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Does Tiger Woods' apology hold weight?

February 19, 2010 By 1 Comment
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STORY HIGHLIGHTS * "If you have to take time to say 'sorry,' you're not being authentic," ethicist says * Tiger Woods' apology the latest "I'm sorry" in February * Society needs apologies, but "serial apologies ... never work," business ethics expert says Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- Tiger Woods' comments Friday may become the most scrutinized apology in history, fodder for dinner tables and Internet chat rooms alike: Was he genuine? Was it a PR stunt? Can he do anything to restore people's faith in him? The biggest knock on golf's biggest star is that it took him three months to utter any words publicly about his infidelity and then did so in a controlled environment. That's a no-no, according to apology etiquette. "If you have to take time to say 'sorry,' you're not being authentic. We don't need extra time to rationalize whether we're sorry or not," said Glenn Llopis, the founder of the Center for Innovation & Humanity, a California-based think tank. It seems everyone is apologizing for everything these days. In February alone, there has been a bevy of "I'm sorries," from a tearful John Mayer for his use of the n-word to Toyota's top boss for the automaker's repeated shortcomings. Video: Tiger Woods' full apology Video: Faldo on Woods' mea culpa Video: Did apology help Tiger? Video: Woods' UK fans skeptical Video: Tiger fan: 'I forgive him' Woods' domination of golf RELATED TOPICS * Tiger Woods * Golf * Elin Nordegren But do apologies still carry weight, or does the flood of mea culpas dilute their meaning? Lauren Bloom, a business ethics expert and the author of "The Art of the Apology," says, "It's never too late to say 'I'm sorry.' "But saying 'I'm sorry' in a tightly controlled environment," she says, "makes it look more and more like an exercise in 'let's check the box and do what my PR people tell me to do.' " Woods delivered his apology in front of a small hand-picked crowd that was not allowed to ask questions. "I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated," he said. "I am the only person to blame." Read full story about Woods' apology How would Bloom rate Woods' authenticity? "I thought he was very authentic," she said, adding with a laugh, "He was most authentic when he was attacking the media." "But I think he was very sincere. I think he had a very tough thing to say today, and he sucked it up and did well." Bloom has six essentials to an effective apology: Say sorry sincerely; take responsibility; make amends; express appreciation to fans and friends who have stuck by you; listen to the people affected by your actions; and do better next time. "He did pretty well. He checked all the boxes," she said. "We now have got to see changed behavior. ... I hope he follows through on it. I think America would love to welcome him back." Watch Tiger Woods' apology Bloom says the importance of an apology shouldn't be overlooked. There was a time, she says, when people viewed apologizing for your actions as weak. … [Read more...]

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Penthouse Forum Releases Two New Titles

February 19, 2010 By 1 Comment
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CHATSWORTH, Calif. — Penthouse announced the release of two features under its Penthouse Forum label today. Both shows are directed by veteran Kelly Holland. The company said it is pitting American babes against Brazilian hotties with the release of “Kittens vs. Cougars” and “Brazilian Beauties.” Kittens vs. Cougars is an all-girl romp starring Raylene, Uma Stone, Lexi Belle, Veronica Rayne, Roxanne Hall, Skyla Paige, Lexi Stone, Missy Stone, Georgia Jones and Jana Cova. The title includes an extra bonus scene from "Oriental Babysitters" with Nyomi Marcela and Roxy Jezel. "Brazilian Beauties" was shot on location in Brazil. “With Brazilian Beauties, you get just what the title promises - exotic chicks that are tropical temptations from South of the border,” Penthouse said. The cast includes Marcellinha Moraes, Sarah Lopez, Monica Mattos, Milena Santos and Nikki Rio. The two-hour film also includes a bonus anal scene from "Latin Extasy" with Alexandra Marques. Both titles are scheduled to street Tuesday, February 23. Contact Robert Plarski at Pulse Distribution via email at rplarski@pulsedistribution.com or phone (818) 435-1605. … [Read more...]

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Paramount to Release Film Based on Internet Porn Pioneers

February 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — A new movie being described as a cross between “Boogie Nights” and “Goodfellas” that follows three men who dive into mid-‘90’s internet porn is being released by Paramount Pictures later this year. “Middle Men’s” sleazy saga is based on true events and titillates with an array of tawdry mob connections, FBI agents, corrupt politicians, internet scam artists and porn stars. The film's protagonist is a legitimate Texas businessman who partners with two online pros in a conspiracy to make a killing by billing porn consumers through a third party. In an online interview, the movie’s producer Christoper Mallick notes that one character is based on his dealings with a business associate who wrote the original code that allowed credit card billing http://www.break.com/usercontent/2009/7/kpcs-chris-mallik-815591 . According to a review in Variety, the film includes an early “masturbation montage” sequence never before seen in a Hollywood studio feature. “The point of this unique interlude is to illustrate a commercial niche unfilled as of 1997: ‘something to jerk off to over the Internet,’” Variety reported. The film debuted in Cannes in 2009 and is written by “Midnight Run” scribe George Gallo. The cast includes Luke Wilson, Giovanni Ribisi, Kevin Pollak, James Caan, Gabriel Macht and Terry Crews. … [Read more...]

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Dana DeArmond Wins GameLink's Pornstar Playoffs

February 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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SAN FRANCISCO — GameLink, a division of Private Media Group, announces Dana DeArmond as the winner of its 2010 Pornstar Playoffs. After four rounds of voting spread over a four week period, fans chose DeArmond as the winner. The Pornstar Playoffs began with 16 performers including Kelly Shibari, Annie Cruz, Tara Lynn Foxx, Sierra Skye, Amia Miley, Kagney Linn Karter, Angelina Armani, Cassandra Calogera and others. Though the playoffs were publicized on GameLink.com, Twitter turned out to be the main traffic site. “GameLink's first annual Pornstar Playoff was a great success,” said Michael Brandvold, Gamelink Director of Online Marketing. “Our customers voted and picked their favorite star... Dana DeArmond. Is it any surprise, given that Dana is known as the Internet's girlfriend? GameLink's Pornstar Playoffs was a true Internet social event generating thousands of Twitter and Facebook posts during the course of voting.” Many of the stars asked their Twitter followers to vote in the playoffs, though the primary benefactors were their fans who received discounts on GameLink titles each week featuring the winners of each bracket. GameLink actively uses Twitter to connect with adult entertainment consumers and fans. GameLink is billed as the third-largest VOD platform in the U.S., offering more than 70,000 movies in an array of formats. … [Read more...]

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Black Friday? Apple Reportedly Pulls Numerous Sex Apps

February 19, 2010 By 2 Comments
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Company says complaints have led to a reevaluation of the App Store acceptance policy for sex-related applications; some developers calling it a ‘purge’ CUPERTINO, Calif.—Sex is throwing everyone for a loop. The press is painfully uncomfortable covering the subject—i.e., Tiger Woods—and Apple is twisting itself into a lather trying to find the right policy to employ for sex-related iPhone apps. The latest development points to an ongoing evolution (confusion?) within the company, with increasing reports that a significant number of apps have been removed from the App Store while other similar ones remain available. ADVERTISEMENT The story broke Thursday, when TechCruch reported that Wobble iBoobs, an app that was previously accepted for sale through the App Store and has reportedly been downloaded 970,000 times, had received a very recent email from Apple saying that the app has been removed from the store, pending changes to it that would align it with the new policy. TechCruch posted the email that Wobble developer Jon Atherton said he received from Apple: The App Store continues to evolve, and as such, we are constantly refining our guidelines. Your application, Wobble iBoobs (Premium Uncensored), contains content that we had originally believed to be suitable for distribution. However, we have recently received numerous complaints from our customers about this type of content, and have changed our guidelines appropriately. We have decided to remove any overtly sexual content from the App Store, which includes your application. Thank you for your understanding in this matter. If you believe you can make the necessary changes so that Wobble iBoobs (Premium Uncensored) complies with our recent changes, we encourage you to do so and resubmit for review. Sincerely, iPhone App Review TC's Jason Kincaid wrote that he tried to download a few other sex-related apps—specifically, “Exotic Positions” and “Sexy Women”—but found they were no longer accessible. “However, some applications with similar themes (‘Beautiful Boobs,’ ‘Sexy Girls Uncovered,’ and ‘Sex Strip’) worked,” he wrote. “All of these applications came with Apple’s ‘objectionable material’ warning that requires you to affirm that you’re over the age of 17. This may be a case of Apple picking and choosing which apps are too sexual, or they may still be figuring out which apps to pull (or the changes may not have propagated to all of Apple’s servers). There are reports on Twitter of other developers having their applications pulled as well.” Over at Silicon Alley Insider, the new policy is being called Apple’s new “war on porn” and the removal of apps a “purge.” “Apple has a history of making sudden changes to its policies and removing apps,” wrote Nick Saint, “but a developer we spoke to said that the scale of the current purge is unprecedented. “On the Go Girls, for example, has had 17 apps removed so far,” he … [Read more...]

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In Wake of Botnet Scare, Cybercrooks Come Creeping

February 19, 2010 By 2 Comments
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In Wake of Botnet Scare, Cybercrooks Come Creeping By Jeremy A. Kaplan A massive botnet tying together more than 74,000 zombiefied PCs around the world was exposed Thursday, part of a secret underground network for rent to cybercrooks worldwide. But don't look for info on how to detect and eliminate it, or you could get caught up by "poisoned" searched results. NetWitness The cover of NetWitness's report on the "Kneber" BotNet. A massive botnet tying together more than 74,000 zombiefied PCs around the world was exposed Thursday, part of a secret underground network for rent to cybercrooks worldwide. But don't look for info on how to detect and eliminate it, or you could get caught up by "poisoned" searched results. The newly uncovered, massive hacking network, dubbed the Kneber botnet the "Kneber botnet" after the username linking the infected computers, was detected and unveiled by network-forensics firm NetWitness, The security analysts believe the criminals behind it aren't after money. Instead they have built a secret underground network to rent out to gangs, cybercrooks -- and even rogue governments. And it's still up and running. Factbox: About the Kneber Botnet Security software vendor Symantec warns of caution in the wake of the scam, however, explaining that scammers often poison search results for those hunting for safe tools to detect and remove the infection. related links * Massive Hack Attack Shows Major Flaws in Today's Cybersecurity * Factbox: About the Kneber Botnet * NSA Helping Google Investigate Cyber Attacks Search for "Kneber Botnet Removal" and you're likely to click on results that will actually infect your computer with fake anti-virus software. In a post to Symantec's Security Response blog, Kevin Haley writes of "cybercriminals seeking to exploit computer users' fears -- spurred by all of the coverage that this threat is receiving -- by poisoning search engine results for keywords such as Kneber Botnet Removal." In fact, warns Haley, the highest ranked result on Google using these search terms led to a site hosting rogue antivirus software. Symantec has posted a separate page with detailed instructions on how to remove the bot, which it refers to more generally as Trojan.Zbot. Several Known Kneber Infections Information compiled by NetWitness showed that hackers gained access to a wide array of data at 2,411 companies, from credit-card transactions to intellectual property. Merck and Cardinal Health have isolated and contained the problem, the companies report. But the Wall Street Journal revealed that people familiar with the attack have named several other infected companies, including Paramount Pictures and software company Juniper Networks. The problem is far beyond just a money thing however, NetWitness CTO Eddie Schwartz told FoxNews.com. "In the past, the issue was stealing banking credentials. This attack was focused on general user names and passwords across … [Read more...]

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International outcry over IAEA report on Iran programme

February 19, 2010 By 1 Comment
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The IAEA report was unusually blunt There has been an international outcry after the IAEA, the UN atomic watchdog, expressed concerns Iran may currently be working on nuclear weapons. Germany said the report "confirms our great concerns", while the US warned Iran it faces consequences if it fails to meet international responsibilities. Moscow said Iran must co-operate more actively with the IAEA to convince the world its atomic programme is peaceful. Iran's supreme leader denounced the accusations as "baseless". Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: "Our religious beliefs bar us from using such weapons... We do not believe in atomic weapons and are not seeking that." Iran has always maintained that its nuclear programme is peaceful. The US and other Western nations fear it is enriching uranium for nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Iran launched its first domestically-built destroyer, reportedly equipped with sophisticated radar, anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles as well as torpedoes and naval guns. Reports said the new 1,500-tonne guided missile destroyer, Jamaran, would be deployed in the Gulf. 'Declining co-operation' According to the unusually blunt report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran's level of co-operation with the agency was decreasing. Germany said Iran's failure to comply with UN wishes over its nuclear programme was forcing the international community to pursue further sanctions against Tehran. URANIUM ENRICHMENT BBC graphic Iran says it is increasing uranium enrichment from 3.5% needed for commercial nuclear reactors Iran says it has started enriching to 20%, needed for a research reactor near Tehran Weapons-grade uranium is at least 90% enriched Experts say achieving 20% is a key step towards weapons grade In depth: Nuclear fuel cycle Q&A: Iran nuclear issue "The persistent defiance... of United Nations resolutions and Tehran's continuation of a dangerous nuclear policy are forcing the international community to pursue further comprehensive sanctions," said a government spokesman US officials said that while the report showed Iran had technical difficulties, its IAEA co-operation was declining. Senior administration officials in Washington said Iran's pattern of behaviour was "disturbing". One official said Iran's statements that its nuclear programme was peaceful were becoming less credible, adding that it was becoming clear this was a country seeking nuclear weapons. A senior Obama administration official said the report shows that there were "serious technical difficulties that are slowing down the nuclear clock". The US is keen for the UN Security Council to impose a fourth round of sanctions on Iran. "We always said that if Iran failed to live up to those international obligations, that there would be consequences," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said. Russia's Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, said: "Tehran must be more active in its co-operation with the IAEA and widen it." In response to the report, … [Read more...]

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China anger at Dalai Lama-Obama meeting

February 19, 2010 By 2 Comments
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Dalai Lama talks about his meeting with President Barack Obama A visit by the Dalai Lama to Washington has "seriously undermined" relations between the US and China, Beijing says. It released a strongly worded statement in response to US President Barack Obama's meeting with Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. China had earlier expressed "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to the meeting with a man they see as a separatist. It said the US should "take effective steps to eradicate the malign effects". Washington had kept the Dalai Lama's meeting low-key to emphasis it was private rather than political. Hurt feelings Despite that, China's Vice-Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai summoned ambassador Jon Huntsman to lodge a "solemn representation". The Dalai Lama (L) and US President Barack Obama at the White House Map Room - 18 February 2010 The talks were held in the White House Map Room instead of the Oval Office "The behaviour of the US side seriously interferes in China's internal politics and seriously hurts the national feelings of the Chinese people," a ministry statement said. China never reacts well to these meetings, which have been taking place for nearly two decades, says the BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Beijing. But this time it has expressed its dissatisfaction in stronger terms than ever before. The meetings highlight Beijing's terrible human rights record, and remind the world that many Tibetans are deeply unhappy with China's heavy-handed rule in Tibet, our correspondent adds. The White House meeting was held amid recent tensions, mainly over a US arms sale to Taiwan and allegations of Chinese cyber-spying. MARDELL'S AMERICA Mark Mardell The real test of US-China relations will not be the Dalai Lama but what happens on sanctions against Iran Read Mark's thoughts in full Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said in a statement that the meeting between President Obama and the exiled Tibetan leader "violated the US government's repeated acceptance that Tibet is a part of China and it does not support Tibetan independence". He added: "Use concrete actions to promote the healthy and stable development of Sino-US relations." During the low-key meeting, President Obama expressed his "strong support" for Tibetan rights, his spokesman said. The closed talks were held at the White House's Map Room instead of the more official Oval Office, in an attempt to signal to China that it was a private, not a political meeting. Mr Obama praised the Dalai Lama's commitment to non-violence and "his pursuit of dialogue with the Chinese government", the spokesman said. The Dalai Lama told reporters outside the White House that he expressed to the president his admiration for the US as a "champion of democracy, freedom, human values" and creativity. 'Deteriorating relations' The White House had defended the decision to receive the Dalai Lama, saying he was "an internationally respected religious leader". On the streets … [Read more...]

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Tiger Woods to break silence with public statement

February 19, 2010 By 3 Comments
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Date: Friday, 19 February Coverage: Watch live video of Tiger Woods' first public statement since his break from golf from about 1600 GMT on the BBC Sport website; also available on BBC Radio 5 live Tiger Woods Woods was practising outside his home on Thursday Tiger Woods will speak publicly on Friday for the first time since the scandal surrounding his private life erupted in late November last year. The 34-year-old American will address "a small group of friends, colleagues and close associates" at the Sawgrass clubhouse, Florida, at 1600 GMT. Agent Mark Steinberg said Woods will "discuss his past and his future and plans to apologise for his behaviour". The 14-time major winner will not answer any questions. Woods has not spoken in public since a single-vehicle traffic accident outside his Florida home on 27 November, which was followed by media reports detailing extramarital affairs, and has been on an indefinite break from golf ever since. The world number one married Swedish model Elin Nordegren, 30, in 2004 and the couple have two young children. IAIN CARTER'S BLOG This is Woods taking a grip once more, reasserting his influence "While Tiger feels that what happened is fundamentally a matter between he and his wife, he also recognises that he has hurt and let down a lot of other people who were close to him," said Steinberg. "He also let down his fans. He wants to begin the process of making amends and that's what he's going to discuss. "Tiger feels as though it's time to make amends and to publicly do that. This is all about the next step. Tiger is looking forward to it." Woods, whose real name is Eldrick Tont Woods, has come under fire for the timing, location and format of the event. It takes place at the headquarters of the PGA Tour and during the high-profile WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona. South Africa's Ernie Els described the move as "selfish", adding: "This takes a lot away from the tournament." Englishman Oliver Wilson said: "It just seems very poor from everyone involved to have it organised. You have a brilliant event here and the sponsors are owed more to that. Any time Tiger does something he's going to make headlines, it's just the way it is, you've just got to deal with it Rory McIlroy "And for the Tour to be setting up on their own headquarters, I don't think it's very good." Spaniard Sergio Garcia added: "The timing of it is not the best, but he has to do what's best for him, I guess." The players are not unanimously opposed to the timing of Woods' statement, however, with England's Ian Poulter backing the American. "Whenever Tiger was going to come back to talk to everybody there was going to be huge media around it, so is there a good time or a bad time to do it? "People want to listen to what he has to say, so the sooner he does, I guess, the better. There's only a couple of days he can possibly do that on, and I think it's acceptable." The Golf Writers Association of America declined … [Read more...]

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Black History Month – Colin Powell Biography

February 19, 2010 By 2 Comments
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Military official/diplomat. Born Colin Luther Powell on April 5, 1937, in Harlem, New York. The son of Jamaican immigrants Luther and Maud Powell, Colin was raised in the South Bronx. Powell was educated in the New York City public schools, and graduated from Morris High School in 1954 without any definite plans for where he wanted to go in life. It was at City College of New York, where Powell studied geology, that he found his calling—in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). He soon became commander of his unit. This experience set him on a military career and gave him structure and direction in his life. After graduation in 1958, Powell was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. While stationed at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, Colin Powell met Alma Vivian Johnson of Birmingham, Alabama, and they married in 1962. The couple now has three children: son Michael, and daughters Linda and Annemarie. That same year, he was one of 16,000 advisers sent to South Vietnam by President John Kennedy. In 1963, Powell was wounded by a punji-stick booby trap while patrolling the Vietnamese-Laotian border. During this first tour of duty, he was awarded a Purple Heart and, a year later, a Bronze Star. While on his second Vietnam tour of duty from 1968 to 1969, the 31-year-old Army major was given the assignment of investigating the My Lai massacre. In this incident, more than 300 civilians were killed by U.S. Army forces. Colin Powell's report seemed to refute the allegations of wrongdoing and stated, "Relations between American soldiers and the Vietnamese people are excellent." Also during this tour in Vietnam, Powell was injured in a helicopter crash. Despite his injury, he managed to rescue his comrades from the burning helicopter, for which he was awarded the Soldier's Medal. In all, Powell has received 11 military decorations, including the Legion of Merit. Powell earned an MBA at George Washington University, in Washington, D.C., and won a White House fellowship in 1972. He was assigned to the Office of Management and Budget during the Nixon administration and made a lasting impression on Caspar Weinberger and Frank Carlucci. Both men would consult Powell for advice when they served as secretary of defense and national security adviser, respectively, in the Reagan administration. Colonel Colin Powell served a tour of duty in Korea in 1973 as a battalion commander and after that, he obtained a staff job at the Pentagon. After study at the Army War College, he was promoted to brigadier general and commanded a brigade of the 101st Airborne Division. In the Carter administration, he was an assistant to the deputy secretary of defense and the secretary of energy. Promoted to major general, he again assisted Frank Carlucci at the Department of Defense during the transition from the Carter to the Reagan administration. He then served as senior military aide to Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, helping to coordinate the invasion of Granada … [Read more...]

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