Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
FIRST THE NBA NOW THE NFL LOCK OUT!!!
NFL owners voted to end their four-month lockout of players by ratifying a global settlement with the players association on Thursday in Atlanta.
The settlement includes a 10-year collective bargaining agreement, a timeline to restart the football season, new rules on free agency, a lower wage scale for rookies, a larger training camp roster, reduction of practice time and contact before and during the season, and up to $1 billion in new funding for retiree benefits. But nothing will happen until the players ratify the settlement and agree to recertify their union. And that may not happen as smoothly as the league wants.
Why would the players balk at approving the deal and getting back to the business of football?
They still have a number of unresolved differences and feel NFL owners are trying to rush them into an agreement. The league's announcement has backed the players into a corner and set them up to be the bad guys after locking them out for four months.
If the players fall in line, when does everything start?
Players under contract would report to their clubs Saturday for voluntary training, conditioning and classroom instruction. At the same time, clubs could begin renegotiating current contracts and sign drafted rookies and their own free agents. The league will issue the list of unrestricted and restricted free agents. Clubs can start negotiating with them but not sign them.
What about undrafted free agents?
Clubs can start signing them at 2 p.m. Sunday.
And when does free agency kick off?
Teams can start signing veteran free agents Wednesday. That's the official start of the 2011 league business year. Rosters are expanded to 90 players on that day. All clubs must be under the salary cap of $120.3 million with their top 51 player contracts.
When do training camps start?
All teams open Wednesday -- but only if the players have ratified the deal. The first three days of camp will be light -- physicals, meetings and conditioning on Day 1, and no pads permitted the next two days.
Have any other preseason games been canceled?
None other than the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. This schedule of events was written to save all the other preseason games.
When are the roster cutdowns?
First cut is to 75 players on Aug. 30. Final cut to 53 is Sept. 3.
Does this labor agreement have opt-out provisions like the last one?
No. The terms are fixed for 10 years, through the 2020 season. It also includes the 2021 draft.
So the draft is saved?
Yes, as long as the players re-certify as a union. If they don't, the NFL would lose its anti-trust exemption and any college player could beat the NFL in court and abolish the draft.
What are the terms of the draft and free agency?
The draft remains seven rounds, plus 32 compensatory picks for teams that lose free agents the previous year. Players with four accrued seasons can be unrestricted free agents if their contracts are up. Players with three seasons are restricted free agents. The franchise and transition player designations are unchanged.
How will the new rookie wage scale work?
It's not a strict slotting system like in the NBA. Rookie picks will still be able to negotiate their deals. But there is an absolute cap on what teams can use on their draft class. All drafted players will have four-year contracts. Clubs have the option to extend to a fifth year for first-round picks based on agreed-upon tender amounts. There are stronger rules to discourage holdouts.
What about any other new rules?
Because 2010 was uncapped, the next two years will serve as transition years for teams to get back into cap management form. All teams may use $3.5 million to funnel to veteran salaries, presumably to save them from being released for cap purposes. Each club also may borrow up to $3 million in cap room from a future year to support veteran player costs. In 2012, each club may borrow up to $1.5 million in the same way.
What happens to the lawsuits filed by the players and the judgment against the owners in the network TV negotiation case, the so-called lockout insurance case?
All pending litigation will be settled.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
HUGH HEFNER DEAD AT 85
Hugh Hefner, the 85-year-old founder of the Playboy magazine empire, was reportedly dead of a heart attack on July 11th, that is until he took to Twitter to tell fans that he was indeed quite alive and in good health.
Said Hefner on Twitter, "The rumors of my death are, as Mark Twain observed in a similar situation, greatly exaggerated. I'm very much alive and kicking."
He then followed with, "I'm lying in bed next to Shera Bechard with a big smile on my face, reading tweets about my unexpected demise." Ms. Bechard is his 24-year-old current girlfriend.
Hef's life and career have been covered in controversy, ever since the first Playboy magazine hit newsstands in 1953. He financed his first issue by selling his furniture and gathering about $8000 from 25 investors.
He was arrested in 1963 for printing illegal photos of starlet Jayne Mansfield. He married his first wife Mildred Williams and that marriage lasted 10 years, but was marred with rumors of infidelity by Hef. He was also married to Kimberly Conrad in 1989. He has four children, daughter Christie (who has since taken over the Playboy empire), son David, and sons Cooper and Marston.
Hef has always had a reputation as a ladies' man. At one point, he had seven girlfriends at once! He has capitalized on this, creating the hit television series for E!, The Girls Next Door, which starred playmates Holly Madison, Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett and Bridget Marquardt. Madison and Wilkinson-Baskett went on to star in Holly's World and Kendra, becoming minor stars of their own.
Hugh recently made headlines when his wedding to playmate Crystal Harris was called off four days before the event. Harris cites infidelity on Hefner's part, Hefner said it was the other way around. He has since rebounded with Shera Bechard.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
APPLE IPHONE 5 RELEASE IN SEPT
According to sources close to the supply line, Apple's next iPhone is expected to trim down the famously svelte iPhone 4, making it both lighter and thinner than the current model. While plenty of other technology outlets had published similar details previously, the credible new report solidifies what we can expect from Apple's next generation smartphone.
While we still don't know if the device will be named the iPhone 5 or the iPhone 4S, such significant improvements point to the former, which would make it an entirely new model, unlike the upgrade from iPhone 3G to the iPhone 3GS.
The report also suggests that the next iPhone will have a camera upgraded to 8 megapixels, a resolution boost up from the iPhone 4's 5-megapixel sensor and a confirmation of an earlier rumor from Bloomberg. Bloomberg's sources also suggested that the smartphone will sport the same powerful A5 processor as the iPad, which would yield a significant a speed boost for the device.
Yesterday serial Apple secret-leaker DigiTimes suggested that Pegatron, a Taiwanese component manufacturer, will ready 15 million of Apple's elusive next-generation phones for a September launch. According to The Wall Street Journal's new information, Apple intends to move 25 million units of its new iPhone by the year's end.
Since Apple remained mum on the next iPhone during its big June event, evidence continues to pile up indicating that the company's next hot gadget will be hitting stores this fall.
Lil Wayne Tells Producers to “Step It Up”
Speaking to XXL magazine, Wayne complained that many of the producers proposing to work with him should probably go back to school.
"These n----s' beats been sucking. I’m putting it out there: You producing? What y'all doing?" Wayne wondered, before adding, "Get right, man. Step it up."
Wayne humbled himself and said he was only speaking from the perspective of an MC.
"This is coming from a rapper. One of the best rappers. I ain’t saying I’m the best no more, because these n----s is too good these days. I got old. But damn, y’all n----s’ beats is terrible! [Chad Ochocinco walks into the room] These n----s’ beats sound like Ochocino made them,” he said.
Tha Carter IV is currently scheduled to hit stores on August 29. Weezy-approved production can be heard on the current singles "6 Foot, 7 Foot" and "John," helmed by Bangladesh and Polow Da Don, respectively.
Lil Wayne will be featured on the cover of XXL magazine's July/August issue, which hits stands nationwide on July 12.
FACE BOOK LAUNCHES SKYPE VIDEO CHAT
Facebook said it's bringing Skype video calling to the social networking site, dubbing it "Facebook Calling." The feature is being rolled out over the next several weeks. Those who want to try it immediately can download it here.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook now has more than 750 million users, and is "still growing quickly." Adding Skype, he said, brings the "best technology" for video chat to Facebook, which is probably "the biggest chat program online" in an era where people are not only connecting, but sharing information via many means.
Such sharing is what is going to dominate the future of the Internet, Zuckerberg said. Connecting with others — "friending," for example — was the mantra; now sharing information is, with Facebook's users sharing 4 billion things a day.
"The amount of information (users) share is about twice the amount of stuff they would have shared a year ago; and it will be twice as much a year from now; it's that kind of exponential growth." And social apps, or applications, like Skype, help make that possible.
"Video calling is the first example of what we think is a great social app," Zuckerberg said. "We’re going to see a lot more things like this over the next few years and months."
One-on-one calls is simple, Facebook says: If your friend is online, with "one quick click" on the call button, you can establish a call with that friend, a Facebook staffer said during the presentation Wednesday.
"Can you believe that your least technical friend can get online and connect with someone else? No separate accounts, no separate websites to go to; it's by far the easiest way to get connected by video."
CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook now has more than 750 million users, and is "still growing quickly." Adding Skype, he said, brings the "best technology" for video chat to Facebook, which is probably "the biggest chat program online" in an era where people are not only connecting, but sharing information via many means.
Such sharing is what is going to dominate the future of the Internet, Zuckerberg said. Connecting with others — "friending," for example — was the mantra; now sharing information is, with Facebook's users sharing 4 billion things a day.
"The amount of information (users) share is about twice the amount of stuff they would have shared a year ago; and it will be twice as much a year from now; it's that kind of exponential growth." And social apps, or applications, like Skype, help make that possible.
"Video calling is the first example of what we think is a great social app," Zuckerberg said. "We’re going to see a lot more things like this over the next few years and months."
One-on-one calls is simple, Facebook says: If your friend is online, with "one quick click" on the call button, you can establish a call with that friend, a Facebook staffer said during the presentation Wednesday.
"Can you believe that your least technical friend can get online and connect with someone else? No separate accounts, no separate websites to go to; it's by far the easiest way to get connected by video."
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Vinny Leaves The Jersey Shore for Good
Vinny bolted from the house late last night after getting into an argument with another cast member. We're told Vinny was feeling "burned out" and went back home to Staten Island. We have confirmed that he is at his house in Staten Island right now.
Vinny threatened to leave a few days ago, after he complained of "being homesick." We're told the cast was able to talk him into coming back, but that didn't last long.
Sources connected with the show say Vinny has been a pain in the ass and no one will be getting on their knees, begging him to come back.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
THE DR IS BACk
Dr. Dre emerged from the studio to honor fellow mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs with the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award at ASCAP’s 24th Annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards in Beverly Hills on Friday (June 24). A buff Dre, who received the same award last year, spoke about Diddy’s influence following videotaped messages from Pharrell, Swizz Beatz, Janelle Monáe, Dirty Money’s Dawn and Kalenna, and more.
“I had a chance to experience his hustle myself and believe me it’s no joke. I’ve been inspired, I’ve been motivated by this man’s hustle,” said the West Coast icon, who collaborated with Diddy on a line of Beats headphones.
Puff returned the love. “I’m extra, extra happy right now. I truly, truly appreciate this,” he told his peers. “I don’t know if ya’ll know my favorite producer in the world ’cause we in a room of producers and writers. … Dr. Dre my whole life has just been my favorite producer.”
“I had a chance to experience his hustle myself and believe me it’s no joke. I’ve been inspired, I’ve been motivated by this man’s hustle,” said the West Coast icon, who collaborated with Diddy on a line of Beats headphones.
Puff returned the love. “I’m extra, extra happy right now. I truly, truly appreciate this,” he told his peers. “I don’t know if ya’ll know my favorite producer in the world ’cause we in a room of producers and writers. … Dr. Dre my whole life has just been my favorite producer.”
tupac got rob by his own people
Rapper Tupac Shakur has been in the news for the past two weeks, since convicted murderer Dexter Isaac came forward and confessed to robbing the rapper, who was subsequently shot, at The Quad in 1994. AllHipHop.com broke the news just one day before Tupac Shakur would have celebrated what would have been his 40th birthday.
Tupac would have turned 40 on June 16th. The League of Young Voter's Education Fund was present at The Atlanta Symphony Hall celebrating his legendary life. Check out what some of the artists that were present had to say about Tupac's life and legacy. For more info check out http://99problems.org/
Tupac would have turned 40 on June 16th. The League of Young Voter's Education Fund was present at The Atlanta Symphony Hall celebrating his legendary life. Check out what some of the artists that were present had to say about Tupac's life and legacy. For more info check out http://99problems.org/
Friday, June 24, 2011
Top News
Lil Wayne plans to hang it up in a few years to become “a full-time dad,” the rapper told a radio interviewer. He made his widely reported remarks on Angie Martinez’ radio show. S2S Magazine’s site is among the many reporting his retirement newsflash. “I’m gone at, like, 35. I’m serious. I have four kids,” he said. “I would feel selfish still going to the studio when it’s such a vital point in their lives.” The performer also known as Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr . isn’t yet 30, so he won’t…
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