Controversy

Speaker Wire is a Confusing Product!

Recently I decided to buy some new speaker wire for my A/V Receiver. According to reports and brochures, the top-rated speaker wire you should use with an A/V Receiver is 12-gauge wire. The 12-gauge wire is useful for long wire runs and also useful on shorter wire runs because the larger amount of copper provides less resistance for electricity (a very good thing). But while doing research and examining products, I became very disappointed by the fact that key pieces of information are usually left out of speaker wire products.

I would like to clarify a few things about speaker wire. Ironically, as the "gauge" of the wire becomes smaller, the speaker wire actually increases in size. This improves the quality of the wire because it decreases the electrical resistance. Taking advantage of high-quality speaker wire can actually help give added life to your A/V Receiver or Amplifier.

One of the primary qualities often advertised by manufacturers of speaker wire is something called "Oxygen-Free" wire. The reason this feature is important is because oxygen can "oxidize" the copper in the wire. When speaker wire becomes oxidized (similar to rusted), it will increase the electrical resistance in the wire. Consequently, the sound quality will decrease and electrical problems in an amplifier may be generated.

I recently learned that one of the biggest problems with speaker wire is the way products are falsely advertised. I'm referring to the fact that a countless number of manufacturers advertise "Copper" speaker wire. But in reality the copper speaker wire has an aluminum core that is only "coated" with copper. If you buy 12-gauge aluminum wire that is coated with copper, it may only offer the benefits of 16-gauge "pure copper" wire.

Believe it or not, speaker wire gets even more confusing! The 12-gauge speaker wire that is recommended by home theater magazines is usually referring to the AWG (American Wire Gauge) standard of measurement. There are other forms of standards that are not universal in their measurements. For example, a manufacturer of speaker wire may advertise a 10-gauge speaker wire, but in reality it may only offer measurements seen by an AWG 12-gauge or AWG 14-gauge wire.

There are also dirty tactics that can be used in the world of speaker wire. Obviously the copper is the most expensive material used in speaker wire. Aluminum is the second most expensive material used in speaker wire, while plastic is the least expensive material used in speaker wire. Some manufacturer's of speaker wire use very thin copper wire or copper-coated wire, but they still advertise their product as 12-gauge.

The reason these manufacturers do this is because they use incredibly thick plastic wire to coat the metal in a cheap way. These manufacturers don't make their final standard of measurement until after the plastic has been placed over the wire. This is a very immoral thing to do because speaker wire is being sold for a higher price as if it were offering the quality of a higher product. In reality, the speaker wire is not offering high quality performance at all.

I still have not been able to find the following product that I truly do have a desire to purchase: AWG 12-Gauge Oxygen-Free 100% Copper Wire

I can tell you two things from personal experience, though. First, the speaker wire company called Monster Cable charges way too much money for their speaker wire product. Monster Cable doesn't even bother to list the gauge on their product! People who have measured the Monster Cable speaker wire have found it to be somewhere between 15-gauge and 16-gauge. I highly recommend that you purchase a different brand, simply because the only thing you are paying for is the advertisements of this company.

RCA actually makes the best speaker wire. This speaker wire is an AWG 14-Gauge Oxygen-Free 100% Copper Speaker Wire. This product is rated incredibly high by all users on websites such as Amazon.com. The speaker wire sold online costs far less than the prices seen in most retail stores. If you do need to buy this product at a retail store, I recommend ABC Warehouse because they are willing to negotiate with you if you buy several rolls. If only RCA were to release this product in AWG 12-Gauge, I would be the happiest camper in the world!

Does anyone know who makes an AWG 12-Gauge Oxygen-Free 100% Copper Speaker Wire?

Dr. Conrad Murray is Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter!

In the courtroom of the Honorable Judge Michael E. Pastor, Dr. Conrad Murray has been declared Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter.

This is obviously a very controversial issue. Please share your thoughts here.

I would like to officially offer my thoughts and prayers to the family, friends, and fans of Michael Jackson. I would also like to offer my thoughts and prayers to Dr. Conrad Murray and his family and friends. In my opinion, there is no real winner in this case.

Kim Kardashian Proves Again that She Has No Honor!

Kim Kardashian has been married for only 72 days, but she has now publicly announced her divorce. Kim Kardashian is known for being a slut -- someone who has an XXX-rated pornographic video of herself circulating online. In the same way that Kim Kardashian sacrificed her morals in order to gain publicity with a pornographic movie, she has once again sacrificed her morals and honor by making it clear that her word and her bond are worth absolutely nothing -- they both have no value in life.

Kim Kardashian simply doesn't grasp the concept that the words "Until death do us part," means you are supposed to stay married until at least one partner dies. In other words, you pledge your life to your partner. Marriage represents a pledge to establish trust based on reliable commitment. But anyone who bothers to keep up with the money-hungry Kardashian family knows that no form of commitment like that exists.

In reality, Kim Kardashian wanted two things from this wedding. First, she wanted the publicity for use in her reality shows and the media. Second, due to the fact that a prenuptial agreement was signed, Kim Kardashian asked for insanely overpriced wedding gifts from guests who could never afford such gifts. For example, the jam jars and ash trays that Kim Kardashian were asking for were about $1,000 each -- far more than the nice stuff you can get for a reasonable price at local retail stores. We can only guess how many of those overpriced items were immediately returned to the store for the money.

I'm not willing to offer any more space to Kim Kardashian, because I do not believe Kim or her family deserve the publicity. The only reason I have written this article is because I had previously written an article about the Kardashian family. I'd like to thank Kim Kardashian and her family for proving that their family has no honor. The one good role Kim Kardashian and her family play in today's society is that parents can point to the Kardashian family and tell their children "The Kardashians are the ones you don't want to be like in life!"

Thankfully, people of all ages -- including children -- already realize the Kardashians are not people they want to pattern their lives after. Even President Barack Obama does not let his daughters watch the reality programs following the dishonorable lives of the Kardashians. Hopefully, teachers, parents, and other authority figures follow the lead of President Obama in that particular area. Please feel free to share your thoughts on this subject.

International Embargo Needed to Help Caylee Anthony Receive Justice

Casey Anthony's legal representatives have made it clear that they acknowledge a profit on books and TV shows will not be made in America when they are initially released. These representatives of Casey Anthony specifically said they realize the boycott against any person or any business trying to gain financially from the death of Caylee Anthony would prevent a profit from being made. This means we have done an excellent job of helping Caylee Anthony obtain the justice she deserves. We worked together as a team, and I believe the Founding Fathers of the United States of America would be proud of us.

Unfortunately these businessmen are trying to gain financially from the death of Caylee Anthony, no matter where they need to do it. These immoral businessmen have now specifically said they plan on focusing on international markets to sell books and TV shows. These businessmen believe a boycott will not exist in those international markets.

The way I heard this situation described on television, Casey Anthony and her representatives will initially focus on the foreign markets for funding the books and funding made-for-TV movies. These immoral businessmen believe the revenue generated in the foreign markets will produce a profit. This means that from a financial point of view, American media organizations would see the books and TV shows as something they would be interested in due to the low risk that apparently exists on paper.

This is why we need to make it 100% clear to everyone in the world that any person or any business trying to gain financially from the death of Caylee Anthony will be boycotted! If you want to look at it from an international point of view, we will start referring to this situation as an embargo of any person or any business trying to gain financially from the death of Caylee Anthony. If a foreign nation is stupid enough to allow a made-for-TV movie to be filmed on their soil at a low price, it means Americans will boycott all products from that country to the point that it would be referred to as an embargo!

It is incredibly important that we stress the fact that it is not just the Caylee Anthony products and services that will be boycotted. We need to make it clear that we will cancel subscriptions to TV services, cancel subscriptions to magazines, no longer purchase products of any kind from retailers, etc. By being aggressive with this form of boycott and embargo we can continue to achieve success. I believe Caylee Anthony must be proud of the justice we have helped her achieve so far, but we aren’t done yet!

Boycott of Casey Anthony Starts Here – Sign Up NOW!

Casey Anthony was found not guilty for the murder of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. But there is no doubt Casey Anthony is guilty of this crime; she murdered her daughter. The very disturbing thing about the American justice system and the American media is that at this point in time Casey Anthony essentially has won the lottery! Casey Anthony has the potential to receive unlimited amounts of money from interviews, signing book deals, signing movie contracts, TV show appearances, and even being part of reality TV shows.

But there is one way we can prevent Casey Anthony from earning huge amounts of money at the expense of her daughter’s life. I am referring to what is defined as a boycott. We can work together to make sure that Casey Anthony does not earn money when books and interviews are published. Similarly, we can work together to make sure Casey Anthony does not earn money when movies and other programs appear on television.

The way to achieve a successful boycott is with numbers; we need to work together as a team. We need to encourage all of our family members and friends to sign up for this boycott. By officially signing up for a boycott, you are committing an action based on faith – your pledge that you will stay true to your personal belief that Casey Anthony does not deserve your money!

I, Michael Zoran, will be the first to officially pledge not to buy any book or magazine associated with Casey Anthony. I will also be the first to pledge not to watch any movie or TV show that is associated with Casey Anthony in any way. Even if Casey Anthony is not an actor in the movie, I still pledge not to watch that movie because I realize Casey Anthony will receive some form of income.

I encourage anyone and everyone reading this article to make a similar pledge, saying you "Pledge to boycott anything from anyone or any business trying to benefit financially from the death of innocent Caylee Anthony." If enough people make this commitment, the result will be a successful boycott. It is very important that we achieve this goal, working together as a society. This boycott will be the last opportunity for 2-year-old Caylee Anthony to receive the justice she deserves.

The simple fact is, there is a very sensitive part of a person’s body located below the belt. This part of the human body is more sensitive than any other body part. It is capable of producing large amounts of both pleasure and pain. I am referring to the wallet!

Caylee Anthony can have justice! But she desperately needs our help! Please, sign up for this boycott by writing a brief pledge similar to the one I wrote. By making this pledge and living up to your promise, you will provide a form of justice to Caylee Anthony.

Thank you for your time and your help. And thank you for signing up for this boycott. I encourage any celebrity or anyone else with lots of followers on Twitter or Facebook to spread the word about this boycott. God bless you, and God bless little Caylee.

Update: If anyone finds out about any particular products that need to be boycotted, please write to me in order to let me know. Then, I will post an update here in order to help people know which products to avoid purchasing. My email address is: [email protected]

Update 2: Our pledges to boycott anything associated with the financial gain of the death of Caylee Anthony are working. Today I learned that a pornographic company has officially withdrawn its offer to hire Casey Anthony to star in an XXX-rated movie. The executive said, "It has become obvious to us that Vivid fans, and people in general, want nothing to do with her and that includes a XXX movie."

As a Christian, I never thought I'd be saying this, but the pornographic film industry has set an excellent example for the rest of society to follow. Book publishers need to realize that if they sign a deal with the goal of financial gain from the death of Caylee Anthony, we will not just avoid the purchase of that product. We will boycott products from that entire company from that point on!

The same can be said for retailers such as Barnes & Noble and Amazon. If retailers sell a book dedicated to the financial gain of Caylee's death, it means they get a share of the money. Thus, we will be boycotting that store from that point on! We live in a free society, so if Casey wants to sell a book let her build a website and mail it to you. Retailers will lose our business if they try to financially gain from the death of Caylee Anthony.

Update 3: The Wall street journal has an article explaining that Jose Baez was signed by Paradigm Talent agency then dropped within 6 hours. Obviously, the capitalist business world we live in is feeling the heat from pledges to boycott any person or any business trying to gain financially from the death of innocent Caylee Anthony. Many of us are hitting the Advertisers and Media now to head off any future deals. Make your voice heard using the two links below to contact Advertisers and Media:

http://www.keepcaseybroke.com/boycott-letter.html - In particular, boycott ABC & Disney, since they have already given Casey Anthony and those associated with her $200,000. If it wasn't for ABC (using Disney as a form of dummy corporation), Casey Anthony would not have been able to pay for a defense team. Please do not watch ABC news or TV shows. And please do not watch Disney TV shows, attend Disney movies, or buy Disney movies on DVD.

http://www.parentstv.org/ptc/networks/main.asp - Contact Media networks to share your thoughts. Let them know that making a made-for-TV movie trying to benefit from the death of Cayle is a bad idea! I will eventually contact every one of them, proudly showing our group of pledges to boycott!

Update 4: Jerry Springer has offered Casey Anthony $1 Million if she and her family – George, Cindy, and Lee – will come on his show for an interview. We absolutely must boycott the Jerry Springer show starting NOW! Until Jerry Springer cancels this offer, we will not watch his program. If you want to contact the Jerry Springer show in order to point out you will never watch his show again if he tries to benefit financially from the death of Caylee Anthony, you can do so at this email address: [email protected]. I will be writing a message to Jerry Springer very soon using the power of our group of pledges to knock his greedy socks off.

Personally, I believe Jerry Springer doesn't have the ability to pay $1 million dollars if his life depended on it. I believe Jerry Springer is only using this $1 million offer as a form of publicity in order to increase his ratings. I believe Jerry Springer's plan is to eventually cancel the offer, saying he listened to the "fans," in an effort to increase his ratings. I believe this is a "form" of trying to benefit financially from the death of Caylee Anthony. This means, whether Jerry Springer withdraws his offer or not, it is a good idea to never watch Jerry Springer's TV show again.

Update 5: I just saw on TV that Jerry Springer has officially announced they never made an offer of $1 million to Casey Anthony. If Jerry says so, I guess we can believe him. Of course, the important thing is that Jerry Springer has made it clear that he wants no part of Casey Anthony. This is another round won by Caylee Anthony. If anyone or any business tries to gain financially from the death of Caylee Anthony, it means they will be boycotted!

Update 6: Please visit Change.org in order to sign two petitions to force government to do two things. First, enact Caylee’s Law – requiring parents to report missing children with 24 hours without facing felony charges. Second, keep Casey Anthony from being able to profit off the death of her child by signing “Say NO to Offering Casey Anthony Movie and Book Deals for Profit.”

Update 7: We need to visit Change.org and sign the petition called “The U.S. Supreme Court: Try Casey Anthony in Federal Court.” If this case is brought before the Federal Court, it will be an exception to double jeopardy. From the moment Casey Anthony lied to the FBI she was in violation of The Martha Stewart law. This is a federal offense that comes with a 5-year sentence for each count. First Degree Murder is also a federal offense. Please, we must not let this crime go unpunished. Sign this petition and give Caylee the justice she deserves.

Update 8: There is a new petition in place that prevents jurors from ever profiting from a court case. This will prevent bias associated with finance in the court room. Please sign this petition at this website: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/keep-jurors-from-profiting/

Update 9: I was shopping for some mandatory groceries and medical supplies at Meijer tonight with my mother. In the grocery line, my mom immediately noticed something. Absolutely none of the magazines or newspapers had anything to say about Casey Anthony! This is excellent news; it shows that reputable retailers like Meijer are listening to us. This also shows that magazines and newspapers don't want to risk losing customers as a result of trying to gain financially from the death of innocent Caylee Anthony. (Note: The rumor that Wal-Mart has signed a contract with Casey Anthony for a shirt deal is false).

Update 10: Boycott any and all books published by Trident Media Group. It's very easy to remember if you use some form of association. For example, if Casey Anthony were here you would "Try" to "Dent" her face with a punch. This is a long story, and you can read about it here. 

Update 11: Retailers beware! If you make the mistake of carrying Casey Anthony books, it will cost you! If either Barnes & Noble or Amazon sell one of those books, I will cancel memberships and cancel credit cards. If any store like Wal-Mart, Meijer, or Kroger sells a book about Casey Anthony, I will make sure to buy ALL grocery products from a smaller grocery store even if it means paying higher prices. I encourage each of you to do the same.

 "Comment" below to write your personal Pledge to Boycott anything from any man, woman, or business trying to gain financially from the death of innocent Caylee Anthony.

Is Kurt Angle Entering the 2012 Olympics for Publicity?

Kurt Angle is considered one of the best professional wrestlers of all time. Kurt Angle is also considered one of the best amateur wrestlers of all time. The résumé of Angle is incredibly impressive as both a professional and an amateur. Kurt Angle is a 14-time World Champion in various professional wrestling organizations, and he won a Gold medal in the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

Kurt Angle recently revealed that he is currently training for the 2012 Olympics. Some people have questioned whether a 43-year-old man has the strength, speed, and endurance needed to compete in the Olympics. Critics have said Kurt Angle is promoting his Olympic training as a form of publicity to help market the TNA wrestling organization. This would seem to make sense, considering TNA wrestling uses a marketing plan based on “Impact Wrestling” that is real.

What are your thoughts on this subject? Do you believe Kurt Angle is really going to compete in the Olympics? Do you believe Kurt will perform at a competitive level? Or do you believe Kurt Angle is doing this to help promote TNA Impact Wrestling on Spike TV?

Are Arts & Crafts Supplies Always Overpriced? Utrecht Says No!

I know several people who really enjoy various forms of arts and crafts. But I’ve noticed these can be expensive hobbies if you insist on buying supplies at retail. Certain stores make it seem like these expensive prices are what you always need to pay for supplies dealing with arts and crafts. Thankfully, I recently learned this is not the case!

Utrecht is an online company selling supplies associated with arts & crafts at very reasonable prices. Discount art supplies can be purchased from Utrecht at 70% off of the manufacturers suggested retail price. Similarly, craft art supplies can be purchased with huge discounts or even on clearance. Easels can also be purchased from Utrecht at prices much lower than what you see at retail stores.

All of the top products from all of the top brands can be purchased online at Utrecht. This is a wonderful thing because overpriced supplies are what often prevent talented people with various skills from taking advantage of their talents and skills. Currently there are some excellent sales and summer promotions for you to take advantage of at Utrecht.

For example, if you enter the coupon code of “WEB15” through June 9, you can save 15% off your purchase of $99 or more and get free shipping if the bill adds up to $150. Also, there is a summer sale where you can save up to 55% off of arches watercolor sheets and blocks. There is even a sale where you can save up to 75% off of Utrecht canvas, linen, brushes, and brush sets!

If you are someone who enjoys arts & crafts, please share your thoughts on this subject. Isn’t it nice to be able to enjoy a hobby when you have a valuable combination of talents and skills? Even if your skills aren’t “valuable,” you can still be proud of what you are working on without investing a lot of money thanks to a reasonable company like Utrecht.

Halo 4 and Halo Anniversary Edition Announced! - Visit My E3 Coverage

Microsoft sitting, watching Microsoft's press conference at E3, I heard some official announcements I expected to hear because of industry insider friends I have in the videogame industry. I also heard some announcements I didn't expect to hear -- and those announcements were really awesome! If you want to learn more about those announcements, come to my new Controversy blog devoted entirely to daily videogame news. Make you to subscribe to this new blog: www.controversy.typepad.com/videogamenews

I can tell you Microsoft did announce the awesome Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition many of us heard rumors about. And I'll also wet your appetite by telling you Halo 4 was announced! Some of my reliable industry insider friends told me this might happen. But even I was amazed when Microsoft said Halo 4 would be part of a "trilogy" of new games involving Spartan super-soldier John 117!

New England College of Business and Finance - Setting New Standards Online

In 1999 when I was 19 years old, I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I lost the ability to drive, which was truly disappointing considering I live in a small town with no public transportation. What’s worse is that I live in a country area where nothing is within walking distance. But thanks to online education, I was able to acquire various degrees and certificates at several different colleges and universities.

At the time I was diagnosed with epilepsy, I was enrolled in two classes at a local community college and the semester was about halfway over. Even though I was previously able to drive, I often complained that it took me so long to drive to the college and then drive back home. This was time which could have been used to study. Unfortunately, I was forced to drop one class since I could not find anyone to take me and pick me back up. But, I was able to get a ride from my mother in order to complete the other class.

After that semester was over, everyone I knew made it clear to me they would not be available to take me to college classes and then do grocery shopping or wait in a parking lot while I was in school. Back in 1999, I had absolutely no options available to further my college education. I didn’t know about online education at the time. I basically was forced to sit around the house very disappointed all day (just as I often do now, since I am still unemployed).

But in 2003 when I learned about online education, it really sparked an interest in my life! I enrolled online at Lansing Community College, where I eventually earned two associate’s degrees, in addition to three Microsoft Office Specialist certificates. I completed an online program where I earned a certificate in Time Management. I then went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a minor in Process Management from Franklin University – a school my sister and I graduated from and recommend you do NOT attend!

While I attended college online, I was very happy. I thought there was hope for the future. I literally was a double-time student – enrolled in up to nine classes at a time, earning a 4.0 in all of them! I saw this as a way to make up for lost time over the previous four years. I used this enthusiasm and hope as a source of fuel to study, do homework, and perform well on proctored tests.

Ever since I graduated, I have been trying to find work online. Sadly, I have not been able to do so. I can definitely confirm college improved all my skills associated with writing, math, finance, marketing, management, and entrepreneurial business. But I know that one in three degrees received by students each year is in some way related to business. In other words, business is an area with tough competition and may require a master’s degree in order to give you a competitive edge.

One of the best accredited online MBA programs I’ve seen is from the New England College of Business and Finance. I know having an online degree in finance can help you get a good job, because my sister worked at a bank where the manager of the entire bank had this type of degree. However, it really does seem like most of the jobs today list a bachelor’s degree as a requirement while saying a master’s degree is preferred.

I really like the way the New England College of Business and Finance is the first school in the United States to offer a compliance training program dedicated to ethics in the world of business. This graduate course allows you to receive a Master of Science in Business Ethics and Compliance – also known as an MBE. When you complete this program you significantly increase your opportunity for employment working as a financial consultant, compliance officer, or corporate auditor. You will be the one setting the cultural standards relating to business ethics for non-profit organizations you work with.

I also noticed the hospitality degree offered by the New England College of Business and Finance. This is essentially a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a specific focus on Hospitality Management. After doing some research, I learned this means you will be focused on gaining skills associated with hotel management, catering of food and beverages, event planning, and human resources.

I’ve known several people who worked at hotels and eventually worked their way up the ladder to impressive careers, enjoying their job the whole time. If this is an area you are interested in, it seems like this program will help you acquire all the skills needed in order to achieve your objectives. Plus, placing the emphasis of Hospitality on this bachelor’s degree can give your résumé an advantage over others in this niche market.

I can tell you that attending school online really is a great thing. You don’t need to waste money on gas, and you don’t need to waste time driving. I realize some people enjoy learning in a classroom – sometimes considering it a social activity. I also realize some people are involved in programs such as medicine and surgery where you need to see things in person. But I can tell from personal experience that the subjects associated with business are very enjoyable online.

Based on what I’ve seen online, it looks like the New England College of Business and Finance will be an excellent experience for students. If you have any thoughts or experiences to share about the New England College of Business and Finance, please do!

Al-Qaida militant killed in US strike in Pakistan - Direct from AP - Barack Obama Gets the Job Done Again!

By ISHTIAQ MEHSUD, Associated Press Ishtiaq Mehsud, Associated Press– 30 mins ago

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan – A top al-Qaida commander and possible replacement for Osama bin Laden was killed in an American drone-fired missile strike close to the Afghan border, a fax from the militant group he heads and a Pakistani intelligence official said Saturday.

Ilyas Kashmiri's apparent death is another blow to al-Qaida just over a month after bin Laden was killed by American commandos in a northwest Pakistani army town. Described by U.S. officials as al-Qaida's military operations chief in Pakistan, the 47-year-old Pakistani was one of five most-wanted militant leaders in the country, accused of a string of bloody attacks in South Asia, including the 2008 Mumbai massacre, as well as aiding plots in the West. Washington had offered a $5 million bounty for information leading to his location.

His death was not confirmed publicly by the United States or Pakistani officials. Verifying who has been killed in the drone strikes is difficult. Initial reports have turned out to be wrong in the past, including one in September 2009 that said Kashmiri had been killed. Sometimes they are never formally denied or confirmed by authorities here or in the United States.

But a fax from the militant group he was heading — Harakat-ul-Jihad al-Islami's feared "313 Brigade" — confirmed Kashmiri was "martyred" in the strike at 11:15 p.m. Friday in South Waziristan tribal region. It was sent to journalists in Peshawar.

"God willing, America, which is the 'pharaoh' of this, will soon see a revenge attack, and our real target is America," it said. The statement was handwritten written on a white page bearing name of the group, which has not previously communicated with the media.

The Pakistani official also said Kashmiri was among nine militants killed in the strike. He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with his agency's policy. On Friday night, officials said several missiles hit a compound. The official Saturday said the men were meeting in an apple orchard near the house when the missiles hit.

Kashmiri's name was on a list of militants that the United States and Pakistan recently agreed to jointly target, officials have said. The successful strike could help repair ties between the two countries that were badly damaged by the unilateral American raid, especially if Islamabad helped provide intelligence leading up to the attack.

Said to be blind in one eye and missing a finger, Kashmiri was one of the country's most accomplished — and vicious — militants. He fought with jihadi fighters in Afghanistan and in Indian-held Kashmir in the 1990s and was so close to al-Qaida's central command that he had been mentioned as a contender for replacing bin Laden, though many analysts thought the fact that he was not an Arab meant he was unlikely to get the post.

Indian officials have alleged he was involved in the 2008 Mumbai siege that killed more than 160 people. He has also been named a defendant in an American court over a planned attack on a Danish newspaper that published cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad in 2005.

In an ongoing terror trial in Chicago, testimony from an American-Pakistani militant has alleged that Kashmiri helped plan the Mumbai siege and wanted to attack U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin. Kashmiri had been angry over U.S. drone attacks inside Pakistan and wanted to target the company, David Coleman Headley testified.

Kashmiri has most recently been linked to last month's 18-hour assault on a naval base in Karachi. He is also accused of masterminding several bloody raids on Pakistan police and intelligence buildings in 2009 and 2010, as well as a failed assassination attempt against then-President Pervez Musharraf in 2003.

The U.S Department of State says he organized a 2006 suicide bombing against the U.S. consulate in Karachi that killed four people, including an American diplomat.

American drones began firing missiles at al-Qaida and Taliban targets along the border in 2005, but the attacks picked up pace in 2008 and have risen in frequency ever since. Pakistani army officers and politicians publicly protest them, too weak to admit to working with the ever unpopular America in targeting fellow Pakistanis, but the country's intelligence agencies have been known to occasionally provide targeting information.

Opposition to the strikes grew this year after a CIA contractor shot and killed two Pakistanis in the street, triggering ever more intense anti-American anger. After the bin Laden raid, which was seen by many here as an outrageous violation of the country's sovereignty, the parliament issued a declaration calling for the attacks to end.

Pakistani leaders were not immediately available for comment on Friday's attack. Kashmiri was accused of killing many Pakistanis, including police and army officers, so their public reaction may be muted.

The United States does not acknowledge the CIA-run program, though its officials have confirmed the death of high-value targets before, including the head of the Pakistani Taliban, Baitullah Mehsud, in 2009 — a strike welcomed by many Pakistan officials because he too was a sworn enemy of the country.

Washington says the strikes are accurately killing militants and are disrupting plots against the West as well as planned attacks on U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Metal Gear Solid HD Collection Package Coming to Xbox 360! - Remixed HD Graphics & 5.1 Sound

Breaking news from the World Wide Konami Press Conference, the Metal Gear Solid HD collection will be coming to the Xbox 360 in November of this year! The package will include High Definition versions of Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 3 and the formally PSP exclusive Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.

Kojima Productions unveiled the news in a very funny skit-like video featuring the sketch comedy group Mega 64. I couldn’t be happier with this announcement. The original Metal Gear Solid and its sequel are some of my favorite of all time. I rarely play them anymore, since their sound is outdated and they possess outdated graphics. But with graphics updated to high-definition and sound remixed to true 5.1, it will be a pleasure playing through the games again – particularly since I will earn Achievement Points along the way.

Hideo Kojima confirmed that he is in the planning stages of the “Next Metal Gear Solid Experience”. Speaking about the graphics engine for his next game, Kojima revealed it is called “The Fox Engine”. This new graphics engine is multiplatform for future titles.

The demo of the Fox Engine looked very impressive. The demo exhibited realistic foliage and dirt paths, but Kojima stressed that the engine is not using final assets from his next game. The items displayed were merely technical demonstrations, not actual software.

History has proven the Xbox 360 versions of the vast majority of multiplatform software ends up with better graphics and better online play than their PS3 counterparts. Even games as simple as Splinter Cell have proven this point. Whether or not the Xbox 360 version will be "noticably" better or "significantly" better remains to be seen. But like channel G4 said, "Even if the versions of a PS3 and Xbox 360 game are identical, it always makes sense to buy the Xbox 360 version because there are more people to play online with and a larger percentage of people online have headsets to chat with while playing." 

Controversy will have full coverage from the Konami conference at the Electronic Entertainment Expo!

Forza 4 Racing Uses Kinect Head-Tracking Features!

Forza Motorsport 4 will be the biggest and best racing game ever released when it is launched for Xbox 360 later this year. It isn't just the amazing graphics, huge selection of high-quality cars, or the incredibly large number of tracks available in Forza 4 that make it a special racing game. Forza Motorsport 4 will be the first game in this excellent franchise to be fully optimized for the Kinect motion-sensor accessory, which is now in the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest-selling electronics item ever! This is what we've been looking forward to all along!

We've known from the beginning Forza Motorsport 4 would allow us to drive by using our hands as the racing wheel. Kinect uses its motion-sensing abilities to accurately and precisely determine where we wanted to drive based on which direction we move our hands! We were told that when this feature is used the game will handle acceleration and braking responsibilities for us. This is a very simple setup many casual gamers will enjoy, especially kids, females, and older gamers.

But I'm starting to question what was said because of a new video Microsoft recently released. Microsoft has now revealed the motion-sensing abilities of Kinect will be used to track all of your head movements in order to add an even greater sense of realism to Forza Motorsport 4! This feature looks absolutely amazing in the video, and you can also see how stunning the graphics are in the game! Can you believe the graphics in Forza Motorsport 4 are even better than the current racing champion – Forza Motorsport 3!

But one thing in particular leaves a bit of controversy. In this video, you clearly see the brake pedal and gas pedal being used. These pedals are part of an accessory Microsoft discontinued several years ago -- a product that is now considered the greatest racing wheel ever released because it offered excellent force feedback. As an industry insider, this makes me wonder if I may see Microsoft start selling their force feedback steering wheel and brake/gas pedal accessory again. Or, will Microsoft sell only the brake pad and gas pad accessory this time, since Kinect will essentially be providing the wheel.

Please share your thoughts on this subject. Microsoft says they will be revealing other secrets about Forza 4 at E3. I know Gamestop and several other retailers give you a special group of great cars if you preorder the game right now. But, it wouldn't surprise me to see Microsoft release Forza Motorsport 4 in arcades. Here is a video for you to look at proving all this:

Do Wrestlers and Celebrities Lie About Their Height?

Based on what I’ve seen in the wrestling industry, it appears many of the wrestlers have lied about their height. This seems particularly true regarding wrestlers that have ever been associated with the WWE. It seems as though this is also true in Hollywood, where actors such as Arnold Schwarzenegger are criticized for lying about height and packing their shoes to raise height in a false way.

My dad enjoyed lifting weights his whole life and was even a Mr. Michigan bodybuilder. As you can imagine, my dad lifted weights in a lot of different gyms. Every once in a while my dad said professional wrestlers would come into the gyms. My dad always told me Hulk Hogan was about 6’3” tall. I didn’t want to believe my dad, because I was a big fan of Hulk Hogan.

As a kid, I had a wrestling card that said Hulk Hogan stood 6’8” tall. And in the movie Rocky III, Hulk Hogan played the role of a character named Thunder Lips. The announcer introduced Thunder Lips by telling the audience he stood “Nearly seven feet.” 6’8” tall was close enough to 7’ to keep me happy. Plus, Hulk Hogan really was far taller than Sylvester Stallone. But, as a kid, I didn’t know Stallone stood only 5’8” tall in real life.

A later wrestling card of Hollywood Hulk Hogan listed his height as 6’7” tall. I mentioned this to my dad and he said he didn’t care what that card said, he had seen Hulk Hogan in the gym before and he knew the guy was about 6’3” tall. My dad stood 6’2” tall and he said Hulk Hogan was only a little taller than him.

Here is where things get interesting. Troy Aikman is a former NFL Quarterback; we know he stands 6’4” tall. When you see Troy Aikman next to Hulk Hogan in commercials for Rent-a-Center, you can clearly see Troy Aikman is about one inch taller than Hulk Hogan. After all those years, I finally saw proof my dad was right! This also shows the Internet Movie Database is not a reliable source, because it currently lists Hulk Hogan’s height as 6’4.5” tall while Troy Aikman is listed as only 6’4” tall.

I later saw Hulk Hogan as a guest on Larry King, and I was surprised to see this issued discussed. Hulk Hogan told Larry King that at one point he did stand 6’7” tall, but currently stands 6’4” tall. Hogan said the reason why he lost height is because of several surgeries to his body, including two discs removed from his spine.

In theory, Hogan’s excuse for losing height seems valid to me. I have a cousin and a friend who both lost two inches from their height because of motorcycle accidents where two spinal discs were removed. But my dad told me Hulk Hogan was 6’3” in the 90’s, before these surgeries occurred and before these wrestling cards were printed. Also, the Rent-a-Center commercials show Hulk Hogan appears to be shorter than the 6’4” Troy Aikman.

Hulk Hogan is not alone when it comes to lying about heights. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is a wrestler whose height was listed as 6’5.” This seemed reasonable, since Dwayne Johnson played football for the University of Miami in college, where his height was listed as 6’5.” But when Hulk Hogan wrestled The Rock, we clearly saw Hogan was noticeably taller. Of all the universities participating in football, one of the worst known for violating rules and being penalized for it is the University of Miami. In other words, it wouldn’t be surprising if Dwayne Johnson lied about his height in college. If you look at the Internet Movie Database, Dwayne Johnson’s height is listed at 6’4” right now (looks like someone may have lied to try and cheat someone else out of a college scholarship).

Recently, I received several emails from TNA wrestling. I was invited backstage to meet some of the wrestlers. Hulk Hogan wasn’t there, so I can’t verify his height relative to mine. However, I can tell you there definitely are some problems with the way several professional wrestlers claim to be certain heights.

Based on my observations, it appears the height of a wrestler is dependant on which large organization the wrestler first billed his height. For example, Rob Van Dam is currently listed as 6’ 0” tall, which I believe is accurate. This is probably because RVD was originally billed as 6’ 0” tall. But Jeff Jarrett is currently billed as 6’1” tall by TNA, which is definitely wrong! At best, Jeff Jarrett is 5’10” tall, as the Internet Movie Database currently lists him at.

I believe this may have to do with the fact that the WWF originally said Jeff Jarrett was 6’1” tall. From that point on, Jeff Jarrett was obligated to bill himself as 6’1” tall. This form of exaggeration was something the WWF could get away with because they did it with all athletes. The Ultimate Warrior was billed as 6’4” tall, but really was only 6’1” tall (even though the Internet Movie Database says he is 6’3” tall). Hulk Hogan was billed as 6’8” tall, but was obviously shorter. Andre the Giant was bill as 7’4” tall, but really stood only 6’10” tall.

Once these wrestlers switch from one organization to another, those lies come back to haunt them. I want to show you a couple pictures which prove my point. I stand just under 6’3” tall with my shoes on, so keep that in mind.

In this picture with Rob Van Dam in the middle, I’m on the left – a TNA Elite guest! My mother is on the right, since she was one of the people I brought with me. As you can tell, RVD really is 6’0” tall, just as he claims to be. My mom is 5’4” tall and RVD towers above her. By the way, Rob Van Dam is an EXCELLENT human being and a nice guy. I truly hope he didn’t lose his tooth, as it appeared he did in this week’s episode of Impact Wrestling.

 
In this picture with Jeff Jarrett in the middle, the picture is a little blurry but you can clearly tell Jeff Jarrett is a little shorter than RVD. This is ironic, because Jeff Jarrett’s height on TNA is billed as 6’1” tall – one inch taller than Rob Van Dam! Jeff Jarrett was very nice to my family; he is a great guy. I think the lesson to be learned is that Jeff Jarrett is a phenomenal person as long as you don’t get on his bad side the way Kurt Angle has. This is why I’m convinced Jeff Jarrett and his lovely wife, Karen, must be telling the truth about all the bad things Kurt Angle has done. 
Abyss is one of my favorite wrestlers of all time. He is billed as 6’8” tall. I believe he may in fact be this tall. In fact, Abyss is so tall I was not able to get a picture with him because nobody I brought with me had the intelligence to take a picture vertically instead of horizontally. Here is a picture I took of my 5’4” mom next to Abyss. Notice how Abyss is leaning down over my mom (reducing his height by about three inches), yet he is still well over a foot taller than her. 
For the record, I’m very sorry RVD kicked out all four of Abyss’ teeth. When this picture was taken, Abyss had all of his teeth! Also, Abyss is a great guy and is very polite. My family and friends enjoyed spending time with him.

There were several other wrestlers I got to spend time with, but I was not able to get a picture with them. I can tell you AJ Styles bills his height as 5’10” tall, but is probably not that tall. Eric Young bills his height as 5’11” tall, but he wasn’t close to that tall. Generation Me – a tag team made up of Jeremy Buck and Max Buck – bill their heights as 5’10” tall. Those guys were the shortest ones in the room; they were only slightly taller than my mom! I believe both members of Generation Me are probably 5’7” tall.

With this in mind, there’s no doubt some of the wrestlers in the wrestling industry do not honestly reveal their height to the public. Some wrestlers, such as RVD and Jay Lethal, tell the truth about their height. Other wrestlers, such as Jeff Jarrett exaggerate slightly. Other wrestlers such as Andre the Giant and Eric Young exaggerate quite a bit.

Most of the time, exaggerations in the wrestling industry don’t matter. But there’s always a group of hardcore people who want to know the truth. When the numbers don’t line up, controversy is born. Thankfully, I – Michael Zoran, and my good looking friend – Kim Naroz, have solved this particular matter!

Next month, Kim Naroz will be interviewing several people from the videogame industry in an exclusive report. Just click “Add me to your TypePad people list” on the right-hand side of the screen below my picture in order to make sure you receive these high-profile controversial interviews answering dozens of questions asked by thousands of people over the last five years!

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These are some excellent electronics I strongly suggest you look at on Amazon!

Kinect Adds Simplicity to Games - Females and Kids LOVE it!

I used to wonder how certain games could possibly be played with Kinect rather than a controller. But now that I've seen the way several games are played, I can confidently tell you Kinect is going to make games far more popular with females, kids, and even older people, just like the Wii did. There is one reason for this: Simplicity.

Games become so much easier and better to play with Kinect. When you play Forza Motorsport 4 with Kinect, your only responsibility is using your hands as the steering wheel...and that's it. The game does the braking and acceleration for you. This type of simplicity is exactly what females and kids desire, because it brings back an arcade style of fun!

Hardcore gamers will probably want to stick with the complex motions of control pads and force-feedback race wheels. But most people really will love the added simplicity Kinect brings to the table. With Kinect, you won't need to spend hours mastering the complex techniques of every game. In Forza 4, you won't need to learn exact moments when you should brake, accelerate, and when you should start slowing down. Just use your hands to drive in a fun way and you will do just that -- have fun!

The same concept applies to games like Ghost Recon and Gears of War. When using Kinect, you won't be responsible for handling complex responsibilities such as running and dodging. You will control those parts of the game if you choose to use a control pad, but while using Kinect the game will do a lot of that stuff for you. When playing with Kinect, you will just need to do basic things like fire, reload, and switch weapons. This form of simplicity makes complex games fun for inexperienced gamers!

Kinect is currently in the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest-selling electronic item in history. I have no doubt the success of Kinect will continue in 2011. Kinect turns very deep games such as Forza Motorsport 4 and Ghost Recon into simple games anyone can start having fun with at any time, just like at an arcade.

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Hand-Painted Oil Painting Reproductions on Canvas

Art is something that has always interested me. Even though I was never a good artist or painter, I was always amazed how someone like Pablo Picasso could create such interesting artwork with his paintings. Over the course of time, I learned of other famous artists such as Vincent van Gogh and Leonardo da Vinci. I enjoyed hearing the stories behind these famous paintings just as much as I enjoyed looking at them.

I live in the “Blue Water Area” part of Michigan – known as the Great Lakes State since it touches four of the five Great Lakes plus Lake Saint Clair. Michigan has the largest freshwater coastline in the world. As you can imagine, I often see a wide variety of freighters, sailboats, and ferries. Similarly, I often see a wide variety of oil painting on canvas displaying images of ships, seagulls, bridges, beaches, and coastal points of view.

I know several people who enjoy sketching and painting, and then selling their work. There’s no doubt the work is very nice, but it is incredibly expensive. I was in a restaurant last week and I saw several paintings. I thought to myself, “Those paintings probably cost quite a bit of money.” High prices are what keep people like me from buying nice paintings and artwork.

Thankfully, I recently found an excellent place to buy hand-painted oil painting reproductions at very inexpensive prices. I even found a special coupon code giving you 10% off of any painting you want. Just enter: ARTLOVER in order to receive this 10% discount, in addition to free shipping and a 30-day guarantee of satisfaction.

You have no idea how cool the CheapOilPainting website is. For example, you can purchase 100% hand-painted reproductions of 511 different Vincent van Gogh’s paintings! These paintings aren’t just printed on some machine; they are reproduced in a high-quality hand-painted way.

You can even pick the size of the paintings you want, ranging from sizes like 16x24 to 40x60! After you choose the painting you are interested in, you can also select a variety of frames for these oil painting reproductions. The CheapOilPainting website accepts payment with all forms of credit card and PayPal, so you know it can be trusted.

The prices and sizes of paintings are so reasonable that I will probably try to convince my family to buy one from CheapOilPainting. I can think of several spots in the house where these paintings would look wonderful. The only problem now is, since there are thousands of high-quality paintings available, which one should I buy? How about you; what are some of your favorite paintings on this website?

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