The Inquisitr

Adele Wins 2012 Grammy For Song Of The Year

James Johnson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:31:41 +0000

Adele was Rolling in the Deep frenzy of Grammy Award glory on Sunday night when she won the song of the year award, her fourth Grammy on the night.

Rolling in the Deep was a number one hit for Adele and helped her turn in the album’s top-selling album of 2011.

The Grammy award winning song was written by Adele and Paul Epworth and he also managed to pick up the award for best producer of the year in the non-classical category.

Adele has had an amazing year with her album 21 selling more than 6.3 million copies in he U.S. while spending 19 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart. The album includes the immediately recognizable songs ”Rolling in the Deep,” “Somebody Like You” and “Set Fire to the Rain.”

Taking to the stage during the pre-recorded portion of the show Adele took some time to thanks her doctors who performed surgery on her failing vocal chords which were damaged from singing and cigarettes.

Do you think Adele deserves the 4 Grammy’s she won on the night or is she overrated?

Adele Wins 2012 Grammy For Song Of The Year is a post from: The Inquisitr

Taylor Swift Wins Two Grammy Awards, Gets Revenge On “Mean” Guy

James Johnson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:07:29 +0000

Taylor Swift is still on a role, taking home two Grammy’s on Sunday for best country song and best country solo performance on the heals of her hit song Mean.Accepting her top prizes the singer said:

“There’s really no feeling quite like writing a song about someone who’s completely mean to you and completely hates you, and then winning a Grammy for it.”

Swift was also nominated for best country album for her hit album Speak Now.

Joking with those in attendance Swift went so far as to thank all her fans who clapped for her victory, a move the Washington Post seems to think was a subtle a reference to her MTV VMA’s debacle when Kanye West during the 2009 MTV Awards show. During that acceptance speech Kanye West took the mic from her and said ”Yo Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’ll let you finish, but Beyoncé has one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time!”

Taylor’s awards were picked up as part of the show’s pre-television section of the awards event.

Taylor Swift wasn’t the only female taking home two big awards early on in the night Adele won Best Short Form Music Video for ‘Rolling in the Deep’ and Best Pop Vocal Album for her breakthrough album 21.

Do you think Taylor Swift deserved her Grammy victories on the strength of Mean and the entire Speak Now album?

Taylor Swift Wins Two Grammy Awards, Gets Revenge On “Mean” Guy is a post from: The Inquisitr

iPad 3 Going Ultra-Mobile With GoPad Accessory

James Johnson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:51:32 +0000

Apple sells millions of iPad devices every single year and they sell even more accessories for those devices but the GoPad takes device constant tablet computer use to a whole new level.

GoPad allows users to attach their iPad around their neck with a corded attachment that makes it simple to carry the tablet while using it at the same time with both hands free for navigation and typing.

The accessory while a bit silly looking could be a great option for many working professionals such as nurses and doctors who tend to carry around laptops and other bulky devices throughout the day.

For $90 users receive a strap, harness and a companion carrying case. While first set to launch for iPad devices the company is also planning options for the Motorola Xoom, BlackBerry PlayBook, Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Amazon Kindle Fire.

Take a look at the device pictures above and let us know what you think. Would you be willing to use the GoPad in public with your tablet computer?

iPad 3 Going Ultra-Mobile With GoPad Accessory is a post from: The Inquisitr

Gas Prices On The Rise Since Late January, North Sea Drilling To Blame

James Johnson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:22:19 +0000

Oil prices in the North Sea have spiked since January causing gasoline prices in the U.S. to increase by 12 cents a gallon in a nationwide survey.

In the latest Lundberg Survey gasoline prices rose to $3.51 per gallon, that survey examines 2,500 filling stations across the United States.

The study also found that West Texas Intermediate crude, the U.S. benchmark fuel remained flat from January 20 through Friday.

During that same period Brent crude, the European benchmark traded up by $7.45 per barrel during the same period.

Currently increases in the North Sea are blamed on several factors including lower then expected production, tensions between most of the world and Iran and a cut off of southern oil in the newly formed South Sudan region. It’s still unclear how much prices have increased because of sanctions placed on the Iran Central Bank by the United States.

Lundberg expected prices to “inch up” at least a few more cents over the next few weeks.

Here are some of the average prices from cities around the world:

Atlanta: $3.54
Baltimore: $3.52
Billings, Montana: $3.03
Boston: $3.60
Chicago: $3.63
Houston: $3.42
Jackson, Mississippi: $3.38
Las Vegas: $3.41
Minneapolis: $3.45
Portland, Oregon: $3.48

Have you noticed big gas price increases in your area over the last 4-8 weeks?

[Image via ShutterStock.com]

Gas Prices On The Rise Since Late January, North Sea Drilling To Blame is a post from: The Inquisitr

Phil Mickelson Surges From 6-Shot Deficit To Beat Tiger Woods At Pebble Beach

James Johnson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:55:35 +0000

Phil Mickelson surged ahead on Sunday at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am tournament to beat Tiger Woods with a final round score of 8-under 64.

Mickelson was six shots behind Tiger but surged ahead in just six holes to pass both Woods and Charlie Wi.

Playing in the second-to-last group Mickelson won the final round against Tiger Woods by 11 shots, winning for the fourth time at Pebble Beach.

The win was also a big one for Mickelson who became just the ninth player in PGA tour history to mount 40 wins. After his victory Phil said:

“Pebble Beach … it feels awesome no matter what number it is.”

For Tiger Woods the fall was surprising as he shot a 67 in the third round and appeared poised for an easy win on Sunday. Woods however failed to make birdie on the courses easy opening stretch, making his first birdie at the par-5 sixth. Mickelson answered with a 20-foot eagle putt.

After the tournament Woods said:

“I didn’t hit it as bad as the score indicated, but I putted awful. As good as I felt on the greens yesterday, I felt bad today. Anything I tried to do wasn’t working. Consequently, I made a ton of mistakes on the green.”

What might be more troubling for Tiger Woods is the fact that he has now collapsed at two tournaments in a row, two weeks ago he entered the final round of the Abu Dhabi tournament tied for the lead with unheralded Robert Rock but ending up failing to break par, finishing in third place.

While Tiger Woods use to once be the bane of Phil Mickelson’s existence that all changed in 2007 at the Deutsche Championship and now Mickelson has posted five better final round scores while playing in the same Sunday group as Tiger Woods.

Phil Mickelson Surges From 6-Shot Deficit To Beat Tiger Woods At Pebble Beach is a post from: The Inquisitr

Whitney Houston’s Daughter Bobbi Kristina Rushed To Hospital Twice Following Mothers Death

James Johnson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:24:24 +0000

Whitney Houston passed away at the age of 48-years-old on Saturday and following her unexpected demise her daughter Bobbi Kristina has been rushed to the hospital not once but twice for near death related experiences.

According to Radar Online Bobbi Kristina Brown, 18, “tried to ease the pain of losing her mother by having a few alcoholic drinks.” Realizing that she was drunk and out of control her entourage tried to calm her down by giving her some sedatives, a mix that didn’t work as planned. As one source reveals, ”The two [alcohol and drugs] were an unfortunate mix and she ended up passing out.”

After her first trip the hospital it was less then 24-hours before Bobbi was spotted once again on a hospital stretcher where she was said to be ”hysterical, exhausted and inconsolable.”

The only child from Whitney’s marriage to Bobby Brown she spoke of her mother’s death last night when OntheRedCarpet reports that she broke down in tears.

Along with being rushed to the hospital last night the daughter of Whitney Houston was engaged in a shouting match with police officers which may have led to her entourage providing her with sedatives to calm her down.

It’s understandable that Bobbi Kristina Brown has been visibly upset at the unexpected death of her mother but in this writers opinion she’s acting like a spoiled Hollywood brat and taking attention away from her mother’s former brilliant career when she should be with family and friends, remembering her mom.

Considering drugs likely played a part in her mothers death do you think Bobbi Kristina is acting too far out of control?

Whitney Houston’s Daughter Bobbi Kristina Rushed To Hospital Twice Following Mothers Death is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Last Guardian not dead, but slow-going

Daniel McCall — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:07:39 +0000

The Last Guardian, the latest game from the studio that brought you Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, has been in development for a long time, and yet we still don’t have a release date.

To make matters worse, gamers got a scare last year when GameStop sent a notification to customers that The Last Guardian had been canceled. Fortunately this turned out to be a mistake, but it’s still easy to remain concerned about the game when Sonny hasn’t said or even shown anything on The Last Guardian in quite some time.

Well, you don’t have to worry about The Last Guardian being canceled anytime soon. 1Up recently caught up with Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida, and the site asked for an update on The Last Guardian. Here’s what he had to say:

“The project has been making progress, but slow progress. So that’s tough, but we haven’t changed any focus. It’s still a really important project and a vision we want to see realized, and Fumito’s vision is really causing a very difficult challenge for the developers, so there’s some scrapping and rebuilding — iteration in the process. That’s why [it's taking so long].”

The Last Guardian was originally on track to release last year, but the game was pushed back for unspecified reasons. Sony has said that a 2012 release is likely, but even that is up in the air at this point. Hopefully Sony and Team Ico have more to show by E3 later this year.

Source: 1Up

The Last Guardian not dead, but slow-going is a post from: The Inquisitr

Neanderthal Cave Painting Is Oldest Ever Discovered

James Johnson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:10:57 +0000

Researchers in Spain have discovered a set of cave paintings that they believe may be the old known drawings by a Neanderthal.

The images resemble a DNA double helix but actually depict seals which would have been a food source for neanderthals in Malaga, Spain during the time the paintings were depicted.

Discovered nearly Spain’s Nerja cave the charcoal paintings date back nearly 43,000 years ago, far older than the Cauvet paintings from France that are suspected of being 30,000-years-old.

At this point researchers are only able to estimate the age of the paint pigments and will have to wait until next year to actually attempting a proper dated examination.

It’s still possible that Homo sapiens drew the painting but evidence points to Neanderthals living in the south of Spain during that time period, long after Homo sapiens had replaced them in central Europe.

As one expert tells the New Scientist the discovery would be an “academic bombshell” since until now Neanderthals were believed to be incapable of creating art.

More excavation work could be found in the cave system which was only unearthed in 1959 by a group of boys who were hunting bats. Much of the system is still to be explored.

Neanderthal Cave Painting Is Oldest Ever Discovered is a post from: The Inquisitr

Whitney Houston Autopsy Completed, Authorities Now Waiting For Final Results

James Johnson — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:16:21 +0000

The Whitney Houston autopsy is complete and authorities are now waiting on a final toxicology report to determine if the singer was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of her death.

Fans of the singer hoping for a quick turn around on those tests will be holding their breath for quite some time, authorities say it will take 4-6 weeks.

While the cause of death has not been confirmed various sources are reporting that Whitney fell asleep in the bath tub or lapsed into unconsciousness where she drowed.

Police turned over every square inch of the singers Beverly Hills hotel and rumors point to various prescription drugs found with no sign of illegal drugs.

It’s believed that Whitney was drinking the night before she was found and authorities believe a deadly combination of Xanax and alcohol may have led to her demise.

Reports are also circulating that on-again off-again boyfriend Ray-J raced to her side after the singer was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Whitney Houston is survived by her 19-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina.

Do you think a deadly combination of drugs and alcohol were involved in Whitney Houston’s death?

Whitney Houston Autopsy Completed, Authorities Now Waiting For Final Results is a post from: The Inquisitr

It seems that the Crazy Cat Lady may have a medical explanation

Steven Hodson — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:05:54 +0000

We love our cats but there are some people who love them maybe just bit too much and seem to collect them like other people collect stamps or bottle caps the only problem is that at some point they cross the line from being a cat lover to being that crazy cat person that we all like to make fun of.

In fact if the research of evolutionary biologist Jaroslav Flegr from the Charles University in Prague is even close to being on the money those crazy cat people could be suffering from a medical illness due to those cats that they love so much.

Now it is a well know fact that cats carry a very tiny organism that gets excreted in their feces and is potentially dangerous to humans. This is one reason that pregnant women are warned to stay away from cat litter boxes during their pregnancy as the parasite can be transmitted to their unborn child and could lead to brain damage or death.

The parasite is called Toxoplasma gondii (T.gondii or Toxo for short) and Flegr believes it can also affect a healthy person’s brain.

But if Flegr is right, the “latent” parasite may be quietly tweaking the connections between our neurons, changing our response to frightening situations, our trust in others, how outgoing we are, and even our preference for certain scents. And that’s not all. He also believes that the organism contributes to car crashes, suicides, and mental disorders such as schizophrenia. When you add up all the different ways it can harm us, says Flegr, “Toxoplasma might even kill as many people as malaria, or at least a million people a year.”

via The Atlantic

Flegr has been pursuing this theory in relative obscurity for decades, and a certain ridicule from those that have seen his research. However that may change as some scientists, like Robert Sapolsky from Stanford, think that Flegr may actually be onto something with his theory.

Flegr’s “studies are well conducted, and I can see no reason to doubt them,” Sapolsky tells me. Indeed, recent findings from Sapolsky’s lab and British groups suggest that the parasite is capable of extraordinary shenanigans. T. gondii, reports Sapolsky, can turn a rat’s strong innate aversion to cats into an attraction, luring it into the jaws of its No. 1 predator. Even more amazing is how it does this: the organism rewires circuits in parts of the brain that deal with such primal emotions as fear, anxiety, and sexual arousal. “Overall,” says Sapolsky, “this is wild, bizarre neurobiology.” Another academic heavyweight who takes Flegr seriously is the schizophrenia expert E. Fuller Torrey, director of the Stanley Medical Research Institute, in Maryland. “I admire Jaroslav for doing [this research],” he says. “It’s obviously not politically correct, in the sense that not many labs are doing it. He’s done it mostly on his own, with very little support. I think it bears looking at. I find it completely credible.”

via The Atlantic

So folks, the next time you see some crazy cat person disappearing into the home full of cats you might want to think twice about making fun of then because they may in fact be ‘crazy’.

It seems that the Crazy Cat Lady may have a medical explanation is a post from: The Inquisitr

Patriotic Rock Band Stands With Starbucks Amidst Attack From Anti-Gun Lobby Group

David James — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:52:13 +0000

The NRA and other Second Amendment groups may have just found the best friend they could have ever hoped for – a new rock & roll band based out of New Yorknamed Madison Rising.

According to the band’s website, “Madison Rising (www.madisonrising.com) promotes the principles of liberty, independence, smaller government and personal responsibility.”

The band’s latest cause is to help bring awareness to the relentless attacks on one of the most cherished rights granted in the Constitution: The right to keep and bear arms. On January 30^th, the band released a video for their single “Right To Bear.”

The song and video had already generated considerable controversy regarding the Second Amendment and the ongoing issues of open and concealed carry gun laws around the country. But the issue really came to the forefront last week when the band learned that a group called The National Gun Victim’s Action Council (NGAC) plans to lead a national boycott of Starbucks Coffee on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14th, to try to force a change in the company’s “open carry” gun policy at hundreds of its retail locations.

Apparently, Starbucks having the audacity to follow the law by allowing guns to be carried by patrons in the states where it is legal to do so doesn’t sit well with everyone. According to Elliot Fineman, CEO of the NGAC, “Starbucks allowing guns to be carried in thousands of their stores significantly increases everyone’s risk of being a victim of gun violence.” Fineman further claims, “Open and conceal-and-carry are among the reasons there are 12,000 gun homicides each year in theU.S.”

However, Christopher Schreiner, Madison Rising’s guitarist vehemently disagrees. “Mr. Fineman needs to realize that his position on this issue is flawed, and affected by his obvious naiveté,” said Schreiner who, along with his band mates openly showed their support for Starbucks by posing in front of a mural from their recent video with Starbucks coffees held proudly in hand.

Notably however, Schreiner’s passion and interest in the gun-rights issue extend far beyond his membership in the NRA and the band’s recent music video. Last year, Schreiner’s 31-year-old cousin was shot and killed on his way home from work by a 16 year old with an illegal handgun. Yet Schreiner clearly understands the difference between rights and responsibilities: “Certain people blame guns, but the perpetrator wasn’t a responsible gun owner or an NRA member. He was a delinquent. Madison Rising is fighting for the rights of law abiding citizens, and those rights should not be infringed upon, compromised or lost as a result of the egregious actions of criminals.”

“There’s a reason it’s the second amendment,” continued Dave Bray, the band’s lead singer. “It’s not the ninth, it’s not the fourth; it’s the second. And at the end of the day, it’s the only thing protecting the first. We’re talking last line of defense. The authors of the constitution knew exactly what they were doing and these rights are just as important now as they were two centuries ago. It doesn’t matter how technologically advanced a society may become. Human nature never changes.”

The band’s Right To Bear video prominently features several high profile anti-gun politicians such as Hillary Clinton, Eric Holder, John Kerry, and Nancy Pelosi, as well as key pro-gun advocates like NRA president David Keene. The band openly endorses national right to carry laws.

Patriotic Rock Band Stands With Starbucks Amidst Attack From Anti-Gun Lobby Group is a post from: The Inquisitr

The European ACTA revolt draws large number of protesters

Steven Hodson — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:40:37 +0000

While here in North America everyone is still slapping each other on the back over the slap down that both SOPA and PIPA got in Congress the reality is that the over intent behind what those two bills stood for hasn’t stopped as evidenced by the more global ACTA treaty.

Unlike the two American bills however ACTA is still on the move to being accepted by governments around the world with the current signatories including: Canada, Australia, Japan, United States, Morocco, New Zealand and Singapore. That doesn’t mean that it is clear sailing for ACTA as protests against it have spread across Europe and several key countries pulling out of the treaty agreement.

This past weekend saw a huge multi-country protest with thousands of people coming out to march against the signing of the treaty. The current number of protests and protesters sits at:

Germany – 25,000
Sofia, Bulgaria – 4,000
Bucharest, Romania – 300
Warsaw, Poland – 500
Paris, France – 1,000
Prague, Czech Republic – 1,500
Cluj, Transylvania – 2,000
Budapest, Hungary – 1,000
Vilnius, Lithuania – 600
London, England – 200

As much as the proponents of ACTA would like us to believe that this is just about copyright and piracy just as they tried with SOPA and PIPA the fact is a lot more. As James Plafke from Geekosystem put it recently

A general concern with ACTA is that could make ISPs responsible for their users’ copyright infringements, which would lead to ISPs implement some kind of nefarious surveillance in order to protest themselves. Along with that, users could end up blacklisted from ISPs if they’re caught infringing on copyright a few times, and as we know, copyright infringement is a mucky territory to delve into, and you might be taking part in it without actually being aware you are.

Thankfully the number of countries in Europe that have either withdrawn support for ACTA or are reconsidering their position on it is growing as the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia have delayed proceeding on the treaty.

via Geekosystem

The European ACTA revolt draws large number of protesters is a post from: The Inquisitr

Gang Members Using ‘Community Guns’

James Johnson — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:03:16 +0000

The saying “sharing is caring” has a whole new meaning in many gang infested parts of the United States where gang bangers are taking to the streets while using “community” guns that are free for the taking.

Perhaps it’s a sign of a bad economy but in many case more communal gun programs are starting. According to one Bronx assistant DA:

“The gangs are younger, and their resources are less.”

Even with the guns emerging more often a New York investigator told the New York Times that it still surprises investigators to learn of the communal gun program:

“We get a lot more ballistic matches than we ever have before. It’s amazing. You go, how the hell did that match up to that shooting?”

In the meantime State Senator Malcolm A. Smith points out that the type of organization gang members are engaging in could make them good producing members for the business community:

“You have a business model behind this concept, a schedule, which is a shame. If they used that intellect for something positive, who knows how successful that person could be?”

While from an economic standpoint the program likely makes sense to gang members, a simple arrest on attempted murder could lead to a life in prison when a communal gun is confiscated and matched to prior shootings that the arrested gang member may have had no part in.

When gang members are sharing guns to cut back on expenses we know the economy still has a long way to recovery.

Gang Members Using ‘Community Guns’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Dirt 3 getting a “Complete Edition” this March

Daniel McCall — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:47:08 +0000

Codemasters has announced that Dirt 3 will be getting the “Game of the Year re-release” treatment with Dirt 3 Complete Edition, due out on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 this March.

As you no doubt guessed from the name, Dirt 3 Complete Edition will come packaged with all of the game’s DLC, which includes 12 tracks set in two locations, Shibuya and Monte Carlo, as well as quite a few new cars.

Here’s the full list of the additional content you’ll be getting in Dirt 3 Complete Edition:

The Monte Carlo Rally Pack – eight breathtaking Rally stages featuring dramatic climbs, descents and hairpins of snowy mountain roads. Race through the Alps and conquer the legendary Col de Turini pass.
The X Games Asia Track Pack – four new routes set across two new tracks in Shibuya, the neon heart of central Tokyo, where spectacular mud-spattered Rallycross circuits weave beneath towering skyscrapers.
The Power and Glory Car Pack – stars five cars including the BMW M3 Rally, Lancia Delta S4, Ford Focus ST Rallycross, Scion tC and Chevrolet Camaro SSX Concept, each with a range of liveries.
The Mud and Guts Car Pack – features five cars available for single-player, split-screen and online multiplayer events. Race the Lancia Stratos, Peugeot 205 T16 Evo 2, Citroën C4 Rallycross, Saturn Sky and Ford Mustang GT, each with a range of liveries.
The Colin McRae Vision Charity Pack – access the Ford Escort Mk II, a 70s rally classic with five liveries.
The Ken Block Special Pack – features a customized and upgraded Ford Escort Mk II, an Open Class Rally car sporting a killer Ken Block livery.
The Mini Gymkhana Special Pack – access the mid-engined Mini Cooper S Gymkhana, customized and tuned to become an outrageously responsive Gymkhana car.

No word just yet on a specific release date for Dirt 3 Complete Edition, other than “some point in March”. The re-release will retail for $39.99.

Dirt 3 getting a “Complete Edition” this March is a post from: The Inquisitr

Cat Feces Might Be Changing Your Brains Activity

James Johnson — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:12:29 +0000

Jaroslav Flegr has been studying cats for a while now, specifically the parasite known as Toxoplasma Gondii which lives inside of cats and cat be transferred to humans. While Toxoplasmosis, the disease we contract from the Gondii parasite is typically only dangerous to the fetus of pregnant women, Flegr believes it could be altering our brain activity.

The Atlantic reports that some of the biggest names in neurobiology are backing up the researchers claims. He posits that taxoplasma gondii which is most often transferred through cat feces doesn’t just infect humans, make them sick for a short period of time and then lie dormant in the brain forever, but rather that it changes our neural pathways.

Research has shown that rodents infected with T. Gondii become less wary of predators and have slower reaction times which makes them more attractive prey for cats.

As the hypothesis goes, the parasite is trying to work its way back into the cat where it has the capability to reproduce.

Conducting years of personality studies Flegr found that infected men become more introverted when they have been infected. He also found that men dressed more poorly and were more reckless in their general day-to-day lives.

In infected women toxoplasmosis made them more outgoing while they tended to be more well-dressed, and rule-abiding.

In both men and women it was discovered that reaction times slowed and both sexes were more prone to car accidents.

Flegr even posits that taxoplasmosis might be responsible for as many deaths each year as malaria “or at least a million people a year.”

More research is still needed but with the backing of renowned neurobiologists it’s likely Jaroslav Flegr will now have more help along the way.

Cat Feces Might Be Changing Your Brains Activity is a post from: The Inquisitr

Unreal Engine 4 to be shown for the first time this year

Daniel McCall — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:01:06 +0000

So far, Epic hasn’t had much to say about Unreal Engine 4, other than it’s coming–but that’s going to change this year, according to Epic’s Mark Rein.

Speaking to G4 at DICE last week, Rein confirmed that we’ll be seeing what Epic’s Unreal Engine 4 is capable of at some point this year. “People are going to be shocked later this year when they see Unreal Engine 4 and how much more profound an effect it will have,” he said.

Epic hasn’t shown the actual engine running just yet, but last year we were treated to the “Samaritan” Unreal Engine 3 tech demo, which showed the developer’s vision of what next-gen games may look like. If the video is anything to go by, it looks like we can expect some very impressive visuals out of Unreal Tournament 4, and from next-gen hardware in general.

In case you missed it last year, you can check out the Unreal Engine 3 “Samaritan” tech demo directly below.

Source: G4

Unreal Engine 4 to be shown for the first time this year is a post from: The Inquisitr

Prescription Drugs Found In Whitney Houston’s Hotel Room, Cause Of Death May Be Drowning

James Johnson — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:46:20 +0000

While investigators have found no evidence of illegal drugs in the Beverly Hills hotel room where Whitney Houston died on Saturday night it’s believed that prescription drugs were located and that the singer may have drowned in her bathtub.

Sources told TMZ on Sunday that when EMT’s arrived Houston’s body had already been removed from the bathtub so they will have to wait and see if she died from a drug overdose or from a bathtub drowning or other cause.

According to reports police found various prescription drug bottles scattered around the room, however no illegal drug use was discovered and there didn’t appear to be any alcohol consumption on Whitney’s part.

Whitney’s body was taken from the room on a gurney and will now go to the morgue for an autopsy to determine the singers cause of death.

Whitney Houston was just 48-years-old but looked far beyond her years after two decades of drug abuse ravaged her body, including her once trademarked voice which sounded like a former shell of itself during recently critically bashed concerts.

Whitney is survived by her 19-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina.

Here’s a video of coroner’s arriving at the hotel and then Whitney Houston being driven away by ambulance:

video platform video management video solutions video player

Do you think taking a bath instead of a shower when she was taking so many prescription drugs was a bad idea on Houston’s part?

Prescription Drugs Found In Whitney Houston’s Hotel Room, Cause Of Death May Be Drowning is a post from: The Inquisitr

Manning Observers Deny Claims That He’s Out Of Shape, Not Ready For Primetime

James Johnson — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:34:19 +0000

Rumors have been circulating for some time now that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has fallen out of shape since neck surgery was performed on him in 2011. Now some of Manning’s observers have come out to refute claims that Manning is throwing with a “noodle arm”

One of his supporters is none other than Indianapolis Colts GM Bill Polian who watched Manning throw back in late December. According to Bill:

“It’s marked (improvement) from where he was back in September,” Polian said. “He threw it accurately, he threw it with a good, tight spiral, and he threw it with velocity.

“Generally, he looked like a pretty confident quarterback out there.”

Another Colts player also backed Mannings improvement. Kicker Adam Vinatieri told NFL.com of the QB’s improvement:.

“I haven’t watched him the last few weeks, but I did see him at the end of the season,” Vinatieri said during the interview. “He was developing nicely. Was he quite all the way back yet? No, probably not. Not to his standards.

“But he definitely is not that far off.”

At this time the Colts are running out of signing time with Manning set to receive a massive $28 million singing bonus should he still be on the roster come March 8, if anything these reports should continue to fuel speculation that another struggling NFL team at the QB position will pick Manning up before he hits the free agent market.

Do you think Peyton Manning despite several neck surgeries can still be a positive influence on whatever team he ends up playing for?

Manning Observers Deny Claims That He’s Out Of Shape, Not Ready For Primetime is a post from: The Inquisitr

Amaze her with this great Valentine’s Day evening courtesy of Rube Goldberg [Video]

Steven Hodson — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:20:43 +0000

Ah Valentine’s Day, the second greatest marketing achievement of mankind and the one single day of the year, surpassing even Christmas, when a man is socially forced into selling his soul for a few baubles to give to his loved one of the minute.

Call me a pessimist is you want but the idea of going into hock to buy some pretty ring, necklace, or a dozen long stem roses is just silly, not to mention being an inordinately expensive way to get lucky one night of the year.

However, this Rube Goldberg offering from David Dvir and Kevin Luc is just all kinds of fun and should get you some major brownie points for your incredible talent, and humor.

If that fails I guess you can always fall back on the dozen long stem roses.

via BuzzFeed

Amaze her with this great Valentine’s Day evening courtesy of Rube Goldberg [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Apple iPhone Sales Hurting Wireless Carrier Profits

James Johnson — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:17:39 +0000

Apple’s profits have soared since the advent of iPhone and iPad based devices but that profit has come at the expense of the very company’s that have helped Apple succeed, wireless carriers. While Apple creates each iOS based device for an estimated price of just $150 they sell those phones to carriers for $600.

To get customers interested wireless carriers then turn around and sell iPhones back to customers for as little as $199 with a two year contract.

The school of thought has always been that the customers 2-year contract combined with required data plans for smartphones will lead to a return on investment, yet AT&T and Verizon stock has dropped and Sprint has recorded 40% losses since it started selling the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S.

One analyst tells the Los Angeles Times:

“The AT&T wireless model is broken. AT&T is basically subsidizing Apple’s revenues and profit growth.”

The system is broken because in order to compete many cellular carriers have had to offer “early upgrades” to keep customers. This essentially means that after one year a customer on a two year contract with an already subsidized phone is given a discount to buy another phone and up their contract for two years again.

There does appear to be one bright point for carriers, Google Android phones continue to increase in popularity and are often slightly cheaper to obtain.

One Verizon employee quips of the choice in smartphones:

“It depends what you like. Do you like the Androids’ faster download times, bigger screens, longer battery life and better cameras? Or do you like Apple?”

Do you think carriers put themselves in the position their in now by bowing down to Apple and the iOS system?

Apple iPhone Sales Hurting Wireless Carrier Profits is a post from: The Inquisitr