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Week Of August 15, 2011 In Pop Culture History With Videos. In News, Pop Culture, Entertainment, Tech News & More.

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Week In Review – August 15, 2011

Compiled By Gary West @ www.mrpopculture.com


In The News –

Bomb blasts ripped through more than a dozen Iraqi cities Monday morning, killing 56 people — most of them in the southern city of Kut — in a wave of violence that shattered what had been a relatively peaceful holy month of Ramadan. The violence struck from the northern city of Kirkuk to the capital of Baghdad to the southern Shiite cities of Najaf, Kut and Karbala, and emphasized the persistent ability of insurgents to wreak havoc at a time when Iraqi officials are weighing whether they are able to protect the country without the assistance of American troops.

The leaders of France and Germany meet for high-pressure talks on Tuesday to discuss what further measures they can take to shore up investor confidence in the euro zone following a dramatic market sell-off last week. President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are under pressure to show financial markets they are in agreement on doing more to shore up the embattled currency union — or risk watching the euro zone unravel. The two leaders could discuss obliging all euro zone countries to pass national laws on deficit limits and the idea of a permanent euro zone spokesperson or coordinator, a source close to the talks told Reuters.

Barack Obama hit the road Monday for his three-day Midwestern bus tour toting an array of political baggage: a downgraded national credit rating, a faltering economy, a stretch of wild market vicissitudes, an approval rating that by one measure has slumped to a historical low of 39%.

A parasite known as the “brain-eating amoeba” has claimed its second young American victim this month. Christian Strickland, a 9-year-old from Henrico County in Virginia contracted an infection after visiting a fishing camp in his state. He died of meningitis on August 5. This week, health department officials confirmed that the deadly amoeba–officially known as “Naegleria fowleri”–was to blame. “Sadly, we have had a Naegleria infection in Virginia this summer,” Dr. Keri Hall of the Virginia Department of Health, told the press. “It’s important that people be aware of . . . safe swimming messages.” Earlier this month, Courtney Nash died to the brain-eating amoeba after diving off a dock into the St. John’s River at her grandmother’s house in Florida.

Tampa police arrested an expelled student after thwarting what they called a “catastrophic” plot to set off a bomb at his former high school next week, authorities said Wednesday.  Police Chief Jane Castor said Jared Cano (Mr Pop Video), 17, had threatened to plant a device at Freedom High School in north Tampa and discharge it on the first day of school Tuesday. He was arrested Tuesday night after someone tipped off police about the plot.

Gunmen killed seven people in southern Israel on Thursday in attacks along the Egyptian border and Israel responded with an air strike in the Gaza Strip that killed six Palestinians, including the leaders of a group it blamed for the violence. The series of assaults on a desert road north of Israel’s Red Sea resort of Eilat drew Israeli accusations that Egypt’s new rulers were losing their grip on the porous frontier.

More signs of economic weakness triggered a global sell-off in stocks Thursday. The Dow Jones industrial average fell more than 400 points in a return to the wild swings in the market last week. In the United States, there were reports that more people joined the unemployment line last week than a week earlier, gasoline prices contributed to higher inflation and manufacturing slowed in the mid-Atlantic.

Syrian forces shot dead 20 protesters on Friday despite a pledge by President Bashar al-Assad that a crackdown was over, activists said as thousands marched across Syria, spurred on by U.S. and European calls for him to step down.

A suicide bomber struck a mosque in a Pakistani tribal region during Friday prayers, officials said, killing at least 40 people and wounding 85 others in the deadliest attack in the country in recent weeks. The attack came during the holy month of Ramadan, a time of fasting, sharing and heightened community spirit for Muslims.

(Mr Pop Video) Burger King Corp. on Friday said it is retiring “The King” mascot, a man with an oversized plastic head and creepy smile who in recent years has been shown in ads peeping into people’s windows and popping up next to them in bed. The move is an effort by the struggling fast food chain to boost slumping sales by focusing its marketing on the freshness of its food rather than the funny-factor of its ads. It’s rolling out a new campaign on Saturday sans The King to tout its fresh ingredients and new products like its California Whopper, which has guacamole.

A chartered Boeing 737 plane crashed Saturday afternoon in Canada’s Arctic region, killing 12 people, police said. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the plane went down near the hamlet of Resolute Bay in the Arctic territory of Nunavut. The First Air charter flight was traveling from Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories to Resolute Bay, and was scheduled to continue on to Grise Fiord on Ellesmere Island.

People freed in Tripoli – Muammar Gaddafi was a hunted man  as loyal remnants of his forces made a last-ditch stand in the capital and world leaders embraced the fractious Libyan rebels as new masters of the oil-rich North African state.

Nearly 48 hours after a pincer thrust on Tripoli by the irregular rebel armies, launched in tandem with an uprising in the city, Gaddafi’s tanks and sharpshooters appeared to hold only small areas, including his Bab al-Aziziya headquarters. Civilians, who mobbed the streets late on Sunday to cheer the end of dictatorship, stayed indoors as gunfire crackled. Gaddafi’s prime minister showed up in Tunisia. State television went off the air and rebels said they had seized its transmitters. More Libyan embassies abroad hoisted the rebel flag.

A wingwalker at an air show near Detroit fell to his death on Sunday, after he tried to transfer from an aircraft to a helicopter and plunged about 200 feet to the ground, officials said. The death of wingwalker Todd Green comes one day after an aerobatic flyer crashed and died at a Kansas City, Missouri, air show and a British Royal Air Force “Red Arrows” pilot crashed and died at an air festival on the coast of England.

Tech news –

Google Inc will buy phone hardware maker Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc for $12.5 billion to bolster adoption of its Android mobile software and compete with smartphone rival Apple Inc. In its biggest deal to date, Google said it would pay $40 per share in cash, a 63 percent premium to Motorola Mobility’s Friday closing price on the New York Stock Exchange. “What it says is that Google wants to provide a total experience that’s hardware and software (like Apple),” said BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis.

Hewlett-Packard is taking a hatchet to its business and doing some radical restructuring. The company said Thursday that it is looking to spin off its industry-leading but struggling personal computer business. HP also killed off the TouchPad tablet it launched last month, as well as its webOS smartphone line.

Prince Harry, 27, will be spending time in the Golden State plus Arizona for a series of Apache helicopter training courses. The exact locations and dates of the “spare heir’s” visit have yet to be disclosed. Called “Exercise Crimson Eagle,” the California and Arizona training features “environmental training, live firing and tactical exercises,” the rep explains.

Despite a promising start last year, Conan O’Brien’s TBS talk show has steadily lost viewers — and TBS is investing heavily to stop the slide. TBS’s great red hope is tanking. A new Wall Street Journal report on the network’s late-night talk show, Conan, details just how big an investment its hiring of host Conan O’Brien has been — and just how poorly that investment has paid off this past year. And TBS’s “Conan O’Brien experiment” is about to get even more expensive.

(Mr. Pop Video) Kim Kardashian Marries – Kim Kardashian finally took her walk down the aisle on Saturday and married Kris Humphries with a reported 440 guests in attendance. Escorted by stepfather Bruce Jenner, the bride proceeded down the aisle in a strapless Vera Wang wedding dress, witnessed by her expansive reality show family, including Kris Jenner, bridesmaids Kendall and Kylie Jenner, and Kim’s matron and maid of honor, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian, with their men.

Lil Wayne said  he is recovering after gashing his head at a St. Louis-area skateboard park. The 28-year-old rapper whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. was in suburban St. Louis Sunday for a performance at the outdoor Verizon Amphitheatre. KTVI-TV reported that Lil Wayne, accompanied by a large entourage, showed up Sunday at DePaul Health Center’s emergency room. Hospital spokeswoman Jamie Newell said she could not confirm Lil Wayne was at the hospital, citing privacy laws. But Lil Wayne wrote about it on his Twitter account. “The Lou was good but I busted my … head at the sk8park! 9stitches! Gnarly gash over my left eye! Luv the people,” he wrote.

Hot hits this week in 2011:

Party Rock Anthem – LMFAO fea. Lauren Bennet & GoonRock

Super Bass – Nicki Minaj

(Mr Pop Video) Moves Like A Jagger – Maroon 5 fea. Christina Aguilera

Lighters – Bad meets Evil fea. Bruno Mars

Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) – Katy Perry

Give Me Everything – Pitbull fea. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer

Pumped Up Kicks – Foster The Peole

I Wanna Go – Britney Spears

Good Life – OneRepublic

How To Love – Lil Wayne

Tonight Tonight – Hot Chelle Rae

Headlines – Drake

Rolling In The Deep – Adele

The Edge of Glory – Lady Gaga

If I Die Young – The Band Perry

I’m On One – DJ Khaled fea. Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne

Stereo Hearts – Gym Class Heroes fea. Adam Levine

Best Thing I Never Had – Beyonce

Remind Me – Brad Paisley With Carrie Underwood

Dirt Road Anthem – Jason Aldean

Knee Deep – Zac Brown Band fea. Jimmy Buffett

Motivation – Kelly Rowland fea. Lil Wayne

Just A Kiss – Lady Antebellum

You Make Me Feel – Cobra Starship fea. Sabi

Cheers (Drink To That) – Rihanna

Just A Kiss – Lady Antebellum

Top TV –

1. America’s Got Talent” (Tuesday) NBC
2. NCIS CBS
3. America’s Got Talent” (Wednesday) NBC
4. 60 Minutes CBS
5. NCIS: Los Angeles CBS
6. Big Brother 13″ (Sunday) CBS
7. Big Brother 13″ (Wednesday) CBS
8. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CBS
9. Big Brother 13″ (Thursday) CBS
10. CMA Music Festival ABC
11. Bachelor Pad ABC
12. Hell’s Kitchen” (Monday) FOX
13. Dateline NBC” NBC
14. The Big Bang Theory CBS
15. Hell’s Kitchen” (Tuesday) FOX
16. The Mentalist” (Tuesday) CBS
17. Wipeout” (Tuesday) ABC
18. Flashpoint” CBS CBS
19. So You Think You Can Dance” (Thursday) FOX
20. Master Chef” (Tuesday) FOX

At the movies –

The Help

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Spy Kids: All the Time In The World (1st week $12 million)

Conan the Barbarian (1st week $10 million)

Fright Night

The Smurfs

Final Destination 5

30 Minutes or Less

One Day

Crazy, Stupid Love

Best Of Bachman, Turner Overdrive (Best Of B.T.O.). When Was It Originally Released? Pop Culture Music History.

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Mr. Pop Culture -

Canada gave us some terrific music  – and BTO was right up there with the best of them

If you grew up in the 1970′s and listened to top-40 or album oriented radio – you loved Bachman, Turner Overdrive – with Randy Bachman and company. Their rock music was catchy and infectuous with hits such as “Takin’ Care Of Business,” “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” and “Let It Ride.” Simply great stuff. I loved these guys and we couldn’t wait for their greatest hits to be released.

It finally came as Mercury records released “The Best Of BTO (So Far)” back in August of 1976. If you don’t have it, get it. Or download their hits. Don’t forget “Hey You” and “Roll On Down The Highway.”

BTW – The last single for BTO was from that same time – summer of 1976 with “Gimmie Your Money Please.” Not a big charter – but – just in case you wanted to know.

Gary West – www.mrpopculture.com

Allan Sniffen Interview. He’s Founder Of The New York Radio Message Board And Internet Radio Station “Rewound Radio” – Playing What “Oldies” Stations Use To Play.

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Internet Mavericks.

An Interview With Allan Sniffen Of “Rewound Radio” – Playing What “Oldies” Stations Use To Play.

Conducted By Gary West @ www.mrpopculture.com and  www.mrpophistory.com


Mr. Pop – Allan, you have quite an Internet history, dating back to 1996.

Allan – Yes, that’s when I began a website dedicated to the most popular top-40 radio station of all time, WABC, New York. The inspiration came from another website dedicated to top-40 legend CKLW, Detroit. I was inspired by what I saw and thought, “if CKLW, why not WABC?”

Mr. Pop – And the rest is pop history. You followed that with a site dedicated to rival WMCA, then began a message board dedicated to radio, particularly, New York radio.

Allan – That’s correct. And I now have sites dedicated to New York stations WOR-FM/99X, plus a New York broadcasting history and separately, a music message board.

Mr. Pop – All inspired by postings from the original NY radio message board.

Allan – That’s correct. Posters came from radio, the industry, the media and beyond.

Mr. Pop – All of these online products come directly from you. You even host your own server, which you maintain and administer. Plus, this is not your day job. It must be a ton of work.

Allan – Hopefully, I’ve gotten a little better at it.

Mr. Pop – You’ve brought a whole lot of people together. It’s been amazing to watch. Now, you’ve added an Internet radio station. That’s a whole different dynamic. What was your inspiration?

Allan – It was a consequence of what I saw happening to “oldies” radio.

Mr. Pop – So, “Rewound Radio” is in the true of spirit of a top-40 oldies station playing the hits of the 1950’s into the 1970’s?

Allan – Yes – and a lot of that has disappeared with the advent of adding 1980’s music. Oldies radio is now called, for the most part, “Classic Hits.” I don’t think that 1980’s music fits well with preceding decades.

Mr. Pop – What exactly has happened to the rock-n-roll oldies station of say, 1985?

Allan – They dropped way-back on the 1950’s, cut back on the 1960’s, increased the 1970’s and put the 1980’s in. You put a 1980’s hit next to a 1960’s hit – and it doesn’t sound right. You can debate good, bad or otherwise. I don’t see the 1980’s music as having the right sound. I understand why they’re doing it – demographics and advertising, but – I’m not a fan. I wanted to create an alternative for those who felt the same say.

Mr. Pop – How many songs in the “Rewound Radio” 1950’s-1970’s rotation?

Allan – About 2500 songs.

Mr. Pop – That’s quite a bit. I remember oldies stations playing as little as 600 to 700 songs in their format. Do you rotate them in and out?

Allan – I’ve added more than I’ve taken out.  For example, I don’t play as many summer songs in the winter and winter songs in the summer. Also, I’m trying to get the greatest amount of time before repeating any given song, while keeping the format familiar.  That doesn’t sound as easy as you think. For example, you can play a bunch of esoteric songs – familiar to some, but not to others. One of the things about the oldies format is… it has to sound familiar.

Mr. Pop –  So, how often does the average song repeat?

Allan – I have one music category that rotates about every 3 ½ days – and that would be music from the Beatles, Stones, Motown – the most familiar.

Mr. Pop – The main library.

Allan – Yes, then I have a music category which rotates through 5 ½ to 6 days. The thing about Internet radio is – it’s a TSL format.

Mr. Pop – TSL for time spent listening, where you should keep the listener longer.

Allan – That’s correct. You don’t have a lot of people coming and going. What you do have is people turning it on, and leaving it on. When you have a TSL format, you can’t repeat too much. With broadcast radio – there’s more available listeners. Not so for Internet radio, so you have to keep them longer.

Mr. Pop – For anybody considering starting an Internet station, what do they have to do?

Allan – First off, there’s the copyright fees. I pay about $1,500 a year and that comes with a whole lot of paper work.  That would go up once you start selling advertising. Paper-wise, the second year wasn’t so bad, because all the research was behind me.

Mr. Pop – Does it take any kind of tech savvy to set-up an Internet radio station?

Allan – Only if you’re going to stream it out with your own equipment. That’s what I’m doing. I have my Shoutcast server – which then sends out my programming to the Internet. So yes, if you do it that way, you’ll need to know a little about Unix and server-side language.

Mr. Pop – What if you’re not into that?

Allan – You can use a service such as “Live365.” They take care of it, but you pay them.

Mr. Pop – What do you use to rotate the music?

Allan – I use something called “Station Playlist.” It plays the music, the jingles, does the crossfading and the audio processing.

Mr. Pop – Nice! There’s nothing worse than hearing something suddenly go louder or softer. Audio processing is important.

Allan – Oh yes – you really need that because mp3’s can be all over the place.

Mr. Pop – So, “Station Playlist” lets you set up your music rotation?

Allan – Yes, it has a programming component called “creator” and that’s where you set up your music categories; where you want the jingles to play and so on.

Mr. Pop – The jingles sound fantastic. They must be the great work  of Jonathan Wolfert at JAM in Dallas.

Allan – He did me a terrific favor and gets full credit. I didn’t suggest anything to him and of course, the jingles really add to the sound of “Rewound Radio.”

Mr. Pop – Any oldies radio listener would love “Rewound Radio” and of course, anybody can visit the New York Radio Message Board and its associated boards, any time. Thanks Allan for your time today.

This Week In History… A Complete Look At The Week Of January 8, 2011.

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From The www.mrpopculture and www.mrpophistory week-by-week sites. A complete look at the week of January 8, 2011 in news, trends and pop culture…

Week of January 8, 2011

TUCSON, Ariz. – Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona was shot in the head Saturday when an assailant opened fire outside a grocery store during a meeting with constituents, killing at least five people and wounding several others in a rampage that rattled the nation. Giffords was among at least 10 people wounded, and the hospital said her outlook was “optimistic” and that she was responding to commands from doctors despite having a bullet go through her head. The hospital said a 9-year-old child was among the dead, and a U.S. Marshal said a federal judge was also fatally shot in the attack.

Mexico’s drug violence -, 27 people killed in less than a day, including 14 men whose bodies were found with their heads chopped off at a shopping center. Acapulco has seen fierce turf wars between drug gangs, and the bloodshed is scaring some vacationers away even though little of the violence happens in tourist areas. The 14 headless bodies, and a 15th intact corpse, were found by police on a street outside a shopping center accompanied by written warnings from a drug cartel, authorities said.

Doctors said Monday that Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ brain remains swollen, but the pressure isn’t increasing — a good sign for the congresswoman’s recovery. Neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Lemole of Tucson’s University Medical Center said Giffords’ condition two days after surgery for a gunshot wound to the head remains stable. He said that swelling from such an injury typically peaks around the third day, so doctors “can breathe a collective sigh of relief” after that.

A 22-year-old man described as a social outcast with wild beliefs steeped in mistrust faces a federal court hearing Monday on charges he tried to assassinate Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in a Tucson shooting rampage that left six people dead. A military official in Washington said Jared Loughner was rejected from the Army in 2008 because he failed a drug test. The official spoke Monday on condition of anonymity because privacy laws prevent the military from disclosing such information about an individual’s application.

President Barack Obama has presided over a national moment of silence for severely injured Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and the people who were killed during an assassination attempt against her. On the White House South Lawn, Obama was joined by first lady Michelle Obama and White House staff members on a cold morning. The moment was marked at the U.S. Capitol and elsewhere around a nation still coming to grips with the tragedy.

For weeks, the flooding in eastern Australia has been a slow-motion disaster, with drenching rain devastating wide swaths of farmland and small towns. Now, rivers are rising in Brisbane, the country’s third-largest city, forcing people to flee both suburbs and skyscrapers.

Flooding that has unfolded since late November across the waterlogged state of Queensland turned suddenly violent Monday, with a cloudburst sending a raging torrent down the Lockyer Valley west of Brisbane. Hundreds had to be rescued by helicopter Tuesday.

Democratic Illinois lawmakers beat a looming deadline and approved a 66 percent income tax increase in a desperate bid to end the state’s crippling budget crisis. Legislative leaders rushed early Wednesday to pass the politically risky plan before a new General Assembly was sworn in at noon, taking a slice out of the Democratic majority and removing lame-duck lawmakers willing to support the tax before leaving office.

The second major snow storm of the winter season pelted the Northeast with about 8 inches of snow on Wednesday, snarling traffic and canceling flights, but it was not enough to suspend school in New York City. The National Weather Service reported snow on the ground in 49 of the 50 states — only Florida was spared — and much of the South was still battling icy conditions that made roads dangerous and led to several traffic deaths.

A Las Vegas judge has spared senior ACORN executive Amy Adele Busefink jail time for her role in a notorious voter fraud conspiracy. Judge Donald Mosley sentenced Busefink to two years imprisonment but suspended the jail time provided that she abides by the terms of her probation. She was also fined a total of $4,000 and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service. Prosecutors had argued for a fine of just $1,000. Voter fraud, sometimes called electoral fraud, is a blanket term encompassing a host of election-related improprieties.

Brazil’s Worst-Ever disaster – Summer rains sent tons of red mud and torrents of water rushing down mountainsides in towns outside Rio, enveloping homes of rich and poor alike and killing at least 500 people. Some survivors clung to trees to escape the water and landslides. Rescuers used heavy machinery, shovels and bare hands to dig through debris in a search for survivors Wednesday. It was not immediately clear how many people were rescued. At least 50 remained missing, and officials feared that figure would rise.

TUCSON, Ariz. – President Obama exhorted Americans to refrain from partisan bickering and urged the country to embrace the idealistic vision of democracy held by 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green, the youngest Arizona shooting victim and an aspiring politician who is set to be buried Thursday in the first of half-a-dozen funerals. Speaking to an arena audience of about 14,000 and even more in a nearby football stadium and at homes across the country, Obama drew on themes of unity, patriotism and heroism as he tried to help the nation make sense of a tragedy that unfolded as citizens were exercising their most basic of rights, meeting with their congresswoman.

Steven Vego heard a pop in the rear of his Southern California home and went outside to investigate. His son and wife followed in what turned out to be a tragic decision. The three were electrocuted Friday, one after the other as the wife and son attempted rescues, each coming in contact with a 12,000-volt power line that had fallen over in their backyard, authorities said. San Bernardino firefighters arrived to find the three bodies, but it was too dangerous to free them, fire spokesman Jason Serrano said. A utility company finally cut the power.

Serving as California governor cost Arnold Schwarzenegger at least $200 million, the bodybuilding star turned actor and politician told a newspaper in his native Austria, insisting ‘it was more than worth it.” Counting expenses and lost income from acting in Hollywood films, “in all it is probably more than $200 million,” he told Krone when asked how much his two terms in Sacramento had cost.

Sports – Auburn’s first BCS Championship and the second college football national championship in school history came down to a simple twist of fate. Michael Dyer’s spinning, twisting recovery from an apparent tackle produced a game-changing 37-yard run late in the fourth quarter, and then he made an almost identical play to give the Tigers the ball inside the 1-yard line and set up Wes Bynum’s 19-yard field goal as time expired, giving Auburn a thrilling 22-19 victory over Oregon in the BCS Championship Game on Monday at University of Phoenix Stadium.

NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor avoided jail on Thursday by pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges stemming from his May arrest on rape and prostitution charges. The former New York Giants great will serve six years probation as part of the agreement, which saw him plead guilty to sexual misconduct and patronizing a prostitute. He will have to register as a sex offender. In court, Taylor admitted to having sex with a prostitute who ended up being a 16-year-old runaway. “She told me she was 19,” he said.

Technology –

Motorola Mobility’s Xoom tablet computer powered by new “Honeycomb” software from Google was crowned the best gadget at the giant Consumer Electronics Show (CES) on Saturday. Along with being declared the top creation at the dazzling gadget extravaganza, Xoom was also honored as the best of the scores of tablets introduced here as fresh competitors in a market dominated by Apple IPads.

Verizon Wireless, the top U.S. mobile provider, plans on Tuesday to unveil a version of the Apple iPhone for its service and will kick off sales of the device a few weeks later, a source told Reuters. Verizon Wireless will offer the iPhone to its customers under its existing wireless service price plans, said the source, who asked not to be named as the plan has not yet been announced.

News Corp’s MySpace is laying off nearly half its staff, setting the stage for a sale of the former Internet social networking leader as is it refocuses as an entertainment site. The restructuring affects about 500 employees, or 47 percent of the company, and comes after weeks of speculation on technology blogs about the cuts.

iPad will soon have a Paper feature to be announced by Steve Jobs and Rupert Murdoch. The two men will make the announcement later this month. Jobs and Murdoch will appear together at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, at a launch event, rumoured to be scheduled for January 19. Murdoch has called his iPad newspaper his “number one most exciting project” in recent months, with the paper set to have a core full-time editorial staff based out of offices in New York and Los Angeles.

The child-abduction alert system used by law enforcement, broadcasters and transportation departments is now available on Facebook. AMBER Alerts have previously been available to many users via their local law enforcement Facebook pages. But now, Facebook users can receive the announcements directly from state AMBER Alert pages, by choosing which state’s alerts they want to see. The District of Columbia and the U.S. Territories also each have an alert page.

Verizon Wireless said it will begin selling Apple’s iPhone early next month, ending AT&T’s four-year run as the phone’s exclusive carrier. ” Existing Verizon customers will be able to pre-order the phone beginning Feb. 3. The phone will launch in Apple and Verizon stores online on Feb. 10, according to Verizon Wireless CEO Dan Mead. Verizon customers eligible for “new every two” upgrades will be able to use those upgrade credits toward an iPhone.

New Facebook Profiles…  Starting (January 13) all accounts will be upgraded to the new profile. The new Facebook profiles feature a revamped interface, as well as easy access to photos of the user. The profiles also offer more details about work and education information, while letting users put friends into distinct categories, list various interests, and fill out a nifty new “about me” user summary.

Computer history for $400? An IBM computer won the practice round on popular TV quiz show Jeopardy! against two top contestants, showing artificial intelligence has come a long way in simulating how humans think. “We have created a computer system which has the ability to understand natural human language, which is a very difficult thing for a computer to do,” said John Kelly, the director of IBM Research. The emotion was left to the audience as Watson, the contestant, beat out two of Jeopardy’s most winningest champions, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter, by $1,000.  The machine, named Watson after legendary International Business Machines Machines president Thomas Watson, is a showcase of the company’s computing expertise and research in advanced science.

Entertainment news –

Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian have been sued for $75 million in debit card damages — and they didn’t even slap down the plastic themselves. The sisters, along with mom Kris Jenner, are being sued by The Revenue Resource Group for breach of contract after they pulled out of promotional duties stemming from the launch of their branded prepaid debit card.

Another Awards Show! – MTV Comedy Central have announced The Comedy Awards, an event honoring the industry’s top writers, directors, actors and stand-up comedians.

“This historic, one-night-only celebration will honor [those] who provided the laugh track to our lives this past year: the pioneers who pushed boundaries; the TV shows that we rushed home for; the movies that are etched into our collective pop-culture memory; the stand-up comedians and the viral videos that make us laugh every day.”

Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas, who revealed in August that he had throat cancer, said on Monday that his tumor is gone and chances are good he has beaten cancer. In an interview with U.S. morning news and talk show “Today,” Douglas told co-host Matt Lauer, “I feel good, relieved.

The Ohio homeless man whose smooth broadcaster voice made him an Internet sensation was questioned by police after he and his daughter got into a heated argument at a hotel during a trip to Hollywood to appear on “Dr. Phil” and “Entertainment Tonight.” “I don’t know how loud they were,” Officer Catherine Massey said, but the argument around 9 p.m. Monday at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel & Spa led to a disturbance report. “It was minor. Both parties were angry but there were no signs of visible abuse,” Massey said Tuesday. She said Ted Williams and his daughter “were brought in, calmed down, talked to and released” and she did not know the nature of the argument.

Pop singer Shakira and her boyfriend of almost 11 years, Antonio de la Rue, have split, the singer announced on her blog. “Since August 2010, we made a mutual decision to take time apart from our romantic relationship. Throughout this time we have continued to work together hand in hand, have remained close and have kept the details absolutely private until now,” she wrote.

Dr Drew gets a daytime TV talker – with a new daily, half-hour CW show. The program — slated to air next fall — will focus on people dealing with conflicts in their lives, including relationship and addiction issues. Pinsky and a panel of experts — ranging from celebrities to people in the medical field — will attempt to help the show’s guests with their problems.

Justin Bieber (16) will return to CSI for an upcoming episode, CBS announced Tuesday.  Bieber will reprise the role of Jason McCann, a troubled boy whose brother was killed in the Season 11 premiere. Jason returns when he calls Nick (George Eads)) to alert him that he’s in imminent danger.

Conan O’Brien says he got a phone call from David Letterman over the holidays. The CBS host wanted to make sure a year of late-night TV turmoil hadn’t created a rift between them. O’Brien told reporters Wednesday that he and Letterman have “always been good. I said he didn’t owe me a phone call, but I appreciated it.” O’Brien wouldn’t be so receptive to a call from Jay Leno, who preceded and replaced him as “Tonight” show host. He says the reason is no mystery, noting, “We all know the story.”

Passing – David Nelson, who starred on his parents’ popular television show “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,” has died, a family spokesman said. He was 74. Nelson, who was battling complications of colon cancer, died Tuesday at his Los Angeles home, said family spokesman and longtime Hollywood publicist Dale Olson.

Actor Peter Fonda was part of a real-life mystery on Hollywood’s famed Sunset Boulevard on Wednesday. The Oscar-nominated actor (brother to Jane and son of the late Henry Fonda), 70, discovered a dead body inside a car parked on the famed street. Fonda found the deceased driver slumped over in the front seat and called 911.

Ted Williams, the 53-year-old former homeless man with the golden voice, is heading to rehab after having a one-on-one with Dr. Phil, the psychologist said in a statement. “If Ted is ever going to get better, he’s got to be honest with himself and admit he’s addicted to drugs and alcohol,” the statement said. Williams taped segments with his family members that will air Wednesday and Thursday. During the discussion, he admitted to drinking — an addiction he suffered in the past. The Brooklyn native began drinking and using drugs in 1996 and as a result, he lost his radio job and his home. Earlier this week, he said he’s been sober for two years.

King’s Speech” Golden Globe nominee Colin Firth now has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The British actor unveiled his sidewalk shrine Thursday in front of the Pig ‘N Whistle pub on Hollywood Boulevard. It’s the 2,429th star dedicated on the avenue of dreams.

Mark Harmon is America’s favorite TV star, according to a recent Harris Poll. Years after he played on St. Elsewhere and Chicago Hope, the 59-year-old NCIS star jumped seven spots from last year to beat out the reigning No. 1, Oprah Winfrey (who now ties at No. 2 with House’s Hugh Laurie).Of the 2,331 adults polled, more men said Harmon is their favorite, while women said Winfrey.

Paris Hilton’s life will be on display in a new Oxygen TV reality TV series. The cable channel said Thursday that “The World According to Paris” will debut this spring. An Oxygen executive described the series as “for real,” detailing the “highs” of the socialite turning 30 and her relationships.

Passing – John Dye, best known as the angel of death Andrew on “Touched By An Angel,” has died. He was 47. star Jesse Eisenberg will host the final Saturday Night Live of January, NBC announced Friday.

Music Passing – Trish Keenan, the lead singer of the British electronic pop music group Broadcast, has died, according to her record label. She was 42. She died from complications with pneumonia after battling the illness for two weeks in intensive care.

Following in the footsteps of Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce, Gwen Stefani has announced that she will be the next face of cosmetics giant L’Oreal Paris. “I can’t believe I get to be one of the L’Oreal Paris girls,” said the singer. “I love playing dress up, on stage or shooting videos, it’s always been one of my favorite parts of being in a band. And to get to work with such a modern, talented group of people is really exciting.”

Saturday Night Live – Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network),who’s nominated for a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award for his portrayal of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, will host the Jan. 29 episode. He will be joined by musical guest Nicki Minaj.

Top Albums This Week In 2011:

Speak Now – Taylor Swift

Tron: Legacy Soundtrack

Pink Friday – Nicki Minaj

Doo-Wops & Hooligans – Bruno Mars

Loud – Rihanna

Recovery – Eminem

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Father – Kanye West

Sigh No More – Mumford & Sons

My Kinda Party – Jason Aldean

Teenage Dream – Katy Perry

Country Strong Soundtrack

A Merry Little Christmas – Lady Antebellum

Love Letter – R. Kelly

The Beginning – The Black Eyed Peas

Brothers – The Black Keys

Born Free – Kid Rock

Need You Know – Lady Antebellum

Best Night Of My Life – Jamie Foxx

No Mercy – T.J.

Greatest Hits So Far!!! – P!nk

Glee, The Music: Season Two

Calling All Hearts – Keyshia Cole

Michael – Michael Jackson

No Boys Allowed – Keri Hilson

I Am Not A Human Being – Lil Wayne

Lungs – Florence + The Machine

At the movies –

True Grit

Little Fockers

Season of the Witch (1st week $10.6 million)

TRON: Legacy

Black Swan

Country Strong

The Fighter

Yogi Bear

The King’s Speech

Tangled

The Chronicles of Narmia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Gulliver’s Travels

Top TV Shows –

1. NFL Playoff Game 2: Jets at Indianapolis NBC
2. NFL Playoff Bridge (between Games 1 and 2) NBC
3. NFL Playoff Prekick (Game 2) NBC
4. NFL Wildcard Post-Game (Sunday) FOX
5. Two and a Half Men CBS
6. The Mentalist CBS
7. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CBS
8. The Big Bang Theory CBS
9. Desperate Housewives ABC
10. The Simpsons FOX
11. Mike & Molly CBS
12. CSI: Miami CBS
13. Modern Family ABC
14. Undercover Boss CBS
15. Wipeout ABC
16. Grey’s Anatomy ABC
17. Hawaii Five-O CBS
18. (Bleep) My Dad Says CBS
19. Law & Order: SVU NBC
20. 60 Minutes

This Week In History as compiled by Gary West of www.mrpopculture.com and www.mrpophistory.com.

Mr. Pop Culture Report – New Facebook Profiles Begin… Another “Awards” Ceremony – The Media Already Has A Ton Of Them… Dr Phil Is Capitalizing On That (Once) Homeless Radio Announcer… Top Albums This Week In Pop History… This Radio Talent Doesn’t Dig The Ted Williams Hoopla… Oh, And – There Are Now (Two) Ted Williams’ In Pop Culture History. Remember The Other One?

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The Game Is On As New Facebook Profiles… Starting (January 13) all accounts will be upgraded to the new profile. The new Facebook profiles feature a revamped interface, as well as easy access to photos of the user. The profiles also offer more details about work and education information, while letting users put friends into distinct categories, list various interests, and fill out a nifty new “about me” user summary.

Another Awards Show! – MTV Comedy Central have announced The Comedy Awards, an event honoring the industry’s top writers, directors, actors and stand-up comedians. “This historic, one-night-only celebration will honor [those] who provided the laugh track to our lives this past year: the pioneers who pushed boundaries; the TV shows that we rushed home for; the movies that are etched into our collective pop-culture memory; the stand-up comedians and the viral videos that make us laugh every day.”

Ted Williams, the 53-year-old former homeless man with the golden voice, is heading to rehab after having a one-on-one with Dr. Phil, the psychologist said in a statement. “If Ted is ever going to get better, he’s got to be honest with himself and admit he’s addicted to drugs and alcohol,” the statement said. Williams taped segments with his family members that will air Wednesday and Thursday. During the discussion, he admitted to drinking — an addiction he suffered in the past. The Brooklyn native began drinking and using drugs in 1996 and as a result, he lost his radio job and his home. Earlier this week, he said he’s been sober for two years.

Top Albums This Week In 2011:

Speak Now – Taylor Swift

Tron: Legacy Soundtrack

Pink Friday – Nicki Minaj

Doo-Wops & Hooligans – Bruno Mars

Loud – Rihanna

Recovery – Eminem

Dan Ingram, legendary NY Voice Over and DJ,  Doesn’t Dig The Ted Williams Stuff… A letter to the Ken Levine Blog:

I feel used and conned by all the sob-sister P.R. crap about the poor scab VO guy who is selling his rather resonant voice because he’s an ex junkie and an ex lush. I know at least fifty thoroughly qualified VO men and women who have never been hooked on drugs or anything else who are having difficulty making a living wage doing VO work as honorable Union members. They all know from their endeavors how fickle, thoughtless and downright cruel the VO business can be. I know that I do, especially lately.

I wish him success when he hits the bricks like the rest of us. And success under a Union contract.

In solidarity,
Dan Ingram

Speaking of Ted Williams, here’s a picture of the other one – the baseball legend!

Gary West – www.mrpopculture.com  or if you prefer   www.mrpophistory.com