The Kill Switch: Is China Testing Internet Off Button?

Temporary blackouts today left millions of China’s Internet users unable to access many Chinese web sites as well as other unblocked foreign sites that they have been free to read in the past.

The outages come only a week after cyber-activist group Anonymous hacked almost five hundred Chinese web sites, including many of those belonging to the government. The mysterious outage was not limited to just China however, as similar blackouts were reported in Hong Kong as well as in Japan. At first, there was speculation that a powerful 8.9 earthquake off the coast of Indonesia on Wednesday may have shifted undersea cables, creating the blackout. Chinese Telecom later confirmed that the earthquake had not damaged the cables.

Speculation then turned to perhaps a temporary blip in the system, but the Telecom insisted this was not the case, either. Which has many people around the world guessing that the Chinese government has made a dry run of specific protocols to knock out the Internet should civil unrest, descent and protests start to take place in the Communist nation. The measures could also be put into place in the event of a war.

Two weeks ago, rumors of a coup movement within China began to spread across the Internet. The Chinese government quickly moved in to squash the rumors, sparking arrests and the closing of several web sites affiliated with anti-government sentiment. Recent years have seen countries such as Iran and Egypt employ "kill switch" tactics to take down the Internet during times of strife and political turmoil.

Bee Gee's Singer Robin Gibb Dead at 62

UPDATE: May 20, 2012: Bee Gee's singer/songwriter Robin Gibb has died in London, his family announced today "with great sadness". Gibb had been in a coma following surgery for a twisted bowel as well as battling liver and colon cancer. He had also contracted pneumonia while in the hospital, which further exacerbated his situation. He made a "remarkable" recovery a week after falling into a coma, but his condition quickly reversed and continued to deteriorate. He is survived by his brother, Barry, his wife Dwina, daughter Melissa, and two sons, Spencer and Robin John.


Robin Gibb, the singer/songwriter and one of the founding members of iconic musical group The Bee Gees, is said to be in a coma in a London hospital today.

The singer, who has been suffering from colon as well as liver cancer, has now been diagnosed with pneumonia. Gibb's family, including brother Barry, his wife Dwina, daughter Melissa, 37, and sons Spencer, 39, and Robin-John, 29, were all said to be at his bedside in a private hospital in Chelsea, West London. It is feared doctors are not optimistic about his chances for a recovery. 


The 62-year-old singer revealed his battle with cancer in 2010, after shocking photographs of his extremely gaunt appearance appeared in the media. He had emergency surgery to treat a blocked bowel, before a further operation to treat a twisted bowel, a condition that killed his twin brother Maurice in 2003. The colon and liver cancers were discovered during the procedure. The youngest of the famed Gibb brothers, Andy, died in 1988 at the age of 30 from a heart ailment. 


The Bee Gees were recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and were awarded seven Grammy Awards over their long career.  The group also can claim one of the biggest selling albums of all time, the soundtrack to the classic 70s film Saturday Night Fever. 

KFC: Earthquake Is Finger-Lickin' Good

There's nothing more comforting than a bucket of Kentucky fried chicken made with 11 secret herbs and spices, especially after a terrifying earthquake! At least, that's what KFC in Thailand mistakenly believed.

After a series of powerful temblors struck off the coast of Indonesia on Wednesday, KFC Thailand took to their official Facebook and Twitter feeds with the message "Let's hurry home and follow the earthquake news. And don't forget to order your favorite KFC menu."

The powerful 8.9 quake struck near to the same region where a 9.1 earthquake took place in 2004, which created a devastating tsunami that killed over 275,000 people as it swept across the Indian Ocean at the speed of a jet liner. A tsunami warning was issued for the entire region following Wednesday's quake, which created massive panic as people fled, fearing a repeat of the Boxing Day cataclysm. Fortunately, the earthquake was not the type to form a large tsunami this time.

People were quick to criticize KFC Thailand for their shameless self-promoting during a time of national crisis, and it certainly would not have been condoned by Colonel Sanders. The offending message was promptly removed and the company issued an apology to the public for its lapse in judgement.

 

Weather Alert: Potentially Devastating & Catastrophic Tornado Outbreak for Central US

An extremely dangerous tornado outbreak is expected on Saturday over the Great Plains in the US, the National Weather Service is warning. 


The areas of most concern will be in Oklahoma and Kansas, according to the reports. Oklahoma has already been experiencing the opening salvo of the dangerous storm system, after severe thunderstorms along with embedded tornadoes were observed late this afternoon near the town of Norman. 


Warm, moist air flowing northwards from the Gulf of Mexico, which currently has record-warm waters, will collide with cold air funneling down from Canada, creating a highly unstable air mass capable of creating powerful super cell storms with the potential to form dangerous tornadoes that could remain on the ground for extended periods of time. 

This is the second time the Storm Prediction Center has issued a "High Risk" forecast this year; the first "High Risk" forecast came during the March 2 tornado outbreak, which killed 41 people and did $1.5 - $2 billion in damages in Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee. 


It is also highly unusual (and disturbing) for the SPC to issue a "High Risk" forecast more than a day in advance of a suspected tornado outbreak. People living in the threatened areas need to monitor the news at all times on Saturday and be on the alert for severe weather. 





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Mother's Day: Frances Bean Cobain to Mom Courtney Love...STHU!

The daughter of the late rock and roll icon Kurt Cobain has apparently grown tired of her mother Courtney Love's childish antics! (And who could blame her?)

Frances Bean Cobain, the 19-year-old daughter of the former Nirvana lead singer who committed suicide in 1994, felt compelled to make a public statement after her volatile mother's most recent online tirade. Love, 47, went on yet another Twitter rant, accusing her late husband's former band mate, Foo Fighter's lead singer David Grohl, of having an inappropriate relationship with Frances during her younger years.

The usually quiet and publicity shy Cobain decried her mother's insinuations about a possible relationship with Grohl, stating "I have never been approached by Dave Grohl in more than a platonic way. I’m in a monogamous relationship and very happy.” She went on to conclude that "Twitter should ban my mother."

The micro-blogging site just might take this into consideration, after Love was sued for defamation last year by fashion designer Dawn Simonrangkir after the singer/actress made derogatory statements about her via her Twitter feed. Love was ordered to pay more than $400,000 in damages to the designer.

This isn't the only trouble poor Frances Bean has had with Mommie Dearest. Earlier this year, information regarding a restraining order Frances had signed against her mother in 2009 became public. The order alleged that Love was responsible for the death of several household pets, including a cat and a dog. She also alleged that her mother "basically exists now on...Xanax, Adderall, Sonata and Abilify, sugar and cigarettes."

Happy Mother's Day, Courtney!!! 

Appetite for Destruction: Axl Rose Says No Thanks to R&R Hall of Fame

Rocker Axl Rose proved that he is still a legendary pain-in-the-ass after all these years by refusing to accept an invitation to be inducted into Cleveland's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!

The 50-year-old front-man of the rock band Guns 'N Roses wrote a long, rambling letter to the Hall of Fame, detailing why he was refusing the nomination, considered by most in the industry to be the highest honor in the musical realm.

Apparently, Rose doesn't feel the love from the academy and claims in his rejection letter that he is neither "wanted or respected" at this year's induction ceremony. He also states that he will not be attending the ceremony and does not wish to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in absentia, and does not grant anyone the right to accept the invitation or speak on his behalf at the ceremony, scheduled for later this year.

Rose rose to great fame in the late-80s and early-90s, fueled by such classic rock hits as "Sweet Child o' Mine" and "Paradise City". Rose's volatile and often unpredictable behavior over the years ultimately lead to the demise in popularity of the iconic rock band and he has faded into near obscurity in recent years.

Golden Tweets: Betty White Joins Twitter

The last remaining Golden Girl has joined social media web site Twitter! 

Former Golden Girls and Mary Tyler Moore Show actress Betty White opened up an official account with the micro-blogging web site on Monday. Obviously, the legendary comedienne is still as popular as ever, as she has already amassed almost 200,000 followers in a little over 24 hours!

The lively 90-year-old's account has only made a few tweets as of now, mostly to promote White's new hidden camera comedy series on NBC Off Their Rockers. She also is busy starring in the TV Land hit sitcom Hot in Cleveland as well as filming television commercials and movie roles!

It is unclear if White herself is making the tweets, or if she has a personal assistant do the work for her. You can follow her or send her a message on Twitter at the following address: @BettyMWhite.

 

Like a Flop: Madonna's New Album Tanks in Second Week

There will be a million bouquets of hydrangeas delivered to the erstwhile Queen of Pop as sales of her new album MDNA take the biggest second week plunge in musical chart history!

The new effort from the 53-year old wax figure chanteuse debuted in the Number One spot on the Billboard Hot 200 in album sales last week, beating out another 80s fave Lionel Richie's new album Tuskegee, which came in at Number Two with sales of almost 200,000 copies. However, Madonna's camp may have utilized sneaky practices in hitting the coveted Number One spot, as her record company included the album for free as part of a concert ticket bundle for her upcoming tour, which falsely inflated the actual sales figures.

MDNA looks to sell  an extremely paltry 49,000 copies in its second week, meaning it will be a record-breaking 88% drop in sales, the largest such drop for a Number One album in its second week in musical history! The first single off the album, "Gimme All Your Luvin'" featuring MIA and Nicki Minaj, was a huge flop on the charts as well, despite a heavily-promoted appearance by Madonna at this year's Super Bowl. Her latest single "Girl Gone Wild" doesn't appear to be drawing any interest from fans or haters either.

The superstar singer is set to begin her new world tour next month. Here's a bouquet of your beloved hydrangeas to get you motivated, Madge! Enjoy your Karma Bouquet!

Does a Bear Text in the Woods? Texting Man Has Close Encounter with Bear

Of all the inherent dangers of texting on your phone and not paying attention to your surroundings, the one you would least likely anticipate would be an encounter with a bear in the city. Yet, that's exactly what happened to one young man in Glendale, California...

It seems a brown bear has made the upscale California neighborhood his local stomping ground after the beast was spotted eating frozen dinners out of a garage refrigerator a few weeks ago. After acquiring a taste for yummy human food, the male brown bear was spotted again today, this time trailed by local television helicopters!

As the helicopters followed the animal in quick pursuit, he suddenly turned down an alleyway where local resident Vaz Terdandenyan was walking and using his phone to text his boss that he would be late to work due to the police activity surrounding the bear hunt. Terdandenyan happened to look up from the phone in time to see the 500 lb. bear ambling toward him. Needless to say, he made a hasty retreat in the opposite direction and ran to safety! Luckily, Terdandenyan is a good runner, having recently trained for a marathon.

Animal control agents were able to safely tranquilize the bear with two darts to ensure that he slept peacefully while they worked to get him into a cage to transport him back into the wild. When the bear awakes, he will be released to an undisclosed location deep within the Angeles National Forest.

The Cruise Will Go On: Titanic Re-Creation Cruise Plagued with Problems

A luxury liner set to retrace the exact route of famed ship Titanic has been besieged by problems after setting sail from the port of Southampton, England on Sunday.

The MS Balmoral, a luxury cruise liner operated by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, departed the UK on Sunday and was set to pick up passengers in France and Ireland before continuing to North America. Many of the passengers have opted to dress in period attire for the cruise, which is to mark the 100th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the doomed ship.

The ship’s progress, however, has been delayed by strong winds that prevented the Balmoral from docking in Cobh, Ireland. The 45 mph winds and rough seas delayed the ship for almost an entire day, according to the BBC.

The memorial cruise is set to serve some of the actual meals offered to passengers of the ill-fated Titanic. The memorial cruise will also be carrying descendants of some of passengers who perished when the "unsinkable" ship sank after striking an iceberg off the coast of Canada in 1912. 1517 of the 2,223 passengers died.

The recreation cruise is expected to reach New York in 10 days. It is unclear whether that arrival date has changed due to the delay.

Facebook Acquires Instagram in $1 Billion Deal

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg revealed his company was acquiring free photo sharing application Instagram in an astonishing deal worth a staggering $1 billion!

The social media mega-site announced the acquisition in a message on its web site, stating that the deal to buy the San Francisco-based Instagram would be worth roughly $1 billion in cash as well as stock in Facebook.  The deal is expected to close later in the quarter.

"Millions of people around the world love the Instagram app and the brand associated with it, and our goal is to help spread this app and brand to even more people," CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in an official online statement regarding the acquisition.

Instagram has become extremely popular for its application that can add special effects to current, modern photographs and make them appear more retro, similar to photos taken with old-fashioned Polaroid or Kodak Insta-Matic cameras.

Instagram is a free photo sharing application that allows users to take photos, apply a filter, and share it on the service or a variety of other social networking services, including social media and blogging sites Facebook, Tumblr, twitter, FourSquare and Flickr. The application is compatible with any iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch running iOS 3.1.2 or above or any Android device running Android 2.2 or above.

In the News: Greek Protestors Pelt News Anchor with Eggs & Yogurt on Live TV

Protestors in Greece rushed a television station in Athens, pelting a news anchor with eggs and yogurt, all on live television!

The Mediterranean country has been caught up in nationwide, often violent protests for over a year, as Greece battles with a soaring debt crisis that threatens the stability of the Euro Zone and the world economy. Tough austerity measures have created massive civil unrest, with protestors and rioters clashing with police and military on almost a daily basis.

The crisis hit a low-point last week after a 77-year-old Greek pensioner committed suicide outside of the Greek Parliament building, leaving a note behind stating he would rather die than to scavenge for food in the streets like a peasant. The suicide re-ignited the flames of protest against the government.

Protestors apparently gained entry into a television studio where news anchor Panagiotis Bourchas was conducted a live on-air interview. The interview grinds to a sudden halt when a woman off-camera can be heard shouting. Suddenly, a volley of eggs and yogurt can be seen flying through the air, making a direct hit on Bourchas, as his guest dashes off-stage, unscathed. The news anchor is pelted with more food, as his attackers chant anti-fascist slogans. After the protestors run out of things to throw, Bourchas quietly removes his ear piece, picks up his yogurt-splattered laptop and trudges off-camera, as the station puts up a title card on-screen.


It is believed the attack was motivated after Bourchas hosted a show featuring a spokesman from the neo-Nazi political organization Golden Dawn.

Sin City RX: Las Vegas Introduces Mobile IV Units for Those Who Over-Indulge

Sin City, the city that never sleeps, has added a convenient new service to those who enjoy partaking in the many delights the town has to offer: A mobile IV unit for anyone who has had way too much to drink but does not want to suffer the painful consequences.

According to a new Las Vegas website, Hangoverheaven.com a fleet of tour buses is already rolling along the neon-illuminated streets, with stops at major casinos. If you are in desperate need of the hair of a dog to keep your Vegas vacation from becoming a nightmare, simply notify the service and they will send the bus out to your casino, where they will hook you up to an IV to treat the dehydrating effects of your hangover, for the introductory price of only $150. (Money you can recoup once you are back into fighting form and hitting the blackjack tables.) The treatment and medications are all FDA approved, the site claims.

The buses make routine, nightly stops at the Hard Rock Hotel, Paris, Bellagio and The Cosmopolitan.

Iconic 60 Minutes Reporter Mike Wallace Dead at 93

Legendary broadcaster and 60 Minutes reporter Mike Wallace has died at the age of 93, a spokesperson has revealed.

Wallace died Saturday night, CBS network spokesman Kevin Tedesco said. On Face the Nation this morning host Bob Schieffer  said Wallace passed away at a care facility in New Haven, Connecticut, where he had been living for the past several years.

Famous for his often aggressive form of interviewing, he was a familiar part of the journalism scene for almost seventy years. He interviewed countless politicians and celebrities over the decades,  and once famously asked the deceased Iranian religious leader the Ayatollah Khamenei if he "was crazy". He also brought superstar singer Barbra Streisand to tears during an interview, criticizing her for being "totally self-absorbed" and for her years of psycho-analysis.

He was one of the original reporters hired to host an ensemble news show titled 60 Minutes in 1968. The show would go on to become a Top 10 ratings staple for several decades, and was still rated in the Top 15 as of last year. He continued reporting for the hard-hitting news program until he announced his retirement in 2006, a year after undergoing delicate heart surgery.

Wallace received 21 Emmy awards during his long, storied career, as well as five DuPont-Columbia journalism awards and five presitious Peabody awards.

He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Mary Yates Wallace, his son, Chris, a stepdaughter, Pauline Dora, and stepson Eames Yates.

Boing! Boing! Boing! New "Trampoline" Boots Let You Jump Like a Kangaroo

If you've ever had the desire to jump around like a kangaroo, now you have the opportunity! A new athletic shoe has been introduced on the market, complete with spring-loaded, mini-trampolines on the soles which allows the wearer to hop around just like Australia's most famous marsupial.

The new athletic shoes, dubbed Kangoo Jumps, retail for around $265 US (£166) and have already made a splash Down Under, as well as in Europe and South Africa, and have already arrived on US shores just in time for the Spring fitness season. 

The manufacturers claim the shoes protect your knees and other joints while exercising by taking away up to 80 per cent of the impact. They also claim they can increase endurance, improve weight loss and help sculpture your thighs and buttocks into rippling, muscular masses. 


Kangoo Jumps are fastened just like roller blades or ski boots, with quick-release buckles and sturdy straps. Once they’re on, the wearer will need to practice walking and jumping in them to become accustomed to the sensation and to discover their center of gravity. With a little practice, you will be hopping like the Easter bunny (while perhaps drawing some laughs from passersby). 

 

Happy Easter from Too Much Information!

Taking the day off to enjoy the amazingly beautiful weather and to celebrate the Easter holiday with family and friends.

Spent the better part of the afternoon coloring Easter eggs for the children to hunt tomorrow morning. Such a fun tradition.

Wishing one and all a Happy Easter weekend!!!