Web irc Client

WMibbit: Web-based IRC client makes IRC look easy

Mibbit is a new IRC client that -- wait, they still make IRC clients? While AOL, MSN, Google, Skype and others dominate the world chat scene these days, once upon a time IRC or Internet Relay Chat was king. And while IRC doesn't get much attention these days, it's still alive, kicking, and useful if you need a multi-user chat system for communicating with co-workers, open source project developers, or anonymous folks you might want to trade files with.

So what makes Mibbit different from old school IRC clients? It's web-based, which means you can run it from anywhere. But despite the fact that you can run Mibbit from your web browser, you get all of the features you'd expect from a desktop based IRC client, and then some.

There's a search engine that lets you find channels by keyword. You can change the color scheme, and even use a built in translator to communicate with users in different languages. Each new channel or server screen opens in a new Mibbit tab, and if you're running Mibbit in a tabbed browser, you'll get cute little alerts like "Server stuff!" or "People said stuff!"

There's even a Mibbit widget that you can install on your web site to let visitors chat with you via IRC.

News From: news.cnet.com

Google Voice makes move to mainstream

Google Voice makes move to mainstream with number porting

Google's Voice services are set to go mainstream in 2011.

Google (GOOG) is testing number portability on Google Voice (update: it was just taken down) which allows users to move their primary phone number to Google and then forward to a new number assigned by their carrier. I did this a few months ago at the invitation of Google and haven't looked back. I can now forward my calls to my landline, Gmail, my new mobile number and work number at scheduled times and days. I also get free voicemail transcriptions, call recording and line transfers.

This is one of those services that becomes immediately useful and also immediately clear that you don't ever want to live without.

A few important things to note: If you are currently on a subsidized data plan (most of you are) you will incur an early termination fee and your plan will get cancelled. The process is similar to moving to another carrier. Also, Google is charging a $20 fee for number porting. As of now it only works on non-corporate mobile phones, meaning landlines and your work phone number can't be ported, yet.

I spoke to Vincent Paquet, one of the founders of Grand Central along with Craig Walker, the service that was purchased to become Google Voice, who told me that number porting would be rolling out soon, perhaps by the end of the month. He also hinted that Google's upcoming Honeycomb tablets could have additional Google Voice features, perhaps the ability to make VoIP calls without a carrier voice account.

Before you consider leaving voice lines all together, remember Google Voice isn't positioned to be a voice line replacement...yet.

E-911 services aren't yet mature (though I'm told Google is investigating that) and Google took some heat last year for not connecting to all rural carriers because of the high fees they charge.

How does Google monetize Voice? No, it isn't whispering ads into your ears (though Paquet was amused by the notion). Paquet points to Skype and other VoIP carriers who charge international connection fees as one model. Connecting calls at Google's scale is extremely inexpensive so huge revenues aren't necessary to maintain the infrastructure.

Another reason for its existence, and the reason Paquet has stayed at Google long after the Grand Central acquisition, is Google's focus on user experience first. Paquet, like other Googlers I've talked to who were brought in by acquisition, had a chance to leave long ago but stays on because of the resources Google has at its disposal and its trust it places in its people. While it may take longer to make updates to Voice than it would as a startup (because of more code checking and testing), Google more than makes up for it with its server resources.

Voice is also a huge gateway into Google's other services, especially the Enterprise where eliminating the carrier and VoIP boxes would really excite small to medium business owners.

Google Voice is only available in the US at the moment and calls to the US and Canada are free throughout 2011. Voice is expected to roll out to Canada and Western Europe in 2011 or at least that seemed to be the thinking. Google was briefly outed last year in negotiations with the Spanish government on bringing Voice to Spain.

Paquet, a Frenchmen who has a passion for voice data services, had a previous VoIP startup that was picked up by Yahoo. He is even active on Google Voice help forums.

If you are near the end of your contract or off contract, I can highly recommend Google's Voice services. Even if you don't port your current number, you can get a new number by signing up here. For much more on Google Voice, visit Google Voice's YouTube Channel where you can see demos of the features.

Al Davis makes it clear Campbell is his QB

Owner Al Davis reiterated at Tuesday's press conference that Jason Campbell reminds him of two-time Super Bowl winner Jim Plunkett.

Davis considers Plunkett on of the most under-appreciated players in NFL history. He patted himself on the back for the Campbell trade last offseason and compared Campbell's Auburn track record favorably to that of Cam Newton's. In short, Davis made it clear that he considers Campbell the unquestioned starter of the Raiders heading into 2011. Cross quarterback off Oakland's offseason shopping list.

 

Al Davis on cutting JaMarcus Russell: Can't solve players' problems

Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis said he cut former No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell last spring because he felt the club could no longer fight personal problems for its players.

The Raiders paid Russell more than $30 million for three seasons in which he started 25 games and threw more INTs (23) than TD passes (18).

Davis, in his first public comments since cutting Russell, said he couldn't invest more time in what became one of the biggest busts in NFL draft history.

"Basically he's a good person but he's got personal problems," Davis said. "And I decided it was time that we weren't going to fight it anymore."

Russell admitted to using codeine at times when he was with the Raiders, and has since admitted to mistakes in his life.

The Raiders had traded for QB Jason Campbell two weeks prior to moving on from Russell.

"It hurt is a great deal," Davis said of the Russell era. "But you've got to go on."

Russell has since had at least two workouts with other NFL teams, but has remained unsigned.



News From: content.usatoday.com

Jarmila Groth makes first-round exit at Australian Open

THE golden run of Jarmila Groth during the summer has come to an end.

The happy-go-lucky Melburnian lost a close three-set match on Rod Laver Arena to 21st seed Yanina Wickmayer 6-3 2-6 6-4.

So much was anticipated in the match, but the end result was not unexpected. Groth had reached the quarter-finals in Brisbane, including a magnificent victory over world No 6 and fellow Australian Sam Stosur, and then collected her second WTA title in Hobart on Saturday night.

But Groth has to endure the highs and lows of sport in the space of 48 hours.

"What can I say? I tried. I have nothing to be ashamed of, I played my heart out. Unfortunately I had chances but she played too well in the end," she said with tears in her eyes.

"I was still trying to turn it around and make my own chances to win and not just let the match happen. I wanted to put everything into it so if I did lose, I could say that I did everything I could."

Wickmayer is no stranger to hardcourt success. She reached the fourth round in Melbourne last year, losing to eventual finalist and Belgian compatriot Justine Henin. She was also a semi-finalist at the US Open two years ago and her groundstrokes zip off the Plexicushion surface.

Groth refused to say her win in Hobart left her with any tiredness or flatness.

"I got to a lot of balls, I moved well. I did play two-and-a-half hours so you can't say I wasn't physically ready for it," the 23-year-old said.

Cheered on by husband Sam Groth, who fell in men's qualifying on Sunday, and her coach Gavin Hopper, Groth still has mixed doubles and women's doubles left.

"The crowd was great on Rod Laver Arena so from that point of view I would love to do it again," she said of trying to extend her Australian Open experience.

From six first-round matches, Groth is 0-6.

"I thought I played pretty well, pretty solid and had my moments. But she is top 20 for a reason so it was a tough first round. I matched her in a lot of things, especially the returns.

"But the chances she got, she used and the ones I got, I didn't."

However, she took great heart in the fact she has a career-best ranking of No 34 and thinks a top-20 finish sometime this year is realistic.

Belgium's Justine Henin came back from a set down to beat Indian qualifier Sania Mirza 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 in a torrid first-round clash.

Henin, who is returning from an elbow injury, said she felt in superior shape physically to her comeback a year ago when she reached the final. But having not played an official match in six months, she felt the win against Mirza was exactly the type she needed to build confidence for the next fortnight.

"I think it is the kind of match I need, exactly, to be into the tournament like I want to be," Henin said.

"I know it can go very quickly at this level. I need matches. I need rhythm. I need to fight like tonight, not only for the tournament, but also for the future."

Miss Delaware Martell makes it into top 12 finalists

Miss Delaware Kayla Martell participates n the "Show Us Yours Shoes" Parade during the Miss America competition in Las Vegas

Before that, she became only the second Miss Delaware to make it into the top 15 during the first cut.

Martell made the first cut thanks to people voting in the ³America¹s Choice² category through texts, Facebook and YouTube.

"I am so proud of Kayla," her mother, Rhonda Martell, said in a text message sent to The News Journal from Las Vegas. "She was prepared in all phases of competition and is ready to represent Delaware well."

There has never been a Miss USA or Miss America from the First State.

"I¹m praying she makes the swimsuit cut as this is her least favorite part -- parading around in a swimsuit,” Rhonda Martell said before the swimsuit competition.

Kayla was among the top contestants who received the most attention before and during the pageant, as press from around the world were interested in speaking with the 69th Miss Delaware.

“Representing the Diamond State, with our diamonds and our tax-free shopping, a girl just can’t lose,” Martell said while greeting TV viewers tonight.

The 22-year-old Milford native is bald because of alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that caused her to lose her hair at 10. After she lost her hair, she thought she would have to give up her dream to compete as Miss America.

But her parents convinced her that anything was possible and she went on to enter the Miss Delaware pageant five times, competing three times without wigs, two with them.

“You can’t be defined and shouldn’t be defined by your hair,” she said before she left for Vegas.

In recent months, she has raised awareness about the work of the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, a group that represents her pageant platform. Her efforts made her one of eight finalists for a Quality of Life Award, with three scholarships given to contestants for their community service. The top scholarship is $6,000.

Because of her baldness she wore blonde wigs provided by Mario Rispoli, her hairdresser at Salon Rispoli. He said it’s been great to have someone as talented, lovely and poised as Martell represent the First State.

Her talent was a modern ballet en pointe to Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel,” one of her favorite songs.

Before leaving for the pageant a former Miss America told her that the pageant is won before you get there. Miss America meant the girl who goes out feeling confident and comfortable will walk away with the crown.

Martell said she did her most to attain that outlook before she flew from Philadelphia Jan. 6.

“Just getting to go and compete is a dream come true,” she said.

Pooch Hall

Barney: Sitcom 'The Game' makes a rousing comeback on BET

Just how funny does a so-called sitcom need to be?

That question comes to mind as "The Game" makes its improbable comeback this week. In a pair of fresh episodes Tuesday night, the series about pro football players and the women they love continues to behave more like a steamy drama than a comedy -- not that there's anything wrong with that.

To refresh some memories, "The Game" debuted in 2006 as the only sitcom in the inaugural lineup of The CW, where it aired for three seasons. After being canceled in 2009, it looked like the clock had expired for the saucy show that began life as a "Girlfriends" spinoff.

But a Hail Mary touchdown pass arrived in the form of BET. When reruns of the show proved wildly popular, the cable network struck a deal to produce new episodes and return the cast intact.

Now "The Game" begins anew with several provocative developments.

Melanie (Tia Mowry Hardict), the adorable former med student, suspects that the son her husband, Derwin (Pooch Hall), had with another woman may not really be his. Meanwhile, reckless San Diego Sabers quarterback Malik (Hosea Chanchez) is sleeping with the wife of the team owner, and sports agent Tasha (Wendy Raquel Robinson) is having no-strings-attached sex with a younger man. Then there's Jason (Coby Bell) and Kelly (Brittany Daniel), who continue to feud following a turbulent divorce.

These plot lines are more soapy than funny, but this long has been the strategy for a show crammed with dirty little secrets, scandals, betrayals and booty calls. No wonder creator Mara Brock Akil once tried to convince The CW to turn "The Game" into an hourlong drama.

It's a narrative approach that produces some jarring shifts in tone and occasionally leaves "The Game" bereft of genuine laughs. When the show does try to bring the funny, it often does so in overly broad fashion. The depiction of divorcees Jason and Kelly, for example, is hopelessly cartoonish.

Then again, the show's characters have proven to be an engaging bunch over the long haul and several themes embedded in "The Game" pack more emotional punch than most sitcoms. Judging from fan response, this is clearly a game plan that works.

"Let's Stay Together" (11 p.m. Tuesday, BET): It's good to see that BET is trying its hand at original scripted material, especially since the broadcast networks are so reluctant to feature shows with black casts. On the other hand, it's too bad that it can't offer viewers something more interesting and original than this generic fare.

Like "Friends" and the slew of relationship comedies that came in its wake, "Let's Stay Together" follows a group of pals trying to navigate early adulthood, including a newly engaged couple (Nadine Ellis and Bert Belasco) dealing with trust issues. Unfortunately, no cast member really pops in an aimless pilot episode, and one -- Erica Hubbard -- proves to be downright grating in a useless subplot that has her committing a crime against music as a shrill lounge singer.

"Stay" would have benefitted greatly from a sharper focus and a fresher voice. Grade: C


‘Game’ on: More Real Than Reality TV

Nicole Eggert Makes Video Watch Here

Nicole Eggert Makes Video Spoofing Her New Frame

Remember Nicole Eggert from Baywatch? Well, the good people over at Funny or Die got the actress to make a spoof video and want to know what you think.

Nicole Eggert is BACK IN BAYWATCH! from Nicole Eggert

Is she really that heavy? I guess the comedy is in the over-exaggeration?

Candice Crawford is Tony Romo’s Fiancee

Candice Crawford, the beauty queen-turned-TV reporter, is engaged to Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo. According to KDAF in Dallas, Romo popped the question last night at Crawford’s 24th birthday party. They’ve been dating for about 14 months. Romo’s broken collarbone is healing fine, in case you’re wondering.

Adam Lambert Makes Changes to His Malaysian Glam Nation Show Amidst Local Protests

Adam Lambert Makes Changes to His Malaysian Glam Nation Show Amidst Local Protests.  Adam Lambert Makes Changes to His Malaysian Glam Nation Show Amidst Local Protests October 11th, 2010 | Author: mj
Adam Lambert is currently on tour in South East Asia. Today, he’s in Hong Kong getting ready for a show in the Chinese city. But when Glam Nation rolls into Malaysia for a show on Thursday, there will be a few changes made to his set.? Adam released a statement via twitter today:
“While I don’t believe that my glamnation tour is in any way offensive, I have agreed to make a few minor adjustments out of respect for the Malaysian government. Looking forward to a fun show.
Does my show “promote the gay lifestyle”? It promotes living ANY lifestyle that includes the freedom to seek love and intimacy. Gay, straight, bi, young or old. It’s all inclusive.
Plus, what’s THE gay lifestyle? There isn’t just one. There are so many different kinds of gay people. We have a variety of different lifestyles. There’s not only one lifestyle lived by straight folks. Generalizing…. “
The decision to adjust his set was made amidst complaints from The Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) Malaysia’s Islamist opposition party, who demanded today that authorities cancel Adam’s concert.
The conservative group say Adam is promoting “gay culture” in the mainly Muslim country.
“Adam Lambert’s shows… are outrageous, with lewd dancing and a gay performance that includes kissing male dancers, this is not good for people in our country,” said PAS Youth leader Nasrudin Hasan. Homosexual sex is illegal in Malaysia.
The PAS has also threatened to call “as many of its members and supporters” to protest if the concert goes ahead on Thursday, according to a party official.
Adam was probably planning to tone down his act anyway. An official from Malaysia’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Ministry was reported saying that Adam had signed a contract agreeing to follow certain guidelines on performances. Foreign performers are often required to tone down their acts to keep within local cultural norms.
He won’t have to change much, I don’t think. No kissing Tommy, and he’ll have to keep those hips in check. He might have to leave “Fever” and the song’s male pronouns out of the set.
172 Responses to “Adam Lambert Makes Changes to His Malaysian Glam Nation Show Amidst Local Protests” Older Entries ? TLKC: 10/12/2010 at 10:16 am mrsdarcy? Love your name.
mrsdarcy: 10/12/2010 at 10:16 am
Cheers Maura73
Adam can wear a hijab some other time. He probably would look gracious in it.
Oh Happy Birthday MJ!
TLKC: 10/12/2010 at 10:20 am

mrsdarcy:
10/12/2010 at 10:16 am
Oh Happy Birthday MJ!

Ditto! Hope we don’t give you too hard a time today.
mrsdarcy: 10/12/2010 at 10:23 am
TLKC, you can probably guess my first name if you are familiar with P & P/ Jane Austen Novel.
I will be celebrating my golden year very soon, so you see, I can be that conservative, but never the less, I also enjoy life.
my birthdate? coincidentally it’s the same date as when Kris Allen released LLWD!!
Sorry MJ must out of topic.
Maura73: 10/12/2010 at 10:34 am
@mrsdarcy, I love, adore, worship Jane Austen Charles Dickens and Henry Fielding, too Love your name! Love LLWD, too, and AWM. TT–that one I could have lived without
Adam fan w/an open mind for good music.
mrsdarcy: 10/12/2010 at 10:35 am
LLWD Video for that matter!
I have tosay good night
(This blooming Click to edit and Request deletion is on, can someone tell me how to get rid of it, if you please!)
TLKC: 10/12/2010 at 10:39 am
mrsdarcy:
The “Click to edit and request deletion” will appear under all your posts but will be seen by you only.
P.S. to Maura -I’m an English major so guess what? Me, too. You forgot Thackeray.
ETA: If anyone is tuning in – the debate over the east-west cultural divide has given way to a celebration of 19th century England. To return to the “struggle” click on “older entries”.
mrsdarcy: 10/12/2010 at 10:42 am
Thanks a lot TLKC!
I rekon should try Henry Feilding!
Now, I really must go to bed, I need my beauty rest!! nite.
Maura73: 10/12/2010 at 10:47 am
@TLKC, I like Vanity Fair, but…Austen, Dickens, Fielding are, like, bedtime, dentist’s waiting room reading for me. Once I start, I can’t stop, get drawn into their worlds, get mesmerized. I’ve read Bleak House four times lol. I’ve only read Vanity Fair by Thackeray, and I enjoyed it, but I can’t see pulling it out when I’m bored. Same with George Eliot and Trollope. They’re intellectually fascinating, but not viscerally so (imo)…dunno if that made sense.
I also enjoyed the Hunger Games lol. Trying to bring this extraordinarily off topic post to Adam.
Sorry, MJ, or whoever’s modding this thread.
…and, yeah. Malaysia. Adam. I’m sure Austen is popular in Malaysia :/
jlurksacto: 10/12/2010 at 10:57 am

On Tuesday 12th October 2010, @_dashia said:
This to clarify about the Malaysia GNT Concert. Hope this will be RTed.
It’d be happening. If anyone said it’s not happening, please get your fact straight.
Regarding the rules, it applies to every single artist that perform here regardless what sexual orientation of the performer.
About the jumping part, it means no jumping to the audiences as it can get pretty chaotic if he does that. I’ve been to a lot of concerts and we’ve been jumping like crazy and even the artist jump together.
Regarding the stripping part applies more to lady performer although I’ve seen a couple of performers took out their jacket and shirt and just wore their inner shirt. A lot of underground bands performed shirtless. And they’ve came from US and Europe. No problem with that.
No kissing or whatsoever is part of the rules that you need to respect. You wouldn’t want he’d banned right? As a quite conservative country, trust me having Adam performing here is a huge step.
The protestors are just like the WBC Case. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t want Adam to perform just because some party protest about it. What’d you do if it happen at your own area?
And whoever said that Adam shouldn’t perform here, who are you to say otherwise, do you know how much we pay for the ticket? It equals to USD100. And the fans here probably spent as much as you guys there. So please don’t say we are not entitled for Adam to perform here.

Maura73: 10/12/2010 at 10:58 am
@Mrsdarcy re Fielding, start with Joseph Andrews, then Tom Jones, then Amelia. Another fascinating read is Dangerous Liaisons by Choderlos de Laclos. Marie Antoinette loved it
OT. Shutting up. Moving on. SORRY!!!
mrsdarcy: 10/12/2010 at 10:59 am
but have read HELEN FEILDING!
Chiaroscuro: 10/12/2010 at 11:03 am
@_dashia This to clarify about the Malaysia GNT Concert. Hope this will be RTed. It’d be happening. If anyone said it’s (cont) http://tl.gd/6ep0sj
I loved what dashia had to say. FYI she was one of 10 winners from Malaysia who was able to meet Adam in Singapore at the showcase earlier this year.
Adam is going to be perfectly fine. I trust him when he says he will stick to the guidelines, and that his show isn’t going to suffer for it. He is only being singled out by PAS because of his high profile. He’s not even the first to be done so by them, Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Gwen Stefani, even Linkin Park were protested against. One more thing: Adam is NOT going to be ‘made an example of by the government’, quite the presumptuous opinion, to be frank our government here has far more pressing issues to deal with and this concert isn’t even a speck on the horizon as far as they are concerned! This is all being sensationalised. It’s all politics with PAS, they make noise and that’s it, I’m sorry that they are overshadowing what should be a momentous occasion for the fans here.
I was lucky enough to be one of those who got to see Adam in SG. He is a gorgeous human being and we are thrilled, thrilled and overjoyed that other M’sian fans and soon-to-become-fans will have this chance now to see him themselves. I was unprepared for the judgment coming from some quarters regarding Malaysia about this, I won’t lie and say it wasn’t upsetting to read some of the comments coming from twitter and elsewhere from the international fans. Thank you TLKC and Maura73 and others for your posts… I do not think Adam should feel obliged to make a dash for his plane the second his encore his over; he should at least take the time to try a laksa or nasi lemak or two. … but not before the concert please! =p
TLKC: 10/12/2010 at 11:05 am
jlurksacto: Good for @dashia - Adam’s Malaysian fans have a right to be angry. We were angry when ABC banned him. We fought against attempts by the right to demonize him for political gain. We felt that we had a right to see him.
We should all let the Malaysian fans know that we respect their dilemma and wish them a great concert.
CForCrazy: 10/12/2010 at 12:01 pm
Thank you, kidding
Btw…HAPPY BIRTHDAY MJ!
CForCrazy: 10/12/2010 at 12:04 pm
I love the posts done by @miraglambert and @_dashia its really reassuring!
AKGirl: 10/12/2010 at 4:28 pm
I want to thank the Malaysian fans for posting. The dialog has been great. I have realized that some of my fears come from my own ignorance. And as Ellessay said yesterday “unfamiliar territory”. I still have some angst, but I trust that Adam would not put his brother and glamily in any adverse situation. My hope is that the Malaysian fans come away from the concert with their hearts full like so many of us have. Oh, and that we get some great videos…. Happy Birthday MJ!
believeme: 10/12/2010 at 7:05 pm
They were not protested against him because he is gay and Jew. Majorly because of his controversy performances. Did he performed differently from his rehearsal when he performed at VMA(?) If I’m remembered clearly his GMA was cancelled by ABC(?) because they think he is unpredictable.
luvadamlambert: 10/12/2010 at 7:56 pm
I said this in the DWTS thread but i’ll say it here 2 HAPPY BDAY MJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ THANK YOU SOO MUCH FOR THE AWESOME BLOG AND PUTTING UP WITH SHIIIT ILY AND UR AWESOME HAVE A GREAT BDAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
bridgette12: 10/12/2010 at 8:33 pm
I am sure Adam and the rest of the Glam band are going to give a great performance for the Malaysians and then they can get the hell out of Dodge. I can’t wait till they get to New Zealand, they love him and have supported him from the beginning.
turquoisewaters: 10/12/2010 at 9:30 pm
Thanks for the reminder, Maura73:

Take it easy with the cultural superiority, please.

Doesn’t mean I think all countries are doing an equally good job protecting the rights of gays(and other minorities). But maybe MJs is not the place to list a ranking. (Happy BDay, MJ!)
I am hoping for a beautiful (and safe) concert for all Malaysians fans to whom this concert clearly means a lot.
TLKC: 10/12/2010 at 10:09 pm

You’re just dying for American ex-pats, right?

Maura73: Actually, many American ex-pats have contributed a great deal to our country. You can come up here anytime you like. Heck, I’d even sponsor you BUT: who’s going to vote for change if you and everyone who thinks like you moves north of the border?

View the original article here