Crape myrtles pack a summer punch

You've got to love a plant that blooms its head off in the heat of summer. And, this year, it seems the crape myrtles really have their party clothes on. "I think they have been especially wonderful this year too," LSU AgCenter horticulturist Denyse Cummins said in an e-mail answer to my question about best crape myrtle cultivars. Her picks? "I really think...

Al-Qaeda propaganda forum 'forced offline'

The al-Shamukh forum was used by the terror group to issue official statements, including its acknowledgement that Osama bin Laden was killed by US special forces in May, and video messages from his successor Ayman al-Zawahiri. But the website is now completely crippled after its address was revoked and then its contents were deleted from the server that hosted it in Malaysia. Its operators reported "technical difficulties" via...

Peacocks to release a royal wedding dress copy

Peacocks, the high street cheap-chic chain, is launching a budget-bride version of THAT royal wedding dress, for just £60. The dress, which will be the value fashion retailer's first-ever attempt at a bridal gown, will go on sale in August. The limited edition, white 'prom' wedding dress is very much an abbreviated, cut-price version of the Sarah Burton for...

Victoria Beckham launches new dress collection

Blame it on the hormones, the fact that she's expecting a girl, or simply that she's tired of wearing dresses that require six inch stilettos and a fierce attitude to pull off, but Victoria Beckham is finally embracing her girly side, announcing the launch of a new range of ultra-feminine dresses.Drawing inspiration from edgy teenage cartoon character 'Emily...

Where to Celebrate Independence Day Around Bergen County

Independence Day is fast approaching. The holiday, which marks the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, is most commonly associated with fireworks. But other celebrations, including parades and barbecues, are also common. By now you should know all about the happenings in Ridgewood on the 4th,but here is a list of some of the area events you can also celebrate. Paramus July 4 WeekendA fireworks show with free admission...

Top five Twitter tips for Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI sent his first ever tweet today to introduce a new Vatican news and information portal. Using an iPad he wrote: .bbpBox85740997933404160 {background:url(http://a3.twimg.com/profile_background_images/84591212/Immagine1.jpg) #C0DEED;padding:20px;} p.bbpTweet{background:#fff;padding:10px 12px 10px 12px;margin:0;min-height:48px;color:#000;font-size:18px...

Building a Web Business Brick by Brick

Someone strolling the Lower East Side of Manhattan is liable to spot a flier plastered with the face of a pugnacious Boston Terrier. That’s Monkey, the nominal guard dog of Any Old Iron, a year-old men’s clothing store that has quickly become a destination for shoppers, as well as a fixture on the local party scene. But what even most fans of the store don’t realize is that Any Old Iron is, in a sense, a gateway to a Web site. A lot of...

Aaron Carter Claims Michael Jackson Gave Him Drugs

Pop star and Dancing with the Stars contestant Aaron Carter has revealed some shocking news about the late Michael Jackson: The King of Pop gave him drugs when Aaron was just 15. Aaron, now 23, told OK! Magazine Australia: “I never talked about it… This is the first time. I do… I miss Michael… I have spent such incredible times with him. I did things with him that nobody else did… But I was also troubled about what he did to me.” What about...

Canada Day: William and Kate make their international married debut

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, popularly known as William and Kate, arrive in Canada on their first international visit today with two goals: to ease the prince and his commoner bride into their public lives as a married couple and to convince their subjects the monarchy is relevant and worth saving. The first should be easy. Canada has strong ties to the British monarchy and is considered a friendly place for the royal family to visit. The...

Heat index could hit ‘dangerous levels’ for 4th of July weekend

As the Fourth of July weekend approaches, weather forecasters are predicting that hot weather will hit the Southern California, with the heat index possibly approaching "dangerous levels," according to a statement from the National Weather Service. Although temperatures along the coast are expected to be a few degrees above normal, inland temperatures will see the greatest increase, warming five to 15 degrees above normal, weather service...

Justin Bieber Celebrates Javier Colon’s Win & His Google Chrome Commercial on ‘The Voice’

Justin Bieber was a big fan of The Voice last night for two reasons — his good friend Adam Levine‘s contestant Javier Colon won and his new Google Chrome commercial premiered during the show! “check out @NBCTheVoice tonight at 8PM EST to see our new #KIDRAUHL commercial with @googlechrome – and maybe support @adamlevine …maybe,” Justin Tweeted yesterday. Well, Justin’s commercial premiered with a bang and explains how Justin used the Web...

Jonathan Rhys Meyers Hospitalized in London

Jonathan Rhys Meyers was rushed to a London hospital Tuesday after he was found slumped on the floor of his home. Paramedics responded to an emergency call at the Tudors star's pad claiming the actor needed help, but he reportedly refused treatment for more than 30 minutes and police were called in to escort him to the hospital, Scotland Yard confirms to E! News. Meyers, who has battled drinking problems in the past, was believed to...

Can Creative Commons solve the digital rights problem?

The internet has made the sharing and remixing of content into a common pastime but copyright laws, first designed more than 400 years ago, have not kept up. Creative Commons attempts to change that and this week the organisation published a guide, The Power of Open, that shows exactly how the system works. Joi Ito, the chair of Creative Commons, told the Telegraph: “If you think about the success of the internet, it allows people...

MySpace's new owner: We know it’s not a sure thing

Colin Petrie-Norris, the international director of Specific Media - the advertising agency which has just purchased MySpace in conjunction with Justin Timberlake from News Corporation, told The Telegraph that the deal was “no slam dunk”. “We recognise that [buying MySpace] is no sure thing and not a slam dunk deal. It will be a considerable task [to...

After disappointing 2010, James Shields has been dominant for Tampa Bay Rays

Any way you slice it, James Shields was the Tampa Bay Rays’ worst starting pitcher in 2010. His 5.18 ERA was nearly a run higher than any of Tampa Bay’s other four regular starters, his 1.46 WHIP was also a rotation worst, and his staggeringly poor -1.3 WAR number was the worst of any Rays player – pitcher or otherwise. League-wide, Shields allowed the most earned runs (117) and total bases (410) in the majors, tied for the most hits allowed...

Buckhorn again raises eyebrows with talk about Tampa Bay Rays' future

TAMPA — Seems like every week Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn is thinking out loud about the future of the Tampa Bay Rays in ways that raise people's eyebrows. Buckhorn said in a radio interview Tuesday that he believes the team will leave St. Petersburg. "The Rays and the city of St. Petersburg are going to have to resolve their issues," Buckhorn told J.P. Peterson on WQYK-AM 1010. "There is a contract. And there are ways out of contracts. And...

Pippa Middleton cheers Andy Murray to victory

Rumours that Miss Middleton's relationship with the Old Etonian cricketer might have been over were fuelled when she was pictured out in the company of other men. Since the Royal Wedding, where her figure-hugging bridesmaid dress won her legions of new admirers, The Duchess of Cambridge's 27-year-old sister has enjoyed a high public profile but Mr...

Public sector strike hits across Britain

Port and airports are being affected, causing travel chaos for holidaymakers trying to head abroad. Anyone arriving in the UK today is likely to be among those facing long queues. The impact of the strike began to be felt as early as last night as border control staff refused to turn up for work. Early indications this morning were that the estimate of 750,000 strikers could prove to be accurate and some union officials said they...

Glenn Beck Mistakes Michele Bachmann for a Smart Person

Glenn Beck doesn't like a lot of things. You're probably one of those things, and so is Michele Bachmann's Good Morning America performance yesterday. But it wasn't her fault. It was the "hack" journalist's -- George Stephanopoulos. Stephanopoulos, or as Beck calls him, "Mr. Snuffleupagus," asked Bachmann the question: "You said ‘my voice is part of a movement to take back our country.’ From whom?" To which Bachmann replied: "Well...

Cyndi & Lady Gaga: fast friends.

Though decades apart, Cyndi Lauper and Lady Gaga have both ruled the pop music world. The pair, who share a passion for charity and an artistic view on life, have become close friends. Cyndi Lauper and Lady Gaga are two musical blondes with big hearts. The pair became fast friends while working together on the Viva Glam campaign for the MAC AIDS Fund. Speaking...

North Korea shuts down universities for 10 months

Pyongyang has told the North Korean people that the nation will have achieved its aim of becoming "a great, prosperous and powerful nation" in 2012, which marks the 100th anniversary of the founder of the reclusive state, Kim Il-sung. In addition, Kim Jong-il will turn 70 in February and the "Dear Leader" hopes to be able to transfer his power and an economically stronger nation to his son and heir-apparent, Kim Jong-Un.Reports...

Duchess of Cambridge china figurine is 'absolutely dreadful'

The miniature statue was created by the sculptor Carolyn Morton, who is currently on a trip to New York due to the interest the figurine has generated. However, the grey figure is far from the finished article and is unpainted and unvarnished. When complete, it is understood it will retail for £199 plus a £20 reservation fee. However, Dickie Arbiter,...

Wilco Solid Sound Festival: Weekend rich with pleasures

When Wilco took the stage amid a downpour at its Solid Sound Festival on Friday night, rain was steadily splashing about a foot in the air off the surface of the stage, and 5,000 to 6,000 concertgoers had pretty much pushed beyond any hope of staying dry, a sea of umbrellas and ponchos notwithstanding. But except for a delay in start-time -- softened by some banter between the weekend's comedy curator John Hodgeman and actor Justin...

How to find the perfect job

Over a third of British adults have not yet found the right career, according to research from our training partner Home Learning College. Help, however, is at hand. There are several things you can do to gain valuable insight that will help you make informed decisions when planning a career change.It’s all about youFirst and foremost, create a wish list, writing down all the things you want from a job and things you don't. The sort...

tranformer

Transformers: Dark of the Moon was just released for all major consoles and portable systems. In the PS3/Xbox 360 release we jump into a story that take place immediately before the start of the third film. Today we'll be reviewing the first chapter of the game. So, be sure to check back tomorrow for more Transformers goodness. Dark of the Moon begins with...

HP TouchPad tablet review

Wireless charging. Audio from Dr Dre. An operating system unlike that made by either Apple or Google. HP’s new tablet, the TouchPad, ought to have a lot going for it. It’s even got a magazine to tell you all about the best apps to buy. It feels solid, albeit slightly plasticky in the hand. At 740g, it’s slightly heavier than an Apple iPad or Samsung...

Ryan Tedder eyes new OneRepublic song for 2012

NEW YORK (Billboard) - After he finishes up a loaded songwriting slate that includes work with B.o.B, Carrie Underwood and Cobra Starship, Ryan Tedder plans on focusing solely on his band OneRepublic's follow-up to 2009 sophomore album "Waking Up." "We have probably eight or nine ideas, but we start the writing process for OneRepublic in about two weeks,...