Spartacus Star Andy Whitfield Dies at Age 39

Andy Whitfield used his well-muscled physique to bring excitement to Starz Entertainment’s "Spartacus" series. The actor who battled foes onscreen was also battling cancer, and on Sunday the non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma he’d been battling since being diagnosed in March, 2010 took his life. While Whitfield was born in Wales, he lived in Australia and began his acting career by working in television. Among the shows he acted in early in his career were "All Saints" and "Packed to the Rafters." Whitfield also engaged in modeling.

His big break came when he was cast in the Starz series, officially dubbed "Spartacus: Blood and Sand." The highly stylized show featured Whitfield as Spartacus, a man who is at the head of a rebellion against the Roman Empire. Whitfield had been undergoing treatment in New Zealand since last March, when he was first diagnosed. A few months later, it had been announced that he was cancer-free, but a relapse later in 2010 forced him off the show that was his breakthrough.

Whitfield’s wife, Vashti, issued a statement that confirmed the death of her husband, noting, "On a beautiful sunny Sydney morning, surrounded by his family, in the arms of his love wife, our beautiful young warrior Andy Whitfield lost his 18-month battle with lymphoma cancer. He passed peacefully surrounded by love. Thank you to all his fans whose love and support have helped carry him to this point. He will be remembered as the inspiring, courageous and gentle man, father and husband he was."

Taliban Forces Attack U.S. Embassy and NATO HQ in Kabul

At this point, there are no reports of casualties inside the U.S. embassy or among NATO staff at headquarters, but there are ongoing reports of gunfire and rocket-propelled grenade attacks, in addition to several unconfirmed reports of suicide bombers on the street. It is believed that Taliban insurgents took up positions in a high-rise building that is under construction near the U.S. embassy and that they began firing down upon the building from those positions. Afghan security forces and U.S. military support aircraft then began returning fire and the battle raged throughout the afternoon.

The attacks were launched only two days after the U.S. recognized the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks and illustrate the continued instability in Afghanistan, even in the heart of downtown Kabul. As U.S. security forces move closer to a final withdrawal date of the end of 2014, it's clear that there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done to ensure security and stability for the Afghan citizens who are left to function in the wake of a long U.S. occupation.

With Afghanistan and Pakistan becoming increasingly volatile in recent months, it's unclear just how stable the region can be made through the constant presence of a relatively small combat force from the U.S. and its allies. The social, political and religious tensions in the region are much stronger and much more of a problem than the U.S. occupation forces. And even with a well-armed and presumably well-trained Afghan security force in place, it's doubtful that such a unit will have incentives to remain unified and loyal to the task of maintaining order. With rogue government officials and increasingly hands-off U.S. oversight, the negative consequences seem all but assured.

George Anthony Tells Dr. Phil Casey Anthony Not Welcome in His Home

Dr. Phil began his much-anticipated sit-down interview with George and Cindy Anthony yesterday, with the show to air today, tomorrow and then again later in the month. Dr. Phil claimed that he wanted to ask them the questions that he thought most Americans would want to know if they could interview them, but we're still not sure of what the entirety of the interview included. At this point, we do know that Dr. Phil asked George Anthony about the allegations that he sexually molested Casey Anthony as a child and that it was his idea to cover up Caylee's death.

George Anthony did not appear to mince words when he said that his daughter would not be welcome in his home if he were there. And while that might appear to be a harsh stance to take toward one's own child, regardless of circumstance, Mr. Anthony is certainly justified in his position. Outside of the fact that it appears abundantly clear that his only daughter killed his only granddaughter, his daughter also introduced him as the primary reason why his granddaughter is dead. Regardless of father-daughter bonds, that's simply not forgivable.

Mr. Anthony seems to have come to terms with the fact that his daughter is seriously mentally ill and that she's not capable of normal social function at this time. Cindy Anthony, on the other hand, seems to want to wish the entire event away and took a much more conciliatory tone with Dr. Phil about her well wishes for Casey Anthony. Mrs. Anthony went so far as to say that she would like her daughter to become a mom once again, if she were healthy enough to do so.

After the interview, Dr. Phil said that he felt like Mr. Anthony was very "forthcoming", but that Cindy Anthony was "in a huge state of denial" about the events surrounding the death of her granddaughter.

U.S. Postal Service Undergoing Some Major Financial Troubles

The U.S. Postal Service, unbeknownst to many, operates as a quasi-private organization, with an operating budget that it must make the most of and a directive to cover all of its expenses. For years, however, the USPS has struggled to make money as the Internet and private carriers have chipped away at the money-making services it provides. Some have offered conjecture that deliveries will stop on Saturdays in order to cut costs, while still others think the service may go the way of the Dodo bird. Tony Conway, who leads the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers, notes that if the USPS were to go away, "a lot of people would miss it."

That goes double for businesses, some of which rely on the post office’s relatively cheap rates to mail massive amounts of correspondence annually. While detractors note that private carriers could pick up the slack if the USPS went under, there are various parts of the country that receive no private carriers, and are reliant on the service to receive mail.

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe has been struggling for a while to keep the USPS afloat, but he insists that the organization is not going under. A spokesman for the service noted, "The Postal Service is not going out of business. We will continue to deliver the mail as we have for more than 200 years. The postmaster general has developed a plan that will return the Postal Service to financial stability. We continue to do what we can on our own to achieve this plan and we need Congress to do its part to get us there."

For Back to the Future Fans, "Air McFlys" Now Available

For those who came of age in the 1980s, there are a number of iconic songs, television shows, movies and events that may meld together in your minds. A montage of sorts. But, whether you loved or hated the movie, "Back to the Future," which starred a young Michael J. Fox, is definitely part of the collective consciousness of 30-somethings and 40-somethings. Now, for those who wax nostalgic for the days of yore, the creators of that film will have a little something special for those inclined to make the purchase.

The shoes that Fox’s character, Marty McFly, wore in "Back to the Future Part II" will now go into limited production and be available for sale on a limited basis. Fox appeared on "Late Night with David Letterman" last week and actually wore a pair of the limited edition shoes, previously referred to as Nike Air Mag in the film but now referred to as "Air McFlys." In total, 1,500 pairs of the shoes will be produced and auctioned on eBay. The proceeds will go to Fox’s Parkinson’s disease research foundation.

According to Fox, the shoes will appeal to a rather large base. Said Fox, "It’s kind of cool because it brings together three populations of people with major joneses. The sneaker-heads who love sneakers, the ‘Back to the Future’ guys who, believe me, are out of their minds, in a good way, thank God for them. And people in the Parkinson’s community." Back to the Future writer Bob Gale has been a champion of the new shoes, though that shouldn’t be much of a surprise, since he turned the "Mr. Fusion" from the film into a desk lamp. For those who want a pair of the shoes…well, you’ll have to have plenty of cash. With only 1,500 pairs to be created, they’re sure to fetch a pretty penny.

Interesting Facts about Vervet Monkey

The vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) is one of the most common monkeys found in eastern Africa, ranging from Sudan to the southern tip of South Africa. They abound in savannas, forests and even lofty mountains. Being highly adaptable, they can even be found close to human dwellings and urban habitats. This species is also found in the Caribbean islands of Barbados and St. Kitts where they were originally introduced as pets.

Adult vervet monkeys are larger than the females, and weigh approximately 12 lb, whereas females weigh somewhere between 10 and 12 lb. Vervet monkeys eat many different types of fruits, flowers, and seeds. Figs are their favorite fruit. If vegetation is scarce, they will even eat birds' eggs, small chicks and birds, and small insects like grasshoppers. Vervets living close to human populations can be a pest and are known to raid fields of maize and destroy other crops.

Interesting Facts about the Vervet Monkey

• Vervet monkey is distinguished by its characteristic black face, bordered by a white fringe.
• These animals are gregarious and live in groups called troops of 40-80, mostly made up of adult females and their offspring. Social hierarchy is very strictly followed in troops. A juvenile's status in a troop is determined by its mother's. Even adult vervets are relegated to lower ranks and have to obey younger monkeys with a higher social status. This hierarchy is very important for the vervets' survival because it controls the relationships, and mating and feeding habits.
• Vervet monkeys are born with a pink face and black hair. They take on the grayish-green color like that of the adults after 4 months.
• Male vervets have a blue scrotum and bright red penis.
• Young vervet monkeys can be mischievous and purposefully give wrong calls and wait and watch how the adults will respond to such behavior! Female monkeys are known to discipline the young ones for such conduct.
• Young monkeys are very playful, and their favorite activities are chasing one another and pushing each other down from the branches of trees.
• Vervets are excellent jumpers and swimmers.
• Vervets have evolved a unique alarm call, wherein they alert members of their troops of impending predators with clear-cut calls for different animals of prey, like eagle or leopard. Juvenile vervet monkeys inherit an inborn ability to mimic these warning signals.
• Male vervets emit a shrill sound when marking their territories, and females produce a high-pitched squeal to reject any unwanted advances from males during mating.
• Immediately after birth, the female licks the baby clean and eats up the placenta.
• Adult females look after their young ones, and do not have another offspring till the baby grows up and is mature enough to fend for itself. If she happens to lose her baby, she will mourn for days together, and try to conceive as soon as possible to revive the mother-child bonding experience.
• Female vervet monkeys form close social bonds with other females from an early age. As they attain maturity, they even look after and care for a newborn provided the mother readily agrees to leave it in their care.
• As with other monkeys, grooming is an important aspect of vervets. They groom each other by removing lodged dirt and bugs from other vervets' fur.
• Vervet monkeys are hunted down for bushmeat.
• These monkeys are used in laboratory and biomedical research and tissue of the vervet monkeys is used to prepare polio vaccines.

Even though vervet monkeys are not an endangered species, their population has seen a decline in recent years. Troops living close to human habitation are sometimes killed by high-tension power lines, and people are known to poison them and even shoot them. They are captured for their use in medical research. The bushmeat trade has also contributed to the dwindling population. Deforestation should also be avoided, so we do not disturb their natural habitat. A lot of organizations are involved in conserving vervet monkeys. Together, we should work to safeguard their habitat so these animals can rightfully live and thrive in the African forests.

Islamic Jihadists Using 9/11 Mosque Protests as Recruiting Tool

With the protests surrounding the planned Islamic Community Center at the site of the 9/11 terrorist attacks reaching a fever pitch, an unforeseen but perhaps inevitable opportunity has arisen for Islamic extremists. Seizing on the vitriol and hate that is seemingly coming from the protest of a planned mosque near Ground Zero, jihadists are using the apparent "hatred of Islam" to recruit new terrorists in the fight against the U.S. and the West. One jihadist website notes, "By Allah, the wards are heated and you Americans are the ones who enflamed it. By Allah you will be the first to taste its flames."

While U.S. anti-terrorist officials see no specific evidence that the protests are hurting U.S. efforts worldwide, information about the recruiting efforts is in short supply. A U.S. official recently noted that the chatter was being taken seriously, however, saying, "Terrorists like al-Qaeda and its violent allies are motivated already to try to attack the United States, but when it comes to propaganda, extremists are pure opportunists. They’ll use whatever they can."

Of course, many who oppose the mosque and community center say they have no bias against Islam, but feel that putting such a building at the Ground Zero location would be extremely insensitive to those who lost loved ones on 9/11. Still, regardless of intent, Evan Kohlmann, an independent terrorism consultant, says, "We are handing al-Qaeda a propaganda coup, an absolute propaganda coup." Others, including no less a central figure than Newt Gingrich, disagree. Says Gingrich, "We will never win a war when we are afraid to even name our enemies."

Basic Information About Bottle Feeding

Many women feel that breastfeeding a baby helps develop a closer mother-child bond, as compared to bottle feeding. But that's not entirely true. When you bottle feed you do get a chance to hold your baby close to your body and nurture and strengthen the relationship with him. There could be various reasons for introducing a baby to a bottle. Maybe the mother needs to get back to work and hence the baby needs to start off on a bottle, the mother has some physical ailment which makes it impossible to breastfeed, or it could be time to wean the baby from the breast to a bottle. Whatever the reason, you should be fully aware of the bottle feeding techniques which will ensure the safety and good health of your infant. For a newborn, it's fairly easy to start off on a bottle, whereas for a breastfed baby, introducing a bottle can be as easy as a pie, or turn out to be a nightmare for some parents.

Introducing the Baby to a Bottle
There is no fixed time for this. Every baby is unique, and as the mother, you are probably the best person to judge when your kid should start using a bottle. A sign that your baby might be ready for it is when he nurses less than usual. It's not just the baby, weaning an infant can be hard for the mother too. So give it a good thought before you think of starting the bottle, keeping yours and your baby's needs in mind. As much as breastfeeding has its advantages, bottle feeding scores when another caregiver, especially the dad can also hold and feed the baby. To make the switch easier, start with combination feeding, breastfeeding thrice a day, and the remaining times use a bottle. Begin by feeding your baby expressed milk, and then slowly transition to formula. Breast milk is easier to digest than formula, so the feeding frequency and bowel movements too change accordingly. The transition phase may be stressful for your infant, so hold and cuddle your baby more. Never ever quit breastfeeding cold turkey!

Choosing the Right Baby Bottles
Baby bottles are available in both plastic and glass. The advantage of plastic bottles is they are much lighter and do not break. If you opt for plastic bottles, look for ones that are labeled BPA-free.

Bottle nipples are either made from silicone or latex and available in several sizes. Whichever material you use, ensure that the size of the hole is right, and the flow of the liquid through it isn't too less or too much. You can check how the liquid flows from the nipple. Fill the bottle with water, attach the nipple and invert it. You should get a steady drip. The water should not rush out, nor should it be so slow that you have to shake the bottle hard. You may want to try using a few till you realize which fits your baby's needs best. With prolonged use, nipples can get worn out and even fade in color. Discard them immediately.

Sterilizing Baby Bottles
Before initial use you must sterilize the baby bottle, including other parts like the lid, nipples, and any cap that may come with it. Boil water in a large pot and while it continues to boil, immerse all the bottle parts in it for 5 minutes. For subsequent use, after every feed, wash everything using hot water and a mild soap. Properly clean the nipple hole by squirting water a few times through it. Bottles can also be washed in a dishwasher.

Preparing the Formula
For formula preparation, follow the manufacturer's instructions. Do not add extra formula and do not dilute it either. Always use iron-fortified formula. Use boiled water that has been cooled down. Always use water that is lukewarm or at room temperature. If your baby prefers warm water, fill the bottle with warm water before you add the formula. Or immerse the bottle in hot water for a few seconds to warm up the contents. Never add cold water and microwave the bottle. Microwave heats food unevenly, and your baby could be at a risk of scalding his mouth. The bottle might even explode inside the microwave.

After you have prepared the formula, shake the bottle well, and do a temperature test. Allow a drop to trickle on the back of your palm or the inside of your wrist and see how warm it is. Unused formula should be refrigerated right away. Do not use prepared formula that has been lying in the bottle, unrefrigerated for over an hour.

Positioning the Baby
Before you hold the baby, make sure you are sitting comfortably. Tie a bib around the baby. Now pick up the baby and hold him close, at a slight incline (the head should be higher than the rest of the body). This prevents the buildup of gas when the baby is drinking. Put the nipple against the baby's lips and hold the bottle such that the neck of the bottle is filled with the milk. Support your baby's head throughout the feed. Never feed a baby who's lying on his back. This is dangerous as babies can choke and such feeding puts them at greater risk of ear infections. Never leave the baby alone with a bottle, propped up against a pillow.

How Much Milk Should the Baby Drink
For a newborn, start off with not more than 2 ounces for a single feeding. Increase the quantity gradually, when your baby finishes all at one go and look for cues that he is hungry for more. A hungry infant might continue to suck even after emptying the bottle. In such a case, offer more milk or formula. For an infant that has made the switch to a bottle, give him as many ounces of milk as half his weight. Don't expect your baby to finish everything at one go, and don't force it either. Babies instinctively know when they are full, and will stop feeding automatically by turning away their mouths and looking uninterested. If you are worried whether your baby has had enough milk, notice the signs which tell you he is feeling contented after a feeding and check whether he is gaining weight regularly.

Once the baby has finished feeding, you must burp the baby. At all times keep a burp cloth ready. Gently put the baby on his stomach over a burp cloth and slide your hands over his back a few times till you hear a burp. Or hold him such that his head is over your shoulder, and pat his back gently. You might want to drape the burp cloth over your shoulder when you burp him this way. Babies might not always emit an audible burp. But rubbing your hands over his back and patting him will eliminate the buildup of air bubbles from his body.

When and how to start bottle feeding should be entirely a personal choice, and not influenced by what others say or think. Every baby will have his unique feeding schedule and it will be some time before both you and the baby adjust to it. If you have any doubts, voice them to the pediatrician, he or she is the best person to guide you when it comes to the well-being of your baby.

What are Solar Updraft Towers

A solar updraft tower is nothing but a power plant that makes use of two natural sources of energy, namely wind energy and solar energy, to generate electricity. The technology behind the working of a solar updraft tower is still in its prototype or experimental stage with plans to construct towers as tall as 3000 feet or more, to harness wind power and energy of the sun. The concept of a solar updraft tower first came up in 1903. A solar updraft tower makes use of the physical phenomena of air flow due to convection and greenhouse effect.

Does the energy generating capacity of a solar updraft tower depend on the height of the tower alone? Not exactly, because the area of the collector region at the base of the chimney or tower also counts; the greater the collector area, the higher the amount of electricity generated. Talking about towers so tall, one might wonder what are such towers made of. Well, the basic structure of a solar tower is made using reinforced concrete. Since the tower makes use of the greenhouse effect to heat up the air, a part of the collector area is surrounded by glass which captures heat.

Information About Solar Updraft Towers

In this section, we shall learn more about a solar updraft tower, how it works and the benefits of using one as compared to conventional power plants.

How Does a Solar Updraft Tower Work?

The solar updraft tower works on a very simple process of air flow due to convection currents. The base of the tower or the collector region, is made of transparent, clear glass. Sunlight penetrates through the glass and on hitting the ground, gets converted to heat energy. The heat generated by the rays of the sun hitting the ground, causes the air surrounding the base to get heated up as well. We know that hot air is denser than cold air and so the air in the collector region, which is at a high temperature, rises up through the tower, causing a low pressure to develop in the collector region. Since air flows towards a region of low pressure, air from outside rushes into the collector, causing the turbines on its path to rotate. The speed with which the turbines rotate is determined by the speed with which the hot air rises up the tower, which in turn is directly proportional to the amount of solar radiation entering the collector region.

A solar updraft tower functions not only during the day, but also at night; the only difference being that after sunset, the air in the collector is heated indirectly using heat released from preheated water. There are containers filled with water placed inside the collector, which serve as a "storehouse of energy". The water in these containers gets heated up as a result of being exposed to solar radiation throughout the day and at night this accumulated heat is released to power the solar updraft tower. Note that larger the collector area, more will be the volume of air contained in it and so when this air rises up, more volume of air shall flow into the collector, making the turbines turn more rapidly.

Advantages of a Solar Updraft Tower

The solar updraft tower has many advantages and these are mentioned as under.

• It is relatively easier to construct a solar updraft tower as compared to a thermal or nuclear power plant.
• It is economical due to low cost of installation and low running costs.
• Unlike a nuclear power plant, where there is a danger of explosion, a solar power plant such as an updraft tower is relatively safe for the people living in the area adjacent to the tower.
• The simplicity of the structure makes it easy to install even in the developing and under developing countries where advanced technology and infrastructure is not available.
• Unlike a solar cell that functions only when exposed to a particular intensity of light, a solar tower works effectively even in the absence of direct sunlight i.e., when the weather is cloudy.

The solar updraft tower has some drawbacks as well and chief among them is the fact that it requires a very large area to construct one. Secondly, the solar updraft tower, in its present form, is not as efficient as other conventional power plants. However, these drawbacks can be overcome to some extent by utilizing deserts and wastelands for the purpose, and installing these towers in areas that experience extremes of temperature and very little rainfall.

The first prototype of the solar updraft tower was built in Spain, near the capital city of Madrid, in 1982. The world's tallest solar updraft tower is slated to rise to an astounding height of 2600 feet and will be built in Arizona in the U.S. by an Australian company, EnviroMission. When working to its full capacity, it would have the potential to "light up"around 200,000 homes!

More Talk of Greece Exiting the European Union after Not Meeting Austerity Benchmarks

An analyst for UBS succinctly described the Euro Zone as the Hotel California, a song by The Eagles in the 1970s. The song lyrics describe the hotel as a place where "you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave." That description seems to be appropriate for the nations like Greece, Italy, Ireland, Portugal and Spain who are struggling to maintain their benchmark deficit reduction goals in order to maintain their inclusion in the European Union.

Unfortunately for Greece - and for all of the members of the Euro Zone, there is not structure in place for a country to leave the Euro, or to even be expelled from the Euro. Because of the common currency and the financial inter-dependence of all the nations of the Euro, if Greece were to exit, the strain would almost certainly force nations like Italy, Spain and the others to follow suit. That would essentially destroy the Euro Zone and its fragile economy and currency. And ultimately, that might be the best thing for the global economy.

The Euro Zone is essentially a loosely connected United States of Europe, except that it contains entire nations with deep historical and cultural foundations that make them much less connected then the United States of America, for example. As a result, there is much less true unity among the nations of the Euro. Their initial union was one borne of a desire for more financial and economic clout in trying to compete with the U.S. and China for global market share.

Now that the global economy is struggling, the Euro's weaknesses have been exposed and the entire experiment is facing a serious crisis. Because of inherent flaws in the structure of the Euro Zone, there is no real incentive for Greece - or any other member nation - to enforce the types of hard-line austerity measures required to get their deficit problems under control. In a matter of speaking, the weaker, poorer countries have nothing to lose in the game - their economies have essentially crumbled already.

If the big players like Germany and France decide to let them fail, it will be Germany and France who bear the financial brunt of Greece's exit from the Euro - but by continuing to carry them, the future consequences could be far greater.

Judge Approves Lawsuit Against Madonna Related to Noise Complaints

On one hand, having a celebrity of Madonna's status as a neighbor might be fun and interesting. After all, she's one of the most recognized and accomplished entertainers in the world - and for the most part she seems like a nice person. Of course, if Madonna is using her adjoining apartment as a dance and music studio with blaring music and constant stomping on the floor - as a recent lawsuit contends - then things might not be so rosy. That seems to be what is transpiring in Madonna's New York apartment complex.

A judge ruled yesterday that the lawsuit filed against Madonna and the co-op where her apartment resides will be allowed to move forward based on the evidence provided. Madonna and the building owners claim that Madonna never violated existing noise ordinances, but that may not be the deciding factor if terms of the various leases dictate otherwise.

While it may not be illegal for Madonna to make noise in her apartment during certain hours of the day, there may be a clause in the lease of her offended neighbor that entitles him or her to quiet enjoyment of their own premises. If said quiet enjoyment is infringed upon by Madonna's activities, then she has a valid complaint. Of course, the complaint may not ultimately be Madonna's to rectify - and it's likely that she will not face anything other than a potential order stating that she can't use her apartment as a studio - or placing restrictions on the noise level and hours of the day she might use the space as such.

Ultimately, it might be much easier for Madonna and her neighbor if the star decided to use one of the many studios in the area for her needs. Everyone loves to work from home - sometimes - but overall it can be a drag.

U.S. Pursues Credible Terrorist Plot Targeting September 11

There are no specifics being offered by U.S. officials and lawmakers about a credible terrorist threat that is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and various U.S. intelligence agencies. Some rumors have circulated that the threat originated in the tribal regions of Pakistan and that it involved truck bombs that would be detonated in New York and Washington DC on or around September 11. Reports airing last night suggested that at least three persons of interest entered the U.S. sometime in August with the intention of carrying out or aiding in the execution of coordinated attacks.

Reports from ABC News suggested that officials were searching for two moving trucks that were rented from a location in Missouri in recent days, with the implication that the trucks might eventually be packed with explosives. At this point, officials are remaining tight-lipped about the details of the threat and almost everyone is tempering their language with the idea that credible threats such as these often amount to nothing once a complete investigation has taken place.

Given the national significance of the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, however, it's understandable if officials and law enforcement are erring on the side of caution with regards to this particular threat. One could imagine few things more disheartening for a struggling nation than to be attacked yet again on the 10th anniversary of one of the darkest days in the history of the United States. With the lives and resources that have been expended attempting to secure the nation, a new attack would surely create questions and fears that no one wants to face.

Kardashian sex tape buyer still anonymous

The owner of the reputed Kim Kardashian sex video says the prospective buyer of the tape is not connected to the reality television star.

Steve Hirsch told TMZ.com he has been negotiating with a proxy, who insists the buyer is not Kim herself or anyone associated with her.

Hirsch, who wants $30 million for the steamy video, said, "It made sense the entire time it would be Kim, but it appears it is not."

That jibes with sources in the Kardashian camp who have insisted Kim isn't dealing with Hirsch, although she is anxious to find out who the mystery buyer is.

Hirsch said he was told the buyer's identity and reasons for going to such trouble and expense once a sale is finalized. Hirsch cautioned the two sides are still far apart on price.

Ripa not expecting another Regis

Kelly Ripa says whoever replaces Regis Philbin as co-host of their venerable U.S. daytime television won't be another Regis.

Philbin, 80, will leave "Live! With Regis and Kelly" next month after hosting the show since its debut in 1983.

"I don't think anybody can fill his shoes," Ripa told Parade. "It will have to be somebody entirely different."

Ripa predicted her new partner would probably just fall into the job much the same way she settled into Kathy Lee Gifford's old chair. "I was filling in for somebody who was filling in and it just clicked," she said. "It worked for us and I think that when it clicks and when it works, everybody will know."

In the meantime, Ripa, the show's producers and the loyal viewers of "Live!" have been reminiscing about Philbin's long career. "To see our audience really re-appreciate Regis is a wonderful thing."

Princess Beatrice graduates college

Britain's Princess Beatrice graduated from college this week and will embark on a series of internships, Buckingham Palace announced.

Beatrice took part in Friday's commencement exercises at the University of London's Goldsmiths College with hundreds of classmates and her proud parents, the duke of York and Sarah Ferguson, in the stands.

Beatrice, 23, earned a degree in history but her career path is being focused on future good works.

"Princess Beatrice will over the coming months broaden her knowledge and experience to complement her position as a member of the Royal Family," the palace said in a written statement. "This will involve undertaking a number of internships to develop her experience, particularly in business and philanthropy."

The Daily Telegraph said Saturday the princess is already active in the Teenage Cancer Trust and her mom's Children in Crisis charity.

Sweden arrests 4 on terror allegations

Swedish police said they arrested four terror suspects in the western city of Gothenburg early Sunday.

The TT news agency said the country's National Task Force, a specialized police unit, swept into a part of the city and cordoned it off around midnight.

An art gallery hosting an opening party was ordered evacuated as barriers were erected in the vicinity, the report said.

Police released no details of the arrests.

Sara Kvarnstrom, a spokeswoman for the Swedish Security Services, was also tight-lipped about the operation.

"There's no cause for the general public to be concerned," she said.

In October, after two people were arrested on charges of plotting a bombing in Gothenburg, federal security officials said some 200 Islamic militants were known to be in the country, CNN said.

The arrests came on the 10th anniversary of four al-Qaida suicide aircraft attacks on the United States.

Wall St gains in choppy trade ahead of Obama speech

Stocks edged higher in choppy trade on Thursday, led by gains in the technology sector ahead of a speech by U.S. President Barack Obama laying out a major jobs package.

Indexes seesawed between modest gains and losses throughout the morning session. Technology stocks were the day's top gainers, supporting the Nasdaq, which outperformed other indexes. The Philadelphia semiconductor index <.SOX> was up 1.4 percent.

Banks were the biggest decliners after sharp gains in the previous session. The KBW Bank Index <.BKX> was down nearly 1 percent.

"We're seeing a lot of action in the Nasdaq and technology stocks. Those are flush with cash and have the least amount of risk," said Phil Streible, senior market strategist with MF Global in Chicago.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> added 20.51 points, or 0.18 percent, at 11,435.37. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 0.76 points, or 0.06 percent, at 1,199.38. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> put on 8.16 points, or 0.32 percent, at 2,557.10.

Obama will lay out a $300 billion plan to include tax cuts for the middle class and businesses and new spending to repair deteriorating infrastructure. Obama, scheduled to speak at 7 p.m. EDT, (2300 GMT) is staking his re-election hopes on a call for urgent bipartisan action.

Boosting the Nasdaq, Sandisk Corp jumped 5.6 percent to $39.74.

Among bank shares, Bank of America Corp fell 1 percent to $7.40, the second largest decliner on the Dow. The S&P 500 financial sector index <.GSPF> lost 0.7 percent.

Earlier, data from the Labor Department showed weekly jobless claims rose to 414,000 from an upwardly revised 412,000 in the prior week.

Separately, the trade deficit narrowed considerably in July, a positive signal for growth in the third quarter after a sluggish first half.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will speak on the U.S. economic outlook to the Economic Club of Minnesota at 1:30 p.m. EDT.

LG ties up with Philips, Sharp for smart TV apps

South Korea's LG Electronics said Thursday it has tied up with Dutch giant Philips and Japan's Sharp to ramp up production of applications for Internet-powered televisions.

The three TV vendors will jointly create software development kits, which will be distributed to third-party developers to write TV applications, LG said in a statement.

It is the first such collaboration in the smart TV sector, LG said, adding the three would complete software development kits by the end of this year.

They will use different operating systems for their smart TVs, but the applications will become interchangeable once they adopt a common technology standard for building applications, LG said.

It said the tie-up would have a substantial impact on TV makers, app developers and users.

LG has seen flagging sales of mobile phones and televisions this year because it failed quickly to roll out smartphones to rival Apple's market-leading iPhone and Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S.

Internet Explorer usage to plummet below 50 percent by mid-2012

According to new data posted this week from a company called Net Applications, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer appears to be continuing a downward spiral. Over the last ten months, Microsoft has lost five percent of the web browser market while Google’s Chrome has gained about six percent. The amount of people using Internet Explorer is expected to fall below the 50 percent mark around late May of 2012. One bright point for Microsoft is that usage of its latest version of Internet Explorer, IE9, increased by about two percent from July to August. However, IE9 is limited to usage on Windows Vista and Windows 7. Windows XP users are limited to Internet Explorer 8 until upgrading.

Across all operating systems, Internet Explorer 8 is the most popular browser at a bit over 30 percent of the market. Google Chrome 13 followed in second place at about 11 percent of the market and the aging, third place Internet Explorer 6 clocked in at about 10 percent. This version of Internet Explorer is often reviled by web designers and developers, but it seemed to hold fairly strong over July to August and barely dropped in usage. The ability of Google Chrome to quietly upgrade without bothering the consumer seems to have helped Google keep its user base consistently using the latest version of the browser.

Mozilla’s Firefox has remained fairly stagnant over the last 10 months, but has only lost about one percent of the browser market. Mozilla recently switched to an upgrade cycle identical to Google Chrome as the inability to roll out quick updates made the browser seem stale in comparison to Chrome. Apple’s Safari browser slowly gained market share over the last year to the tune of one percent and the Opera browser seems to be slowly fading away. Opera’s share dropped from 2.42 percent in September 2010 to 1.68 percent in August 2011.