts are not facts. We're not going to be able to solve our problems if we get distracted by sideshows and carnival barkers.
Though the president didn't mention Trump by name, Obama noted that when he announced his deficit plan this month, his birth certificate, not our country's economic future, dominated the news that week.
Trump on Wednesday took full credit for the release.
"I feel I've accomplished something really really important and I'm honored by it," Trump said at a press conference held during his pre-scheduled visit today to New Hampshire. Trump noted that people have long been requesting the document, but Trump was the only one who got the president to release it. Trump suggested Wednesday this development will boost his own potential presidential candidacy.
Trump said he and others are still going to have to assess the document's authenticity. We're "going to look at it. We have to see if it's real, if it's proper," Trump said. But he added that he's "sure it's the right deal" and is looking forward to moving on to more important issues such as OPEC and China.
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White iPhone 4 releases in 2011
CUPERTINO, California-April 27, 2011-Apple® today announced that the white iPhone® 4 will be available beginning tomorrow. White iPhone 4 models will be available from Apple's online store (www.apple.com), at Apple's retail stores, AT&T and Verizon Wireless stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.
"The white iPhone 4 has finally arrived and it's beautiful," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "We appreciate everyone who has waited patiently while we've worked to get every detail right."
iPhone 4 is the most innovative phone in the world, featuring Apple's stunning Retina™ display, the highest resolution display ever built into a phone resulting in super crisp text, images and video, and FaceTime®, which makes video calling a reality.
Pricing & Availability
White models of iPhone 4 will be available in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macau, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, UK and the US, beginning Thursday, April 28 and in many more countries around the world soon. White iPhone 4 will be available for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model with a new two year agreement through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), at Apple's retail stores, AT&T and Verizon Wireless stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.
Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.
The white version of the iPhone 4 was announced at the same time as the black version — June 2010 — but Apple was quickly forced to issue a statement to the effect that the white model had ended up being “more challenging to manufacture” than initially expected. Since then there has been a constant trickle of speculation about when the model would be released and what the production problems were.
“The white iPhone 4 has finally arrived and it’s beautiful,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, in a statement released tonight. “We appreciate everyone who has waited patiently while we’ve worked to get every detail right.”
The iPhone 4 (both white and black models) features a raft of changes compared with previous models, starting with the re-designed exterior, which features a glass front and back and a rejuvenated flat design. The iPhone 4 can film HD video in 720p resolution, and features a new, high-resolution display with a higher pixel count for greater viewing fidelity. Apple has also built in a new feature dubbed ‘FaceTime’ which allows users to make video calls via Wi-Fi using the iPhone 4′s new camera on its front.
“White models of iPhone 4 will be available in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macau, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, UK and the US, beginning Thursday, April 28 and in many more countries around the world soon,” said Apple’s statement.
The company has not yet disclosed Australian pricing for the white iPhone 4, but it is expected to sell the handset for the same price as the black model, which is available through all of Australia’s major mobile telcos as well as Apple stores and authorised resellers.
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