The Guild Wars 2 Economy as Seen By Its Dark and Mysterious Money Wizard

Guild Wars 2 doesn't launch until next week, but the exchanging of currency for goods and services heeds no human schedule. ArenaNet's resident economist has been analyzing beta data, twisting it with his arcane magics into an infographic that any self-respecting Charr would sooner set aflame than read.
An economist is a person that takes all of the fun out of money, for instead of just happily accepting that he has some and there's more on the way, he has to analyze where it came from, what it's buying, what kind of people are buying it, and look for future trends based on all of that. He can't just run up to the ice cream man and buy a Bomb Pop. He has slowly walk towards it with a determined grimace, brain filled with numbers and statistics. I imagine it's like being a telepath — you have to learn control.

ArenaNet's new guy is a particularly powerful money diviner. So powerful that he cannot even give us his real name.

Hello, all! I'm John Smith, and I've recently had the unbelievable opportunity to join the ArenaNet team and work on Guild Wars 2 as the resident economist. Guild Wars 2 has an incredible virtual economy-one of the largest ever created.

Oh course it does, Mr. Smith. That's what every economist says about their particular area of study. There's an economist in Uganda right now telling someone, "Oh it may not be Europe or the U.S., but Uganda has the most fascinating economy I've ever come across". And then they'll pull out the infographic.
It's actually a rather interesting chart. Seeing what professions in the game sparked interest in beta players is a great way for players that prefer the profession less traveled to plan ahead. And letting me know I can make a ton of money just by being rewarded money is... rewarding?
And look, the Guild Wars 2 economy is more equally distributed than the U.S.'s was in 2007! We kicked 2007's economic ass. If John Smith were here and using his real name I'd give him a high five.
Click on the image below for the full infographic.

I'm sure his name really is John Smith. Otherwise he'd be a Timelord, and that's a whole other profession.

Guild Wars 2: Making MMOs more social, more accessible

Guild Wars 2 is set to come out on Tuesday, but players who pre-purchase the game before Saturday can get access to its “Head Start” program and play before the official release.
A follow-up to the 2005 massively multiplayer online hit Guild Wars, Guild Wars 2 developers have made some significant changes to game play to make the sequel more accessible to the average video gamer.

In an interview with The Washington Post, the game’s lead producer, Chris Whiteside, and publisher NCsoft’s executive vice president of publishing, Matt Turetzky, said that the new version of the game should be a breath of fresh air to people who’ve tried and grown tired of previous MMOs.

Part of that equation was the decision to keep Guild Wars free-to-play, meaning there are no monthly subscription fees. Up front, the game will cost at least $59.99 (depending on the version you want), but there will be no regular bill — only micro-transactions in the game that players can use to enhance their characters.
“Free-to-play is growing as subscriptions go down,” Turetzky said. “Customers in the West are accustomed  to new business models through mobile games. With all the alternatives out there, and the reduced barriers to entry in the market, we’re seeing a forced shift to alternative business models.”
Other changes are far more creative. “The game is designed for people that have been turned off MMOs in the past,” said Whiteside. Designers thinking about the MMO wanted to bring “back the magic of what it used to be,” he said, referring to the feeling of booting up the game and being pulled into a community of players from all around the world.
That means the focus is less about grinding away to max out your own character and more about getting to explore the world.
Or, as Whiteside put it: “Our game is much more wide than it is tall.”
Whiteside said the team really wanted to get players to interact with one another rather than compete for the same objectives locked to specific areas of the game.
“It’s designed to be dynamically accessible,” he said. “So if someone turns up, it doesn’t negatively affect the experience , like how the enemies will behave.”
Not only did designers focus on making Guild Wars 2 in a way that keeps players from stepping on others’ toes, they also built in more opportunities for players to work together.
“The game encourages people to come together,” Turetzky said. “We want people to come in and experience our world.”
In another move to foster a community, designers made the Guild Wars 2 world a persistent one, meaning that 1) it continues changing even when players leave the game and 2) actions players take can alter the in-game world for the whole community. The game isn’t designed to force socialization, but working with other players can seriously change the in-game experience.
For example, if your characters liberate or capture a village from the opposition, it affects the political situation for every other player who may wander through that area.
“You could walk into an event and find centaurs have taken over this human settlement, get into the fight and win — or lose, which also changes game — and think, ‘Okay, that’s that area done.’ But you’ve actually affected the NPCs (non-playable characters) in that area, which in turn may be affecting other players,” Whiteside said.

8 Ingredients You Never Want to See on Your Nutrition Label

The year was 1950, and The Magic 8-Ball had just arrived in stores. It looked like a toy, but it wasn't. It was a future-telling device, powered by the unknown superpowers that lived inside its cheap plastic shell. Despite a bit of an attitude—"Don't count on it," "My reply is no"—it was a huge success. Americans, apparently, want to see their futures.
A few decades later, Congress passed the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act that, among other things, turned the 45,000 food products in the average supermarket into fortune-telling devices. Americans inexplicably yawned. I'm trying to change that. Why? The nutrition label can predict the future size of your pants and health care bills.
Unfortunately, these labels aren't as clear and direct as the Magic 8-Ball. Consider the list of ingredients: The Food and Drug Administration has approved more than 3,000 additives, most of which you've never heard of. But the truth is, you don't have to know them all. You just need to be able to parse out the bad stuff. Do that and you'll have a pretty good idea how your future will shape up—whether you'll end up overweight and unhealthy or turn out to be fit, happy, and energized.
While researching the new Eat This, Not That! 2013: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution, I identified 8 ingredients you never want to see on the nutrition label. Should you put down products that contain them? As the Magic 8-Ball would say: Signs point to yes.

BHA

This preservative is used to prevent rancidity in foods that contain oils. Unfortunately, BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) has been shown to cause cancer in rats, mice, and hamsters. The reason the FDA hasn’t banned it is largely technical—the cancers all occurred in the rodents’ forestomachs, an organ that humans don’t have. Nevertheless, the study, published in the Japanese Journal of Cancer Research, concluded that BHA was “reasonably anticipated to be a carcinogen,” and as far as I’m concerned, that’s reason enough to eliminate it from your diet.
You’ll find it in: Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Pebbles

Parabens

 These synthetic preservatives are used to inhibit mold and yeast in food. The problem is parabens may also disrupt your body’s hormonal balance. A study in Food Chemical Toxicology found that daily ingestion decreased sperm and testosterone production in rats, and parabens have been found present in breast cancer tissues.
You’ll find it in: Baskin-Robbins sundaes

Partially Hydrogenated Oil

 I’ve harped on this before, but it bears repeating: Don’t confuse “0 g trans fat” with being trans fat-free. The FDA allows products to claim zero grams of trans fat as long as they have less than half a gram per serving. That means they can have 0.49 grams per serving and still be labeled a no-trans-fat food. Considering that two grams is the absolute most you ought to consume in a day, those fractions can quickly add up. The telltale sign that your snack is soiled with the stuff? Look for partially hydrogenated oil on the ingredient statement. If it’s anywhere on there, then you’re ingesting artery-clogging trans fat.
You’ll find it in: Long John Silver’s Popcorn Shrimp, Celeste frozen pizzas
FIGHT FAT WITH FAT! Some fats, like trans fat, will pad you with extra pounds, but other types can help you shed unwanted weight. See for yourself—pick up these 5 Fatty Foods that Make You Skinny today!

Sodium Nitrite

 Nitrites and nitrates are used to inhibit botulism-causing bacteria and to maintain processed meats’ pink hues, which is why the FDA allows their use. Unfortunately, once ingested, nitrite can fuse with amino acids (of which meat is a prime source) to form nitrosamines, powerful carcinogenic compounds. Ascorbic and erythorbic acids—essentially vitamin C—have been shown to decrease the risk, and most manufacturers now add one or both to their products, which has helped. Still, the best way to reduce risk is to limit your intake.
You’ll find it in: Oscar Mayer hot dogs, Hormel bacon

Caramel Coloring

This additive wouldn't be dangerous if you made it the old-fashioned way—with water and sugar, on top of a stove. But the food industry follows a different recipe: They treat sugar with ammonia, which can produce some nasty carcinogens. How carcinogenic are these compounds? A Center for Science in the Public Interest report asserted that the high levels of caramel color found in soda account for roughly 15,000 cancers in the U.S. annually. Another good reason to scrap soft drinks? They’re among The 20 Worst Drinks in America.
You’ll find it in: Coke/Diet Coke, Pepsi/Diet Pepsi

Castoreum

 Castoreum is one of the many nebulous “natural ingredients” used to flavor food. Though it isn’t harmful, it is unsettling. Castoreum is a substance made from beavers’ castor sacs, or anal scent glands. These glands produce potent secretions that help the animals mark their territory in the wild. In the food industry, however, 1,000 pounds of the unsavory ingredient are used annually to imbue foods—usually vanilla or raspberry flavored—with a distinctive, musky flavor.
You’ll find it in: Potentially any food containing “natural ingredients”

Food Dyes

Plenty of fruit-flavored candies and sugary cereals don’t contain a single gram of produce, but instead rely on artificial dyes and flavorings to suggest a relationship with nature. Not only do these dyes allow manufacturers to mask the drab colors of heavily processed foods, but certain hues have been linked to more serious ailments. A Journal of Pediatrics study linked Yellow 5 to hyperactivity in children, Canadian researchers found Yellow 6 and Red 40 to be contaminated with known carcinogens, and Red 3 is known to cause tumors. The bottom line? Avoid artificial dyes as much as possible.
You’ll find it in: Lucky Charms, Skittles, Jell-O
THE DOMINO EFFECT: Sugar doesn’t just come in the form of cookies and candy. Discover the insidious ways it can creep into your diet with 9 Sneaky Sources of Sugar.

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein

 Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, used as a flavor enhancer, is plant protein that has been chemically broken down into amino acids. One of these acids, glutamic acid, can release free glutamate. When this glutamate joins with free sodium in your body, they form monosodium glutamate (MSG), an additive known to cause adverse reactions—headaches, nausea, and weakness, among others—in sensitive individuals. When MSG is added to products directly, the FDA requires manufacturers to disclose its inclusion on the ingredient statement. But when it occurs as a byproduct of hydrolyzed protein, the FDA allows it to go unrecognized.

You’ll find it in: Knorr Noodle Sides, Funyuns

FIGHT FAT EVERY DAY: Knowledge is your best defense in the battle against flab. To keep up with the latest calorie-cutting research, sign up for the FREE Eat This, Not That newsletter! and be sure to follow me right here on Twitter.

Prosecutor: Teen held captive in 'deplorable' home

A teenage Missouri girl reported missing more than two years ago told police she escaped a home in a decaying, crime-ridden Illinois village where she was held captive and subjected to sexual assaults that resulted in a child.

About two dozen members of a SWAT team wearing body armor and tactical gear raided the home Thursday afternoon in southwestern Illinois' Washington Park, taking into custody a 24-year-old man and his mother.

"The conditions in there were definitely deplorable," St. Clair County State's Attorney Brendan Kelly, the county's top prosecutor, told The Associated Press on Friday after consulting with investigators at the scene.

Police also recovered the teen's young child, who the girl said was the result of rape by her captor. The child was taken away in an ambulance.

No charges had been filed as of Friday morning, though Kelly said he anticipated investigators would submit reports for his review later in the day.

Initial evidence suggests that "some of the details are consistent with what the young lady is saying, and I think there's something to it. We're still trying to figure out what the heck is going on," Kelly said.

Police in St. Louis listed the girl as a missing or runaway juvenile in April 2010, when she was 15.

The teen told police she was held against her will and was beaten and sexually assaulted almost daily. She said she tried to escape several times but that her captor chased her down each time and forced her back to the home at gunpoint.

She told police she was able to escape this week with the help of a relative.

Police said the teen also told them she was forced by the man and his mother to give a false name in medical records during her pregnancy and when the child was born.

A neighbor, Lakeitha Smith, told local television stations that she saw the girl from time to time outside the house and never witnessed anything that would raise concern.

"I used to see her come out of the house, back and forth," Smith said. "I didn't think she was being held hostage in the house."

Long known for its strip clubs and poverty, Washington Park — tucked on the edge of East St. Louis — has grappled for years with corruption and violent crime punctuated by the 2010 shooting death of the village's mayor, John Thornton. A suspect in that killing was convicted in April of first-degree murder and awaits sentencing.

Washington Park, where 86 percent of the 4,200 residents are black, is in one of the state's poorest regions and twice since 2004 has filed for bankruptcy, the last time in 2009.

Deadly shooting near the Empire State Building

Eight people are believed to be wounded and at least two people are dead Friday after a shooting outside the Empire State Building in the Midtown area of Manhattan. The two victims include the gunman, who was shot and killed by police near the tourist entrance of the landmark skyscraper.

The shooting occurred at around 9 a.m. ET at Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. The New York Post reported that the incident was the result of a co-worker dispute; the gunman was fired from his job on Thursday and returned to his office today to target his boss, local and federal officials told NBC News, according to a tweet. The gunman, who was shot by police at the scene, and a bystander are both dead.

The shooter followed his coworker down 33rd Street, and shot him outside of Legend's Bar, the Post reported. It is unclear if he fired into a crowd of pedestrians outside of the landmark building, or if pedestrians were caught in crossfire, reported the New York Daily News.

The number of fatalities has not been made official. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has scheduled a press conference for 11 a.m. ET.

Police cordoned off a one-block perimeter around the Empire State Building after the shooting. Around 10 a.m., a lone tourist bus headed down Fifth Avenue, and a guide could be heard over the bus's mic explaining they were nearing the landmark. As police waved the bus to detour down 36th Street, the guide was openly mystified. "I don't know what's going on, folks," he said, as the bus turned. By then the bus's passengers were looking up at the sky at a news helicopter floating overhead. Some stood, clutching their cameras.

Along 35th street, hundreds of people stood photographing the scene with iPhones and iPads. Officers could be seen standing in the middle of 34th street around a scene surrounded by police tape. Television producers roamed the crowd looking for witnesses. "Was anybody here when this happened? Was anybody here when this happened?" one NBC producer yelled.

Eyewitnesses told CNN that the gunman was using a rifle or shotgun.

Word of the shooting spread rapidly on social media networks.

"On 5th avenue surrounded by helicopters and police," @CeciliaHalling wrote on Twitter. "I'm very glad I wasn't 20 blocks further down half an hour ago."

Amy Schumer Said She Broke Up With WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler Because Their Sex Was Too Athletic

During an interview with Howard Stern Wednesday morning, comedian Amy Schumer revealed she previously had a relationship with WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler. Schumer, who has been prominently featured in recent years in Comedy Central roasts, told Stern she broke up with Ziggler via text because the couple's sex was too "athletic" and he was channeling his wrestler persona, according to ProWrestling.net.

Stern frequently grills his guests about their sex lives, and Schumer, no stranger to telling a dirty joke or two, did not hesitate to go into detail. The comedian said that after she broke up with Ziggler she discovered he was a "real sweetheart" and that it was painful for him. Schumer also said the two have maintained a friendship.
Along with being dumped by Schumer, Ziggler also lost his wrestling match against Chris Jericho at WWE's SummerSlam on Sunday, according to the Bleacher Report.
During her conversation with Stern, Schumer also said she received death threats following her standup set on the Comedy Central roast of Charlie Sheen. She made waves for poking fun at "Jackass" star Steve-O in the wake of the death of fellow "Jackass" star Ryan Dunn.
"I made a joke about wishing Steve-O had died instead of his friend," Schumer said. "People just thought I was making fun of his dead friend. ... I canceled some dates. It was not fun."

What are West Nile virus symptoms?

West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquitoes, who get it by biting infected birds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About four out of five people who become infected by a mosquito bite have no symptoms.

However, about 20% of people who become infected with West Nile virus develop West Nile fever, within two to 15 days afterward.

Symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, body aches, occasionally with a skin rash (on the trunk of the body) and swollen lymph glands. While the illness can be as short as a few days, even healthy people have reported being sick for several weeks.

There is no treatment for West Nile virus fever, the CDC says.

About one in 150 infected with West Nile virus will develop a severe form of the disease called neuroinvasive disease, according to the CDC. This includes West Nile encephalitis, West Nile meningitis and West Nile poliomyelitis.

Symptoms of these diseases include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, and paralysis.

Anyone who develops a high fever with severe headache should consult their health care provider.

People over age 50 and the immunocompromised (for example, transplant patients) are at the highest risk for the severe form of the disease.

One in 1,000 people who get West Nile virus die.

(  West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquitoes, who get it by biting infected birds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About four out of five people who become infected by a mosquito bite have no symptoms.
However, about 20% of people who become infected with West Nile virus develop West Nile fever, within two to 15 days afterward.
Symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, body aches, occasionally with a skin rash (on the trunk of the body) and swollen lymph glands. While the illness can be as short as a few days, even healthy people have reported being sick for several weeks.
There is no treatment for West Nile virus fever, the CDC says. )

Legacy at stake: Lance Armstrong's legal fight against doping charges

Lance Armstrong is fighting to not only keep his seven Tour de France titles, but also maintain his reputation as one of sport's most remarkable athletes.

The American lost his latest legal bid to halt the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's case against him, which has come more than a year after his retirement from cycling and subsequent move to triathlon competitions.

The 40-year-old, who fought back from testicular cancer to win cycling's biggest race from 1999 to 2005, has described himself as the "most tested athlete in the world" and long denied any involvement with illegal doping.

"Lance has passed nearly 500 tests over 20 years of competition," declared spokesman Mark Fabiani in response to allegations from disgraced former teammate Tyler Hamilton -- who has admitted taking performance-enhancing drugs during his career.

However, the former chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency, Dick Pound, has long argued that Armstrong was involved in the dark art of doping.

"Look all around him and everyone else is doing it, so what should you think?" Pound told the New York Times.

After months of legal arguments, the two parties are now left with no option other than solving the dispute between themselves. So where did the charges come from, and how did the two sides develop such a bitter relationship?

What are the charges?

In June 2012, the USADA charged Armstrong with doping and trafficking of performance enhancing drugs
Along with the cyclist, several members of Armstrong's former team were charged. These included Luis Garcia del Moral and Michele Ferrari, both team doctors, trainer Jose "Pepe" Marti, team physician Pedro Celaya and Johan Bruyneel, director of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) team.

"Armstrong is facing some pretty serious charges from USADA," explains Peter Flax, editor of Bicycling Magazine.

"He's been accused of the use of of prohibited performance-enhancing drugs and methods, as well as being involved in the possession, trafficking, and concealment of these activities. The list of drugs and doping methods is pretty much the kitchen sink of what was possible in the era in which Armstrong rode."

It is believed the charges stem from a federal investigation by Food and Drug Administration special agent Jeff Novitzky. His investigation didn't result in any charges, but Novitzky -- who led the fight against the Balco Laboratory and doping in Major League Baseball -- is understood to have helped with the USADA case.

What is the USADA?

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency is the body responsible for monitoring in and out of competition drug testing for U.S. Olympic and Paralympic sports.

It is responsible for enforcing the World Anti-Doping Agency code, and its bans apply around the world.

"USADA's job is to protect clean sport rather than enforce specific criminal laws," its chief Travis T. Tygart said at the time of the federal case's collapse.

"Our investigation into doping in the sport of cycling is continuing and we look forward to obtaining the information developed during the federal investigation."

What is the evidence?

The USADA alleges that Armstrong took steroids throughout his career, and says it has testimony from former teammates to support the charges. The organization has refused to reveal who has provided the evidence.

"A significant number of Armstrong's former teammates, in return for immunity or preferential treatment from USADA, have testified about doping activities that they participated in or witnessed," Flax told CNN.

"Some of them, like Floyd Landis, are people who have made public accusations in the past, but others -- most notably George Hincapie, Armstrong's most loyal lieutenant during all seven of his Tour de France victories -- have never offered testimony about doping on that team."

Landis, a rider with the USPS team from 2002 to 2004, has publicly claimed that he saw Armstrong using blood transfusions to increase the level of oxygen-carrying red blood cells in his system, as well as taking the blood-boosting drug EPO.

In 2006, Landis became the first person other than Armstrong to win the Tour since the late Marco Pantani in 1998 -- the Italian being another rider whose career was marred by doping allegations -- but was stripped of the title for failing a drugs test. The disgraced cyclist has even gone as far as accusing Armstrong and Bruyneel of paying the International Cycling Union (UCI) to cover up a positive test in 2002.

Armstrong dismissed the charges, and accused his former colleague of threatening riders with drug allegations.

"While these types of repeated, tired and baseless accusations against Lance have been proven false in the past, it is quite regrettable, but telling that so many in cycling are now attacked by a bitter and scorned Landis who, quite simply, has zero credibility," declared a statement released on Armstrong's behalf.

After years of accusations, the USADA's case is the biggest threat to Armstrong's record yet.

"I think the amount of info they have to make a claim that they have proof that Lance doped is pretty significant and I think that is why there is such interest in this. It's a mess, but I think they may finally have the goods on Lance," Flax said.

Who has been found guilty so far?

Former team doctors Del Moral and Ferrari have been handed lifetime bans for their part in the doping case, as has the team's former trainer Marti.

Ferrari, who was a consultant during Armstrong's seven-year reign, was accused of developing a mixture of testosterone and olive oil that could be taken orally, and helped aid recovery. Ferrari apparently also helped riders inject EPO to help avoid detection in urine samples.

Del Moral was accused of helping the riders with blood transfusions, and saline infusions to prevent detection. He was also accused of administering a range of banned drugs to members of the team.

Marti was given a lifetime ban for delivering a variety of banned products to the team from his base in Valencia, Spain.

What is Armstrong's defense?

The main thrust of Armstrong's defense is that he is the victim of a witch hunt by the USADA.

"Though USADA claims it has collected at least 10 witnesses to these events, it refuses to name a single one or even to identify what they will say," argues Armstrong's legal team, in a response to the charges published on the cyclist's website.

"USADA also claims that Mr. Armstrong committed doping violations for years, but cannot produce a single positive test result to corroborate this claim.

"Curiously, in the face of an alleged conspiracy involving four separate teams of cyclists over two decades, USADA has decided to charge only a single rider: Lance Armstrong."

Armstrong has also made his feelings clear about the USADA's offers of immunity to his his former colleagues.

"So let me get this straight... come in and tell them exactly what they wanted to hear and you get complete immunity AND anonymity? I never got that offer. This isn't about Tygart wanting to clean up cycling; rather it's just a plain ol' selective prosecution that reeks of vendetta," Armstrong declared on his Twitter account.

The case is still focused on whether the USADA has the right to prosecute Armstrong.

"The legal arguments center upon the jurisdiction of the U.S. Anti Doping Agency. In essence Lance Armstrong is trying to adopt a legal argument that the agency should not be prosecuting the regulatory and disciplinary process. Armstrong is saying the agency is violating his human rights," sports lawyer Richard Cramer told CNN.

"However the Federal Judge has rejected Armstrong's application and at the moment the agency will be allowed to proceed, although there is the added complication on whether it should be the International Cycling Union which should be prosecuting the charges."

What legal stages has the case been through, so far?

June 2012 : USADA officially charges Armstrong with doping and trafficking

July 9, 2012: Armstrong files a lawsuit against the USADA in Austin, Texas. A judge throws it out on the same day.

In his order dismissing the suit, Judge Sam Sparks was highly critical of the case brought by Armstrong and his legal team.

"Armstrong's complaint is far from short, spanning 80 pages and containing 261 numbered paragraphs, many of which have multiple sub parts," he said.

"Worse, the bulk of these paragraphs contain 'allegations' that are wholly irrelevant to Armstrong's claims and which, the Court must presume, were included solely to increase media coverage of this case, and to incite public opinion against Defendants.

"Indeed, vast swaths of the complaint could be removed entirely, and most of the remaining paragraphs substantially reduced, without the loss of any legally relevant information."

July 10, 2012: Armstrong files a new lawsuit against the USADA. The suit asks the judge to prevent the agency from removing him of his seven Tour de France titles and banning him for life if he fails to enter arbitration with them.

Ferrari, del Moral and Marti are handed lifetime bans by USADA

August 20, 2012: Judge Sparks dismisses Armstrong's case against USADA. Sparks says the court "cannot interfere" in the case.

"The Court finds they are best resolved through the well-established system of international arbitration, by those with expertise in the field, rather than by the unilateral edict of a single nation's courts," said Sparks, before admitting there may be a basis for some of Armstrong's concerns.

"USADA's conduct raises serious questions about whether its real interest in charging Armstrong is to combat doping, or if it is acting according to less noble motives."

Despite Armstrong supposedly facing a three-day deadline to agree to arbitration with the agency, many believe the case still has a long way to go before a final result is seen.

"This is only the start of what is likely to be a hotly contested and disputed regulatory disciplinary process. Armstrong and his legal team will take every point to ensure there is a not guilty finding," Cramer, of UK-based FrontRow Legal, told CNN.

"I would expect the process to last several months and possibly years. Armstrong has an awful lot to lose and he clearly has the strength and willpower to fight his corner."

What are the sanctions is Armstrong facing?

If found guilty, Armstrong would face a lifetime ban from all sports covered by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Along with cycling, this would prevent Armstrong from competing in triathlon -- in which he is currently suspended pending the outcome of these charges.

Armstrong would almost certainly be stripped of all his Tour de France titles.

"Deals have been made with other former champions who committed the same offenses. So the jerseys, if they are taken away from Lance Armstrong, will be given to other people who have been convicted of doping," Flax said.

"Justice is just not on the table anymore, this is really something which is a giant mess."

What does the International Cycling Union say about the issue?

The UCI claims that it has the authority to investigate and possibly sanction Armstrong. Both bodies are recognized by the International Olympic Committee, but disagree over which should pursue the Armstrong case.

Ultimately, the USADA has the authority to sanction Armstrong, so there is little the UCI (or the cyclist) can do to stop the current case.

Lance Armstrong will lose Tour de France titles

AUSTIN, TEXAS—The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said Thursday night it will strip Lance Armstrong of his unprecedented seven Tour de France titles after he declared earlier in the evening that he would no longer fight the drug charges that threaten his legacy as one of the greatest cyclists of all time.
Travis Tygart, USADA’s chief executive, said Armstrong would also be hit with a lifetime ban from the sport on Friday. He called the case a “heartbreaking” example of a win-at-all costs approach to sports.
Armstrong insists USADA doesn’t have the authority to vacate his Tour titles. However, Tygart told The Associated Press that USADA can do it.
Still to be heard from was the sport’s governing body, the International Cycling Union, which had backed Armstrong’s legal challenge against USADA’s authority.
Armstrong, who retired from the sport last year, declined to enter USADA’s arbitration process — his last option — saying he was weary of fighting accusations that have dogged him for years. He has consistently pointed to the hundreds of drug tests that he has passed as proof of his innocence during his extraordinary run of Tour titles from1999-2005.
“There comes a point in every man’s life when he has to say, ‘Enough is enough.’ For me, that time is now,” Armstrong said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. He called the USADA investigation an “unconstitutional witch hunt.”
“I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999,” he said. “The toll this has taken on my family and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today — finished with this nonsense.”
USADA reacted quickly and treated Armstrong’s decision as an admission of guilt, hanging the label of drug cheat on an athlete who was a hero to thousands for overcoming life-threatening testicular cancer and for his foundation’s support for cancer research.
“It is a sad day for all of us who love sport and athletes,” Tygart said. “It’s a heartbreaking example of win at all costs overtaking the fair and safe option. There’s no success in cheating to win.”
Tygart said the agency can strip the Tour titles, though Armstrong disputes this, insisting his decision to drop his legal challenge is not an admission of drug use but a refusal to enter an arbitration process he believes is unfair.
“USADA cannot assert control of a professional international sport and attempt to strip my seven Tour de France titles,” he said. “I know who won those seven Tours, my teammates know who won those seven Tours, and everyone I competed against knows who won those seven Tours.”
USADA maintains that Armstrong has used banned substances as far back as 1996, including the blood-booster EPO and steroids as well as blood transfusions — all to boost his performance.
The 40-year-old Armstrong walked away from the sport in 2011 without being charged following a two-year federal criminal investigation into many of the same accusations he faces from USADA.
The federal probe was closed in February, but USADA announced in June it had evidence Armstrong used banned substances and methods — and encouraged their use by teammates. The agency also said it had blood tests from 2009 and 2010 that were “fully consistent” with blood doping.
Included in USADA’s evidence were emails written by Armstrong’s former U.S. Postal Service teammate Floyd Landis, who was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title after a positive drug test. Landis’ emails to a USA Cycling official detailed allegations of a complex doping program on the team.
USADA also said it had 10 former Armstrong teammates ready to testify against him. Other than suggesting they include Landis and Tyler Hamilton, both of whom have admitted to doping offences, the agency has refused to say who they are or specifically what they would say.
“There is zero physical evidence to support (the) outlandish and heinous claims,” Armstrong said. “The only physical evidence here is the hundreds of (doping) controls I have passed with flying colours.”
Armstrong sued USADA in Austin, where he lives, in an attempt to block the case. The UCI supported in this. But a judge threw out the case on Monday, siding with USADA despite questioning the agency’s pursuit of Armstrong in his retirement.
“USADA’s conduct raises serious questions about whether its real interest in charging Armstrong is to combat doping, or if it is acting according to less noble motives (such as politics or publicity),” U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks wrote.
Now the ultracompetitive Armstrong has done something virtually unthinkable for him: he has quit before a fight is over.
“Today I turn the page. I will no longer address this issue, regardless of the circumstances. I will commit myself to the work I began before ever winning a single Tour de France title: serving people and families affected by cancer, especially those in underserved communities,” he said.
Armstrong could have pressed his innocence in USADA’s arbitration process, but the cyclist has said he believes most people have already made up their minds about whether he’s a fraud or a persecuted hero.
It was a stunning move for an athlete who built his reputation on not only beating cancer, but forcing himself through gruelling off-season workouts no one else could match, then crushing his rivals in the Alps and the Pyrenees.
Although he had already been crowned a world champion and won individual stages at the Tour de France, Armstrong was still relatively unknown in the U.S. until he won the epic race for the first time in 1999.
It was the ultimate comeback tale. When diagnosed with cancer, doctors had given him less than a 50 per cent chance of survival before surgery and brutal cycles of chemotherapy saved his life.
Armstrong’s riveting victories, his work for cancer awareness and his gossip-page romances with rocker Sheryl Crow, fashion designer Tory Burch and actress Kate Hudson made him a figure who transcended sports.
His dominance of the Tour de France elevated the sport’s popularity in America to unprecedented levels. His story and success helped sell millions of the “Livestrong” plastic yellow wrist bracelets, and enabled him to enlist lawmakers and global policy-makers to promote cancer awareness and research. His Lance Armstrong Foundation has raised nearly $500 million since its founding in 1997.
Created in 2000, USADA is recognized by Congress as the official anti-doping agency for Olympic sports in the United States. Tygart had dismissed Armstrong’s lawsuit as an attempt at “concealing the truth.” He said the agency is motivated by one goal — exposing cheaters in sport.
Others close to Armstrong were caught up in the charges: Johan Bruyneel, the coach of Armstrong’s teams, and three members of the medical staff and a consultant were also charged. Bruyneel is taking his case to arbitration, while two medical team staffers and consulting doctor Michele Ferrari didn’t formally contest the charges and were issued lifetime ban by USADA. Ferrari later said he was innocent.
In a sport rife with cheaters, Armstrong has been under constant suspicion since the 1990s from those who refused to believe he was a clean rider winning cycling’s premier event against a field of doped-up competition.
He had tense public disputes with USADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, some former teammates and assistants and even Greg LeMond, the first American to win the Tour de France.
Through it all, Armstrong vigorously denied any and all hints, rumours and direct accusations he was cheating. He had the blazing personality, celebrity and personal wealth needed to fight back with legal and public relations battles to clear his name — and he did, time after time.
Armstrong won his first Tour at a time when doping scandals had rocked the race. He was leading the race when a trace amount of a banned anti-inflammatory corticosteroid was found in his urine; cycling officials said he was authorized to use a small amount of a cream to treat saddle sores.
After Armstrong’s second victory in 2000, French judicial officials investigated his Postal Service team for drug use. That investigation ended with no charges, but the allegations kept coming.
Armstrong was criticized for his relationship with Ferrari, who was banned by Italian authorities over doping charges in 2002. Former personal and team assistants accused Armstrong of having steroids in an apartment in Spain and disposing of syringes that were used for injections.
In 2004, a Dallas-based promotions company initially refused to pay him a $5 million bonus for winning his sixth Tour de France because it wanted to investigate allegations raised by media in Europe.
Testimony in that case included former teammate Frankie Andreu and his wife, Betsy, saying Armstrong told doctors during his 1996 cancer treatments that he had taken a cornucopia of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs.
Two books published in Europe, L.A. Confidential and L.A. Official, also raised doping allegations and, in 2005, French magazine L’Equipe reported that retested urine samples from the 1999 Tour showed EPO use.
Armstrong fought every accusation with denials and, in some cases, lawsuits against the European media outlets that reported them.
But he showed signs that he was tiring of the never-ending questions. He retired (for the first time) in 2005 and almost immediately considered a comeback before deciding to stay on the sidelines, in part, because he didn’t want to keep answering doping questions.
“I’m sick of this,” Armstrong said in 2005. “Sitting here today, dealing with all this stuff again, knowing if I were to go back, there’s no way I could get a fair shake — on the roadside, in doping control, or the labs.”
Three years later, Armstrong was 36 and itching to ride again. He came back to finish third in the 2009 Tour de France.
Armstrong raced in the Tour again in 2010, under the cloud of the federal criminal investigation. Early last year, he quit the sport for good, but made a brief return as a triathlete until the USADA investigation shut him down.

UFC 151 Cancelled: Henderson Injured, Sonnen Denied, but Anderson Silva Tried to Save the DayUFC 151 Cancelled: Henderson Injured, Sonnen Denied, but Anderson Silva Tried to Save the Day

 

 

 

 

 

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, when he heard that the event would have to be scrapped after light heavyweight champion Jon Jones declined to face Chael Sonnen on just eight days notice, offered up his services.
As UFC 151: Jones vs. Henderson came crumbling to the ground on Thursday, an unlikely figure threw his name in the ring – or the Octagon as it were – to try and help stave off the unprecedented move.

A month and a half removed from his latest fight against Chael Sonnen, Silva hadn’t been in preparation for a fight and thus would be unlikely to safely make middleweight. He reportedly offered, via manager Ed Soares, to take a light heavyweight bout at UFC 151 if it would mean saving the event.
Unfortunately, the offer came in a little too late, as the Ultimate Fighting Championship had already pulled the plug on UFC 151.
The Silva bout, had White accepted the champ’s offer, would not have been against Jones.
With Dan Henderson injured and a deal for a new fight for Jones at UFC 151 unable to be struck, White announced that Jones would be moved to UFC 152 on Sept. 22 in Toronto, where he would rematch Lyoto Machida.
Unfortunately, Machida later declined that bout; leading White and UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta to give a call to former 205-pound champion Vitor Belfort, who immediately agreed to fight Jones.
Belfort had been fighting at middleweight and was scheduled to face Alan Belcher at UFC 153 in Rio in October, but didn’t hesitate in returning to 205 pounds and a shot at the UFC light heavyweight belt he used to own.
Anderson Silva’s offer to fight at UFC 151 was first reported by MMAFighting.com.
Stay tuned to MMAWeekly.com for more UFC 151 cancellation developments and other UFC news.

Who is to blame for UFC 151 cancellation?

Are these two behind UFC 151's fall?

Plenty of anger bubbled up after UFC 151 was canceled. From UFC president Dana White to fans who posted on Cagewriter's Facebook page, people are angry there won't be fights in Las Vegas next weekend. Anger quickly turns into a search for blame. Who do you blame for UFC 151's demise?
Jon Jones: When an injury happens, fighters often have to make sacrifices to still be able to fight. Ask Rich Franklin about the many times he has stepped up when the UFC needed him to, and how he's been rewarded. Jones didn't do that, and missed out on an opportunity to win a ton of fans. He made a business decision, but now will have to face the business consequences for how fans react when fights at UFC 152.
The UFC: In planning a top-heavy card with UFC 151, they were playing with fire. Main event fighters are injured all the time. Even Jones has had to postpone fights for an injury. Putting a holiday weekend pay-per-view on the backs of two fighters was begging for a problem, as was hoping for a late replacement after a very busy summer of MMA.
Greg Jackson: UFC president Dana White threw some blame towards Jackson, Jones' coach.
"Jones's trainer, Greg Jackson, told Jon that taking the fight with Chael would be the biggest mistake of his life. That's what he told Jon Jones. Let me tell you, this guy (Greg Jackson) is a sport killer," White said on a media conference call.
"When you are a champion, much less one of the guys who is supposed to be one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, you are supposed to step up. Jon Jones is a guy a lot of fans don't like, and I don't think this is going to make him any more popular. Lorenzo Fertitta (UFC chairman and CEO) and I are disgusted with Jon Jones and Greg Jackson."
Dan Henderson's knee: And here we come to the real culprit behind the cancellation of UFC 151. How dare you become injured when training in a brutal, dangerous sport, knee?

Joey Kovar dead: Family 'in shock,' disputes drug-suspicion claim

Reality-TV star Joey Kovar's family was reportedly in shock after the "Real World" and "Celebrity Rehab" personality was found dead Friday morning at a friend's house in the Chicago area.
"Everyone is in shock right now. He seemed fine, he was happier and he was doing better," David Kovar, Joey's brother, told the Chicago Tribune.
David Kovar also said the family was not suspecting drug use, despite a TMZ report that said they were, combined with the 29-year-old's previous struggles with addiction.

"Everything was going very well," David Kovar told the Tribune. "The very, very last thing that our family is suspecting is drugs." No foul play was suspected either, police said.
In the 20th "Real World" cycle, set in Hollywood, Joey Kovar left after several episodes to go to a 30-day rehab, then moved back into the house with his castmates before the season ended.
"I am all about being positive nowadays, and I do not and will not hold a grudge on anyone for anything," he said at the time, according to MTV, the network on which "Real World" airs. "At one time, I was a very negative person and held a lot of grudges — most of my life was one letdown after another. Now I'm in a very different place. The more positive I am and the more I give back, the better quality my life is and has been."
The trainer-bodybuilder and aspiring actor later appeared on "Celebrity Rehab," saying he struggled with cocaine, ecstasy and alcohol addiction.
Joey Kovar is survived by a 3-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter, the Tribune said. An autopsy is scheduled for Saturday, according to Celebuzz.

Joey Kovar's MTV Family 'Heartbroken' By His Death Co-stars and fans take to Twitter to commemorate the 'Real World' castmember.

Fans, friends and close family members are reeling from the news of Joey Kovar's untimely death Friday (August 17), possibly caused by a drug overdose. The news of the 29-year-old "Real World: Hollywood" castmember and aspiring actor's passing has left many saddened and in shock.

"RIP Joey Kovar my heart breaks," tweeted Kovar's "Celebrity Rehab" castmate Mackenzie Phillips. "My love and prayers go out to your family."
"Road Rules" and "Challenge" veteran Mark Long also tweeted his sadness over learning the news.
"RIP Joey Kovar #sad," he wrote.
"Sad news about Joey Kovar," added Katie Doyle, a fellow "Road Rules" and "Challenge" alum. "Never do drugs. #RIP"
Bunim-Murray Productions, the production company behind "Real World," "Road Rules" and "The Challenge," offered their sincere condolences over the loss of their friend.
"Joey was a gentle and big hearted guy and his real world family will miss him. Our sympathies go out to his family and friends," the company said via their Twitter account. "Our deepest condolences go out to the friends and family of Joey Kovar. RIP dear friend."
"Real World: Cancun" and "Challenge: Fresh Meat" castmember CJ Koegel also expressed his sadness about Kovar's death via Twitter and included a link to a photo of Kovar on Instagram that has the words "We lost a member of our family but he will never be forgotten" written underneath it. The photo was re-tweeted by "Real World: New Orleans" castmember Ryan Knight.
"RIP Joey way too young," he wrote.
Kovar's fans have also expressed their condolences and sympathies for the addiction Kovar suffered with publicly.
"Reading this article has left me completely heartbroken," wrote MTV reader MelindaLauren05. "I watched Joey on the Real World and Celebrity Rehab and I rooted for him to find sobriety the whole time. I can't imagine what the family is going through but I do know what it is like to struggle with addiction. I feel lucky to have overcome mine, but it still is always a shock to find out someone struggling has lost their struggle to the disease. My deepest sympathies to his family in this time of need."
"Joey was so inspirational to me," added reader DamianW. "He was so honest, caring, and motivated. One of my favorite cast members. You were and are a great dude. mad love, homey."

Poll finds 45 per cent of Canadians don't set aside funds for emergency expenses

TORONTO - A new poll for one of Canada's big banks says 45 per cent of those surveyed saying they had no fund set up to deal with emergency expenses.

The poll of about 2,000 Canadians was conducted in March and April for CIBC by Harris/Decima.
Ontario and Alberta residents were the least likely to say they to had an emergency fund set up — 53 per cent of respondents in each province.
At 60 per cent, British Columbia residents were the most likely to say they have funds set aside for critical, unexpected expenses.
Quebec and the Prairie provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan were also above the national average, tied at 57 per cent.
Atlantic Canada was right on the national average, with 55 per cent of respondents in that region saying they had set up an emergency fund..

eHealth Ontario CEO Greg Reed does right thing, returns $81k bonus

Yes Virgina there is a Santa Claus.

Believe it or not, a political appointee in Ontario is putting taxpayers' ahead of his personal financial gain — eHealth CEO Greg Reed is refusing an $81,250 bonus that he was contractually entitled to.
Reports surfaced over the weekend that Reed, the man brought in to lead eHealth following a scandal that rocked the Liberal government, received a bonus this year of about 25 per cent on top of his $329,000 annual salary.
To the chagrin of the opposition parties, news of Reed's bonus came at the same time employees of eHealth were involved in a class-action lawsuit to recover bonuses promised to them by the Liberal government, which now wants a two-year wage freeze across the public sector.
But on Monday afternoon, according to the Toronto Star, Reed returned the money.
Ray Hession, chair of the eHealth board of directors, said this was the second year Reed refused a bonus.
"In fulfillment of our contract with him, the bonus awarded Mr. Reed was determined by the eHealth Ontario Board of Directors with my full support and approval in recognition of the outstanding leadership he has provided to the agency over the past year," Hession wrote in a statement.
"This is the second consecutive year that Mr. Reed has declined his performance pay. I would like to take the opportunity to state emphatically that he continues to enjoy the full trust and confidence of the eHealth Ontario Board of Directors."
Reed's refusal to take his bonus is not only a good news for taxpayers' but good news for the Dalton McGuinty government, ahead of two September 6 byelections that can give them a majority at Queen's Park.
Recent revelations about mismanagement at the air ambulance service ORNGE, the $180-million price tag to cancel a Mississauga power plant and a fractious teacher's dispute have the Liberals already slipping in the polls.
I'm sure McGuinty has already sent Reed a 'thank-you' note for helping him avoid another controversy.
And, on behalf of  the taxpayers, thank you Mr. Reed!

Chad Johnson arrested in Florida

 DAVIE, Fla. -- A judge has set bond at $2,500 for Dolphins receiver Chad Johnson, who is being held in a Florida jail on a domestic violence charge after his wife accused him of head-butting her during an argument.

Walker: Johnson's Future In Doubt

Chad Johnson has put his football future with the Dolphins in jeopardy following Saturday night's alleged domestic incident, James Walker writes. Blog

Johnson's defense attorney, Adam Swickle, says Johnson posted the bond Sunday morning, though jail records show he had not yet been released. Swickle says a no-contact order has been issued that prevents Johnson from contacting his wife, Evelyn Lozada.
Such orders are common in domestic violence cases.
Swickle declined to comment further.
Police say the 34-year-old Johnson, formerly known as Chad Ochocinco, was arrested Saturday. Davie police Capt. Dale Engle said the argument, which occurred in the front of the couple's home, started when Lozada confronted Johnson about a receipt she had found for a box of condoms.
Lozada, who is on the reality show "Basketball Wives," was treated at a hospital for a cut to her forehead, Engle said.
Team officials were "aware of the situation and are in the process of gathering relevant information," Dolphins spokesman Harvey Greene said. The team are scheduled to hold practice early Sunday afternoon.
Johnson's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, declined to comment.
Johnson signed with the Dolphins in June, four days after he was released by New England. A six-time Pro Bowl receiver with Cincinnati, he caught only 15 passes in 15 games for the Patriots last year after they acquired him in a trade for a pair of draft picks.

Johnson

On Friday night in the Dolphins' 20-7 loss to Tampa Bay in their preseason opener, the only pass thrown to Johnson slipped through his hands.
Johnson was known as Ochocinco for the past four seasons. The name was a playful reference to the No. 85 he wore on his jersey.
Johnson and Lozada were prominent in the recent first episode of HBO's "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Miami Dolphins."
In one sequence 40 minutes into the show, as he is leaving the Dolphins' facility before the first off-day of camp, Johnson jokes to Stuart Weinstein, the Dolphins' chief security investigator, who is off-camera, that he would be arrested.
"Stu, I promise I'm getting arrested while we're off," Johnson says.
"Call me, I'll come get you," Weinstein replies.
VH1's "Basketball Wives" is filmed in Miami and also features Shaunie O'Neal, the former wife of former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal. Lozada was previously engaged to former NBA player Antoine Walker.
Johnson and Lozada's wedding is slated to be featured in another VH1 reality series that begins in September called "Eve & Ocho."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

London 2012 closing ceremony: Top 10 interesting facts

1. The doodle features a spate of athletes from different Olympic sports celebrating the last day of the world's biggest sporting extravaganza. With athletes triumphantly holding up the letters of "Google," the doodle looks cheerful. It is the seventeenth doodle by Google during the London 2012 Olympic Games.
 2. The 150-minute closing ceremony will include video highlight reels of the July 27-August 12 Games, and in between the music will be the men's marathon medal ceremony, athletes' parade, speeches and a presentation by the next hosts Rio de Janeiro
 3. The Olympic Flame, in the form of a giant flower made up of 204 copper "petals" representing the nations taking part, will be extinguished to symbolise the end of London 2012. Like the Olympic opening ceremony, the closer will showcase British icons and British creativity.
4. Pop will take the podium when London bids farewell to the Olympics on Sunday, with a closing ceremony starring the Spice Girls, Annie Lennox, One Direction and a peculiarly British sense of humour.
5. The Who, George Michael, Muse and Ed Sheeran have all said they will take part in a show that will include performances of 30 British hit singles from the past five decades — whittled down by Gavin from a possible 1,000. The Pet Shop Boys, Annie Lennox and Fatboy Slim will also be on hand to get people dancing.
6. The set is expected to comprise a central stage surrounded by a road around which vehicles can travel, and a cast of around 4,000 volunteers will dance and skip to the beat of music through the ages. Famous London landmarks like Tower Bridge, the London Eye, parliament's "Big Ben" Clock Tower and St Paul's Cathedral have been reconstructed to complement the action.
7. London's organising committee says 3,25,000 spectators visited Olympic venues on Friday, and 1,44,000 of those walked through the gates of Olympic Park. Some 7.7 million spectators have visited Olympic venues over the course of the games. However, on Sunday spectator numbers will decline. Olympic Park will host only three events on the final day: water polo, modern pentathlon and handball. The rest of the park will be in transition mode as Olympic Stadium is transformed into a giant stage for the closing ceremony Sunday night.
8. Ben Ainslie, now the most successful Olympic sailor after adding a fourth gold to his collection at the London Games, will carry the flag for hosts Britain in Sunday's closing ceremony. Britain are third in the medals table after their best performance since 1908.
9. While the creators of the opening ceremony could rehearse for weeks inside Olympic Stadium, Gavin and his team have less than a day between the end of track and field competition and Sunday's ceremony.
10. "Pixel boxes" on every seat of the 80,000-capacity arena will be used again to create vivid, giant backdrops for a show expected to attract hundreds of millions of television viewers after the opening ceremony was watched by close to a billion.

Meteor shower: When to watch for Perseid star show

How do you watch a meteor shower? Step one: Find yourself a clear, dark sky. Two, pour a cool summer beverage. Three, find a lawn chair, sit and drink aforementioned beverage.
Finally, look up.
We get not only fireworks on the Fourth of July but also nature's fireworks in mid-August. You can check out the Perseid - pronounced "PURR-see-id" - meteor shower Saturday night. This shower appears to emanate from the Perseus constellation, hence the name.
Although the Perseids loiter in our heavens from July 25 through Aug. 20, these shooting stars peak this weekend. You can start looking up late Saturday night. If you are lucky, you'll observe a handful of meteors dart across the cosmos.
You'll probably see more after midnight, in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
The International Meteor Organization and "The Observer's Handbook 2012" explain that the zenithal hourly rate is about 90 to 100 meteors each hour. Although you'll never see that many, be happy with a few.
The shower supposedly will peak Sunday at 8 a.m. ET. That's well after sunrise, so Saturday and Sunday nights could be your best chances.
Slightly dampening your observations after midnight, the waning moon rises in the east about 1:30 a.m. ET Sunday. Don't fret, however. It's just a crescent and shouldn't be too bothersome.
Meteors are nothing but a trail of cosmic dust left by comets. On its annual tour around the sun, Earth smacks into these trails. The debris strikes our atmosphere and burns brightly, and we see the resulting streaks. Comet Swift-Tuttle leaves the trail that causes the Perseid meteors. The dust trail is a "middle-age stream, still fairly compact," Neil Bone says in his book "Meteors." Bone explains that these bits of dust are small, like the size of a grain of sand or instant coffee granules. These tiny pieces have little structural integrity and burn easily when they strike our upper atmosphere.
A special year It's the sesquicentennial of Comet Swift-Tuttle's discovery. Early during the Civil War, two men - hundreds of miles apart - saw the apparition in July 1862, notes astronomer David H. Levy. Astronomer Lewis Swift found it July 16, 1862, from Marathon, N.Y., about 25 miles north of Binghamton. Because of Marathon's thin population, the dark heavens there remain a sky gazer's dream today.
Meanwhile, astronomer Horace P. Tuttle saw the comet July 19, 1862, from the Harvard College Observatory in Cambridge, Mass., just before he joined the Union Army. Later in his career, Tuttle joined the U.S. Naval Observatory. He died in 1923, and he's buried in an unmarked grave at Oakwood Cemetery in Falls Church, Va.

Play free online games no download no registration needed

So for all gamer who want to play games online there are few good sites to play online games

1 . http://www.addictinggames.com/

2 . http://www.bgames.com/

3 . http://www.playedonline.com/

4 . http://www.shockwave.com/home.jsp

5 . http://www.miniclip.com/games/en/

6 . http://www.freeonlinegames.com/

7 . http://www.games.com/

8 . http://www.dailygames.com/

9 . http://www.1001onlinegames.com/

10 . http://www.pogo.com/

these are the few sites where you can play online games and there are few more sites to include but these gaming sites are top 10 , leave your comments below and thanks for viewing my blog .

 

Watch Movies for free without sign up

Streaming movies can be a great alternative to downloading movies because it's instant! But the problem is, websites that offer movies without downloads come and go quite often. It can be frustrating trying to find the best website to watch free movies on.  Below you will be able to see each site rated by design, how many good links they have, the quality and quantity of the videos, their community, and update consistency. You may click on any of the column names to sort each column. Find your favorite websites to watch free movies today!

http://www.solarmovie.eu/

http://www1.zmovie.tv/

http://www.iwatchonline.org/

http://www.vidics.eu/

http://www.movie2k.to/index.php?lang=us

http://www.tubeplus.me/

http://streamible.com/

http://www.tehcake.com/welcome.html

http://one-tvshows.eu/

http://www.alluc.org/

http://movie25.com/

http://www.gsmovies.com/

http://www.moviesplanet.com/

http://www.watchingitnow.com/