Your IP was logged - In trouble with the FBI - Not! - Posted by Chief on Tue, January 6th, 2004. 09:10 am Just thought I'd mention a number of new e-mails which are going around at the moment which goes something like this: quote: Ladies and Gentlemen, Downloading of Movies, MP3s and Software is illegal and punishable by law. We hereby inform you that your computer was scanned under the IP 62.136.22.38 . The contents of your computer were confiscated as an evidence, and you will be indicated. You get the charge in writing, in the next days. In the Reference code: #45698, are all files, that we found on your computer. The sender address of this mail was masked, to protect us against mail bombs. - You get more detailed information by the Federal Bureau of Investigation -FBI- - Department for "Illegal Internet Downloads", Room 7350 - 935 Pennsylvania Avenue - Washington, DC 20535, USA - (202) 324-3000 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- refcode45698.txt.pif(Type: application/octet-stream) The attachement in this case is called refcode45698.txt.pif Don't worry about it, its just a virus. Theres a lot of this sort of stuff going around at the moment probably targeting new computer owners. Pop into our security section to get your hands on the latest free antivirus software. Chief [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

The government is watching you - official - Posted by Chief on Fri, November 14th, 2003. 05:25 pm Scary stuff :rolleyes Will effect our UK visitors for starters quote: The 'snoopers' charter' that will see every phone call made, website visited and email sent monitored by the government officially became law on Thursday. While the almost universal rejection of the data retention orders from the opposition was widely expected to derail the governments plans, last minute political manoeuvring saw it through the House of Lords. Deputy opposition leader, Baroness Blatch had proposed a 'fatality motion' – a way of killing off the Order in an event that happens only a few times in a century – but it was scuppered when the government threatened to return the favour by nixing every Order that any future Tory government tried to pass. And so the proposals were passed unopposed. But a couple of amendments were made that went down well with privacy campaigners: the Interception of Communications Commissioner will now have to have to inform individuals when their privacy has been improperly invaded and Baroness Blatch said that the government would have face a Private Members Bill designed to make the Order more palatable to the opposition. Despite claims from legal authorities that the Order contravenes the European Convention on human rights, the Order will now oblige all communication service providers to keep records of who their customers phoned, where from, who and when they emailed and what websites they visited for 12 months. While the government claims that the Act is necessary for purposes of national security, a number of authorities not known for their anti-terrorist activities, including the ministry for gambling, will be able to get their hands on users details. Simon Davies, head of Privacy International, has vowed to fight the law through the courts and puts its successful political passage through the Lords down to the ISPs themselves: "They have acted in a reprehensible manner all the way through, sitting on the sidelines. They never raised the whole issue of privacy, they just had a fever-like concern to get their costs underwritten by the government", he told silicon.com. "They should hang their heads in shame." James Blessing, technical development at business ISP Zen, says that service providers are caught between a rock and a hard place, defending their users' interests and at the same time having to be seen to be doing the 'right thing'. "With an act like this, you can't fight the idea – you can't turn round and say you won't monitor your users after 9/11 – but you can fight bits of the Act, but then you're seen as petty and people think it's just a case of ISPs not wanting to spend money", he told silicon.com. The Act's passage through the Lords wasn't the worst case of political wrangling however. It seems the big names in the ISP world have led the way in smoothing the legislation's path through parliament. Blessing said: "BT couldn't be seen to be objecting, AOL are a bespoke service with filtering and controls already in place, Freeserve don't want to be seen to be kicking up a fuss and with the smaller ISPs, they're just trying to carve out a niche and keep things going." [ 2 comments | Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Androids with the ability to mate and breed could become a reality within the next three years, says a top computer scientist. - Posted by Boxin on Wed, October 8th, 2003. 07:52 am Scary :stare quote: But the robots will not be used to benefit mankind -- they'll be built as terrifying weapons of war. "The first Self-Replicating Battle Android (SRBA) is now reportedly under construction in China," reveals Dr. Anthony Wilde, one of England's most highly respected experts in artificial intelligence and robotics. "As weapons of war, the atomic-powered, titanium SRBAs are virtually indestructible. And they will have the programmed ability to build others of their kind. "The cost of each android, male or female, is around $6 billion -- but you only need two. They can replicate at an astonishing rate, and within only two years the original 'Adam and Eve' robots could spawn an android army of millions." Dr. Wilde, who learned of the weapons program from high-level contacts in British intelligence, says that other nations -- including the U.S -- also have hush-hush robot-soldier projects in the works, designed to limit human battlefield casualties. But the Chinese are a decade ahead of anyone else. "Chinese leaders feel they'll never be able to match America's vast nuclear arsenal," he says. "This killer-android army would be their ace in the hole." The real-life Terminators mate by joining at the chest, allowing their replicating software to interface. Within 30 minutes, the female ejects a ball-bearing-size "baby" that grows to human size inside of a week, thanks to the work of nano-bots within the ball bearing: Microscopic robots that behave like one-celled organisms and work at dazzling speed. The brilliance of the Chinese approach is to mimic natural biological processes. "Instead of each new warrior-android simply being a 'clone' of a single predecessor, it combines the most valuable traits of each parent," Dr. Wilde explains. "However, unlike human evolution, which depends on random mutation over the course of thousands of years, the replication program chooses from a menu of dormant traits to enhance the next generation. "If the enemy resorts to tactical nukes, for example, the offspring will be immune to radiation." Each female android will be able to churn out up to 12 offspring a day and when they mate they will do so without emotion. "It will be a dispassionate act, like inserting a car key," Dr. Wilde explains. British intelligence believes the Chinese have no immediate plans to unleash the robot army -- it's intended as a nuclear deterrent. But Dr. Wilde fears the biggest danger of the highly independent SRBAs is that they could turn on their masters and then swiftly take over the whole world. "They are not only hundreds of times stronger than humans, their super-computer brains will help them think 100,000 times faster," he reveals. "They require no food or water. And their total lack of emotion will be an advantage. They will feel no pain and have no fear of death. They will be the ultimate soldiers." [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Angle-grinder Man - Bloke Clad in a blue leotard to the rescue - Posted by Ed on Tue, September 16th, 2003. 01:38 pm Funny Clad in a blue leotard and wielding a saw, a man claiming to be the UK's first wheel clamp vigilante is offering his services to motorists. Angle-grinder Man - a self-proclaimed superhero - patrols by night looking for unhappy drivers who have been clamped and then sets their cars free. He promises to take on clamping firms, speed cameras and the congestion charge on behalf of drivers. An odd-job man by day, he claims to operate in Kent during the week and in London at weekends. A hotline number on his website offers a free wheel clamp removal service. On calling, an answer phone message invites callers to "leave a message after the grinding sound". The unnamed man, who wears a costume of gold boots and crotch-hugging pants over a blue leotard, said he was happy to take the risk. "It's a public service," he says on his website. "I for one am prepared to fight for what is fair and am making myself available to the public. 'Deeper malaise' "I may not be able to single-handedly and totally cast off the repressive shackles of a corrupt government - but I can cut off your wheel-clamps for you." He says he decided to go "full-time vigilante" in May this year. "My obsession with wheel-clamping is actually a rebellion against a much deeper malaise," he said. "Namely, the arrogant contempt that politicians hold for the people who put them into power, and whom they claim to represent." A Kent Police spokeswoman said no complaint about wheel clamps being cut off had been made by either a clamping firm or a member of the public. A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police said they could not investigate unless a crime was reported. Note from Ed When I checked his website it was down, however due to the delights of googles cache I found this (At least it has the number on it :) quote: This is the Web-Site of Angle-Grinder Man, the U.K.’s first wheel-clamp and speed camera vigilante cum subversive superhero philanthropist entertainer type personage. A big welcome to all good, decent, law-unabiding citizens. Godspeed to you and your four-wheeled, petrol-driven chariots. The purpose of my site is two-fold: Firstly it serves to publicise and promote my free wheel-clamp removal service. Secondly, it is intended as a forum to consolidate and galvanise public opinion and give voice to the frustrated and disenfranchised silent majority on the issues of wheel-clamping, congestion charging, speed cameras, etc. Please sign my guest-book and let me know your views. Also, you can email me on: post@anglegrinderman.co.uk. If you have been wheel-clamped and need to contact me urgently, then call the Angle-Grinder phone hotline direct, on : 07984121043. In the week I work throughout the Kent area and at the weekend I cover London. Ed :D [ 1 comment | Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Nigerian 419 scammer turns to Telemarketing - Posted by Ed on Mon, September 15th, 2003. 09:42 am Got this in my e-mail today, thought I'd share it "Hello, this is a courtesy call on behalf of the widow of the late Sani Abacha..." Senders of the notorious 419 scam email appear to be changing tactics, following up their emails with a telephone call. The emails typically offer recipients a share of an unclaimed fortune in return for allowing the large sum to be processed through their bank account. Upon surrendering the bank account details the hapless recipient is then cleaned out. One reader alerted us to this new approach from the conmen after she received a number of phone calls and voicemail messages from a Nigerian man, eager to check whether she had received his email. The reader, wrote and told us: "I had a phone call at the beginning of the week from a man who told me he was from Nigeria, and he asked me if I had received his email, I hadn't and said so. He kept asking me to check my inbox but nothing came in while I was talking to him so I asked for his number and said I'd call him back when it did." "The next morning there was no email but I had a voicemail message from him asking me to call and saying he urgently needed to discuss the email. I rang the number to tell him I still hadn't received an email but the number didn't work, so I left it at that." "Then he rang me again. I told him I hadn't received an email and asked him to try to explain what he wanted. He then started to tell me about the dead president's wife and how she needed to get money out of the country! I interrupted him and said I knew this was a scam and hung up." The move represents a costly shift in tactics for the scammers who may have decided that a phone call makes the proposed transaction sound far more plausible than a bulk email can ever manage. [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Whats been going on in the world of Technology - Posted by Chief on Fri, September 5th, 2003. 01:20 pm I get this every week from Silicon.com via e-mail. It makes a good read so thought I'd add it to the blog :) It's not easy being a spammer, you know. You spend your days sending millions of emails to unsuspecting addresses offering a range of tantalising goodies: from little blue performance-enhancement pills that may or may not rhyme with 'Niagara' to chances of making a fortune from deceased Nigerian millionaires, and what do you get in return? Thanks? Ha! Hardly. Thousands of abusive replies demanding to be unsubscribed and explaining where you can shove your vials of little blue pills. And the bouncebacks? Don't even mention the bouncebacks. Imagine it: you get home in the evening after a hard day's spamming, and your wife asks you how your day at the office went. Could you admit: "Well Sugar Drawers, I sent millions of unsolicited emails to millions of addresses, many of them owned by children, telling them about frisky teenage girls who like to..." Well, you get the general idea. What these poor people need is a place to unwind, a place where they can find a shoulder to cry on, a place where everybody knows your name (or at least your email address). In other words a spammers' support group - and hey presto, that's exactly what the poor little tykes have got. Over 150 spammers have joined the Bulk Club, an online community that offers tips, tools and a comforting community for bulk emailers. According to Wired magazine, a membership list accidentally left exposed at the Bulk Club's website, reads like a who's who of blacklisted spammers. Illustrious names nestling in the hallowed ranks, include Damon Decrescenzo, sued by both Microsoft and Amazon in recent months and John Milton, also known as Davis Wolfgang Hawke, a 'former neo-Nazi' who turned to spamming millions of people offering to increase the size of the old chap (at least his career's going in the right direction). For a measly $20 per month, Bulk Club members receive access to an archive of best-practice spamming tips, spamming software, spamming community forums where you can share your spamming stories and, wait for it: "300,000 FRESH emails per week." Mmm fresh emails... The club's operator swears the members are dedicated to promoting "responsible" spam. (Which presumably is just vast quantities of unsolicited mail clogging up home and business inboxes, but without the rude words.) Oh, and all the information detailing the 'misleading' tactics used by some bad apples are simply there to elucidate why they are so improper and not posted as best practice guides. But there's no rest for the wicked. As soon as the Bulk Club and its members were exposed online the site was hacked and taken offline, anti-spam activists are the prime suspects. The impact to the Club's business was described as being "extreme". With a recent survey by Yahoo! reporting that three-quarters of spam sufferers would rather clean a blocked toilet than wade through the oomskah festering in their inboxes, the Round-Up suspects readers will have little sympathy with the spammers' plight. Still, if you're not keen on spammers, you have even less sympathy for virus writers. Especially, disaffected, teenage virus writers who get lynched by the law and are facing their comeuppance. The author of the Blaster virus is facing a possible prison sentence after the fruits of his labour went on the rampage. We asked you to suggest a suitable punishment http://emails.silicon.com/t/149/612795/258/0/ silicon.com reader Thomas Frame pulls no punches and hits upon an innovative way of funding our schools: "Hang the bastards publicly and charge an entrance fee to be donated to school IT funds." Jim Dupper doesn't have much sympathy either: "I think locking them up and throwing away the key sounds good, but I would like to see a bit of public flogging and maybe the stocks beforehand!" However, other readers are a little more sympathetic and with another Blaster suspect captured in Romania on Thursday (http://emails.silicon.com/t/149/612795/259/0/ ) the furore looks likely to run and run. Join the debate here and let us know what you think http://emails.silicon.com/t/149/612795/260/0/ . On Tuesday the Round-Up was playing happily with its new Bluetooth dongle and wishing Orange would get its skates on and deliver its new phone so it had something to connect to when a small rip opened in the space-time continuum and a tattered press release dropped out and landed neatly in its lap. The press release, no doubt written in days of yore, heralded a revolution in mobile communications technology: "With Panasonic's GD55 mobile phone, you will never have to worry about where to put your mobile again! This phone is so small and light - it will fit easily into ...to read MORE click below [ More | Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Star Wars Kid Sues Over Internet Video - Posted by Chief on Mon, September 1st, 2003. 11:27 am Funny :D "A 15-year-old Canadian boy who videotaped himself pretending to be a "Star Wars" character is suing the kids who turned his moments of joy into instant -- and unwanted -- Internet stardom. Ghyslain Raza's lawsuit claims he has been left emotionally scarred by the airing of a two-minute video he made of himself on the Internet. The video (shown in still from JediMaster.net at left), which shows Raza exuberantly swinging and twirling a golf ball retriever while pretending to be a Jedi master, a character from the "Star Wars" movie series, with the metallic pole substituting for a "light sabre" weapon from the film. Raza allegedly made the video using a camera he took home to do a class project. But he returned the camera to school with the video still inside, and when four classmates discovered the videotape, they allegedly stole it, digitized it, and posted it on the Internet. The video of the portly Raza quickly became one of the most widely distributed files online, downloaded millions of times using the Kazaa file sharing network, and Raza was dubbed "the Star Wars kid" by Internet fans across the globe. Raza's video has become the subject of television and newspaper reports in the United States and Europe, as well as in Canada, and soon, enterprising Netizens were altering the video, adding special effects to make Raza look more like a real "Star Wars" character, or to replace his fantasy with backdrops from "The Hulk" or "The Matrix." According to one of the many Web sites devoted to the teen, there are now more than 74 versions of the "Star Wars Kid" video available online. And merchandise, including T-shirts, is available for sale. "Star Wars" fans even began an online petition drive to convince LucasFilm, which produces the science fiction series, to give Raza a bit part in its next installment of the films. Raza's lawsuit, filed in Quebec last week according to Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper, names the four classmates who allegedly stole and posted the original video, claiming that the attention -- and ridicule -- Raza has faced since the video first appeared online has led Raza to seek psychiatric care to cope with his unwanted fame. And while he has become one of the most popular people on the Internet, Raza recently told Canada's National Post newspaper, he just wants his life back. Legal scholars are watching the case closely, as it could have implications for how privacy is regulated on the Internet, according to Court TV. But many people who have seen the video say the real story isn't the legal case, or Raza's awkward, unguarded moment -- it's the unabashed enthusiasm he displayed in the video. Joshua Griffin who edits the online "Star Wars" fan site TheForce.net, told Court TV that he wishes Raza would drop the lawsuit and "embrace" the video, which he admits to watching and enjoying. "It's so funny," Griffin said." "He's the 'Star Wars Kid' in all of us." [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

The secret tricks that spammers use - Posted by Ed on Thu, August 21st, 2003. 05:01 pm A friend e-mailed me this. Thought I'd share it. Makes interesting reading :) Ed Heres an EXCELLENT article regarding Trojans, SOSTUPID and Spammers (A Must Read): From ‘bullet-proof hosts’ to spam clubs, here’s a look. Joe Stewart was poring over the complex computer code of a widespread new virus named “SoBig,” wondering what it was really designed to do. Then it hit him. This was not your typical attention-getting nuisance. The virus, he says, was actually designed to hack into home users’ computers and quietly use them to send out spam. In the secretive world of spammers, where dirty tricks are standard practice, this was the dirtiest trick yet. SPAMMERS LIVE IN A CAT-AND-MOUSE world, where survival means staying one step ahead of the people and technology that are giving chase. The game began simply, long ago, with a single e-mailer sending out multiple messages from an account, which was shut down by the e-mail provider. But the battle for spam is a war of escalation. To get their messages out, spammers have taken to more and more unsavory tactics; they bounce their e-mails around the world, break into insecure university computers and launch spam campaigns from there, even steal long-distance telephone service to sneak onto dial-up Internet accounts. As a countermeasure, some in the anti-spam movement have taken to ignoring e-mail that comes from certain parts of the Internet, which foils most of the tactics described so far. “You implement one new technology hurdle, that slows them down for days or weeks, but they eventually adapt,” said Ray Everett-Church, chief privacy officer for ePrivacy Group. And now, this latest adaptation. The worlds of computer virus writers and spammers have merged, says Stewart. Trojan horses are being placed on home computers around the Internet, making them willing accomplices to spam campaigns. Hiding behind the IP address of a home computer is nearly the perfect disguise. “It makes it very hard to trace back to the spammer,” Stewart said. SPAMMERS NOW HACKERS Researchers say hundreds of thousands of vulnerable computers are being used to launch spam campaigns now. In fact, 70 percent of all spam is now sent this way, according to anti-spam firm Message Labs Inc. — and perhaps 6 to 7 billion spam messages are routed through hacked home computers. “A lot of ex-hackers, the black hats, they go into spamming,” said computer security expert Joel de la Garza. “And they are making a lot of money from that.” For some, the tactic is the stuff of science fiction. Earthlink spam fighter Mary Youngblood now spends a lot of her time calling innocent victims telling them their computer is being used for spam. Often, they just don’t believe her. “Some people say, ‘You’re insane. My machine is fine. I haven’t gotten any complaints,’” she said. “We get lots of ‘experts’ that swear up and down, ‘No, no, you are completely wrong.’ ” MOST WORK AT HOME Youngblood’s abuse team of 12 is part of a close-knit network of spam fighters at all U.S. Internet service providers who play the cat in this contest. While hacking into vulnerable computers, called “open proxies,” is the latest trend in spam, it’s just one of the popular tools used by spammers to evade their pursuers. The spammers’ world is a constant search for bandwidth that won’t get turned off, e-mail software that helps them hide, and companies that really will pay them for selling Viagra or Iraqi Most Wanted cards or penis enhancement products. But it’s not a world of high-tech genius million-dollar computer systems. Most spammers work at home, using jury-rigged networks and software they’ve cobbled together with help from other spammers they meet in secret “spam clubs.” On these member-only Web sites, targeted address lists are shared, illicit bandwidth is bought and sold, and bulk e-mail software is discussed. Much like the underground world of credit card thieves, it’s full of name-calling and accusations, and a constant, desperate search for reliable bandwidth. 10 MILLION A DAY One former spammer interviewed under condition of anonymity said he simply had four computers and two cable modems in his operation. With that setup, he said, he was able to send out 10 million e-mails a day. “The computers were running all day, 24 hours a day,” he said. “You need to send about 500,000 an hour to make any money.” In fact, some spammers have an even a simpler setup, which can be harder to track. When Earthlink sued to stop spammer Harold Carmack, he was just connecting to their systems using old-fashioned dial-up accounts. Youngblood, who led the investigation into Carmack, said dial-up lines can be the hardest to trace. Newer circuits have caller-ID-like technology called ANI that can reveal exactly where a local telephone call is placed when it dials a modem pool; older phone lines don’t. Carmack tried to evade Earthlink investigators by using local dial-up numbers from around the country. B...to read MORE click below [ More | Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Schwarzenegger announces bid for governor - I'll be back - Posted by Boxin on Fri, August 8th, 2003. 03:48 pm Read about this on CNN.com . What is the world coming to. Saying that it looks like Arnie could do a better job then the current governor. This and that fact that his opposition includes a young kid by the name of Gary Coleman should give him half a chance :) quote: LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- After dropping hints about his political ambitions, movie action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Wednesday that he will run for California governor in October's recall election. The surprise announcement came during a Wednesday afternoon taping of NBC's "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno which was scheduled to air Wednesday night. Prior to the taping, it had been widely speculated that Schwarzenegger, 56, would announce he would not run. The Austrian-born movie star and moderate Republican helped fuel speculation about his political ambitions this summer, just as his movie "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" was being released. California voters will decide October 7 whether to recall Gov. Gray Davis, a Democrat, and who should replace him. Following the taping of the show, Schwarzenegger answered questions from a crowd of reporters gathered outside the NBC studios. "I came to the conclusion that even though there are great sacrifices to make, I felt in the end it is my duty to jump in the race," he said. "I'm the most unique candidate because I'm an outsider." Schwarzenegger tried to strike a populist tone. "I know the people of California want better leadership, they want great leadership," he said. "It doesn't matter if you're a Democrat or a Republican, if you're young or old. Everyone is welcome. As you know I'm an immigrant. I came over here as an immigrant and what gave me the opportunities, what made me be able to be here today is the open arms of Americans." Although Schwarzenegger has never before sought political office, his fame and fortune are expected to make him a formidable candidate against a crowded field of lesser-knowns in an abbreviated two-month campaign. At openings for his movie, Schwarzenegger quipped about his "terminator" role and Davis' future, and he has been very critical of the Democratic incumbent. The actor is married to a member of America's most prominent Democratic political family -- Maria Shriver, a niece of President John F. Kennedy. The announcement came amid a flurry of such news in what has become a race among an increasingly odd mix of candidates. The filing deadline is Saturday and so far the Secretary of State has recorded 356 official notices of candidacy. There are another 155 notices the office has received that are unofficial. Gary Coleman, who played Arnold Drummond in the 1980s sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes," entered the race Wednesday. (Full story) However, Coleman, spoke shortly after Schwarzenegger's announcement and predicted that Schwarzenegger would win. Coleman said he would vote for the "Terminator." Gary Coleman "Now that Arnold is in the race, there is no race. Gray Davis needs to pack his bags," he said. "I'm going to stay in the race, but I'm not going to campaign." Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt has announced his bid for the governor's office. Flynt suggested as his slogan "Vote for a Smut-Peddler Who Cares" and said he would expand gaming regulations to allow private casinos to have slot machines, which could be taxed by the state at 30 percent. Others who have filed with the state in order to receive campaign documents include the melon-smashing comedian Gallagher, comedian D.L. Hughley and Angelyne, a model who made herself famous in southern California by putting her picture on billboards. Dick Rosengarten, editor and publisher of California Political Week, told CNN Wednesday that the California race was drawing so many candidates it was in danger of becoming a farce. "You know what they say about politics," Rosengarten said. "It's show business for ugly people." You know what they say about politics. It's show business for ugly people. -- Dick Rosengarten Earlier Wednesday, socialite-turned-columnist Arianna Huffington threw her hat into the ring. Huffington has never held public office, but is well-known through her commentaries on radio and television. Huffington, an author and a political Independent, announced her decision before supporters gathered in Los Angeles, California. "I'm not, to say the least, a conventional candidate," Huffington said, taking note of her Greek accent. But, she said, "If we keep electing the same kind of politicians who got us into the same kind of mess, funded by the same kind of special interests, we'll never get o...to read MORE click below [ More | 1 comment | Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Marie Trintignant Dies aged only 41 - Who, why and what - Posted by Boxin on Wed, August 6th, 2003. 05:04 pm quote: Marie Trintignant, who died this month in Paris aged 41, was a French film star better known abroad for her family connections than for her work in the cinema. She was the daughter of the acclaimed actor Jean-Louis Trintignant and of his second wife Nadine, who was a director in her own right. Marie Trintignant was shooting a television film about the writer Colette when she died of brain injuries as the result of a fall. The precise circumstances of her death remain unclear. Since June she had been staying with her mother, one of her sons and her boyfriend, the French rock star Bertrand Cantat, in Vilnius, Lithuania, where the film was being shot. There were reports of raised voices, and Marie Trintignant was admitted to hospital in a coma last Sunday and never recovered. Cantat, who had been drinking heavily, was detained for questioning. The actress was known in her native France principally for playing vamps. Her most famous role was a mute seductress in the film Série Noire (1978). In reality, though, while she was renowned as a free-thinker, she was the opposite of the roles she played. Like her father, she suffered from an innate shyness and for many years was reluctant to follow his career path. She would have preferred, she often claimed, to have been a vet, but, at the age of 15, recognised the advantages her family background afforded her and resolved not to resist them. Yet throughout her career she never appeared in any film that has acquired classic status. Even when she starred for directors who are internationally known - such as Ettore Scola in La Terrazza (1980), and Claude Chabrol, in Une Affaire de Femmes (1992) and Betty (1993) - they were among these artists' minor works. She was one of the latest in a long line of French beauties, including Viviane Romance and Dany Robin, whose names are now recalled, if at all, only by veteran film buffs. Film fans may know her now for the notoriety of her death, but even in her chosen field, she has long been upstaged by such actresses as Monica Bellucci, the vamp de nos jours. A measure, perhaps, of her waning appeal is that she contributed the voiceover to a French cartoon in 2001, Corto Maltese. Marie Trintignant was born in Paris on January 21 1962 into a family steeped in showbusiness. At the age of four, she appeared in the film Mon amour, mon amour, starring her father and directed by her mother. She did not commit herself to acting till her mid-teens and soon became stuck in an erotic groove from which she sought to escape. But her exit routes were not well chosen. In 2000, she opted for horror with Let's Go Walking in the Woods, for action in The Prince of the Pacific and for a role as a journalist in Harrison's Flowers. In 1990, she was involved in a serious motor accident, but went on to win five nominations (but no prize) in France's annual César awards, the French equivalent of the Oscars. Since 1983, she had also appeared regularly on the Paris stage. Her other films included Otakar Votocek's Wings of Fame (1990), in which she played a beautiful, amnesiac pop singer wooed by a victim and his assassin in purgatory; and Pierre Salvadori's critically acclaimed Wild Target (1994), in which she was the young conwoman Renée. Marie Trintignant had four sons, by three different fathers, and said she found it hard to say no to the men she loved. As an actress, she said, "I like characters with problems. I like to understand them . . . To play alcoholics, fetishists, strange girls, you have to dig deep within yourself. It's 'elsewhere' that interests me." [ 1 comment | Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Armstrong wins the Tour de France - Posted by Boxin on Tue, July 29th, 2003. 11:19 am quote: Lance Armstrong has ridden his way into the Tour de France record books, by completing his fifth straight victory in cycling's most prestigious race. The American took a leisurely ride into Paris in Sunday's final stage, sipping champagne and toasting the crowd along the way. Armstrong joins Spain's Miguel Indurain as the only cyclists to win the Tour five years in a row. The 31-year-old Texan is the fifth five-time winner of the race. Nice one lance , he'll need to be careful about the drink riding bit though ;) The ratings for CBS' coverage of Lance Armstrong's victory Sunday were down slightly from last year. Does this mean cycling is becoming less popular? I don't think so, with more and more people finally coming round to the idea that a green planet is a better planet then there is hope for all of us yet. (I'll stop waving my eco banner now :D ) Boxin [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Celia Cruz, the "Queen of Salsa," to get the Congressional Gold Medal - Posted by Boxin on Tue, July 29th, 2003. 11:09 am taken from NJ.com quote: Sen. Jon S. Corzine yesterday introduced legislation on Capitol Hill that would posthumously award Celia Cruz, the "Queen of Salsa," the Congressional Gold Medal. Cruz, whose singing career spanned more than five decades, died of a brain tumor July 16 in her home in Fort Lee. She released more than 70 albums and appeared in 10 movies. Throughout her extensive five-decade career, she won two Grammys and three Latin Grammys. In 1960, Cruz fled Cuba and was never allowed to return. "Ms. Cruz's contributions to American society as an entertainer, ambassador of Latino culture and a voice of freedom were extraordinary," Corzine, D-Hoboken, said in a statement released yesterday. "She was a national treasure who touched the lives of millions." U.S. Rep. Robert Menendez, D-Hoboken, said he also planned to introduce similar legislation in the House of Representatives. "I am proud to join my friend, Sen. Corzine, in this tribute to Celia Cruz, whose boundless energy transfixed generations of salsa fans and musicians," Menendez said. In Union City today, the Board of Commissioners will introduce a resolution naming a street after Cruz. The street to be named after Cruz will be 42nd Street, between Bergenline Avenue and Kennedy Boulevard. City officials say the area will be marked by a memorial to be designated, and that a public celebration will take place when the memorial is unveiled. The celebration is expected to take place sometime in late summer or early fall. The Congressional Gold Medal has been awarded to recognize the achievements of individuals in many fields, including medicine, arts and entertainment. I never knew who this person was but then heard a song on the radio this morning. What a shame but what a life. If she gets the congressional gold medal then good on her. She deserves all the recognition, its just a shame that someone has to pass away before they get it :( Boxin [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

- Posted by Boxin on Tue, July 29th, 2003. 11:05 am Looks like its all going pear shaped for Kobe : quote: Toronto Raptors forward Vince Carter was added to the U.S. national basketball team on Monday for next month's men's Olympic qualifying tournament, replacing Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant. Charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman at a Colorado spa, Bryant ruled himself out of the tournament scheduled for August 20 through the 31 in San Juan, Puerto Rico because of recent shoulder and knee surgery. USA Basketball, however, said in a statement that Bryant would retain his place on the roster for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens should the United States qualify. The acrobatic Carter starred for the U.S. team at the Sydney Olympics, averaging 14.8 points per game to lead the team in scoring as the Americans won the gold medal. However, Carter, a four-time all-star and 1999 NBA Rookie of the Year, has struggled with injuries the past two years, appearing in just 43 games last season. Carter will join team mates Karl Malone, Ray Allen, Jason Kidd, Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson, Jermaine O'Neal, Tracy McGrady, Mike Bibby, Elton Brand, Richard Jefferson and Nick Collison for a nine-day training camp in New York from August 10 to the 18 ahead of the qualifying tournament. Only the top three finishers in the 10 nation Americas qualifying tournament will earn places in the 2004 Games. Canada, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Venezuela are the other countries taking part in the competition. [ 1 comment | Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Step-father says twin sisters ( Laleh & Ladan Bijani ) duped into operation - Posted by Ed on Thu, July 17th, 2003. 09:27 am This makes me want to puke. The step-father of Laleh and Ladan Bijani, the conjoined twins who died in the operation theater in Singapore last Tuesday, has claimed that the sisters had been duped by doctors at Raffles Hospital into surgery for separation. He recons the twins were guaranteed a 100% sucess rate. I don't think so mate.. My heart goes out to the family and all that but don't try pointing the finger :( . Everyone understood the risks and I'm sure just the slightest chance of sucess would have been enough for Laleh and Ladan to take the plunge. Technology allows us to do so much more now compared to what we could do even 12 months ago. Its just a shame that the press have to get dragged into this. Just let the girl rest in peace! Ed [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Orlando Bloom set for Blue's new video - Posted by Ed on Thu, July 17th, 2003. 09:20 am Wow..:shocked Get this Orlando Bloom will be doing the blues. quote: Lord of The Rings actor Orlando Bloom has reportedly agreed to appear in Blue's new video for nothing. Bloom was asked by singer Duncan James to make a cameo appearance for the promo to their new track, Guilty. The British-born Hollywood star - who now commands £2 million per film - was so keen to help out he even agreed to waive fees. James and Bloom, who plays Legolas Greenleaf in the Rings films, became pals after bumping into each other on the London party scene. They got chatting about Blue's future projects - and the singer asked if he would consider helping them out. Bloom, who is currently filming the historical epic Troy with Brad Pitt, accepted immediately. Speaking at the launch bash for his latest movie Pirates Of The Caribbean, James could hardly contain his excitement. He told The Sun: "I was talking with the boys and we decided that the new video needs a star to feature in the song. I wrote the track so it is very personal to me. "It's not a huge bit but Orlando didn't seem at all bothered. I told him it was only a cameo but it was the whole point of the song and he jumped at it." Not much money being made there then :D Ed [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - Posted by Ed on Thu, July 17th, 2003. 09:18 am I saw the trailer for this the other day and a behind the scenes thing on the TV. Is it just me or are the number of films that combine computer graphics and traditional animation starting to increase. I really do think that animated characters of the computer variety will play a greater and greater role in the future with the great actors of the world earning their money from the voice overs. There are more great voices out there then great actors so it will be interesting to see what the community in Hollywood looks like in about 10 years time :D [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines - Arnold Schwarzenegger - Posted by Chief on Wed, July 16th, 2003. 04:38 pm Looks like Schwarzenegger’s going to be making some pretty nice dollars out of this film (again :) ) . Box offices are already starting to go crazy with over $100 Million being taken in a matter of days. The Film Trailer looks pretty cool although I think after terminator 2 , it has some pretty high expectations to meet. Chief :D [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Lance Armstrong hangs tough in Tour de France - Posted by Chief on Wed, July 16th, 2003. 04:34 pm I've always liked cycling.. Don't know why. might be the wind in my hair (or lack of :) ) or the flies in my mouth :D I feel sorry for these guys at the moment. Its been warm in the UK for the past few days (well hot for the UK that is - Approx 80 - 90 in most places) These guys have been riding in temperatures of over 100. Lance Armstrong is the man though, other then the protests he is still going strong..... It will be interesting to see how things develop into the later stages. [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Dealing with marketing calls and junkmail - Posted by Chief on Tue, July 15th, 2003. 04:58 pm Someone sent me this by e-mail today. It has some pretty cool tips which I think everyone should make a point of following: Three Little Words That Work !! (1)The three little words are: "Hold On, Please..." Saying this, while putting down your phone and walking off (instead of hanging-up immediately) would make each telemarketing call so much more time-consuming that boiler room sales would grind to a halt. Then when you eventually hear the phone company's "beep-beep-beep" tone you know it's time to go back and hang up your handset, which has efficiently completed its task. These three little words will help eliminate telephone soliciting. (2) Do you ever get those annoying phone calls with no one on the other end? This is a telemarketing technique where a machine makes phone calls and records the time of day when person answers the phone. This technique is used to determine the best time of day for a "real" sales person to call back and get someone at home. What you can do after answering, if you notice there is no one there, is to immediately start hitting your # button on the phone, 6 or 7 times, as quickly as possible. This confuses the machine that dialed the call and it kicks your number out of their system. Since doing this, my phone calls have decreased dramatically. 3) Another Good Idea: When you get "ads" enclosed with your phone or utility bill, return these "ads" with your payment. Let the sending companies throw their own junk mail away. Whe n you get those "pre-approved" letters in the mail for everything from credit cards to 2nd mortgages and similar type junk, do not throw away the return envelope. Most of these come with postage-paid return envelopes, right? It costs them more than the regular 37cents postage "IF" and when they receive them back. It costs them nothing if you throw them away! The postage was around 50 cents before the last increase and it is according to the weight. In that case, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it in these cool little, postage-paid return envelopes. One of Andy Rooney's(60 minutes) ideas. Send an ad for your local chimney cleaner to American Express. Send a pizza coupon to Citibank. If you didn't get anything else that day, then just send them their blank application back! If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't on anything you send them. You can even send the envelope back empty if you want to just to keep them guessing! Eventually, the banks and credit card companies will begin getting their own junk back in the mail. Let's let them know what it's like to get lots of junk mail, and best of all they're paying for it...Twice! Let's help keep our postal service busy since they are saying that e-mail is cutting into their business profits, and that's why they need to increase postage costs again. You get the idea! If enough people follow these tips, it will work---- I have been doing this for years, and I get very little junk mail anymore. Summary: Junk mail and e-mail is a real dirty joke on people trying to get a job done. Going through my e-mail takes at least an hour or more .... and trying to pay my bills after sorting through the junk mail is a joke. If these companies did not make money doing this they would stop!!! So lets cut the profit margin! [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Barry White Dies - Posted by Chief on Tue, July 15th, 2003. 04:30 pm I didn't even know, I need to watch the news more :( A summary of his great life by rollingstones.com quote: R&B legend Barry White, whose deep voice was a calling card during his thirty-year career, died of kidney failure on July 4th in Los Angeles; he was fifty-eight. Born in Galveston, Texas, on September 12, 1944, White got his start singing, playing organ and conducting a choir in church. His professional career began in 1960 when he joined L.A. R&B ensemble the Upfronts, which was followed by a stint as an A&R man and producer for Mustang Records. By 1973, White had launched a solo career. That year, he scored his first charting hit, "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby," which climbed to Number Three. His love songs were a staple of Seventies radio, with "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" topping the pop charts in 1974. White hit the Top Forty ten times in the decade, in addition to landing numerous hit singles on the R&B charts and selling millions of albums. Though the hits dried up in the early Eighties, by the Nineties, White enjoyed a rekindled popularity, starting with the pop-charting "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)" (from Quincy Jones' Back on the Block). White's lush arrangements, pillow-talk lyrics and rumbling baritone pushed him towards icon status in the Nineties, with an appearance on The Simpsons and in 2000 a recurring role on Ally McBeal. His latest release, 1999's Staying Power, won a pair of Grammy Awards. [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

tour de france held up by nutters - Posted by Chief on Tue, July 15th, 2003. 04:26 pm Funny.... Well, unless your on a bike: quote: A protest by supporters of a jailed French radical farmer forced some cyclists battling for first place to grind to a halt. Tour officials immediately ruled that the protest was "a normal race incident," meaning that riders would have to suffer the penalties of being caught in the protest. However, Armstrong's main rivals got caught in the peloton too, so his overall lead was not affected. Nutters everywhere :D [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Do not call number can now be called - What a good idea that is. - Posted by Mark on Mon, July 7th, 2003. 02:36 pm quote: Starting Monday, consumers living east of the Mississippi River can fight back against telemarketing calls by making a call of their own to the national do-not-call list. What a great Idea... I think someone in the UK needs to grab hold of this idea and roll it out here.. These companies are slime... Well most of them are.. That and the e-mail spam means you sometimes can't get away from it.. Bring it over to the UK, thats what I say.. If you live in the US and want to register your number with the 17 Million already registered, just call 1-888-382-1222. Mark :D [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Mobile Phone Scam - Posted by Mark on Mon, June 23rd, 2003. 10:36 am Just thought I should post this as stuff like this drives me soooo mad..... A number of our UK users have been getting missed calls on their mobile (it only rings for less then half a ring so they are never given the opportunity to pick up the call). The Missed call number which is left begins 0703 XXXXXX When you ring this it connects you to a recorded message which gives the impression that you are dialing an international call (the dial tone is the same). You then connect to an American recorded message saying that they are trying to connect your call. This goes on for some time and then you get a message saying that the the person you are trying to call is not available, please redial 0703 XXXXXX This number connects to a recorded message of someone saying "Hello, Hello... I can't here you.. Hello etc".. the line then goes dead. The 0703 number is a follow me anywhere number used within the UK, however the costs to dial this number are variable as the 0703 number can be forwarded to any other number including some premium rates. If you receive a missed call from an 0703 number which you do not recognise I would suggest that you do not dial this number Be warned! Mark [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Anna Kournikova topless - Posted by Boxin on Thu, June 19th, 2003. 10:24 am Who cares? I'm not quite sure what all the fuss is about. Penthouse has announced that they will be printing some new pictures of Anna Kournikova in their June issue. The catch? It's without her approval. They're stalker shots, taken with a big zoom lens. Dubious morality aside, why all the fuss? Yeah, she's a cutie, but there are far hotter women around, showing far more skin. I feel sorry for Anna myself, if she was going to go topless and wanted people to see her naked then she could seel the pics to playboy for $1Million. Its a shame these celebs have to be so careful all the time and can't even sunbathe without some pervy photographer taking sly pictures. Boxin [ 1 comment | Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

Miss Universe is top of the pops - Posted by Mark on Mon, June 16th, 2003. 09:50 am Miss Universe was in the number one spot on Google for the most popular search term. The annual beauty tangent got quite a bit of interest this week which was probably helped by the fact that news has been abounding from stuff like Hillary and Miss Universe are ratings winners and Miss Universe pageant ridiculous . Some people think its great, others think is stupid as these young babes do nothing like their historical counterparts that used to be great role models for young women growing up around the world. Another Virus attack was hitting the search engines last week. This one called bugbear is a nasty little critter. quote: The worm, dubbed Bugbear.B, can record keystrokes in an effort to steal passwords from computer users, said Vincent Weafer, who monitors computer viruses for the software security firm Symantec. “Once on your machine, it tries to steal information — passwords — information it could then use to try to attack you at a later stage,” Weafer said. He added that the worm tries to get into computers using lots of different names and titles. Nasty! I don't know where people get the names from The latest smash from the States 2 fast 2 furious is causing a lot of interest. People into fast cars and faster women will really enjoy the sequel to this film, check it out. You can view a trailer by clicking here An unusual one at number 5 this week was ratp . When I first thought this I thoght why would people be searching for RAT urine (although there are some weird people out there). It turns out that ratp is actually the Paris transport authority which caused termoil in France last week due to the good folks there going on strike. It was covered on all the major news networks like the BBC and CNN so it makes sense that people interested in the blight of our French chums would do a search for some more info. As for popular people searches? Amber Frey She is expected to be one of the key witnesses in the trial of Peterson, accused of killing his 8-months pregnant wife Laci. This and the story that some bloke has got about 25 pictures of here posing naked has probably increased her search popularity further.. quote: This man, David Hans Schmidt, a broker who procures celebrity contracts for Playboy and Penthouse magazines, told Fox News he got the shots through "connections." .. Sicko's! Spencer Tunick. Surprise, surprise.. Naked people getting Interest. More than 7000 people came together in Barcelona and then decided to take all their cloths off in the name of art! Flesh fest!.. Always popular with the Arty types with a liking for nudity! Finally Metallica proved to be the most popular rockers last week. The veteran metalheads scored the top spot on Billboard's sales chart with St. Anger and are heading into their summer tour with the wind at their backs. Rock On! [ Comment | Send to a Friend | Back to Portals ]

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