The 'Real Housewives' Legacy of Marital Destruction and Financial Ruin

The apparent suicide of "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" husband Russell Armstrong sent shock waves across the internet on Tuesday, but perhaps it shouldn't have.

The tragedy follows relevations that Armstrong's wife, "Real Housewives" star Taylor Armstrong, filed for divorce from him in July. It also came after he complained, "This show has literally pushed us to the limit."

Also read: Russell Armstrong, 'Real Housewives' Husband, Dead of Apparent Suicide

In reality, the apparent suicide was preceded by a long list of destroyed marriages and financial ruin that have plagued the franchise's castmates since the "Real Housewives of Orange County" premiered in 2006.

No fewer than eight divorces have occurred among the "Real Housewives" crew, even before the Armstrong union officially began to disintegrate last month.

Also read: 'Real Housewives' Return: 'No Decisions Have Been Made'

Rangers rout Angels again, take 6-gm AL West lead

Chris Carlson, Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Michael Young had three of the Rangers' 17 hits and drove in three runs, and Texas opened its biggest AL West lead of the season with a 7-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night.

Derek Holland (11-4) yielded nine hits and fell one out shy of his fifth complete game for the Rangers, who have moved six games ahead the struggling Angels with wins in the first two games of this four-game series.

Josh Hamilton homered in a three-hit performance before leaving with back spasms, and Mitch Moreland had a two-run single among his three hits in Texas' fifth straight victory.

Torii Hunter had two hits and drove in a run for the punchless Angels, who trailed Texas by just 1½ games a week ago.

Facebook: Ceglia contract an 'outright fabrication'

Facebook says its inspection of a computer belonging to a man who claims to have a contract that entitles him to half-ownership of the social-networking giant has turned up an "authentic contract" that does not mention Facebook.


Forensic analysis proves that the alleged 2003 contract between Paul Ceglia and Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg was an "outright fabrication," Facebook said, asking that Ceglia's suit against Zuckerberg and Facebook be dismissed, according to a Facebook filing yesterday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. The contract, which Facebook contends Ceglia was trying to conceal, was found embedded in electronic data from 2004 and refers only to StreetFax, a Web site Ceglia was trying to develop, Facebook said.


Facebook lawyers also complained that Ceglia had refused to supply documents covered by a discovery order in June and was "willfully concealing" six USB drives that contain relevant documents related to possible manipulation of the original contract.


"It is very likely that Ceglia used these removable devices to manipulate and store documents, including the purported Facebook contract, in the belief that this evidence would not be discovered or that the devices could easily be discarded if necessary, as Ceglia has now apparently done," Facebook lawyers said in their filing. "This is the digital equivalent of throwing critical evidence into Lake Erie."


Ceglia has reportedly relocated his family to Ireland as a result of the attention the case has attracted and could not be reached for comment. San Diego-based law firm Lake, which represents Ceglia in the case, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, attorney Jeffrey Lake acknowledged in a filing with the court today that the StreetFax contract differs from the one previously admitted as evidence in the case but said his client has an explanation for why the two contracts differ. Lake did not indicate what that explanation might be.

Amazon Launches Cloud Services For Government

AWS GovCloud will meet a host of strict regulatory requirements specific to government and include services such as Elastic Compute Cloud, Simple Storage Service, Elastic Block Store, and Amazon Virtual Private Cloud.


Amazon on Tuesday announced the release of cloud services aimed specifically at U.S. government users and contractors, joining a growing list of cloud service providers including Microsoft and Google that also have modified their cloud services to meet the unique needs of government.


According to Amazon, the new offering, Amazon Web Services GovCloud, will meet a host of strict regulatory requirements specific to government. It's designed to meet moderate security control levels under the Federal Information Security Management Act and to meet FIPS 140-2, a federal cryptography standard.


In addition, Amazon says that GovCloud supports processing and storage of export-controlled, often defense-related, data and applications governed by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), as it limits both logical and physical access to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. The servers powering Amazon Web Services GovCloud will be physically located on the West Coast of the United States, giving customers further assurance that their data will stay in this country.


Clouds like Amazon's GovCloud that meet government requirements will likely increase government adoption. "As we move workloads into the cloud, we look forward to leveraging ITAR-compliant clouds such as the new AWS GovCloud for our compliance-dependent projects so we can continue to look to the cloud first for even more missions," NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory CTO Tomas Soderstrom said in a statement.

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Stocks turn downward because of fears about Europe

Investors fretted Tuesday because European leaders
made no immediate moves to strengthen the eurozone's finances.
Richard Drew - AP

NEW YORK Worries about Europe's economic and debt problems Tuesday sent stocks to their first loss in four days.

The major indexes bounced up and down in another volatile day. The Dow Jones industrial average fell more than 120 points in the first half-hour of trading after a report showed that Germany's economy stalled last quarter and dragged down growth for Europe.

The Dow pared most of its losses by noon but resumed its drop after the leaders of France and Germany tried to calm worries about Europe's debt problems by pushing for long-term political solutions. Investors were hoping for immediate financial measures such as the introduction of a single bond jointly backed by the eurozone's members. The Dow fell as many as 190 points in the early afternoon before again recovering.

At the close, the Dow was down 76.97, or 0.7 percent, to 11,405.93. It was the first time in seven trading days that the Dow rose or fell by less than 100 points. The Standard & Poor's 500 fell 11.73, or 1 percent, to 1,192.76. The Nasdaq fell 31.75, or 1.2 percent, to 2,523.45.

"The real question the market is trying to answer is: Are we going to have another recession or not?" said John Burke, head of Burke Financial Strategies with $200 million in assets under management. "Today, the answer is maybe yes, because it doesn't look like Europe has figured out a solution to its debt."

Asian Stocks Rise for Third Day on Profits; Oil Gains, Euro Pares Losses

Asian stocks rose for a third day as companies reported higher profits. U.S. equity-index futures advanced, the euro erased losses against the dollar, while copper and oil paced gains among commodities. 

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index added 0.4 percent as of 2:05 p.m. in Tokyo, extending a two-day, 2.4 percent rally. Standard & Poor’s 500 Index futures climbed 0.2 percent after earlier losing as much as 0.6 percent. Europe’s 17-nation currency was little changed at $1.4409 and slid 0.2 percent versus the yen. The Swiss franc weakened against all 16 major peers. Wheat gained a third day, copper advanced as much as 0.7 percent and oil climbed 0.8 percent.

China Coal Energy Co. rallied 8.8 percent after saying first-half profit rose, while Brambles Ltd. jumped 5 percent in Sydney after it forecast a profit gain of as much as 28 percent. Stocks and the euro slid earlier as French and German leaders said they plan to resubmit a financial-transaction tax that was rejected last year, while rebuffing calls for joint euro borrowing and the expansion of the 440 billion-euro ($632 billion) rescue fund.

“We see the negative newsflow likely to come out of Europe rather than anywhere else in the world these days, but if you look outside of that, things are starting to get a little better,” Steve Brice, chief investment strategist at Standard Chartered Plc, said in a Bloomberg Television interview from Singapore. “We do prefer Asia to the developed world.”

Four years' jail for Facebook post that incited no one

Two men who posted messages on Facebook inciting other people to riot in their home towns during the recent English outbreaks of violence have each been sentenced to four years in prison by a judge at Chester Crown Court.

Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, one of two men jailed for four years over a Facebook post.

Jordan Blackshaw, 20, set up an "event" called Smash Down in Northwich Town for the night of August 8 on the social networking site but no one apart from the police, who were monitoring the page, turned up at the prearranged meeting point outside a McDonald's restaurant. Blackshaw was promptly arrested.

Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, 22, of Latchford, Warrington, used his Facebook account in the early hours of August 9 to design a web page entitled The Warrington Riots.

Music-lovers observe death anniversary of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: Music-lovers including traditional Qawwali lovers observed the death anniversary of legendary singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan here on Tuesday.

(R) Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan seen in this picture. - Photo by WhiteStar

“The King of Qawwali”, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was born on October 13, 1948 in Faisalabad.


The legendary singer was not only popular in Pakistan but also in rest of the world. He sang predominantly in the Islamic devotional style known as Qawwali.


He passed away at the age of 48, having become one of the world’s most outstanding vocalists.


Nusrat Fateh’s songs are still alive among his fans and also youngsters, and have defined the art-form of Qawwali for the generations to come.

Samsung Galaxy tablet ban lifted

LONDON: Samsung can sell its latest iPad rival in most of Europe again after a German court lifted most of an injunction it had imposed at Apple's request.

The Duesseldorf regional court said it was questionable whether its authority extended to international companies operating outside Germany, so it restricted a preliminary ban imposed last week on Samsung Electronics to Germany.

Samsung's Galaxy Tab line of tablet computers is considered the most credible alternative to Apple's iPad, which has taken the market by storm, selling about 30 million since its launch a year and a half ago.

Apple and others have moved aggressively to defend their intellectual property in maturing markets, especially against Google's Android software platform, on which the new Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tablet is built.

Android, a latecomer to the mobile market, has become a target by rapidly turning into the world's most popular smartphone platform. Google is relatively defenseless because it owns few wireless patents, in contrast to older rivals.

PTCL launches Pakistan’s first 3G enabled android tablet

Islamabad—Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) on the 64th Independence Day of Pakistan announced the launch of the country’s first 3G enabled tablet with built in EVO Wireless Broadband


“3G EVO Tab” is a 7 inch touch screen tablet with built-in EVO service to offer wireless broadband internet on the go in more than 100 cities across the country. Powered by Google Android Froyo 2.2 Operating system, 3G EVO Tab offers support for both 3G & Wi-Fi for an un-interrupted on-the-go connectivity. With a 5MegaPixel Camera , a variety of built-in applications plus access to latest Android market; 3G EVO Tab lets you browse, snap, share, communicate, navigate, play games and do a lot more on-the go; thereby making it an ideal connectivity solution for users looking for high speed on-the-go 3G connectivity on an Android platform. It’s available in two colors i.e. Grey Stone & Ivory White.


PTCL 3G EVO Tablet offers convenience and speed with three diverse economy packages to suit individual needs & pockets. With a 12month contract, customers can get EVO Tab for as low as Rs.7999 plus 12months unlimited EVO service, all at Rs. 31,999. Apart from the 12months contract, EVO Tab also offers bundled packages based on 3months and 6months contract at Rs.27,999 & Rs. 29,999, respectively with 3months & 6months of unlimited EVO service.


SEVP Commercial Naveed Saeed said that PTCL always strives to provide high quality services to its customers and with these 3G EVO Tab packages PTCL aims to give double advantages to its valued customers in the industry at the lowest rates. He said this reinforced company’s determination to improve and build good relationship with its customers while meeting their demands most effectively. He further added that PTCL 3G EVO Tab is packed with features of both a tablet and a GSM phone that will give PTCL customers the freedom to surf, talk, tweet & do a lot more simultaneously on -the-go in more than 100 cities nationwide.
Syed Asim Ali EVP Wireless Business said that it is always our top priority to facilitate our customers to the maximum. 3G EVO Tab is yet another first for the Pakistan market which is in line with our aim of introducing products and services that add value to our customer’s lives.

Motorola acquisition a huge gamble for Google

WASHINGTON — Less than six months after taking over as chief executive, Google co-founder Larry Page has placed the Internet giant's most audacious wager yet.


The $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility dwarfs Google's previous purchases and thrusts a company that has made its fortune in Internet search and advertising into an entirely new arena -- hardware.


The Illinois-based Motorola Mobility makes mobile phones, tablet computers and TV set-top boxes -- areas where the Silicon Valley-based Google has no experience other than writing the software to power the devices.


Integrating an 80-year-old company with 19,000 employees and manufacturing plants around the world will pose a serious challenge and technology analysts are divided on whether Google can carry it off.


Whether it does or not, analysts are unanimous in saying that the bold move by the 38-year-old Page, who replaced Eric Schmidt as Google's chief executive in April, has changed the landscape of the booming mobile industry.


"The repercussions are huge," Gartner research director Michael Gartenberg told AFP. "It shows that it's so hard to look at this market beyond the short term because we've seen so many twists and changes.


"Palm went from irrelevant to being bought by Hewlett-Packard, Nokia was on the ropes and suddenly you have a new CEO and a very close relationship with Microsoft."


Gartenberg said the Motorola Mobility purchase gives Google the "opportunity to pursue their pure vision of Android," the mobile operating system it currently licenses to handset manufacturers around the world.

Britain condemns Syria's Latakia assault as it enters fourth day

Britain led international outrage over Syria's continuing fierce and apparently random assault on a coastal city, that now includes the use of raking machine gunfire, by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.

William Hague, the foreign secretary, issued a statement saying President Assad was "fast losing the last shreds of his legitimacy", adding his words to those of the White House, which said he had already lost legitimacy.

The United Nations Council on Human Rights called an emergency meeting in response to the violence in Latakia, where an alleged naval bombardment at the weekend has been followed by a military assault that has included "intense" machine gun fire, according to rights groups.

There were even signs of consternation in Syria's last remaining ally, Iran.

Obama on Iowa Stump Says Strong Recovery Will Begin With Small Businesses

President Barack Obama told an audience in rural Iowa that the U.S. economy will be “stronger than before” as he sought to regain the initiative on the economic debate that likely will dominate the 2012 campaign.


“I’m also convinced that comeback isn’t going to be driven by Washington,” Obama said at a forum on the rural economy at Northeast Community College in Peosta. “It is going to be driven by folks here in Iowa.”


On the second day of a Midwest bus tour in the state that helped propel his drive toward the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, Obama used an updated version of some of the same themes that animated his earlier campaign.


Then, he cast himself as an outside agent of change running against Washington and relying on grassroots support. Now, Obama is calling on voters to join him in pressuring Congress, saying “politics of the short term” and “the refusal of a faction of Congress to put country ahead of party” are stalling measures to bolster growth.


“There’s nothing wrong with our country, although there is some problems with our politics,” Obama said yesterday. “I hope that I can count on you in the days ahead to lend your voice to this fight to strengthen our economy.”


In the days before the 2008 Iowa caucuses, Obama also sought to enlist Iowans, telling a crowd on Dec. 27, 2007 that “we can’t afford four more years of the same divisive food fight in Washington that’s about scoring political points instead of solving problems.”
Delivering on Promises


The question now is whether Obama can recapture his earlier support at a time when his ability to deliver on economic promises is limited by budget concerns and his policies are under attack by Republicans.

Google Doodle marks Pak I-Day

THE world’s largest Internet search engine also celebrated Pakistan’s 64th Independence Day with Google Doodle.

For the very first time in the history of Google, a Google Doodle has been especially designed for Pakistan. Google has put a green-collared doodle representing the colour of Pakistan’s national flag on the Pakistani Google homepage. For years, countless forums have hosted hordes of discussions on why a Doodle to celebrate Pakistan’s Independence Day was not making an appearance.
The idea was pushed in front of the team from Google, Google.org, Google Maps and YouTube that came to Pakistan last December. It was all over Twitter and emails were submitted to the Proposals link on the Doodle4Google website. Run a search on “Google Doodle for Pakistan” and you’ll see how aggressive and assertive some of these requests were.

CJ orders leaves cancellation of Qureshi’s team

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered Director General Federal Investigation Agency to associate himself with a team, investigating National Insurance Corporation Company Limited (NICL) scam and take steps for registration of cases.A three-Judge bench of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Ghulam Rabbani on a suo motu case, taken on suspension issue of additional director general FIA Zafar Ahmed Qureshi, also directed the DG FIA to inquire from Inspector General Police Punjab about registration of any complaint about a bomb hoax of August 13 in FIA building Lahore and apprise it on Wednesday.The bench in its order said that the rumour about planting a bomb inside FIA building was spread intentionally to prevent entry of Zafar Ahmed Qureshi, who was asked by the apex Court on August 8 order to assume charge of his duties immediately after setting aside his suspension order of July 2.“In such like situation, it was the duty of DG FIA to register a case under Section 505 of PPC,” the bench observed. He was directed to ensure that action was duly intended against the responsible.The bench also cancelled casual leaves of team members of Qureshi and ordered DG FIA to produce them before it on Wednesday and ensure that they would not be pressurized or threatened from any quarters.The bench also observed that hurdles for Qureshi in assumption of charge of duty were created intentionally.“We are of the opinion that Secretary Interior, DG FIA, director Lahore and assistant director Lahore, are, prima facie, responsible for violating Supreme Court orders of August 8,” the bench added.The bench also issued notice to Director FIA Lahore to appear on Wednesday over the issue of reported resistance against Qureshi.At the outset of proceedings, Zafar Qureshi apprised the bench that he received the Court’s order on August 9 and wrote a set of letters to the DG FIA but could not get any response. He said that he had asked for deputing his former four-member team comprising Javed Hussain Shah, Mohammad Ahmed, Khalid Anees and Sarwar and arrangement of a meeting at National Police Foundation but it was not allowed.He said that he was informed by a source that two among these officials including Javed Hussain Shah and Sarwar had been sent on casual leaves while the files of NICL were also taken away form them. Zafar said that on night of August 12 he was informed by the assistant director FIA Lahore Khawaja Hamad that a bomb was planted in FIA building, therefore, he should not visit it. While the next morning, the building was locked after claim of bomb planting, with few officials inside and barring his entry, he added. Expressing annoyance, the Chief Justice told Secretary Interior Khawaja Siddique Akbar that they had ordered the Secretary Establishment to proceed against him for similar tactics.Reminding him, the Chief Justice, told him that contempt of proceedings were still pending against him.Defending his position, the Secretary Interior said that he had responded quickly to Qureshi’s requests and the fact was appreciated by the FIA official himself in his written letter.