Big energy firms cut Iran ties under U.S. pressure, Could this be the first sign that a War is immenant.

Four major European oil companies will abandon their Iranian activities voluntarily to avoid American sanctions designed to pressure Iran over its nuclear program, U.S. officials said on Thursday. The decision by France's Total, Norway's Statoil, Italy's ENI and Royal Dutch Shell will help ratchet up pressure as Western powers seek to bring Tehran into new talks on an atomic program they fear is aimed at producing nuclear weapons.

"The international community should collectively abandon a business-as-usual approach to Iran," Steinberg told reporters, saying other major energy companies were under investigation and could face consequences if they do not follow suit. Iran, which has resisted pressure to open wide-ranging talks over its nuclear ambitions, says that its nuclear program is peaceful and that while it is open to talks, it will never give up its right to peaceful nuclear energy.
The deal with the four international oil majors to curtail Iran activities set a precedent that other companies should follow, showing that the threat of sanctions was leaving Tehran increasingly isolated, Steinberg said
"People are increasingly reaching the conclusion that it's simply not worth it to engage in activities with Iran," he said.
Some energy analysts have suggested that a pullback by Western firms could present an opportunity for companies from Russia, China, or other countries to step in despite the blanket U.N. sanctions.

BlackBerry Tablet Unveiled, Aimed at Businesses

This is just one of 30 plus tablets set to hit the market to rival apple's Ipad. This is wonderful for all the blackberry users. Have fun. But I'm sticking with my Ipad..... for now. MadOne.

Super Funny Spoof Cartoon, Short Bus Shawty!

The funny and yet true part to this video is that this is exactly how Waka Flaka flame sounds. Beyond Stupid. MadOne.

Sky Line: Movie Trailer

'Feds radiating Americans'? Mobile X-ray vans hit US streets

Spy games have started on U.S. Citizens. MadOne.

For many living in a terror-spooked country, it might seem like a great government innovation: Use vans equipped with mobile X-ray units to scan vehicles at major sporting events, or even randomly, for bombs or contraband. But news that the US is buying custom-made vans packed with something called backscatter X-ray capacity has riled privacy advocates and sparked internet worries about "feds radiating Americans."
"This really trips up the creep factor because it's one of those things that you sort of intrinsically think the government shouldn't be doing," says Vermont-based privacy expert Frederick Lane, author of "American Privacy." "But, legally, the issue is the boundary between the government's legitimate security interest and privacy expectations we enjoy in our cars."

American Science & Engineering, a Billerica, Mass.-company, tells Forbes it's sold more than 500 ZBVs, or Z Backscatter Vans, to US and foreign governments. The Department of Defense has bought the most for war zone use, but US law enforcement has also deployed the vans to search for bombs inside the US,
On Tuesday, a counterterror operation snarled truck traffic on I-20 near Atlanta, where Department of Homeland Security teams used mobile X-ray technology to check the contents of truck trailers. Authorities said the inspections weren't prompted by any specific threat. Backscatter X-ray is already part of an ongoing national debate about its use in so-called full body scanners being deployed in many US airports.
Security experts say expanding the X-ray technology for use on American streets is a powerful counterterror strategy. Moreover, law enforcement already has broad search-and-seizure powers on public highways, where a search warrant is often not needed for officers to instigate a physical search.

But others worry that radiating Americans without their knowledge is evidence of gradually eroding constitutional protections in the post-9/11 age.
"Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum of national security … you have to be realistic that this is another way in which the government is capturing information they may lose control over," says Mr. Lane. "I just have some real problems with the idea of even beginning a campaign of rolling surveillance of American citizens, which is what this essentially is."

                        

Jamal Mashburn Success after the NBA

Kenny Anderson and Nate Archibald are legitimate post-NBA success stories. Getting a degree — or several advanced degrees in Archibald's case — after years of professional basketball is very awesome, no doubt about that. But without disparaging those amazing accomplishments, let me offer forth Jamal Mashburn as the king of retired basketball triumphs.

Mashburn did have a successful stint in the NBA with averages of 19.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, and making the All-Star team in 2003. Not to mention, he did make a total of $75,623,634 during his 13 NBA seasons and hasn't blown it all like some of his former NBA pals.

Chill bro Aron Phillips of Dime Magazine interviewed the former Maverick/Heat/Hornet and discovered just what Mashburn has been doing since his retirement in 2006.

Dime: So what have you been up to since you retired?

Jamal Mashburn: Lot of things. I started with ESPN four years ago. Lots of people don't know but I was a communications major in college. I didn't anticipate doing what I studied in college, but when I finished my basketball career it made sense. I've always been in business and own franchises of Papa John's, Dunkin' Donuts and Outback Steakhouse, as well as car dealerships. I own over 34 Outbacks, 37 Papa John's and dealerships in Kentucky. I've always wanted to carry a briefcase. It's just something you want to do growing up in NYC. When I was younger, I always wondered what was in them.

Yeah, yeah — Michael Jordan owns a basketball team. Well, Jamal Mashburn owns 71 restaurants. That's just an incredible amount of Papa John's Pizzas and Outback Steakhouses, you guys. Noted Outback fans Steve Carell and LeBron James will be thrilled to hear this news, as I have been assured that they are both regular Ball Don't Lie readers.

All joking aside, it's really great that Jamal Mashburn is a successful business owner alongside being a decent NBA commentator. Not a bad lot in life after a good NBA career, especially when you realize that he gets all the free pizza and Bloomin' Onions he can handle. It might not be good for business, but here's hoping Mashburn takes advantage of those extraordinary perks.

I AM number 4. Movie Trailer

Ciara - Speechless (NEW!!!!)

Inside the Mercedes S550

Please Don't mind the year of the car enjoy the trip. MadOne.

Android gaining ground on iphone.

When last we visited with our friends from market research firm ChangeWave Research, they were reporting on big gains for the iPhone in the smartphone market, in the wake of the iPhone 4’s release. As that excitement has subsided, however, it appears that Android is continuing to make big gains among consumers.
The company’s most recent survey, concluded September 23, talked to 4,000 respondents. Of the ones planning on buying a smartphone in the next 90 days, 37 percent said they would favor an Android unit, up from 30 percent in June.
The iPhone, however, just squeaked into first place with 38 percent saying that Apple’s device would be their choice—and that’s down significantly from 50 percent in June. BlackBerry got a slight bump from 5 percent to 6 percent, while Windows Mobile lost ground from 2 percent to 1 percent, and Palm’s webOS stayed even at a nice round 0 percent.

In terms of satisfaction, ChangeWave’s numbers jibe with recent figures from J.D. Power; 74 percent of iPhone owners say they’re very satisfied with their phone, compared to 65 percent of Android users, 32 percent of webOS users, 31 percent of BlackBerry users and 24 percent of Windows Mobile users.
As manufacturers release more and more Android units, the iPhone is certainly feeling a squeeze, but the drop in purchasing plans seems to be related more to the initial rush of the iPhone 4 cooling off than any issue with the phone—perceived or actual. A previous ChangeWave study showed that the iPhone 4 antenna problem had not been a significant deterrent to iPhone owners.
So while Android may be making gains, the iPhone’s higher customer satisfaction ratings appear to be helping keep it at the top of the heap—at least for now. ChangeWave’s next survey, likely due in December, will tell us more.

MacBook Pro owners eligible for free repair in Nvidia lawsuit settlement

MacBook Pro owners who bought a laptop with an Nvidia graphics processor in 2007 and 2008 may be eligible for free repairs as part of a settlement agreement for a class-action lawsuit.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in California, had claimed that Nvidia sold defective graphics processing units and media communication processors that affected the performance of some laptops. Symptoms included distorted or scrambled video on the laptop’s monitor or, in some cases, a blank screen even when the computer was turned on. While it’s settling the lawsuit, Nvidia is not admitting any wrongdoing as part of the case.
The affected Mac models include 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros bought between May 2007 and September 2008. Not every laptop sold during that period is eligible for the settlement—the MacBook Pro models have to contain an Nvidia chip and feature an eligible serial number. (You can check on the former using the About This Mac panel, and confirm the latter on this lawsuit settlement page.) The laptop also needs to be experiencing the scrambled video or blank screen issues.
Dell and HP notebooks are also included in the settlement. You can get a full list of affected models on the Website containing all the details of the settlement.
Anyone filing an approved claim will be eligible for free replacement of the Nvidia graphics chips and reimbursement for any repair charges. HP laptop owners may also receive a replacement notebook.
Laptop owners who don’t want to be legally bound by the class action settlement have until November 5 to exclude themselves; that’s also the deadline for filing objections to the settlement. A hearing is slated for December 20 to approve the settlement. The claim filing period will begin after that.
Apple has had its own repair program for the graphics chip problem in place for a couple years.

James' Manager; Race played role in media coverage.

LeBron James (L) defends as Mike Miller looks to pass during preseason workouts of the Miami Heat NBA …                                         
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. – LeBron James's manager says he believes race played a factor in how the two-time reigning NBA MVP's decision to join the Miami Heat was covered this summer.
Maverick Carter did not cite specifics when talking to CNN for a story that aired Wednesday night.
Carter tells the cable network that race "definitely played a role in some of the stuff coming out of the media" during coverage of James' free-agent saga.
James turned down a chance to stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers and ultimately decided to join the Heat in an oft-criticized televised special that raised $3 million for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
James was expected to talk to the media Thursday and a e-mail to his representatives requesting comment was not immediately answered.

Kanye West's Rap On The Cleveland Show!

Dollar set for worst quarter since 2002, Fed eyed

The dollar was stuck near an eight-month low on Thursday, hobbled by speculation of more quantitative easing from the Federal Reserve, while European stocks took a breather after September's rebound. The euro, initially steady against the dollar, was down 0.4 percent on the day at $1.3578 after Ireland's central bank put a 34 billion euros ($46 billion) price on bailing out Anglo Irish Bank under a worst case scenario.

The dollar (.DXY) is down 8.3 percent this quarter against a basket of world currencies, its worst quarter in more than eight years, as a sluggish economy and stubbornly high unemployment levels in the United States have fueled expectations of another round of asset buying by the Fed.

Congress Approves Bill for Obama/NASA's New Space Plan

The NASA authorization bill approved by the House sets a $19 billion budget in 2011 for the U.S. space agency, and a total of $58 billion through 2013. It paves the way for several NASA projects, among them a new heavy-lift rocket for deep space missions and funding to aid the development of commercial space vehicles for eventual NASA use.

President Obama's new space plan, announced in February, cancelled NASA's moon-oriented Constellation program set forth by former President George W. Bush and called for more ambitious deep space missions to an asteroid and Mars. The Constellation program was responsible for the Orion space capsules and Ares rockets set to follow the shuttle program.

Obama's space plan tasks NASA to draw on commercial space vehicles to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Until those commercial vehicles are available, the U.S. would rely on Russian Soyuz craft to fly humans in space and unmanned Russian, Japanese and European freighters to launch cargo. 
It also allows NASA to extend its role in the International Space Station through at least 2020 and sets aside $1.3 billion over three years to support the development of commercial spacecraft, less than half of the $3.3 billion the White House has requested.

Big new rocket
Obama's space plan also calls for astronauts to visit an asteroid by 2025 and then aim for a manned Mars mission in the 2030s. A heavy-lift rocket for those missions was slated to begin development in 2015.
Under the spending bill approved Wednesday, NASA would be directed to begin work on that heavy-lift rocket in 2011 – four years earlier than the White House proposal. 
"Our future in space is not in low-Earth orbit. We have to go beyond," Olson said during the vote's debate. "A heavy-lift vehicle will enable us to achieve the true mission of the agency ... to explore.

 The bill should help NASA and its workforce get on with the transition from its previous Constellation program to the new deep space exploration plan set forth by President Obama, House officials said.

Think about it, this is deep space funding to put us (humans) in deep space. Other planets and worlds. Remember it was Obama that help anchor the human race into deep space. The future is bright and finding life other than ourselves is next. MADONE.

Diddy Speaks On The Success Of His Fashion Line Sean John With CNN!

Stem cell treatment for heart attack promising: study

TORONTO (Reuters) – Angiotech Pharmaceuticals and partner Athersys Inc said on Thursday their early-stage clinical trial of a stem cell therapy for heart attack patients showed improved heart function and was well-tolerated at all dosages.
Shares of Vancouver-based Angiotech climbed 10 percent late on Thursday afternoon to 57 Canadian cents on the Toronto Stock Exchange. U.S.-based Athersys was up 0.5 percent at $3.18 on the Nasdaq.
Patients undergoing the MultiStem treatment displayed mild to moderate side effects, Angiotech said.
Data from the early-stage trial suggested that treated patients showed improvements in heart function compared with patients receiving standard care, it said.
The update of the phase I clinical trial was based on four months of post-treatment data.
The companies said they are planning a subsequent clinical study, with trials expected in begin in 2011.
This week, Athersys said MultiStem also received orphan drug status in the United States for the prevention of a condition that causes immunologic attacks in bone-marrow transplant patients.
This is a designation granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to drugs that treat a condition affecting less than 200,000 Americans. It grants the drugmaker marketing exclusivity for seven years in the United States after approval.

Lines MLB 9/30/10

AMERICAN LEAGUE

7:05 PM ET Detroit at Baltimore Teams ROT Record Consensus ML OU DET 963 80-78 (28-49 V) 42% 139 BAL 964 63-95 (34-43 H) 58% -148 8.5 Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves  My Scores Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts | Thread  Starting: DET J. Bonderman (R) | BAL J. Guthrie (R)

8:05 PM ET LA Angels at Texas Teams ROT Record Consensus ML OU LAA 965 78-80 (35-42 V) 39% 160 TEX 966 88-70 (49-28 H) 61% -170 8.5 Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves  My Scores Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts | Thread  Starting: LAA S. Kazmir (L) | TEX C. Lee (L)

8:10 PM ET Toronto at Minnesota Teams ROT Record Consensus ML OU TOR 971 82-76 (36-41 V) 43% 136 MIN 972 93-65 (52-25 H) 57% -145 8 Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves  My Scores Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts | Thread  Starting: TOR S. Hill (R) | MIN F. Liriano (L)

8:10 PM ET Boston at Chi. White Sox Teams ROT Record Consensus ML OU BOS 967 87-71 (43-37 V) 58% -125 CHW 968 85-73 (42-35 H) 42% 118 7.5 Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves  My Scores Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts | Thread  Starting: BOS J. Lester (L) | CHW J. Danks (L)

8:10 PM ET Tampa Bay at Kansas City Teams ROT Record Consensus ML OU TB 969 94-64 (45-32 V) 64% -127 KC 970 65-93 (36-41 H) 36% 120 7.5 Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves  My Scores Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts | Thread  Starting: TB M. Garza (R) | KC Z. Greinke (R)

10:10 PM ET Oakland at Seattle Teams ROT Record Consensus ML OU OAK 973 77-81 (30-47 V) 54% -117 SEA 974 61-97 (35-42 H) 46% 110 7 Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves  My Scores Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts | Thread  Starting: OAK G. Gonzalez (L) | SEA D. Fister (R)

NATIONAL LEAGUE

3:45 PM ET Arizona at San Francisco Teams ROT Record Consensus ML OU ARI 951 64-94 (24-53 V) 28% 169 SF 952 90-68 (47-30 H) 72% -180 7.5 Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves  My Scores Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts | Thread  Starting: ARI B. Enright (R) | SF M. Bumgarner (L)

6:35 PM ET Chi. Cubs at San Diego Teams ROT Record Consensus ML OU CHC 953 72-86 (37-40 V) 27% 160 SD 954 88-70 (45-35 H) 73% -170 7.5 Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves  My Scores Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts | Thread  Starting: CHC T. Gorzelanny (L) | SD J. Garland (R)

7:10 PM ET Houston at Cincinnati Teams ROT Record Consensus ML OU HOU 955 75-83 (34-46 V) 44% 109 CIN 956 88-70 (46-31 H) 56% -116 8 Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves  My Scores Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts | Thread  Starting: HOU B. Myers (R) | CIN B. Arroyo (R)

7:10 PM ET Pittsburgh at Florida Teams ROT Record Consensus ML OU PIT 959 56-102 (16-61 V) 33% 159 FLA 960 77-81 (38-39 H) 67% -169 8.5 Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves  My Scores Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts | Thread  Starting: PIT Z. Duke (L) | FLA C. Volstad (R)

7:10 PM ET Milwaukee at NY Mets Teams ROT Record Consensus ML OU MIL 957 75-83 (35-42 V) 46% 122 NYM 958 77-81 (45-32 H) 54% -129 8 Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves  My Scores Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts | Thread  Starting: MIL C. Narveson (L) | NYM D. Gee (R)

8:15 PM ET Colorado at St. Louis Teams ROT Record Consensus ML OU COL 961 83-75 (31-46 V) 39% 117 STL 962 82-76 (48-29 H) 61% -124 8 Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves  My Scores Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts | Thread  Starting: COL J. Hammel (R) | STL C. Carpenter (R)

Billionaires In The Making

Sean Parker

Facebook

Estimated net worth: $920 million

Cofounder of Napster and Plaxo, Parker was the Silicon Valley veteran who joined Facebook in 2004 as its founding president and helped it navigate initial funding. He left in 2005 for venture capital but still has a 4% stake. Justin Timberlake plays Parker in the upcoming film The Social Network.

Mark Pincus

Zynga
Estimated net worth: $850 million
Love-him-or-hate-him leader of Internet's most popular gaming site, Zynga, named for his late bulldog. Pincus' fourth startup, it grosses some $500 million from virtual goods and promotions with 7-Eleven, Target, MTV. "FarmVille," "FrontierVille" and "Zynga Poker" are its most popular games.

Jerry Bruckheimer

Movies, TV
Estimated net worth: $850 million
The Hollywood producer's blockbuster franchises, like Pirates of the Caribbean and National Treasure, have generated $9 billion at the global box office, with more to come. TV hits include the CSI franchise, Without a Trace and Amazing Race.

Jerry Seinfeld

Television
Estimated net worth: $800 million
His TV show about nothing has earned $2.7 billion in 12 years and could take in $200 million more a year, thanks to syndication payments. Seinfeld has spent some of his portion buying up New York real estate and has a four-car garage (in Manhattan!) for his fleet of vintage motors. The cash-rich star may need another hit: The Marriage Ref wasn't it.

Eric Lefkofsky

Groupon
Estimated net worth: $750 million
Chicago investor is cofounder and 30% owner of the fastest-growing company ever, Web phenom Groupon, which updates its online audience about deep discounts on products and services. His venture fund, Lightbank, has stakes in 11 companies, including two now public ones: Innerworkings and Echo Global Logistics. As for being outed as an almost-billionaire: "It's a good thing and a bad thing."

Ray R. Irani

Occidental Petroleum
Estimated net worth: $700 million
Angrier shareholders will cheer when Irani, the third-highest-paid U.S. CEO of the past decade, sets a future retirement date this fall. He'll still get paid like a prince for years. Irani's $600 million in Oxy shares could benefit from a potential 1-billion-barrel find near Bakersfield, Calif., and high oil prices.

James Cameron

Movies
Estimated net worth: $650 million
Avatar, the 3-D movie he directed, was a giant leap forward in cinematic special effects. It also earned $2.7 billion at the box office and is the bestselling Blu-ray disc of all time. His older films, including Titanic, have earned a combined $3 billion.

Michael Jordan

Basketball
Estimated net worth: $500 million
Former Chicago Bulls wonder earned $90 million in salary during his playing career. Most of his fortune now derives from endorsement deals with his biggest sponsor, Nike; he raised his stake in the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats to 80% this year.

Tiger Woods

Golf
Estimated net worth: $500 million
Assumes $130 million in career prize money and $900 million in revenue from endorsements, appearance fees and golf course design business since 1996. His agents, the tax man and recently divorced wife Elin Nordegren have all gotten pieces of those earnings. But he will make it to 10 figures if he starts winning again and sponsors return.

Jay-Z

Music
Estimated net worth: $450 million
Jay-Z has elevated hip-hop to rock arenas, packing ballparks with Eminem this summer. If he keeps selling out monster shows money will rain down on all his ventures: the Roc Nation label, a back catalog (ownership reverts to him in 2014), Rocawear clothing royalties, a stake in the New Jersey Nets. He'll score nicely if a suitor buys Carol's Daughter, a hot beauty care line backed by Jay-Z and other celebs. He and wife Beyoncé Knowles may already be music's first billion-dollar couple.

Craig Newmark

Craigslist
Estimated net worth: $400 million
Newmark started e-mailing friends a list of San Francisco events in 1995. It became the basis of Craigslist, the Internet's most popular classified ad site. While most of the listings are free, it does charge for job postings in 18 cities and brokered apartments in New York. The site was pressured to shut down its sex ads section, another money-maker, in September. Analysts figure the site, which is available in 70 countries and gets more than 20 billion page views per month, could be worth $3 billion if it charged for postings in all cities, ran ads and cleaned up listings

Tyler Perry

Movies, TV
Estimated net worth: $350 million
Perry writes, directs and stars in his work (which has a huge audience with black Americans), owns his two TBS sitcoms (House of Payne and Meet the Browns) and negotiates a cut of his movies' earnings. He opened his own studio in 2008 and recently purchased a 58-acre estate in the Atlanta area for $7.6 million.