The Inquisitr

Roman Polanski Reaches $4.5M Bail Agreement

Bang — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:37:01 +0000

Roman Polanski has reached a bail agreement with Swiss authorities.

The veteran film director had his offer of $4.5 million bail accepted, which should allow him to be released from prison and kept under house arrest at a ski chalet he owns in the resort of Gstaad.

However, the Swiss Justice Ministry is considering appealing against the bail conditions at the country’s Supreme Court – meaning he currently has to remain behind bars.

Polanski, 76, presently faces extradition to the US from the European country, where he was arrested on September 26, over a conviction for having sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977.

Justice Ministry spokesman Folco Galli said, “We have ten days to appeal, but will come to our decision quickly.”

Galli said the reason for appealing was because ‘The Pianist’ director is considered a “high flight risk” and may flee back to his home in Paris.

Judges in Geneva were reportedly swayed in granting the bail offer because of Polanski’s family circumstances.

The director’s lawyer Herve Temime said his wife and two children are currently suffering the most because of the high-profile case.

He added that they are “very upset psychologically by this separation that is a true heartbreak for them”.

In 1977, Roman pleaded guilty to charges of having underage sex with 13-year-old Samantha Gailey, now known as Samantha Geimer.

He believed he would face a jail term of just 42 days, and claimed a judge had reneged on a plea bargain deal to reduce the charges from rape and serious sexual assault if he admitted under-age sex. However, on the day of his sentencing he fled to London then Paris.

France does not have an extradition treaty to the US, so if he escaped over the boarder he would be safe.

Lady Gaga Dresses Crazily For Bullies

Bang — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:04:37 +0000

Lady Gaga dresses crazily now because she was bullied at school.

The ‘Bad Romance’ singer claims she was taunted as a teenager because of the way she looked and says she now wears bizarre clothes so any of her fans who are also being ridiculed can look to her for inspiration.

She told US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, “I want to create a space for my fans where they can feel free, and they can celebrate. I didn’t fit in at high school, I wanted to be like Boy George and I felt like a freak. So I like to create this atmosphere for my fans where they feel like they have a freak in me to hang out with, and they don’t feel alone.”

It took Lady Gaga, now 23, years to get over the bullying she suffered but she is now totally comfortable in her own skin and is proud of who she is.

She added, “It took a long time for me to be OK with myself. But I want my fans to know that it is OK. Sometimes in life you don’t always feel like a winner, but that doesn’t mean you’re not a winner.”

Robert Pattinson Thinks ‘Twilight’ Character is Ridiculous

Bang — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:32:19 +0000

Robert Pattinson thought his ‘Twilight’ character was “ridiculous” the first time he read the books.

The actor, who plays vampire Edward Cullen in the movie series which are based on the novels by Stephenie Meyer – admits he found it hard to take Edward seriously when he was researching the role.

He said, “I read the first book and found it quite good. But the description of my character is, from the first page on, completely ridiculous. It says, ‘He enters a room, and his beauty is almost painful.’ ”

Pattinson, who can currently be seen in new movie ‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’ alongside co-stars Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart, was also left unimpressed when he watched himself in the two films.

He added to Germany’s In Touch magazine, “I’ve watched the movies twice but they didn’t wow me.”

Although Pattinson will definitely star in the third installment in the franchise, ‘The Twilight Saga: Eclipse’, he is planning on becoming a pop star once he fulfills his commitments to the series.

He revealed, “I’ll record a few tracks as soon as I finish the promotion for the movies, but before I won’t to do anything. I don’t want to release an album which has a sticker on it saying, ‘By the vampire of ‘Twilight’,’ on it.”

High Salt Diet Ups Risk of Stroke and Heart Disease

AHN — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:00:12 +0000

Miami, FL (AHN) – Doctors are once again warning against a diet high in salt, saying it puts people at an increased risk of strokes and cardiovascular disease.

The researchers, with the World Health Organization’s Collaborating Center for Nutrition and the European Society of Hypertension Excellence Center, looked at the relationship between the level of regular dietary salt intake and the occurrence of stroke and heart disease.

They reviewed 13 prospective studies in the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, Finland and China.

They said in a statement that lowering salt intake by 5 grams a day would cut stroke risk by 23 percent and total cardiovascular disease by 17 percent. This could save almost 4 million lives a year, according to the report.

The report is published in the British Medical Journal.

Researchers Find Link Between Decreased HIV Infection and Circumcised Men

AHN — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:00:39 +0000

Baltimore, MD (AHN) – Researchers have found a link between decreased risk of HIV infection and circumcision in men. A medical team assessing the link determined the decreased risk is not a result of a reduction in sores from conditions such as herpes as some had previously thought.

During two clinical trials including more than 5,000 men in rural Uganda, which had shown that circumcision reduced the risk of HIV infection in men by about 60 percent researchers went further to see what factors associated with that reduction in risk.

A team led by Ron Gray of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health investigated whether infection with HSV-2, the virus that causes genital herpes, and whether genital ulcers of any cause, could account for the lower rates of HIV infection in the circumcised study participants.

They found that reduction in symptomatic genital ulcer disease accounted for only about 10 percent of the protective effect associated with circumcision. According to their analysis the results indicate that most of the reduction in HIV acquisition provided by male circumcision may be explained by the removal of vulnerable foreskin tissue containing HIV target cells.

Researchers Say Unexpressed Anger in MS Patients Tied to Nervous System Damage

AHN — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:00:02 +0000

Rome, Italy (AHN) – According to a recent study people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) feel more than twice as much withheld anger as the general population and this could have an adverse effect on their relationships and health.

Italian researchers assessed 195 patients with MS, using a range of scales that measure anger, depression and anxiety, and then compared them with the general population. They found that while patients experienced almost twice the normal level of withheld anger and exerted low levels of control on their anger, their expressed anger levels were similar to the general population.

This fact combined with the fact that the elevated withheld anger levels were not related to the severity of the patients’ MS, suggests that these inconsistent changes were caused by nervous system damage, rather than an emotional reaction to the stress of the disease.

“We believe that the higher levels of withheld anger shown by the study subjects is due to demyelination, loss of the substance in the white matter that insulates the nerve endings and helps people receive and interpret messages from the brain” says lead researcher Dr Ugo Nocentini from the IRCCS S Lucia Foundation in Rome.

“The way we process anger is controlled by complex interconnections between the subcortical and cortical systems, notably the amygdale and basal ganglia and the medial prefrontal cortex. We believe that the demyelination process that causes the root symptoms of MS also disrupts the pathways that control how we deal with withheld anger.”

According to the study researchers found that MS patients:

* Were more than twice as likely to experience high levels of withheld anger, with 60 percent of patients recording the same high levels as the top 25 percent of the general population.
* Exerted a low level of control on their anger, with just 11 per cent of patients reporting the same high levels of control compared to the top 25 percent of the general population.
* Were about the same as non MS patients when it came to expressed anger, with 30 per cent of patients reporting the same high levels as the top 25 percent of the general population.

“Our findings clearly show that anger characteristics in MS patients differ from those observed in the general population and the overall results surprised the research team” concludes Dr Nocentini.

The authors conclude that damage to the fibers in the areas of the brain where anger issues are processed is the most logical explanation. They also say the findings have important implications for clinical practice.

Most notably anger disrupts interpersonal relationships and this is particularly true for withheld anger, which might go unrecognized by other people. Medical experts say withheld anger has been reported to be associated with physical problems, in particular high blood pressure and vascular disorders, and may have a negative effect on the general health of MS patients.

2009 MLB season in review: Minnesota Twins

Joshua Lobdell — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:46:02 +0000

The final year of the Minnesota Twins in the Metrodome, in 2010 they will move to an outdoor facility named, Target Field. Some call the Metrodome the baseball park that refused to die, after 162 regular season games the Metrodome was the host of a one game playoff between the Twins and the Detroit Tigers. For those that saw that game it was one of the best baseball games of the year and took nearly 14 innings to complete. While the Metrodome would not give up to the end of the season, nor the one game playoff, it eventually was put out to pasture by the power of the New York Yankees.

Their final record was 87-76 and after winning the one game playoff they were the American League Central division champions. In all they spent just nine days in first place, and they never had a lead for the division, but they won the division by one game. To put that into perspective they were seven games out of first in the first week of September.

Led by A.L. MVP Joe Mauer, the Minnesota offense was able to score 817 runs. As a team they hit .274, third best in the American League. They hit just 172 home runs while striking out just 1,021 times while drawing 585 walks. The lesson here is this is a team that knows how to get on base, and have their heavy hitters drive in runs. Their pitching staff was as impressive, while it featured three of their starting five scoring double digit victories. Their staff ERA was 4.50 and they gave up 765 runs. That would be the reason they were not in first place for very long.

In all 2,362,149 fans came out to see the Metrodome in its final seasons. For their 82 home games they averaged 29,162 fans and that was good enough for 15th among the 30 MLB teams. While that sounds like a lot they only managed to sell 59.9% of their 2009 ticket inventory.

Back On Top: Federer Reclaims Top Men’s Tennis Ranking

AHN — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:17:54 +0000

London, England (AHN) – Roger Federer has struggled for a year to reclaim the number 1 title he owned for several years. After taking the ATP World Tour Finals title, he has succeeded.

He reclaimed his former glory in his knockout win against Andy Murray in the finals of the ATP World Tour by winning 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.

At the end of 2008, Federer was ousted by Rafael Nadal, who seemed nearly invincible on the season – even taking out Federer in one of the most memorable Wimbledon finals in history.

At 28, Federer still has time to make engrave his name in all the record books.

He has already taken Sampras’ record for most career Grand Slam championships, and now hopes to hold the No. 1 spot at the end of the season for six years.

By finishing number No. 1 for a fifth year, he becomes one of only three other players who have accomplished this feat.

The third is Jimmy Connors.

Korean Shin on Rise in Women’s Golf; Nearly Captures Player Of Year Award

AHN — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:57:11 +0000

Houston, TX (AHN) – Taking the LPGA by storm is Korean rising star Shin Ji-yai, who has just missed taking Player of the Year awards by a single point.

Lorena Ochoa claimed the honor in a tight race, 160 to 159, after finishing second at the LPGA Tour Championship.

Despite the setback, Shin won three LPGA events this season, and brought home $1.7 million in prize money.

Shin turned professional in the end of the 2005 season and spent three years playing for the Korean Tour before joining the LPGA.

While she just missed the Player of the Year, she did win rookie of the year honors, and was a leading money winner.

In her first year in the LPGA, she has claimed a total of six LPGA victories, including the Women’s British Open event in 2008.

Shin, a budding role model, has said numerous times she hopes her golfing abilities inspire young girls around the globe to chase their dreams as she did hers.

Nets owner wins key ruiling for Brooklyn arena

Joshua Lobdell — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:42:16 +0000

The State of New York’s top court has ruled that the State has the right to use eminent domain laws to seize property for the Atlantic Rail yards project. That means New Jersey Nets owner Bruce Ratner, and his company Forest City Ratner can complete construction on the Barclay’s Center the new Brooklyn home of his New Jersey Nets. Completion of this project is also a key point to Ratner’s potential sale of the Nets to Russian Billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov.

For sports fans the Atlantic rail yards, and the use of eminent domain, have very significant place in the history of the Brooklyn Dodgers. In the 1950’s Dodgers’ owner Walter O’Malley wanted the State to use eminent domain laws to give him the area surrounding the Atlantic Rail yards to build a replacement for Ebbets Field. A New York City Developer at the time refused to even consider O’Malley eventually moved his team to Los Angeles and many blame him for the urban decline Brooklyn has suffered since the team left.

This time around several property owners on the proposed site sued the State claiming that the state had no right to use eminent domain for the properties because the use of the land was to benefit a private enterprise. They claim the State of New York Constitution only allows the state to use eminent domain to seize land meant to be used by the public. The Court found that the area was blighted enough that the State had every right to use eminent domain to secure the property for the new project.

The owners of the properties and their attorneys have vowed to continue their fight when an Urban Development Agency goes to a Brooklyn Court in the next step to seize the properties. However it seems like the Atlantic Yards project is for the public good, and could help restore Brooklyn to prominence.

NME Votes Beyonce Single Best Song of the Decade

AHN — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:34:27 +0000

London, UK (CNS) – NME, the popular UK music magazine, had its critics and staffers vote a 100-strong list of the best songs of the decade. At the top is Beyonce’s 2003 Rich Harrison-produced track, “Crazy In Love.”

The track, which features Jay-Z, hit #1 in the U.S. and the UK and comes in at #1 on the NME list. Beyonce’s horn-laden single beats out songs like MGMT’s “Time to Pretend” and The Strokes’ “Hard to Explain” for the top spot. Outkast and Yeah Yeah Yeahs both score two entries in the top 20.

The closest R&B peer on the list is Rihanna, who comes in at #16 with her hit “Umbrella.” Further down the list are Missy Elliott with “Get Ur Freak On” at #36 and Britney Spears’ “Toxic” at #47. The entire list is available for viewing at NME.com.

The NME Top 20 tracks of the decade are:

1. Beyoncé – ‘Crazy In Love’ 2. MGMT – ‘Time To Pretend’ 3. The Strokes – ‘Hard To Explain’ 4. MIA – ‘Paper Planes’ 5. OutKast – ‘Hey Ya!’ 6. The Rapture – ‘House Of Jealous Lovers’ 7. Klaxons – ‘Golden Skans’ 8. Blur – ‘Out Of Time’ 9. Arcade Fire – ‘Rebellion (Lies)’ 10. Arctic Monkeys – ‘A Certain Romance’ 11. The Libertines – ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’ 12. The Streets – ‘Dry Your Eyes’ 13. The Walkmen – ‘The Rat’ 14. The White Stripes – ‘Seven Nation Army’ 15. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – ‘Bang’ 16. Rihanna – ‘Umbrella’ 17. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – ‘Maps’ 18. OutKast – ‘Ms Jackson’ 19. Radiohead – ‘Reckoner’ 20. Hot Chip – ‘Over And Over’

John Mayer Beats Out Norah Jones, 50 Cent For #1 Debut on Billboard Albums Chart

AHN — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:24:17 +0000

Los Angeles, CA (CNS) – In a battle which resulted in a Top 6 made up almost entirely of debuts, John Mayer’s “Battle Studies” was the clear winner on the Billboard Albums Chart this week, coming in at #1 with 286,000 copies sold in its first week out. “Battle Studies” is Mayer’s fourth studio album, which includes the single “Who Says,” and his second to debut at the #1 spot.

In second place was a nice sales surge for Andrea Bocelli, whose holiday album “My Christmas” moves up to #2, selling 185,000 copies this week. Norah Jones’ latest, “Fall,” debuts at #3 with 180,000 copies sold, while Counting Crows debut with “Until the Whole World Hears,” at #4 with 167,000.

50 Cent posts his lowest debut on the Billboard albums chart, with “Before I Self Destruct” coming at #5, selling 160,000 copies. His last album, “Curtis,” sold over 691,000 its first week in 2007. Justin Bieber follows at #6 with his “My World” EP, which sold 137,000 copies in its first week.

Michael Jackson follows with the companion album to his feature film, “Michael Jackson’s This Is It,” at #7 this week with 96,000 copies. The “New Moon” soundtrack saw a sales surge following the release of the film, moving 93,000 copies for #8 this week.

Rounding out the top 10 are two country titans, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift. Underwood’s “Play On” is down to #9 this week, moving 86,000 copies and Swift’s “Fearless” logs another week in the top 10, moving another 84,000 copies.

Just outside the top 10, the debut of “American Idol” winner Kris Allen’s self-titled debut album, which sold 80,000 copies. It’s also the lowest-charting debut position from an “Idol” winner. Other notable debuts include Them Crooked Vulture’s self-titled debut at #12 with 69,000 copies, and Leona Lewis’ “Echo” at #13 with 67,000 copies.

Billboard Top 200 Albums Week Ending December 5th, 2009

1. Battle Studies, John Mayer 2. My Christmas, Andrea Bocelli 3. Fall, Norah Jones 4. Until the Whole World Hears, Counting Crows 5. Before I Self Destruct, 50 Cent 6. My World, Justin Bieber 7. Michael Jackson’s This Is It, Michael Jackson 8. The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Soundtrack 9. Play On, Carrie Underwood 10. Fearless, Taylor Swift

From The Geniuses Behind Net Censorship Comes “The Panic Button”

Duncan Riley — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:03:39 +0000

Some of the strongest advocates for internet censorship in Australia are now pushing a new idea to save kiddies from the dangers that apparently lurk behind every website: a “panic button.”

According to Fairfax Media, the panic button “would be a recognizable icon that children can relate to (such as a cartoon dolphin)” and if kids encounter “serious trouble online, pushing the button could connect them instantly to police or child protection groups.”

According to Hetty “there’s a pedophile behind every website” Johnson, “Triple-0 is the universal number for when the proverbial hits the fan, but what do you do online? When the proverbial hits the fan, you hit the panic button.”

Yes, because kiddies should contact the police or similar support groups when they feel threatened online, vs well…let me see, what else could they do instead….mmmm, that’s a hard one….oh, that’s right, vs TURNING OFF THE COMPUTER.

Yes, because if you’re being cyber-raped you should keep your rapist on the screen while engaging with Aunty Hetty’s dolphin button.

But because two nut jobs is never enough, Bernadette “censor everything” McMenamin added her knowledge of statistics to create epic lulz in the Fairfax article, when she claimed that the panic button was needed because (and this is a direct quote) “one in four children had been sexually harassed over the internet but only 3 per cent of children would ever tell anyone about sexual abuse.”

If you’re wondering how you’ve missed news that an epidemic of online sexual harassment of children is taking place, you haven’t, because the figures she quotes have NO basis in fact.

The one in four figure relates to “unwanted exposure to some kind of image of naked people or people having sex in the last year,” not sexual harassment. Depending on the study, the figure for sexual harassment is around one in 15-17.

Any figure above zero is a bad figure, but likewise the ongoing reliance by these people on the nanny state vs teaching kids to switch off, or even better, encouraging parents to supervise their children, continues to belittle their otherwise reasonable overall cause: the protection of children.

Scientists See Little Difference in Survival Rates Between Non-Alcoholic and Alcoholic Liver Transplants

AHN — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:02:29 +0000

Miami, FL (AHN) – Researchers with the University of Miami School of Medicine said there is little difference in the survival rate of liver transplant patients who are sick because of alcohol use and those who have non-alcohol-related liver disease.

The researchers said in a statement that non-alcoholic steatohepatitis is on the rise in the United States, possibly because more people are becoming obese. It affects up to 5 percent of all Americans and is the major cause of cirrhosis of the liver behind hepatitis C and alcoholic liver disease.

People with the condition typically do not know they have it until the damage to the liver is irreversible, leaving transplant as their only option.

The researchers compared transplant records from 1997 to 2007 and actually saw a trend of lower survival for non-alcoholic liver disease transplant patients than in those whose drinking caused their condition. However, they said in a statement that the trend was statistically insignificant.

The study is published in the December issue of the journal Liver Transplantation.

Toyota Recalling 4 Million Vehicles to Replace Gas Pedals

AHN — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:47:41 +0000

Washington, D.C. (AHN) – Toyota Motor Corp revealed it will recall and replace the accelerator pedals on nearly 4 million of its vehicles. According to the company the pedals can get stuck in the floor mats.

The recall is being conducted to address problems with sudden acceleration or the pedal becoming stuck in the floor mat.

However, until the recall and replacement can be completed the automaker is instructing dealers to shorten the length of the gas pedals while the company develops replacement pedals for the vehicle. The Japanese firm says the new pedals will be available in April and some of vehicles will also have new brake override systems installed just in case.

Some of the firm’s more popular vehicles affected by the recall are the Toyota Camry and Prius. Also included is the firm’s luxury vehicle, the Lexus ES350. The aforementioned Lexus is the model that sparked the recall when it was involved in a fiery crash in California.

[VIDEO] Crazy girlfriend smashes up boyfriend’s Xbox 360

Chris Greenhough — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:36:20 +0000

The needy failure-at-life above is an anonymous Xbox widow who became sick and tired of her boyfriend’s gaming habits.

Her solution? To rationally discuss the issue with her partner like an adult take revenge on her boyfriend’s Xbox 360. Why? Because he had the BLOODY CHEEK AND TEMERITY to play games, instead of anoint her feet.

So, with a video camera rolling, our antiheroine delivers a wide-eyed rant before attacking her beau’s console with a golf club, swinging her spindly little arms with all her might.

The results are as you’d expect: a pissed boyfriend and another resentment to add to what is probably an already moldering pile. View the lunacy here, and feel free to weep accordingly for the human race:

[Via Destructoid]

California’s Anaheim Hills Brush Fire Partially Contained

AHN — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:35:51 +0000

Los Angeles, CA (AHN) – Firefighters are using a highway as a containment line in a fierce brush fire that was fueled by gusty winds overnight. The fire located in Anaheim Hills has residents bracing for a possible evacuation should the wind direction change.

According to officials the fire began late Tuesday night on the east side of the 241 Toll Road. News of the blaze prompted officials to dispatch a Firehawk helicopter for night water drops. Additional reinforcements were also called in to aid in putting out the fire and 200 firefighters are working at the scene. Currently the blaze is approximately 15 percent contained.

Winds at 15 to 25 mph from the northeast are pushing the fire away from residential development areas. So fears of mass destruction for the time being have been assuaged however officials have told residents to have an evacuation plan ready should they need to leave quickly.

The fire has been moving its way up the hills in the area and The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for Orange County and other portions of Southern California. Winds are also expected to gust as high as 50 mph. The fire is currently being investigated to see what caused the flame to begin.

City Closes Coffee Stand Drive-Thru Window Due to Complaints About Bikini-Clad Baristas

AHN — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:15:48 +0000

Bellevue, WA (AHN) – A newly-opened coffee stand’s drive-thru window was shut down Tuesday on orders of the Bellevue City Council after the public complained about the bikini-clad baristas.

The council cited violation of city code and public safety concern as basis for closing the drive-thru window of the Knotty Bodies Espresso stand on the Eastside. Customers, however, drove through until 5 p.m., when authorities placed orange cones to block the entry of cars. Walk-in customers were also allowed into the stand.

Residents complained to the city council Monday that the baristas in bikini are seen by families frequenting the Crossroads Park across the stand.

Employees of the espresso defended the business saying there are as many patrons who like the place as there are who oppose it. The number of customers has doubled and tripled since Knotty Bodies opened on Saturday, according to bikini barista Lisa Caughron.

Top 10 Tips For Black Friday Shopping In 2009

James Allen Johnson — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:51:12 +0000

If you’ve never experienced Black Friday shopping or you’ve went out but were overwhelmed by the number of sales and the number of people at those sales, I would suggest arming yourself with a battle plan, or in the least a set of guidelines and tips you can follow when heading out this Friday.

Here our 10 tips for Black Friday 2009 Shopping:

1. Fill up on gas the night before. This is especially important if you live in a heavily populated area where thousands of drivers will be on the road sometimes by 2 or 3am in the morning. You can save yourself a good 10-15 minutes if you don’t have to stop on the way to your destination. You may also beat some other sale shoppers to the same items you want.

2. Prioritize your list based on general public interest. I suggest determining if a certain item is a “hot ticket” item. For example, last year it would make sense to shop for that Nintendo Wii sale before the blender Aunt Thelma has been eyeing. If you’re kids have certain items they want, just ask which the hardest to get are and if a sale exists arrive early at that location first.

3. Don’t buy every sale you see just because it looks “great.” My wife and I bought a $3 Crockpot last year, it was just a mini pot and we used it once, at $3 the quality was horrible and it burnt on first use, not to mention we didn’t need it and we never use it.

4. Watch Out For Crazy Soccer Moms and Steroid Induced Fathers – Basically if they look like they’ll kill you for the next big Tickle Me Elmo, they probably will. I once had an 80 year old lady call me a “Stupid Fucker” and hit me with her cane because I grabbed the last item on the shelf, a good 10 seconds before she was even in the aisle! Just be careful, people in some areas will push, shove, kick, bite and do whatever else is necessary to get that hot ticket item.

5. Find out if Doorbuster sales are offering what you want. Doorbusters tend to start around 3am and give special deals to customers during a specific time. For example it may only be 3am-6am. After those times you’ll pay more for those items. These tend to “reward” customers for their early patronage and they tend to be the best deals of the day.

6. Shop Online – Many stores such as Bestbuy and Buy.com will offer sales online that are just as good, if not better than retail stores. You can even spot a bunch of “free shipping” offers during Black Friday online sales. You can also check the following Monday for “Cyber Monday” sales which have started to grow in number over the last several years.

7. Wear comfortable shoes and eat breakfast – I shopped for hours upon hours last year during Black Friday and I have to admit I was exhausted and hungry by 10am, yet I shopped for many hours later. I would suggest a nice comfortable pair of walking shoes and a big enough breakfast to keep you going throughout the day.

8. Compare Prices – Many companies this year are offering the same GPS, TV and Computer items at varying prices. You can check pricing by looking through each Black Friday 2009 Ad and then choosing your plan of action from that point.

9. Map Your Route – If you have to go to 7 stores I would suggest mapping the shortest route from point A to point B to point C and so on and so forth. The more stores you cover, the better chance you have of finding all the items you want. You may not get everything, but if you start with your one big ticket item and work from there you have a better chance at fulfilling your shopping list.

10. Clip Coupons When Necessary – Some stores will require customers bring coupons with them. While this is increasingly rare, there are still “limit one per customer” coupons for some stores. I ran into this issue last year and was not able to pick up the item I wanted. If there is a coupon clip it, they may not ask for it, but it’s worth the extra precaution.

Those are my top tips for Black Friday 2009 shopping. Just remember to keep your eyes peeled for deals, plan accordingly and watch out for crazy people.

Happy Hunting and Happy Thanksgiving.

Nokia N900 Gets “In-Store” Sales Delay After Strong Pre-Order Numbers

James Allen Johnson — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:24:45 +0000

Nokia has recently experienced a problem most companies would love to have, they’ve become a victim of their own success. Their newest phone, the Maemo 5 supported Nokia N900 has been delayed for in store sales until December 4th after pre-orders ate up the companies supply of available devices.

Pre-order customers will start receiving their devices today and the company has promised those orders will be filled on a “first come, fire serve” basis.

The Nokia N900 is priced at £499 in the UK with VAT included in that pricing. Nokia has promised that eager customers can expect their devices to start shipping in approximately the next week and a half. If you live in the UK and simply can’t wait you can always head over to your local friendly Nokia store and play with their demo models. [SlashGear]