Breaking news! Bin Laden is dead according AP news

Al-Qaida mastermind Osama bin Laden is dead and the United States has his body, a person familiar with the developments says.

President Barack Obama is expected to make that announcement from the White House late Sunday night.

American Idol champion Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood in Soul Surfer: Former American Idol champion, Carrie Underwood, makes her debut in the new movie Soul Surfer, based on the true story of a surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack.



Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American country singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, in 2005.



Underwood has since become a multi-platinum selling recording artist, a multiple Grammy Award winner, a member of the Grand Ole Opry, a Golden Globe Award nominee, a three-time Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association Female Vocalist winner, a GMA Dove award winner, and a two time ACM Entertainer of the Year. She is the first-ever female artist to win back-to-back Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards for Entertainer of the Year (2009/10).



Her debut album, Some Hearts, was certified seven times platinum, and as of February 2006, was the fastest selling debut country album in Nielsen SoundScan history. It was also the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history, as of February 2008. Some Hearts yielded three number one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs. Her second album, Carnival Ride, was released on October 23, 2007. It has sold over 3 million copies as of January 2010, being certified 3 times Platinum, and produced four number one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs. Underwood released her third album, Play On, on November 3, 2009. It has been certified 2 times Platinum by the RIAA and has produced three number one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs so far. As of May 2010, Underwood has sold 20 million singles and over 16 million albums worldwide.



Having 10 #1 Hits on Billboard Hot Country Songs, Underwood is tied with Reba McEntire as the Female Country Artist with Most #1 Hits on such chart from 1990 to present. She's also the only solo Country Artist to have a #1 hit on Billboard Hot 100 Songs in the 2000 decade, as "Inside Your Heaven" reached the top of the chart on July 2005. Some Hearts, Underwood's debut album, was named the Best Country Album of the 2000 Decade by Billboard, and she's the only Female Artist to appear on the Top 10 of Billboard's Best Country Artists of the 2000 Decade list, ranked at #10. She was also ranked #50 on the Artists of the Decade list by Billboard.[10] In 2010, Underwood was #3 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs Artists, #4 on the Top Country Album Artists and #23 on Top Artists of 2010.

 

Carrie Underwood at the 2010 Academy of

Country Music (ACM) Awards.

Background information

Birth name     Carrie Marie Underwood

Born     March 10, 1983 (1983-03-10) (age 28)

Muskogee, Oklahoma

Origin     Checotah, Oklahoma, U.S.

Genres     Country, pop, country pop

Occupations     Singer-songwriter, actress

Instruments     Vocals, guitar, piano

Years active     2005–present

Labels     19 / Arista Nashville (2005–current)

Arista (2005–2009)

Associated acts     Brad Paisley, Randy Travis

Early life



Underwood was born to Stephen and Carole Underwood on March 10, 1983 in Muskogee, Oklahoma. She was raised on her parents' farm in the rural town of Checotah, Oklahoma. Her father worked in a sawmill, while her mother taught elementary school. During her childhood, Underwood performed at Robbins Memorial Talent Show, and sang at the Free Will Baptist Church. She later sang for local events in Checotah, including Old Settler's Day and the Lion's Club. In 1996, Capitol Records was preparing a contract for Underwood but cancelled it when company management changed. She spent part of her summer as a page for Oklahoma State Representative Bobby Frame. Underwood is an enrolled member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

Education



Underwood graduated from Checotah High School in 2001 as salutatorian. After high school, she attended Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, graduating magna cum laude in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in mass communication and an emphasis in journalism. Underwood is a member of the Alpha Iota chapter of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority. For two years during the summer, she performed in Northeastern State University's Downtown Country show in Tahlequah. She also competed in numerous beauty pageants at the university and was selected as Miss NSU runner-up in 2004.





American Idol



In the summer of 2004, Underwood auditioned for American Idol in St. Louis, Missouri. After she sang "Could've Been" by Tiffany on the top 12 girls night, judge Simon Cowell commented that she would be one of the favorites to win the competition.  During the top 11 finalists' performance on the March 22, 2005, Idol episode, Underwood sang a rendition of the number one 1980s rock hit "Alone", made famous by Heart, and Cowell predicted that Underwood would not only win the competition, but she would also outsell all previous Idol winners.



One of the show's producers later said she dominated the voting, winning each week handily. She gained a fan base known as "Carrie's Care Bears" during the course of the show, and became the fourth season winner on May 25, 2005.



Post-Idol







Underwood came back the next season of American Idol to perform her single "Jesus Take the Wheel". She also appeared on the sixth season of American Idol. She sang her single "Wasted" on March 8, making this her fourth time performing on the show since winning the competition in 2005.[25] Underwood also performed at the Idol Gives Back concert singing "I'll Stand By You", (a cover of The Pretenders hit). A video of Underwood's trip to Africa accompanied the song. Underwood sang the same song at American Idol's season finale on May 23, 2007. Underwood sang "Praying for Time", a former number-one hit for George Michael, during the seventh season American Idol Gives Back mini-telethon. She also came back to perform "Last Name" on May 21, 2008, for the finale of the seventh season of American Idol.



On February 12, 2009, Underwood appeared with the other six American Idol winners at the inauguration of The American Idol Experience at Walt Disney World in Florida. She and the other Idol winners received a microphone-shaped trophy honoring them for winning American Idol. Underwood also took the stage to sing her hit single "All-American Girl" as well as perform a duet of "Go Your Own Way" with fellow winner David Cook.



She returned again for season 8 on Wednesday, March 18 to perform a duet with Randy Travis with her single "I Told You So", a song Randy Travis wrote for his 1987 album Always & Forever. Underwood was back again on Tuesday, May 19, 2009, to perform the farewell song of Season 8, "Home Sweet Home".



On April 21, 2010, Underwood returned for Idol Gives Back to perform "Change" from her third studio album, Play On. She returned on the finale of American Idol Season 9 to perform "Undo It", her third single from Play On. She also sang Delta Goodrem's "Together We Are One" with all previous Idol winners that night as a farewell to Simon Cowell.



Personal life



Underwood performed at halftime of the 2006 Thanksgiving Day football game at Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas, and was friends with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.[89] She attended his birthday party in April 2007, and on May 15, 2007, he escorted her to the Academy of Country Music Awards. They were rumored to be dating on and off throughout 2007. Although she denied the rumor when asked, Romo confirmed it by saying "[...] I'm dating Carrie Underwood" on his website. He also told an Illinois newspaper that they were dating.



In August 2007, Underwood began dating Chace Crawford of the American television series Gossip Girl. On October 4, 2007, People magazine reported that the two were seen holding hands in New York City, though according to further reports, they ended their relationship in the spring of 2008.



She became engaged in December 2009 to then Ottawa Senators (and now Nashville Predators) hockey player Mike Fisher, whom she began dating after they met at one of her concerts in 2008.[93] Underwood and Fisher appeared together publicly for the first time in January 2010, at the Bell Sens Soiree, an annual fundraiser in Gatineau for the Ottawa Senators' official charity.[94] After appearing together at the CMT Awards in June 2010, Underwood told reporters that Fisher was planning a surprise honeymoon for the two of them after their summer wedding.



On July 10, 2010, Underwood and Fisher wed at the Ritz Carlton Resort at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Georgia, with more than 250 people in attendance. The couple gave People magazine the following statement, which they signed "Mike & Carrie Fisher": "We could not feel more blessed to have found each other and to have shared this day with our friends and family that mean so much to us!" According to People, Monique Lhuillier created a dress of Chantilly lace for Underwood and also designed the bridesmaids' dresses. The ceremony featured classical music and readings of the couple's favorite Bible verses. National Hockey League players, as well as Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Garth Brooks, American Idol contestants, and judges Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson were in attendance She surprised her husband by having one of their favorite artists, Brandon Heath, sing his song "Love Never Fails" for their first dance.



On February 11, 2011, 105.3 CISS-FM, an Ottawa radio station, banned Underwood's music to be played because her husband Mike Fisher was traded to the Nashville Predators the day before. Due to Underwood's fans' threats to never tune into the radio station on Facebook, the station later modified their statements. They apologized for their actions, saying that their statements were meant to be taken as a joke as they don't play Underwood's country songs anyway and was their tongue-in-cheek way of wishing Mike Fisher the best of luck in Nashville. Mike Fisher later criticized the station saying "obviously Carrie had nothing to do with the move or the trade or anything so to imply something like that was just wrong", and both he and Carrie were disappointed in the negativity that was created by the radio station.



Grammy Awards



On December 7, 2006, Underwood's album Some Hearts received four Grammy nominations. Underwood won her first two Grammy Awards that year: Best New Artist, becoming the second of only three country artists to ever win this award after Leann Rimes, and was followed by Zac Brown Band in 2010, and Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Jesus, Take the Wheel", which also won Best Country Song for the songwriters Gordie Sampson, Brett James and Hillary Lindsey. The song was also nominated for "Song of the Year". Her nomination and victory in the Best New Artist category marked the first time that an American Idol winner or contestant had been nominated for and won the category. The award ceremony was held on February 11, 2007, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. She sang the Eagles song "Life in the Fast Lane" alongside Grammy nominees Rascal Flatts. She also sang the Eagles' "Desperado" to honour Don Henley of The Eagles. She also paid tribute to Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys by performing "New San Antonio Rose".



On February 10, 2008, Underwood was nominated for two more Grammys: Best Female Country Vocal Performance, for "Before He Cheats" and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals, for "Oh, Love" a duet with Brad Paisley. She won one Grammy Award that night, for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, and "Before He Cheats" also won Best Country Song for its songwriters. The song was also nominated for "Song of the Year". Underwood performed "Before He Cheats" at the ceremony, with a more powerful vocal ending.



On February 8, 2009, Underwood, for the third year in a row, won the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Last Name", which she performed during the show, for a total of four Grammy awards in three years. "Ever Ever After", which she recorded for the soundtrack of the 2007 film Enchanted, was also nominated for a Grammy Award under the category Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.



On December 2, 2009, Underwood received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her No. 1 song "Just a Dream (Carrie Underwood song)" and a nomination for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals for "I Told You So" with Randy Travis.



On January 30, 2010, Underwood performed at the annual Clive Davis Pre-Grammy party at the Beverly Hills Hotel. She performed a duet with Harry Connick Jr. of "All the Way", and a solo version of her hit "Cowboy Casanova".



Underwood performed at the Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010 for the fourth consecutive year, with Celine Dion, Usher, Smokey Robinson and Jennifer Hudson during the 3-D Michael Jackson tribute at the 52nd Grammy Awards. Grammy Awards producer Ken Ehrlich stated that Michael Jackson greatly admired Carrie Underwood, which is why she was hand-picked to perform during his tribute.



On January 31, 2010, Underwood won her fifth Grammy Award. She won the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for "I Told You So" with Randy Travis.



In 2010, Underwood was nominated for a Grammy award for the eighth time, for 'Best Female Country Vocal Performance' for "Temporary Home.



International awards



Underwood received her very first international award nomination in 2006. She was nominated for "World's Best Selling New Artist" at the 2006 World Music Awards. The award is given due to worldwide sales (who sells more is the winner). Among the six nominees, Underwood ranked #2, while British singer James Blunt ranked #1 and ended winning the award.



Also in 2006, Underwood's record "Jesus, Take the Wheel" won "SOCAN Song of the Year" at the Canadian Country Music Awards.



In 2008, Underwood won her first international award, which was "Female Vocalist of the Year" at the European Country Music Association Awards.



On October 23, 2010, Underwood won 2 awards from the 8th French Country Music Awards. She won "Best Female Vocalist of the Year (Meilleure Chanteuse)" and "Best Video of the year (Meilleure Video)" for "Cowboy Casanova". The ceremony was held by The French Association of Country Music.



On December 14, 2010, Underwood was nominated for a CMC Australian Country Music Award for International Artist of the Year.

Tech Tuesday: Microsoft Office 2010

With the release and full integration of the new Windows 7 Operating systems, Microsoft has also been busy with the preparation of the launch of the new Office 2010. Today we are going to have you sit back and watch what Microsoft is promising to give to you this time around with their new developments with their Office Series.

Confirmed features of Office 2010 include:

• Refined Ribbon interface and Backstage View across all applications
• Background Removal Tool
• Letter Styling
• New SmartArt templates
• New text and image editing effects
• Screen Capturing and Clipping tools
• Live collaboration functions
• Jumplists in Windows 7

So without further delay here is Microsoft to tell you and show you more of what to expect with MSOffice 2010:

Billboard's Top 100 Singles for 2009

With the Year Coming to an End Here are the Billboard's TOP 100 Singles for 2009:

Entry Date	Single	Artist	Peak	Peak Reached	Weeks in Top 10
January 24	"Gives You Hell"	The All-American Rejects	4	March 7	14
February 7	"My Life Would Suck Without You"	Kelly Clarkson	1	February 7	10
February 7	"You Found Me"	The Fray	7	February 14	6
February 21	"Dead and Gone"	T.I. featuring Justin Timberlake	2	February 28	13
February 21	"Crack a Bottle"	Eminem, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent	1	February 21	4
February 28	"Right Round"	Flo Rida	1	February 28	13
February 28	"Poker Face"	Lady Gaga	1	April 11	18
March 7	"Kiss Me Thru the Phone"	Soulja Boy Tell 'Em featuring Sammie	3	April 4	13
March 21	"The Climb"	Miley Cyrus	4	May 2	8
March 21	"Blame It"	Jamie Foxx featuring T-Pain	2	May 16	14
April 4	"I Told You So"	Carrie Underwood featuring Randy Travis	9	April 4	1
April 11	"Love Sex Magic"	Ciara featuring Justin Timberlake	10	April 11	1
April 18	"Boom Boom Pow"	Black Eyed Peas	1	April 18	19
April 18	"Day 'n' Nite"	Kid Cudi	3	May 9	9
May 2	"We Made You"	Eminem	9	May 2	1
May 9	"Sugar"	Flo Rida featuring Wynter	5	May 16	4
May 9	"Halo"	Beyoncé	5	May 23	8
May 16	"Don't Trust Me"	3OH!3	7	May 30	3
May 30	"I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)"	Pitbull	2	June 20	10
May 30	"Birthday Sex"	Jeremih	4	June 13	10
June 6	"Don't Stop Believin'"	Glee cast	4	June 6	1
June 6	"New Divide"	Linkin Park	6	June 6	3
June 6	"Waking Up in Vegas"	Katy Perry	9	August 8	4
June 13	"Knock You Down"	Keri Hilson featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo	3	June 20	14
June 13	"Fire Burning"	Sean Kingston	5	July 25	11
June 13	"LoveGame"	Lady Gaga	5	June 27	10
June 20	"Second Chance"	Shinedown	7	June 20	3
June 27	"I Gotta Feeling"	Black Eyed Peas	1	July 11	20
July 4	"Best I Ever Had"	Drake	2	July 25	12
July 4	"Every Girl"	Young Money Entertainment	10	July 4	1
July 18	"You Belong With Me"	Taylor Swift	2	August 22	16
July 25	"He Could Be the One"	Hannah Montana	10	July 25	1
August 8	"Use Somebody"	Kings of Leon	4	September 12	12
August 8	"Battlefield"	Jordin Sparks	10	August 8	1
August 15	"Down"	Jay Sean featuring Lil Wayne	1	October 17	21+
August 15	"Good Girls Go Bad"	Cobra Starship featuring Leighton Meester	7	August 22	6
August 22	"Hotel Room Service"	Pitbull	8	September 19	6
August 29	"Party in the U.S.A."	Miley Cyrus	2	August 29	14
August 29	"Run This Town"	Jay-Z featuring Rihanna and Kanye West	2	October 3	12
September 19	"Obsessed"	Mariah Carey	7	September 19	4
September 19	"Whatcha Say"	Jason DeRulo	1	November 14	16+
October 3	"Empire State of Mind"	Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys	1	November 28	11+
October 3	"Paparazzi"	Lady Gaga	6	October 17	10
October 3	"Forever"	Drake featuring Kanye West, Lil Wayne, & Eminem	8	October 3	1
October 24	"3"	Britney Spears	1	October 24	11+
October 24	"Fireflies"	Owl City	1	November 7	11+
October 31	"Meet Me Halfway"	Black Eyed Peas	7	November 7	6+
November 7	"Sweet Dreams"	Beyoncé	10	November 7	2
November 14	"Bad Romance"	Lady Gaga	2	December 5	6+
November 14	"Jump Then Fall"	Taylor Swift	10	November 14	1
November 21	"Replay"	Iyaz	4	November 21	7+
November 21	"Russian Roulette"	Rihanna	9	November 21	1
November 28	"Need You Now"	Lady Antebellum	5	November 28	1
December 5	"Sexy Chick"	David Guetta featuring Akon	6	December 26	5+

I shall be featuring each one on my other blog 1027 Music Central. See you there :) xoxo

Tech Tuesday on Empty Streets: HP Mini 311

HP is joining the 11.6 Netbook craze with their new model HP Mini 311. The first company to have done this is Acer and soon to follow is Asus. But the HP mini has something more to offer this time with NVIDIA ION powering their mini notebook along with that of the Intel Atom N280. This is something that a lot of people should definitely check out before pulling out that credit card of yours as you start purchasing it as a personal gift for yourself this Christmas :) Here in the Philippines I was able to spot one at eHub in Park Square Glorietta for a cool price of 28,000 Pesos.

Here are more of the specs for all you techies out there:

• Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition with Service Pack 3(1)

• Intel® AtomTM Processor N270(3) • 1.60GHz(4) • 512KB L2 • 533Mhz FSB(4a)

• 1024MB DDR3 System Memory (1 Dimm) • Max supported =3072MB

• NVIDIA ION LE for Windows XP with up to 319MB total graphics memory

• 160GB (5400RPM) Hard Drive (SATA)(7)

• HP Black Swirl Imprint finish & HP Webcam with integrated digital microphone(15)

• 11.6" Diagonal HD LED(8) BrightView Widescreen Display (1366 x 768)

• Integrated 10/100BASE-T Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector) (9)

• 802.11b/g WLAN(10a)

• 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMedia cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD Picture cards(17a)

• Altec Lansing Speakers

• 92% full sized keyboard • touchpad with scroll zone

• Touch Pad with dedicated vertical Scroll Up/Down (note: no on/off button)

• 3 Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0

• Headphone-out/Microphone in combo jack (compatible with 3.5mm 4-conductor jack with stereo audio and mono mic)

• HDMI

• 1 VGA (15-pin) • 1 RJ -45 (LAN)

• Unpackaged: 11.4 in (L) x 8.03 in (D) x 0.78-1.20 in (H) • Packaged: 13.6"(W) x 4.3"(D) x12.2"(H)

• Unpackaged: 3.22 lbs(12). • Packaged: 5.3 lbs

• Kensington® MicroSaver lock slot • Power-on password • Accepts 3rd party security lock devices

• 65W AC Adapter • 6-Cell Lithium-Ion battery

• HP 90W AC Adapter - KG298AA#ABA • HP PT06 Mini Battery - VP502AA • HP USB Essentials Port Replicator - NK398AA#ABA

• 1-Year Limited Hardware Warranty with Toll Free Support (NA) • 1-Year Free Hardware Technical Support • 30-Days Free Limited Software Support with 1-Year (from date of

purchase) Free Limited Software Support with Product Registration.

Here is a cool review of the HP Mini 311 that I found on Youtube for you to watch:

Empty Streets Special: Typhoon Ondoy

I still can't believe what had just happened to Metro Manila and many are still wondering what to expect next as a new typhoon looms over the Philippines' area of responsibility and is expected to hit the country in the next 72 hours. For now all we can do is pray and hope that somehow we will be spared the agony of having to deal with another storm such as Ondoy.

Here is a news documentary from ABS CBN about the tragedy of Typhoon Ondoy:

Empty Streets Special: A Prayer for the VIctims of Typhoon Ondoy

Metro Manila has just experienced a calamity that is beyond words. I was lucky that my apartment - elevated as it is - only got about a foot of flood water. But, many of the others out there were less fortunate. There are so many victims to name and the after effects is still being felt.

Right now all I can ask of my readers is to please send a prayer for all of us. That is all we can do as we fight to recover what was lost and eventually start to rebuild. I also ask for prayers for those that have passed away all throughout this ordeal.

If you wish to help out here are the drop off points for donations: DROP OFF POINT

Here is a news coverage of Typhoon Ondoy. I have to apologize though as the news footage is in tagalog but the scenes should be more than enough to show you how much this Typhoon has affected our people:

Tech Tuesday on Empty Streets: LG Watch Phone - GD910 3G

LG Electronics, a worldwide technology and design leader in mobile communications, officially unveil the worlds first market-ready Touch Watch Phone (Model: LG-GD910) with 3G Video Telephony (VT) service and GSM Quadband Network capabilities. This chic, wearable phone is a follow-up to the prototype that LG introduced at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2008 and includes a number of upgrades, including a full touchscreen interface, 3G capabilities and video calling

Here are it's features:

General	2G Network	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
	3G Network	HSDPA 2100
	Announced	2009, January
	Status	Available. Released 2009, August
Size	Dimensions	49 x 39 x 13.8 mm
	Weight	84.0 g
Display	Type	TFT capacitive touchscreen, 256K colors
	Size	128 x 160 pixels, 1.43 inches
		- Flash UI
Sound	Alert types	Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic, MP3 ringtones
	Speakerphone	Yes
Memory	Phonebook	Yes
	Call records	Yes
	Card slot	No
Data	GPRS	Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbps
	HSCSD	No
	EDGE	Class 10, 236.8 kbps
	3G	HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps
	WLAN	No
	Bluetooth	Yes, v2.0 with A2DP
	Infrared port	No
	USB	No
Camera	Primary	VGA, 640x480 pixels
	Features	Videocalling
	Video	No
	Secondary	No
Features	Messaging	SMS, EMS, MMS
	Browser	Yes
	Radio	No
	Games	Yes
	Colors	White, Black
	GPS	No
	Java	No
		- IPX4 certified - water jets resistant
		- Text-to-speech capabilities
		- Speech recognition
		- MP3 player
		- Organizer
Battery		Standard battery, Li-Ion
	Stand-by	Up to 247 h
	Talk time	Up to 2 h

Here is a video of this amazing Phone:

Guess it is time for James Bond to get an upgrade :)

Music Monday on Empty Streets: Xfactor - Danyl Johnson wows Simon

The X Factor: 27-year-old teacher Danyl has a passion for singing and manages to completely own the stage in an incredible first audition! And to tell you the truth this is the first time I have ever seen anyone during the auditions where Simon says something really really good to the candidate. :) That says a lot about Danyl Johnson as a performer and a singer. :)

However, this rising star is already in the juicy section of the E! News industry especially when he was interviewed about how he was flirting with the judges during his performance.

Danyl Johnson has revealed that he swings BOTH ways, admitting: "I've dated men AND women."

The 27-year-old bisexual - who blew the judges away with his performance during last night's opening show - told News of the World: "I am a massive flirt.

"I wouldn't rule out someone just because of their gender."

Danyl, received a standing ovation for his version of Beatles classic With A Little Help From My Friends - and is already in the running to WIN the hit ITV1 talent show.

But his new legion of lady fans will be stunned to learn that the handsome teacher is attracted to ALL the X-Factor judges.

They're all good-looking! Simon and Louis are very nice guys. Both Dannii and Cheryl are beautiful

He reckons Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh are every bit as appealing as the lovely Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue!

"They're all good-looking," said Danyl. "Simon and Louis and very nice.

"Between them I would pick Simon though - because he has a feisty attitude.

"I would love to be around someone like that. Even his hair and his clothes are just fine to me."

But Danyl, from Reading, went on to admit that he's been unlucky in love in the past.

He said: "I haven't been in that many relationships, only about four. It's been a year since I was last with someone - that's horrible!

"I hate boxes, so I don't like to call myself gay, straight or bisexual. But yeah, I'll admit that I have dated men.

With that being said let us see how this star did it through this exclusive coverage of that episode.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Tech Tuesday on Empty Streets: Nokia Mini Laptop 3G (Nokia Netbook)

GLOBAL – Nokia has just whipped the dust sheet off the Nokia Booklet 3G. A brand new breed of portable device for Nokia, this mini laptop PC sees the company step foot on freshly cut turf, and we’re a little dumb-struck with excitement at the prospect of the experience that this bite-size Booklet promises to deliver when it arrives. Not to mention what it means bigger picture, and how this product could affect the entire mobile landscape for the better (we’ll save that for another story), but let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet.

First, let’s get down off our tip-toes, take a deep breath, and soak up all the initial details on what the upcoming Nokia Booklet 3G mini laptop is set to deliver when it lands on laps. Read on for every shred of info currently available on this landmark new product, and get the first close-up look at the Nokia Booklet 3G mini laptop in our photo gallery.

The new Nokia Booklet 3G will be a Windows-based machine, supported by an efficient Intel Atom processor that promises the performance of a full-function PC. It’s efficiency credentials are boldly punctuated with battery life that stretches up to 12 hours (with normal daily use, of course – don’t expect a 12-hour Quake-fest off a single hit of juice).

Turning our attention to mini matters of a tape-measure nature, the Nokia Booklet 3G comes toting a glass 10.1-inch HD display (it has an HDMI port for HD video out). This lives within its smart aluminium shell which measures in at just 2cm thin and tips the scales at around a kilogram to ensure it’s extremely portable.

Connecting at speed is crucial with a product of this nature, so the Booklet 3G has been designed with fast downloading and uploading front of mind – it’s 3G/HSPA ready for rapid mobile broadband anywhere-access on the move. Wi-Fi has also been wedged into it’s slim body. Plus, it supports hot-swappable SIM card functionality.

It’s talents don’t end there, with Nokia’s mini laptop PC also featuring onboard assisted-GPS with Ovi Maps neatly sat in the passenger seat. There’s a single front-facing camera nestled above the 10.1-inch HD screen for video chat, with Bluetooth and a built-in SD card reader also making appearances.

You may be wondering why Nokia is adding to its range of products with an ultra portable laptop PC? Well, Nokia’s Executive Vice President for Devices, Kai Oistamo, summed it up simply as follows:

“A growing number of people want the computing power of a PC with the full benefits of mobility. We are in the business of connecting people and the Nokia Booklet 3G is a natural evolution for us. Nokia has a long and rich heritage in mobility and with the outstanding battery life, premium design and all day, always on connectivity, we will create something quite compelling. In doing so we will make the personal computer more social, more helpful and more personal.”

There’s already a lot of info to digest here, but there are still more details to come at Nokia World 09 on 2 September – expect official word on where the Nokia Booklet 3G will be available, news on how much it’ll cost, along with a detailed list of specs for the number-hungry among us.
Here is the official video commercial from Nokia of what to expect from their new Nokia Mini Laptop 3G Booklet:

Empty Streets Special: Entrecard Under New Managerment

Entrecard sent all the members an email notification that tackles the topic mentioned above. This is what the email said:

Dear Entrecarders,

It is with great excitement that I announce Entrecard.com, Inc. has
been Acquired by ZipRunner Inc.

ZipRunner has the resources, vision, and dedication to Entrecard that
will allow it to grow in pursuit of the vision I laid out nearly two
years ago.

Moving forward, my relationship to Entrecard will be that of an
advisor, and I will help the good folks at ZipRunner take the whole
project to the next level.

ZipRunner Inc. was chosen out of a number of potential suitors because
of the resources they can dedicate to the project, their exciting
vision for the company’s future, and their understanding of social
media and the blogosphere.

I urge you all to look forward to a bigger, better Entrecard, and I
couldn’t be more proud to bring it to this point before passing the
torch. I’ve heard first hand all the great things that are in store
for the company and it’s members, and needless to say it has me quite
excited.

If you would like to keep in touch with me in the future, you can
find me at my new blog Ontrapranore.com where I look forward to
sharing my stories of entrepreneurship and starting/running internet
companies.

Whether you love or hate the decisions I’ve made for Entrecard in the
past, I always did the best I could to move the company forward given
the resources I had, and I always had the best interest of the members
in mind. Now, with new management and ownership stepping in, I urge
anyone who has left the service to give it another chance, and I urge
those who have been loyal members for days, weeks, months, or years to
look forward to a brighter future, a reliable and stable service, and
great new features and strategic direction.

Signing Off,

Graham Langdon
Founder of Entrecard
Ontrapranore

This has been quite a surprise to a lot of people since we had gotten word that Graham was very passionate at keeping Entrecard going and was no longer selling it. How this is going to look for us the members moving forward may be anyone's guess but I have to admit it would be a bit strange and eerie for many that have been here with Graham since the beginning and have felt how much heart and soul he has put into this organization. It was through Entrecard that many of us bloggers have found a way to converge, meet, and build friendships from across the globe in a highly innovative manner. Many also owe to this site their rankings and stats and much more. Looking forward to what is to come but feeling sad that Graham is not going to be around much is what may cause a stir of mixed emotions amongst us all. But our prayers to Graham today as I am sure this was the toughest thing he could have ever decided on doing. This was his baby and now it has finally grown up.

Graham if ever you do end up reading this article - Keep smiling always :) xoxo

For all of us members of Entrecard, I think we should all share what we feel and speak our mind with him over at his new site. I am pretty sure that he would want to hear from all of us. :)

Technology Tuesday on Empty Streets: Project Natal

I just got to read a fantastic article about what XBOX is upto. Imagine a console free gaming environment and much more. Imagine touch screen with out the need to touch. After reading through and watching what Project Natal has to offer am imagining a world like that of the cartoons The Jetsons :)

Here is more about what Project Natal has to offer:

Project Natal is the code name for a "controller-free gaming and entertainment experience" by Microsoft for the Xbox 360 video game platform. Based on an add-on peripheral for the Xbox 360 console, Project Natal enables users to control and interact with the Xbox 360 without the need to touch a game controller, in a natural user interface using gestures, spoken commands, or presented objects and images. The project is aimed at broadening the Xbox 360's audience beyond its typical base. Project Natal was first announced on 1 June at the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo. Microsoft said that over 1000 development kits began shipping to game developers that same day.

Though Microsoft has not officially announced any price or release date projections for Project Natal, it is expected to be released in late 2010. Project Natal will reportedly also serve as the basis for a "new" Xbox 360.

To get to know more here is the official Project Natal Website: Project Natal

Here is what it has to offer for you to drool over :)

Music Monday on Empty Streets: Tribute to Michael Jackson

It was a terrible shock to everyone across the globe when the King of Pop has passed away so suddenly last June 25th, 2009. It was the kind of news that many had prayed to be a hoax and simply wanted it to be a bad dream. Unfortunately this is no dream and he has moved on to a better world. Here are the things about the great singer that has influenced so many people in the industry.

Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer and businessman. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he made his debut on the professional music scene in 1968 as a member of The Jackson 5. He then began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group and was referred to as the "King of Pop" in subsequent years. Jackson's 1982 album Thriller remains the world's best-selling album of all time, and four of his other solo studio albums are among the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).

In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in popular music and the first African American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. The popularity of his music videos airing on MTV, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and "Thriller" — widely credited with transforming the music video from a promotional tool into an art form — helped bring the relatively new channel to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV in the 1990s. With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists across several generations.

Jackson donated and raised millions of dollars for beneficial causes through his foundations, charity singles, and support of 39 charities. Other aspects of his personal life, including his often changing appearances and eccentric behavior, generated significant controversy which damaged his public image. Though he was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993, the criminal investigation was closed due to lack of evidence and Jackson was not charged. The singer had experienced health concerns since the early 1990s and conflicting reports regarding the state of his finances since the late 1990s. Jackson married twice and brought up three children, actions which caused further controversy. In 2005, Jackson was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuse allegations and several other charges.
One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records — including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time" — 13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career, and the sale of 750 million records worldwide. At the time of his death, he was preparing for This Is It, a series of 50 concerts that would have been held in London beginning July 13, 2009.

If you want to give your final wishes to the King of Pop and his Family here is a link that will bring you to his home page: www.michaeljackson.com

Here are some of the songs that he has left us with to remember and cherish:

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.