The world as I see it.

You can be part of earthquake research

2008-09-26T22:40:00.000-07:00

Now anyone can become a part of earthquake research. It looks that researchers don't have enough high-tech monitoring stations to track every instance of ground shaking, so they are enlisting help from ordinary people to document quakes and pinpoint areas of possible damage.

Almost anyone can participate by equipping laptop computers with special software or installing quake sensors at home.

"If they can provide scientific data that can prepare us for events in the future, then that's extremely important," said Tom Jordan of the Southern California Earthquake Center at the University of Southern California.

That's actually very cool. Who's in?

McCain vs Obama in their first debate

2008-09-26T22:32:00.000-07:00

In their first head-to-head debate Friday, Sen. John McCain criticized Sen. Barack Obama as a candidate who "doesn't understand" the key issues the country faces, and Obama linked McCain to President Bush on several issues.

"I'm afraid Sen. Obama doesn't understand the difference between a tactic and a strategy," McCain said as the two traded jabs over Iraq.

Obama shot back, "I absolutely understand the difference between tactics and strategy. And the strategic question that the president has to ask is not whether or not we are employing a particular approach in the country once we have made the decision to be there."

McCain drew from his experience overseas as he tried to portray himself as the more qualified candidate.

"Incredibly, incredibly Sen. Obama didn't go to Iraq for 900 days and never asked for a meeting with Gen Petraeus.

Source : CNN

Navajo Nation will lose Internet service

2008-04-07T03:06:00.001-07:00

The thousands of Navajo Nation residents who rely on the Internet to work, study and communicate across their 27,000-square-mile reservation will be out of luck Monday, if their service provider shuts access as planned.

"It's going to be a sad day," said Ernest Franklin, director of the tribe's Telecommunications Regulatory Commission.

A tribal audit last year revealed that Utah-based provider OnSat Network Communications Inc. may have double-billed the tribe, and it raised questions about how the tribe requested bids for the Internet contract. More here

Zimbabwe's poll results

2008-04-07T03:03:00.000-07:00

Zimbabwe's High Court convened a hearing Monday to decide if it can order the country's electoral commission to release the results of last weekend's presidential election, a journalist on the scene told CNN.

Zimbabwe's main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, submitted a petition to the court on Friday to order the commission to release the figures from the March 29 election.

The hearing began on Sunday. More here

Cellphones allowed in the plain

2008-04-07T03:01:00.000-07:00

One of the final hurdles preventing Europeans from chit-chatting on their cell phones while hurtling through Euro airspace has been cleared, as UK regulator Ofcom (akin to our FCC), has given the OK for cell phones to be used on planes, as long as they're above 3,000 meters. (Many of the other approvals required across Europe have already been granted.)

While the idea of airborne cell phone usage has been a public disaster in the U.S., Europeans seem somewhat warmer to the notion. Perhaps it's the generally shorter flights that tend to dominate Europe, or perhaps it's cultural: Cramped, loud buses and subways tend to be the norm, so the additional noise of a few people on their phones may tend to bother Europeans less than it does their privacy-and-silence-obsessed American counterparts. More here

Sex usually takes 3 to 13 minutes, statistics say

2008-04-03T03:50:00.000-07:00

Sex therapists concluded that the optimalal amount of time for sexual intercourse was 3 to 13 minutes. These conclusion suggests that endurance is not necessarily the key to a great sex life.

This time of course does not include foreplay. So, it this proved thatonce again, quality is much more important that quantity.

In 2005 researchers have conducted a study on about 1500 couples durin 4 weeks and have concluded that the average time for sexual intercourse was 7.3 minute. The women were literally armed with stopwatches.( this might have sppiced up their sex life :)

"People who read this will say, 'I last five minutes or my partner lasts eight minutes,' and say, 'That's OK,' " he said. "They will relax a little bit."

Source : cnn.com

Paris Hilton in her chin

2008-04-02T05:24:00.000-07:00

Paris was visiting a music store in Czech Republic' s capital, Prague, when she took a big fall right in her chin. The thing is that she wasn't wearing any high heels, just a pair of regular snickers. This proofs just how clumsy Paris can be.

To add to her distress, Madden, her boyfriend, failed to catch her and instead stepped over the hurt heiress.

After the incident, Hilton was overheard telling Madden: "Prague...never again."

Until now, Paris has been enjoying her holiday, visiting London, Cape Town, Berlin and attending the Miss Turkey 2008 beauty contest in Istanbul.

It's amazing how a size 11 feet girl can fall down so easyly.

She recently complained about her huge feet: "Yeah, it sucks, because I see all these super cute shoes in the stores: Guccis, YSLs, Manolos. And when they bring them out in my size, they look like clown shoes."

Kids Choice Awards Winners 2008

2008-04-02T04:58:00.000-07:00

Miley Cyrus , the new teen sensation, was the big winner who took home 2 awards for Favorite TV Actress and Favorite Female Singer.

Here are all the Kids Choice Awards Winners as Voted on by the kids:

Favorite TV Show: Drake and Josh
Favorite Reality Show: American Idol
Favorite TV Actor: Drake Bell
Favorite TV Actress: Miley Cyrus
Favorite Cartoon: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Favorite Movie: Alvin and the Chipmunks
Favorite Movie Actor: Johnny Depp
Favorite Movie Actress: Jessica Alba
Favorite Animated Movie: Ratatouille
Favorite Animated Voice: Eddie Murphy (Shrek The Third)
Favorite Music Group: The Jonas Brothers
Favorite Song: “Girlfriend” by Avril Lavigne
Favorite Female Singer: Miley Cyrus
Favorite Male Singer: Chris Brown
Favorite Male Athlete: Tony Hawk
Favorite Female Athlete: Danica Patrick
Favorite Book: Harry Potter Series
Favorite Video Game: Madden NFL 2008

Britney's new video : Break the ice

2008-04-01T06:50:00.000-07:00

Here's Britney's newest video : "Break The Ice". The song is good, but the video is even better, though Britney does not appear in it. I think it will have the same succes as the other songs of her new album. Slowly, but surely, Britney is coming back...

Sean Levert, Brother Of R&B Singer, Dies

2008-03-31T06:45:00.000-07:00

Sean Levert, the younger brother of R&B singer Gerald Levert and son of Eddie Levert of the O'Jays, died late Sunday night.

Levert, 39, died at 11:57 p.m. at Lutheran Hospital after being transported to the facility from the Cuyahoga County Jail. Sean Levert had gone to the jail infirmary complaining he was sick.

It was in November that Sean Levert started singing again. He talked with NewsChannel5 about finishing a project -- bringing the group back together -- that his brother started.

Gerald Levert died Nov. 10, 2006. He was found dead in his bed at his Newbury home.

"Sometimes I'll have my moments, but right now I think I'm in a happier stage thinking about the good times we had together," Sean Levert had said.

Gerald Levert started his career as the lead singer of the R&B trio Levert before pursuing a solo career.

The Sarkozys turn on the charm in Britain

2008-03-27T04:47:00.000-07:00

She came. She curtsied. She conquered.

Chic Carla Bruni-Sarkozy -- like a cross between a Catholic schoolgirl and Jackie O according to one fashion writer -- won the hearts of the British public, and the media, with her grace and the demure grey outfits she chose, stylishly reflecting the color of Windsor Castle and the traditionally sullen British skies.

As for the 1993 pictures of the president's bride in her birthday suit, predictably recycled by the British tabloids, members of the public I encountered were universally on Carla's side. "Typical media" they sniffed. "That was then, this is now. Good luck to her."

At times the visit has been almost a case of "the president came too."

It reminded me of when President John F. Kennedy, on tour in Europe at the time First Lady Jackie Kennedy was an international fashion icon, thanked his hosts in one city for "allowing me to accompany my wife here."

But Monsieur Sarkozy, determined to bury the image of the "President Bling Bling" in shades and chunky watches amid the pomp and pageantry the British do so well, scored his own success too with a fiery speech to lawmakers calling not just for entente cordiale but for a new fraternite or brotherhood between the two nations.

His passionate oration earned him a genuine standing ovation from the hard-boiled parliamentarians.

Source : cnn.om

DANCING WITH THE STARS - double elimination

2008-03-26T02:17:00.000-07:00

Tuesday (March 25) was double elimination night on "Dancing With the Stars."

Penn Jillette & Kym Johnson and Monica Seles &Jonathan Roberts were given the boot this go around. It seems like the right choice for the first cut

Jillette received low scores from the judges in their first two performances and they had few votes from the viewers too.

Jillette's two dances earned a combined score of 33 points out of 60 possible so he is the lowest-scoring male celebrity ever.

Later, tennis champ Monica Seles learned that she was being sent home as well, for her low scores and lack of viewer votes.

The two dances earned her a total of 30 points out of 60. Pretty bad, right?

Next week, it's the tango or the jive.

Sarah Jessica Parker - Ugly Betty

2008-03-25T00:08:00.000-07:00

Her big boobs and her cute innocent smile didn't help her this time. She is No.1 in Maxim's unsexiest women alive list. Here are the other unsexy woman who share the shame with Sarah Jessica Parker:

1. Sarah Jessica Parker

2. Amy Winehouse

3. Sandra Oh

4. Madonna

5. Britney Spears

Here's SJP's reaction to Maxim's list:

"Do I have big boobs, Botox and big lips? No. Do I fit some ideals and standards of some men writing in a men's magazine? Maybe not. Am I really the unsexiest woman in the world? Wow! It's kind of shocking"

To be honest, if we look at her pictures, we wouldn't be so hard on her. She is still very fashionable and she does take care of herself pretty well, if we consider her age.

Sandra Oh on the other hand... Man, she's ugly!

Who do u think deserved the first place in this list?

Over 4000 American soldiers died in Iraq

2008-03-24T01:51:00.000-07:00

Sunday evening , four U.S. soldiers died in a roadside bombing in Iraq, bringing the American toll in the 5-year-old war to the grim milestone of 4,000 deaths.

The soldiers were killed when their vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device while patrolling a neighborhood in southern Baghdad, and a fifth soldier was wounded in the attack.

This bad news comes just days after Americans marked the fifth anniversary of the start of the war. So we can't help wonder: is it really worth it?

"No casualty is more or less significant than another; each soldier, Marine, airman and sailor is equally precious and their loss equally tragic," Rear Admiral Gregory Smith, the U.S. military's chief spokesman in Iraq, said.

"Every single loss of a soldier, sailor, airman or Marine is keenly felt by military commanders, families and friends both in theatre and at home," Smith said.

Statistics tell us that of the 4,000 U.S. military personnel killed in the war, 3,263 have been killed in attacks and fighting and 737 in non-hostile incidents, such as traffic accidents and suicides. Eight of the 4,000 killed were civilians working for the Pentagon.

Source : cnn.com

American Idol- Only 10 are left

2008-03-21T01:35:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday, Amanda Overmyer sang "Back in the U.S.S.R." and was voted off "American Idol" , leaving only 10 contestants fighting for the title and record contract.

Amanda told host Ryan Seacrest : "It's been a run. ... No. 11 out of all them people is more than I could expect".

Carly Smithson and Kristy Lee Cook were the other lowest vote-getters.

Judge Simon Cowell picked up the most on Cook, a 24-year-old from Selma, Oregon. Cowell compared her voice to "Dolly Parton on helium"and he continued his criticism after the country singer's take on the Beatles' "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away. You're like musical wallpaper, insomuch as you notice it, but you can't remember it," he said. "And that's what you're doing week after week: You're making no impact."

Cook replied to the judge: "I can blow you out of your socks, and you know it."

Source : cnn.com

Audrina Patridge's hot naked pictures

2008-03-20T00:51:00.000-07:00

Sweet innocent( yeah, right) Reality TV star Audrina Patridge has defended her decision to pose for a series of nude pictures after the shots were leaked on the Internet. The 22-year-old was pictured topless and bikiniless( if I may say) in the photo shoot, which took place several years before she shot to fame on MTV's "The Hills."

Patridge says that she was a naive young girl, desperate to carve out a career as a model when she posed naked for the saucy snaps.( sure darling, and that's the best you could do, right?)

She says, "I took these photos some years ago when I was just out of high school and beginning to model. I was young and very trusting of others and I didn't know how to protect myself. It is a lesson learned, for myself, and hopefully for the young girls who look up to me."

Enjoy Audrina Patridge's naked pictures naked pictures here
We must admit that she looks pretty hot in these pictures.

Bin Laden - message to Europe

2008-03-20T00:12:00.000-07:00

The publication of cartoons considered insulting to Islam's prophet, Mohammed and the implication of Europe in Afghanistan, along with the United States troops, were the reasons for new Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda's leader, threats towards Europe.

"This is the greater and more serious tragedy, and the reckoning for it will be more severe," the speaker, identified by the experts as being Osama bin Laden, in the five-minute audio recording says.

Mocking Islam's founder violated "the etiquettes of dispute and fighting," warned the voice attributed to bin Laden.

He also said Muslims have not responded by mocking Jesus, who is considered to be a prophet as well.

"The laws of men which clash with the legislation of Allah the Most High are null and void, aren't sacred and don't matter to us," he said.

He also accused "the crownless king in Riyadh" -- Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah -- because he could have prevented the publication of the cartoons "if it mattered to him."

"If there is no check on the freedom of your words, then let your hearts be open to the freedom of our actions," he sayd in the final.

Source : cnn.ro

Funny pictures from Romania

2008-03-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today I've decided to put here some funny pictures from Romania. But one should not think that Romania is represented by what you are about to see, these pictures only represent isolated cases.

Spitzer's Call Girl, Ashley, Has Already Gone 'Wild'

2008-03-18T23:14:00.000-07:00

Ashley Dupre, the hoker who offered "her services" to New York Governor Spitzer, has become an Internet sensation and received a $1 million offer from Girls Gone Wild.

“Her face is on the cover of every newspaper in the country,” Joe Francis said.
“It’s clear that the public wants to see more of her. This is a serious offer and I hope she gets back to me right away.” Francis wanted Ashley to appear in a non-nude spread for his company's new magazine, plus a chance to join the "Girls Gone Wild" tour bus.

But the interestig twist is that it turns out Ashley had already appeared on "Girls Gone Wild" as an 18-year-old while partying in Miami. How did they discovered that? Well, they have dug the
archives and found it, so Francis saved the million bucks. He said : "It's kind of like finding a winning lottery ticket in the cushions of your couch. We actually had been dealing with her rep," he said. "Our (offer) was the real deal. We just never made the connection."

He said he'll pull out the footage and planned to offer it on the Web site by Tuesday evening, with a free sampling on the front page and the rest available with a $29.95 monthly subscription.

So, bye, bye that $1 million check Ashley!

Source

Andrew Luster was caught

2008-03-16T15:10:00.000-07:00

It all started one summer night, three years ago, when Luster worked his charms on the wrong woman. Luster met a 21-year-old college student named Carrie at a local bar.

When the bars closed, Andrew, Carrie, and the other friends ended up driving back to Luster’s beach house. On the way, Carrie had sex with David, a friend of her, in the back seat.

“I did hear a warning voice in the back of my head that said, you know these are people you just met. They’re having sex in the back seat of your car. This is a little strange,” says Luster.

The party continued at Luster's house, with tons of alcohol . That night, Luster said he and Carrie had consensual sex in the shower and in the bedroom. The next morning, they had sex again. “She liked it. And she was very enthusiastic about it,” says Luster. He drove her back to campus, and they exchanged phone numbers.

A few days later, Carrie said she believed she had been raped, and reported the incident to police. She called Andrew and talked about it, and the police recorded it.

Another three women had accused him of 87 counts, ranging from poisoning, to sexual battery, to rape.

Andrew Luster was on the run for five months, but he is now in custody. He was captured in the resort town called Puerto Vallarta.

Luster, the great-grandson of cosmetics magnate Max Factor, denied the charges, and said he never sexually assaulted any woman, or sexually assaulted any woman while she was unconscious. He says the tapes show only consensual sex. We shall see about that when the trial is over....

Source : cbsnews

Celebrities when they were young

2008-03-16T00:03:00.000-07:00

Keanu Reeves - With this sweet innocent face who would have guessed he would end up playing Nemo in Matrix? I wouldn't...

If you would have asked me who this person is, I wouldn't guess it not in a million years. She looks like a convict boy, who has just escaped prison. No offence Tina, but you lookey better in your 50's than in your 20's.

Speaking of Ugly Betty.

I like your hairstyle, Tom...

Pacquiao vs Marquez - Split Decision

2008-03-15T23:39:00.000-07:00

The great box match Pacquiao-Marquez 2 ended in a draw where Manny Pacquiao emerged as a winner on judges’ scorecards. Manny Pacquiao is the new WBC Superfeatherweight champion, the third division world championship title. His win over Juan Manuel Marquez affirmed his title “Mexican Destroyer” after beating Juan Manuel Marquez and other Mexican boxing greats.

The scores were pretty tight,115-112, 112-115, 114-113 (a split decision) in favor of Manny Pacquiao . He was appreciated by the judges based primarily on aggressiveness and gut. Manny Pacquaio’s best moment was in Round 3 when he knocked down Juan Manuel Marquez leaving the latter dizzy after the round even forgetting where his right corner was(see the picture above).

So, the win of Manny Pacquiao against Juan Manuel Marquez is not as great as his previous fights against Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, but what matters is that he won, and he's the champion.

Source: jpsimbulan.com

Celebrities when they were kids

2008-03-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

She already had that cute big smile...
And the missing tooth... well, let's just say
she is much of a pretty woman these
days more than she was when she was
little.

And, by the way, Julia Roberts is actually a blonde?

Oh, Angelina Jolie is so cute! Not the sexy type, I would say
more like the monkey type. At least, that's the
best proof that her lips are natural...

To be honest, I didn't see it happen?
I would bet that this is a boy's face...
Nobody would recognize the nowadays
hot sexy Demi Moore...

No comment on this one!
Freddy Mercury looks like he's about
to eat somebody!

Here's Leo di Caprio when he was little.
All girls would say he is so cute, all boys
would say he's a girl... Maybe the truth is
somewhere in the middle.

The last 'Harry Potter' book split into 2 movies

2008-03-15T00:36:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter is the central character of seven J.K. Rowling novels, but he'll star in eight films.

The last volume, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" of the successful series will be split into two films. The first film will be release in November 2010, with part two following in May 2011.

Producer David Heyman told the Times : "it was born out of purely creative reasons. Unlike every other book, you cannot remove elements of this book."

The filming for the sixth "Potter" flick, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," began in September.

Source : cnn.com

Electronic gadgetsis a sources of computer viruses

2008-03-13T22:51:00.000-07:00

The new millenium definately belongs to the gadgets: smart phones, iPods with operating systems, GPS navigation systems. But some of the hottest gadgets come with unwanted extras from the factory: pre-installed viruses that steal passwords, open doors for hackers and make computers spew spam.

It is known for years that downloading Internet porn and opening suspicious e-mail attachments on your computer is a source for viruses. Now the danger comes from the unknown source: the gadgets (Apple iPods, digital picture frames sold by Target and Best Buy stores, and TomTom navigation gear).

This virus problem appeared to come from the poor quality control, perhaps a careless worker plugging an infected music player into a factory computer used for testing and it's not a sabotage or an intended hacker attack.

Source : cnn.com

Spitzer's 'call girl don't want to be seen as a monster

2008-03-13T22:39:00.000-07:00

Ashley Alexandra Dupre, Spitzer's call girl said she did not want to be thought of as a monster.

Spitzer, ally of Hillary Clinton in the electoral campain, and a rising star within the Democratic Party announced his resignation Wednesday after reports of his connection to the Emperors Club VIP prostitute ring emerged.

Neither Dupre or Spitzer are accused of any crime.

Dupre, who's real name is Ashley Youmans, from New Jersey, told the New York Times: "I just don't want to be thought of as a monster. This has been a very difficult time. It is complicated."

On her MySpace page, the 22-year-old said she had been "broke and homeless" and had abused drugs since leaving home aged 17 to pursue a singing career in New York. "It was my decision, and I've never looked back," she writes. "Left my hometown. Left a broken family. Left abuse...

"Learned what it was like to wake up one day and have the people you care about most gone. I have been alone. I have abused drugs. I have been broke and homeless. But, I survived, on my own. I am here, in NY because of my music."
Source : cnn.com

Eliot Spitzer , NY governor- rendez-vous with a prostitute

2008-03-10T23:53:00.000-07:00

Eliot Spitzer, New York Gov., identified as "Client 9" had a rendez-vous with a prostitute, Ashley Dupre about a month ago.

Spitzer took Governor's office in January 2007 after serving eight years as the state's attorney general, and he rose as a hard-charging prosecutor. Ironic, right?

He has not been charged and neither Dupre .

Spitzer, who is married with three children,(see the picture of his wife above) went before reporters Monday to confess to this personal indiscretion, saying he had acted "in a way that violates my obligations to my family, that violates my or any sense of right and wrong."

Source : cnn.com

One of the Saturn's moon might have rings

2008-03-08T22:31:00.001-08:00

Recent observations suggest that Saturn's second-largest moon may be surrounded by rings. This would the first time a ring system has been found around a moon.

The Cassini spacecraft detected something that appeared to be a large debris disk around the 950-mile-wide moon Rhea. This descovery was described in a study published in the March 7 .

But unlike the rings around Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune, the arcs around Rhea remain invisible and have not been directly seen.

Source: cnn.com

White killer whale

2008-03-08T22:23:00.001-08:00

A white killer whale was spotted in Alaska. The nearly mythic creature sent researchers and the ship's crew scrambling for their cameras.

Scientists were enthusiastic about it: "I had heard about this whale, but we had never been able to find it," said Holly Fearnbach, a research biologist with the National Marine Mammal Laboratory in Seattle who photographed the rarity. "It was quite neat to find it."

The white killer whale was first spotted last month while scientists aboard the Oscar Dyson, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research ship, were conducting an acoustic survey of pollock near Steller sea lion haulout sites.

The other further observation showed that while the whale's saddle area was white, the other parts of its body had a subtle yellowish or brownish color.

Source : cnn.com

Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan pregnant?

2008-03-06T08:11:00.000-08:00

Judging from the picture above, they both seem to be pregnant.

Or is it the effect of cheeseburgers, drugs and alcohol?

Nike and Apple bring iPod to gym

2008-03-05T23:21:00.000-08:00

Nike and Apple are making the iPod compatible with gym equipment.

The companies announced Tuesday that they are working with gym equipment manufacturers and health clubs to allow members to plug their iPod Nano into cardio equipment to track workouts, set goals and upload the information to a Nike Web site.

The new technology is expected to hit gyms this summer.

It's another major partnership for Nike Inc. and Apple Inc., which created Nike+ technology more than a year ago.

The wireless system allows some Nike shoes embedded with a sensor to communicate with Apple's iPod Nano.

Oprah smashes competition

2008-03-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

Books, TV movies, a presidential candidate and now a philanthropic reality show. Maybe everything Oprah Winfrey touches really does turn to gold.

Sunday's premiere of "Oprah's Big Give" on ABC was seen by 15.7 million people, the largest audience in prime-time last week for any program not named "American Idol," according to Nielsen Media Research.

ABC also did well with Monday's prime-time remake of "A Raisin in the Sun," which finished in the top 10 with 12.7 million viewers.

Meanwhile, NBC found that few people cared about its much-ballyhooed transfer of a series, "Quarterlife," from the Internet to broadcast. Only 3.1 million people watched, earning it a quick hook and shift to the Bravo cable network. Among the top four broadcasters, only a Saturday night rerun of an "All-Star Tribute to Jimmy Kimmel" had a smaller audience.

In a sign of the time for television networks, and a residue of the writers strike, none of the seven most-watched programs last week were scripted. "Lost" was the only traditional comedy or drama to hit the top 10.

Fox easily won the week, averaging 13.7 million viewers (8.0 rating, 13 share). CBS had 8.1 million (5.2, 9), ABC had 7.9 million (5.1, 8), NBC had 7.2 million (4.7, 8), the CW had 2.2 million (1.4, 2), My Network TV had 1.2 million (0.8, 1) and ION Television had 480,000 (0.3, 1).

Among the Spanish-language networks, Univision led with a prime-time average of 3.5 million viewers (1.8 rating, 3 share), Telemundo had 1.1 million (0.6, 1), TeleFutura had 660,000 (0.4, 1) and Azteca had 150,000 (0.1, 0).

NBC's "Nightly News" won the evening news ratings race, averaging 9.2 million viewers (6.2 rating, 12 share). ABC's "World News" averaged 9 million viewers (6.1, 12) and the "CBS Evening News" had 7 million (4.7, 9).

source : cnn.com

Hillary Clinton - one step closer

2008-03-05T06:57:00.000-08:00

Sen. Hillary Clinton got her campaign back on track with projected wins in the Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island primaries.

Delegate-rich Texas and Ohio were considered must-wins for her campaign.

In Ohio, Clinton received 54 percent of the vote compared to 44 percent for Clinton's Democratic rival Sen. Barack Obama.

In the Texas primary, she won with 51 pecent of the vote compared to 48 percent for Obama.

Those figures were based on 99 percent of the precincts reporting in both states.

Obama, who claimed victory in Vermont, had won 12 straight contests since Super Tuesday on February 5.

Texas also held Democratic caucuses Tuesday, but it was too close to declare a winner.

"For everyone here in Ohio and across America who's been ever been counted out but refused to be knocked out, for everyone who has stumbled but stood right back up, and for everyone who works hard and never gives up -- this one is for you," Clinton said before supporters in Columbus.

"You know what they say," she said. "As Ohio goes, so goes the nation. Well, this nation's coming back and so is this campaign."

Obama congratulated Clinton on her victories but downplayed his losses.

Source : CNN.com

Russia - the new president

2008-03-02T09:39:00.000-08:00

Early returns showed Vladimir Putin's designated successor, Dmitry Medvedev, with an early lead in Sunday's presidential election.

With 15.82 percent of the votes counted, Russia's Central Election Commission said Medvedev had won 64.54 percent of the vote.

While there is more than one candidate in the elections, Medvedev -- a longtime close aide to Putin -- faces no serious opposition in his presidential bid.

"I'm in a good mood. Spring is here," Medvedev said, according to The Associated Press, as he cast his ballot in Moscow, where rain and wet snow sprinkled the streets. "The season has changed."

Medvedev is expected to capitalize on the success of Putin's tenure as president, who remains incredibly influential and powerful in Russia. Many Russians believe he has led the country out of the poverty and uncertainty of the 1990s and is responsible for the current national economic boom.

For most Russians, Putin's endorsement is enough reason to cast a ballot for Medvedev -- although there have been some unconfirmed reports of local political leaders pressuring voters to cast their ballots for him.

Little is known about Medvedev, however. The 42-year-old has worked Putin for many years, since Putin held posts in the St. Petersburg mayor's office.

He has made some public pronouncements during the campaign -- pronouncements that seem to suggest he is not as much of a hard-liner as Putin on foreign policy issues, said CNN's Matthew Chance.

He also has given the impression that he is more in favor of democracy and freedom of speech and of the press than Putin. However, it remains to be seen what he will do when he assumes power.

Some have questioned, in fact, whether Medvedev as a president will hold power at all, should he win. Putin has agreed to take the prime minister's post, which may be a way for him to perpetuate his power and continue to keep a firm hand on the nation.

The 2008 Russian race is in stark contrast to the political battles between candidates in the United States. The differences between the two are a hot topic on Russia's political talk shows.

"In a way, we are just on another planet," said Vladimir Soloviev, host of one talk show.

"Because in America, people vote for this or that person. In Russia, not really. In Russia, we say, 'You are right, Mr. Putin. We do like this guy. Why don't we go and vote for him?' It's not like we make a choice. We approve the choice of the president."

Source : cnn.com

Prince Harry heads home from Afghanistan

2008-02-29T23:40:00.000-08:00

Prince Harry has been withdrawn from Afghanistan because of the media's disclosure of his deployment there, the British Ministry of Defense said Friday.

The prince had been deployed to Afghanistan since December. Major news outlets agreed to keep the information secret for security reasons, but a Web site broke the news blackout Thursday, prompting the British military to withdraw the prince for security reasons.

"This decision has been taken primarily on the basis that the worldwide media coverage of Prince Harry in Afghanistan could impact on the security of those who are deployed there, as well as the risks to him as an individual soldier," the Ministry of Defense said in a statement issued Friday.

The ministry termed "regrettable" the decision of "elements of the foreign media" to reveal Prince Harry's service in Afghanistan.

"Whilst it had been intended that Prince Harry should return in a matter of weeks with the remainder of the Household Cavalry Regiment Battlegroup," the ministry said, "the situation has now clearly changed.

The British Ministry of Defense confirmed to CNN that Harry was en route late Friday from Afghanistan to Great Britain.

Gen. Richard Dannatt, the chief of Britain's General Staff, said in a statement released Thursday that he judged it safe to send the prince to Afghanistan -- so long as the media didn't reveal his location.

Google's new Web editing tools

2008-02-29T01:11:00.000-08:00

Google, already the world's most popular spot for finding Web sites, is aiming to become the go-to place for creating Web sites too.

The Mountain View-based company is taking its first step toward that goal Thursday with the debut of a free service designed for high-tech neophytes looking for a simple way to share information with other people working in the same company or attending the same class in school.

With only a few clicks, just about anyone will be able to quickly set up and update a Web site featuring wide an array of material, including pictures, calendars and video from Google Inc.'s YouTube subsidiary, said Dave Girouard, general manager of the division overseeing the new application.

"We are literally adding an edit button to the Web," Girouard said.

All sites created on the service will run on one of Google's computers.

Google acquired many of the Web-site tools when it bought a Silicon Valley startup, JotSpot, last year.

The tools are the latest addition to a bundle of applications that Google offers to consumers and businesses as alternatives to similar products sold by Microsoft Corp., one of Google's fiercest rivals.

Google's latest service represents a challenge to Microsoft's SharePoint, which charges licensing fees. Google is unveiling its alternative just a few days before Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft hosts a SharePoint conference in Seattle.

While Microsoft's programs typically are installed on individual computers, Google keeps its application on its own machines so users can access them from anywhere with an Internet connection.

By gradually introducing free versions of word processing, spreadsheet, and calendaring programs over the past two years, Google has been threatening to siphon revenue away from Microsoft, which makes most of its money from software sales.

Microsoft, in turn, hopes to take a bite of out Google's bread-and-butter in online search and advertising by buying Yahoo Inc. for more than $40 billion.

Google says more than 500,000 companies, government agencies and schools use at least some of its applications. The company won't say how many of those organizations subscribe to a premium version of its software suite, but the fees haven't made much of a dent at Google so far.

Last year, Google's software licensing and other products generated $181 million in revenue while $16.4 billion poured in from advertising.

Source : cnn.com

The list of Oscar 2008 nominees and winners

2008-02-26T23:50:00.000-08:00

Here's the complete list of Academy Awards nominees and winners :

Best Picture
"Atonement"
"Juno"
"Michael Clayton"
** "No Country for Old Men" WINNER
"There Will Be Blood"

Actor
George Clooney, "Michael Clayton"
** Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood" WINNER
Johnny Depp, "Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Tommy Lee Jones, "In the Valley of Elah"
Viggo Mortensen, "Eastern Promises"

Actress
Cate Blanchett, "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"
Julie Christie, "Away From Her"
** Marion Cotillard, "La Vie en Rose" WINNER
Laura Linney, "The Savages"
Ellen Page, "Juno"

Supporting Actor
Casey Affleck, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
** Javier Bardem, "No Country for Old Men" WINNER
Hal Holbrook, "Into the Wild"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Charlie Wilson's War"
Tom Wilkinson, "Michael Clayton"

Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett, "I'm Not There"
Ruby Dee, "American Gangster"
Saoirse Ronan, "Atonement"
Amy Ryan, "Gone Baby Gone"
** Tilda Swinton, "Michael Clayton" WINNER

Director
Julian Schnabel, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Jason Reitman, "Juno"
Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton"
** Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men" WINNER
Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood"

Foreign Film
"Beaufort," Israel
** "The Counterfeiters," Austria WINNER
"Katyn," Poland
"Mongol," Kazakhstan
"12," Russia

Adapted Screenplay
Christopher Hampton, "Atonement"
Sarah Polley, "Away from Her"
Ronald Harwood, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
** Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men" WINNER
Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood"

Original Screenplay
** Diablo Cody, "Juno" WINNER
Nancy Oliver, "Lars and the Real Girl"
Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton"
Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava and Jim Capobianco, "Ratatouille"
Tamara Jenkins, "The Savages."

Animated Feature Film
"Persepolis"
** "Ratatouille" WINNER
"Surf's Up"

Art Direction
"American Gangster"
"Atonement"
"The Golden Compass"
** "Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street" WINNER
"There Will Be Blood"

Cinematography
"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
"Atonement"
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
"No Country for Old Men"
** "There Will Be Blood" WINNER

Sound Mixing
** "The Bourne Ultimatum" WINNER
"No Country for Old Men"
"Ratatouille"
"3:10 to Yuma"
"Transformers"

Sound Editing
** "The Bourne Ultimatum" WINNER
"No Country for Old Men"
"Ratatouille"
"There Will Be Blood"
"Transformers"

Original Score
** "Atonement," Dario Marianelli WINNER
"The Kite Runner," Alberto Iglesias
"Michael Clayton," James Newton Howard
"Ratatouille," Michael Giacchino
"3:10 to Yuma," Marco Beltrami

Original Song
** "Falling Slowly" from "Once," Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova WINNER
"Happy Working Song" from "Enchanted," Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz
"Raise It Up" from "August Rush," Jamal Joseph, Charles Mack and Tevin Thomas
"So Close" from "Enchanted," Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz
"That's How You Know" from "Enchanted," Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz

Costume
"Across the Universe"
"Atonement"
** "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" WINNER
"La Vie en Rose"
"Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street"

Documentary Feature
"No End in Sight"
"Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience"
"Sicko"
** "Taxi to the Dark Side" WINNER
"War/Dance"

Documentary (short subject)
** "Freeheld" WINNER
"La Corona (The Crown)"
"Salim Baba"
"Sari's Mother"

Film Editing
** "The Bourne Ultimatum" WINNER
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
"Into the Wild"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"

Makeup
** "La Vie en Rose" WINNER
"Norbit"
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"

Animated Short Film
"I Met the Walrus"
"Madame Tutli-Putli"
"Meme Les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven)"
"My Love (Moya Lyubov)"
** "Peter & the Wolf" WINNER

Live Action Short Film
"At Night"
"Il Supplente (The Substitute)"
** "Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)" WINNER
"Tanghi Argentini"
"The Tonto Woman"

Visual Effects
** "The Golden Compass" WINNER
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"
"Transformers"

Romania has chosen the finalists for Eurovision 2008

2008-02-24T01:59:00.000-08:00

Romania will bbe represented this year at Eurovision 2008, which will take place in Belgrad, by Nico & Vlad Mirita, with the beautiful song "Pe-o margine de lume". The final took place yesterday night, and it was a tight result between the winners and the swedish band of tenors, Biondo, with the song "Shine". The public's favorites were Nic0& Vlad, but the jury gave higher grades to Biondo.
Let's hope Vlad & Nico will make a good impression in the Eurovision competition.

Here are the tho songs : the winner and the second place. You judge who do you think deserved the to be No 1.

Nico & Vlad Mirita

Biondo- Shine(2nd place)

J- LO has twins

2008-02-23T01:28:00.001-08:00

After years Jennifer Lopez wanted a baby, she gave birth to twins early Friday, making the singer and husband Marc Anthony the parents of a boy and a girl after one of pop music's most closely watched pregnancies.

Lopez representative Simon Fields told People magazine the babies were born at 12:45 a.m. on Long Island, with the 5-pound, 7-ounce girl arriving first, followed by her 6-pound brother minutes later. .

The exact location was not identified.

"Jennifer and Marc are delighted, thrilled and over the moon," Fields told the magazine.

Lopez' publicists and agent did not return telephone calls from The Associated Press early Friday.

Ending months of speculation, Lopez confirmed her pregnancy at a Miami, Florida, concert in November.

Her father, David Lopez, told Telefutura's "Escandalo TV" earlier this month that the 39-year-old singer was expecting twins.

Michael Moore and the Oscars

2008-02-21T23:34:00.000-08:00

Moore's Oscar-nominated documentary on the health-care industry, "Sicko", ends with a trip to Cuba, where he seeks health assistance for a group of 9/11 responders who have experienced serious health problems.

They are greeted with open arms at a Havana hospital and given what appears to be top-notch care that they could not get in the United States.

"Sicko" director Michael Moore suggested that Fidel Castro would be a "ratings grabber" at Sunday night's Academy Awards show.

Castro, who is 81 and in poor health, announced his retirement as president of Cuba this week, ending a half-century of autocratic rule.

"I got some great news today because I was trying to figure out how I was going to get Castro into the Oscars and for me he resigns today so he can come to L.A. and go as my guest and perhaps give the acceptance speech. As long as he keeps it under five hours. I'm telling you, that's got to be a ratings grabber. Can you imagine him? Showing up? If I could talk to (Oscar producer) Gil Cates and maybe get Castro in a dance number at the beginning of the show? Great."

Source : CNN.com

U.S. embassy attacked by Serbian protesters

2008-02-21T11:36:00.000-08:00

Angry Serbian demonstrators protesting against Kosovo's independence from Serbia attacked the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade on Thursday, throwing rocks, breaking windows and setting fires.

Serbian TV showed someone trying to set fire to the U.S. flag at the embassy, which was closed when the masked Serbian protesters attacked.

Police fired tear gas at the rioters and lines of armored vehicles were on the streets in order to calm the demostrators.

Sean McCormack, U.S. State Department spokesman said: "We are in contact with the Serbian government to ensure that they devote the appropriate assets to fulfill their international obligations to help protect diplomatic facilities in this case."

United States was among the first countries to offer official recognition of Kosovo's independence and its split from Serbia.

Chief editor of VIP magazine in Belgrade, Bratislaw Grubacic, said police reported 32 people injured, including 14 police officers.

Teresa Gould, a translator for Belgrade TV, said that the Croatian Embassy next door was also attacked (Croatria was also recognized Kosovo's independence). Police quickly rounded up the demonstrators, witnesses said.

The violence was part of a much bigger, peaceful demonstration where up to 150,000 people chanted 'Kosovo is Serbia," and promised they will never accept the province's independence.

Source : CNN.com

Shape the city of your dreams

2008-02-20T04:04:00.000-08:00

"Shaping the City of Your Dreams" is the name of an International Essay Competition, organized by The World Bank. In order to participate at this competition, you have to be between 18 and 25 (born between 1983 - 1990).

Awards include the grand prize of $5,000and runner-up prizes of $1,000. Authors of the best essays (finalists) will be invited to participate in the Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics (ABCDE) in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Theme of the essay is "Shaping the City of Your Dreams"

In 2007, the majority of people in the world, particularly in developing countries, will be living in urban areas. Life in the city is associated with more opportunities, better access to good jobs, high education, health and other services. The cities are centers of innovation, entrepreneurship and investment. But, on the other hand, many cities also have a large part of their population living in slums, without essential services such as water, sanitation and energy, and threatened by environmental hazards, violence and social exclusion. As more and more people move from the countryside to the city, and as city populations grow, there is a growing need for solutions to the issues of urban poverty, environment, and urban infrastructure (housing, roads, water, energy etc.).

Your essay should respond to these questions:

1) Think about the city you live in. What are the biggest opportunities and challenges for people living there?

2) What needs to be done to transform your city into the city of your dreams?

3) What could be your role, working together with your peers, in shaping the city of your dreams? Please focus on one or two points you mentioned in question 2).

More information here

Fidel Castro resignes

2008-02-20T00:03:00.000-08:00

Castro, who is 81 years old, revealed his plans of resigning in a letter published in the middle of the night in the online version of Cuba's state-run newspaper, Granma.

"I will not aspire to, nor will I accept the position of president of the council of state and commander in chief," Castro wrote. "I wish only to fight as a soldier of ideas. ... Perhaps my voice will be heard."

President Bush said Castro's decision ought to spark "a democratic transition" for Cuba.

"The international community should work with the Cuban people to begin to build institutions that are necessary for democracy and eventually this transition ought to lead to free and fair elections," Bush said Tuesday in Rwanda. "The United States will help the people of Cuba realize the blessings of liberty."

At age 32, Castro led a band of guerrillas who overthrew a corrupt dictatorship in 1959. He went on to become a thorn in Washington's side by embracing communism and cozying up to the Soviet Union.

Castro reigned in Havana with an iron hand, defying a U.S. economic embargo intended to dislodge him.

Source: CNN

Kosovo - The newest state in Europe

2008-02-19T03:45:00.000-08:00

The parliament of the province of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on Sunday 17 February 2008, triggering both street party and joy in the capital of Pristina and angry protests by Serbia and Russia. The move, sustained by the U.S. and most of European countries, came after a series of failed attempts to reach a compromise between Serbs and Kosovo's predominantly ethnic Albanians through direct talks or in the U.N. Security Council.

Kosovo's political status has been uncertain since 1999, when Serbian forces withdraw under NATO bombs. The province was then placed under United Nations control. Now, Kosovo's elected government is expected to assume more authority, although it will still be closely monitored by members of the newly established European Union mission. The EU will also provide much of the new nation's police force and judiciary, and some 17,000 NATO troops will continue to secure peace.

"We have waited for this day for a very long time," Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci told the parliament before reading the declaration at 3 p.m. on Sunday. "The independence of Kosovo marks the end of the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia," he said, adding that "Kosovo was a unique case that should not set a precedent." Outside, the crowd cheered in the biggest celebration Pristina has ever seen. Ethnic Albanians started their celebrations on Saturday, with cars circling the streets of the capital draped with the flags of Albania and the United States, dancing to the sound of traditional drums, and fireworks.

This was in stark contrast with the mood in Belgrade which was, at best, gloomy, as most Serbs see Kosovo as their historic heartland. Minutes after Thaci finished reading the declaration in Pristina, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica addressed the nation in Belgrade, declaring Kosvo's independence "null and void." "Kosovo's unilateral declaration of a false state is the final act of a policy that started with the NATO aggression against Serbia in 1999," the Prime Minister said in a televised speech spiked with harsh anti-Western sentiments. Most of Kostunica's anger was directed towards the United States in general and President George Bush in particular. "The President of the United States, who is responsible for this violation, will be noted in black letters in Serbian history books, along with his European followers," Kostunica said. Serbian pro-Western President Boris Tadic also condemned the independence move.

Hours later, several hundred angry protesters gathered in front of the U.S. Embassy in downtown Belgrade, wielding sticks and stones and chanting nationalist slogans. The anti-riot police dispersed the crowd, which then directed its anger towards the nearby McDonald's venue, trashed the windows, and threw a Molotov cocktail inside. The embassy of Slovenia, which recently took over the chairmanship of the Europen Union, was also trashed. All in all, according to official reports, some 30 persons were injured, including seven policemen.

There was some violence as well in Kosovo. In the predominantly Serbian town of Mitrovica in northern Kosovo, a hand grenade was thrown into the yard of a U.N.-occupied building, causing slight damage and injuring no one. Another grenade was found unexploded nearby, a U.N. police spokesman said. Also, some old orthodox churches were burnt by Albanians, as a protest against the Serbian people.

Apart from these minor incidents, fears that Kosovo's independence could trigger a wave of violence in the Balkans have so far not materialized. Serbia has announced that it will boycott Thaci's government as well as the newly established European Union mission to Kosovo. However, Belgrade stopped short of making any military threats towards the renegade province or the international peacekeepers. Serbia is also expected to withdraw ambassadors from any country that recognizes Kosovo, but will not completely severe diplomatic relations with any of them, according to diplomatic sources in Belgrade. The United States recognized the new state on Monday. The European Union is divided. France, Britain, Germany and Italy have all recognized Kosovo. But a number of countries may not, including Spain, Romania, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus and Slovakia. Russia will not recognize Kosovo as well.

Source : CNN

Failed satellite will be shot down onThursday

2008-02-19T02:38:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Navy will try to shoot down a faulty satellite on Thursday, one after the space shuttle Atlantis will land.

The officials say the idea is to leave as much time as possible, because in case of failure, a second attempt will be needed.

The satellite malfunctioned immediately after launch in December 2006, and it has a full tank of fuel, and if it should crash on land, it would disperse potentially deadly fumes over an area as big as two football fields.

The satellite will be shot down as soon as it enters Earth's atmosphere at an altitude of 150 milesbecause in this way they will ensure the satellite burns up quickly.

The cost for this operation is estimated at $40 million to $60 million.

Without this intervention, Pentagon officials sayd they calculated the satellite would come down on its own in early March, and it will cause a disaster on landing.

President Bush after consultation with several government and military officials has decided that striking up the satellite will be the best solution.

Source : CNN

The list of Oscar nominees

2008-02-19T01:11:00.000-08:00

Best Picture
"Atonement"
"Juno"
"There Will Be Blood"
"Michael Clayton"
"No Country for Old Men"

Best Male Actor
George Clooney, "Michael Clayton"
Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood"
Johnny Depp, "Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Tommy Lee Jones, "In the Valley of Elah"
Viggo Mortensen, "Eastern Promises"

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"
Julie Christie, "Away From Her"
Marion Cotillard, "La Vie en Rose"
Laura Linney, "The Savages"
Ellen Page, "Juno"

Best Supporting Actor
Casey Affleck, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
Javier Bardem, "No Country for Old Men"
Hal Holbrook, "Into the Wild"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Charlie Wilson's War"
Tom Wilkinson, "Michael Clayton"

Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett, "I'm Not There"
Ruby Dee, "American Gangster"
Saoirse Ronan, "Atonement"
Amy Ryan, "Gone Baby Gone"
Tilda Swinton, "Michael Clayton"

Director
Julian Schnabel, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Jason Reitman, "Juno"
Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton"
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"
Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood"

Foreign Film
"Beaufort," Israel
"The Counterfeiters," Austria
"Katyn," Poland
"Mongol," Kazakhstan
"12," Russia

Best Adapted Screenplay
Christopher Hampton, "Atonement"
Sarah Polley, "Away from Her"
Ronald Harwood, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"
Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood"

Live Action Short Film

"At Night"
"Il Supplente (The Substitute)"
"Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)"
"Tanghi Argentini"
"The Tonto Woman"

Visual Effects
"The Golden Compass"
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"
"Transformers"

Original Screenplay
Diablo Cody, "Juno"
Nancy Oliver, "Lars and the Real Girl"
Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton"
Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava and Jim Capobianco, "Ratatouille"
Tamara Jenkins, "The Savages."

Animated Feature Film
"Persepolis"
"Ratatouille"
"Surf's Up"

Art Direction
"American Gangster"
"Atonement"
"The Golden Compass"
"Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
"There Will Be Blood"

Cinematography
"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
"Atonement"
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"

Sound Mixing
"The Bourne Ultimatum"
"No Country for Old Men"
"Ratatouille"
"3:10 to Yuma"
"Transformers"

Sound Editing
"The Bourne Ultimatum"
"No Country for Old Men"
"Ratatouille"
"There Will Be Blood"
"Transformers"

Original Score
"Atonement," Dario Marianelli
"The Kite Runner," Alberto Iglesias
"Michael Clayton," James Newton Howard
"Ratatouille," Michael Giacchino
"3:10 to Yuma," Marco Beltrami

Original Song
"Falling Slowly" from "Once," Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
"Happy Working Song" from "Enchanted," Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz
"Raise It Up" from "August Rush," Nominees to be determined
"So Close" from "Enchanted," Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz
"That's How You Know" from "Enchanted," Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz

Costume
"Across the Universe"
"Atonement"
"Elizabeth: The Golden Age"
"La Vie en Rose"
"Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street"

Documentary Feature
"No End in Sight"
"Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience"
"Sicko"
"Taxi to the Dark Side"
"War/Dance"

Documentary (short subject)
"Freeheld"
"La Corona (The Crown)"
"Salim Baba"
"Sari's Mother"

Film Editing
"The Bourne Ultimatum"
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
"Into the Wild"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"

Makeup
"La Vie en Rose"
"Norbit"
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"

Animated Short Film
"I Met the Walrus"
"Madame Tutli-Putli"
"Meme Les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven)"
"My Love (Moya Lyubov)"
"Peter & the Wolf"