Saturday, July 7, 2007
Avril Lavigne Sued for Stealing Tune
SAN FRANCISCO(AP) Avril Lavigne faces a lawsuit by the members of a 1970s rock band who claim her hit song "Girlfriend" rips off one of their tunes.
Songwriters Tommy Dunbar and James Gangwer alleged in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court that Lavigne and her co-writers lifted their 1979 song "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend," which was originally performed by new wave band The Rubinoos.
"We are not so naive as to chalk it up to some sort of cosmic coincidence," Dunbar said in a statement Thursday. "The lyric, the meter, the rhythm _ they're identical."
The first court date has been set for Aug. 28 in Oakland.
A spokeswoman for Lavigne declined comment.
The lawsuit is not the first mention of the similarities between the songs. Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine, in a review published on Billboard magazine's Web site, noted that the chorus of "Girlfriend" was a "total lift from the Rubinoos' `I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.'"
The Rubinoos toured and recorded from 1975 to 1983 and had a hit with a cover version of Tommy James and the Shondells' "I Think We're Alone Now." They also wrote the theme song for the movie "Revenge of the Nerds."
Songwriters Tommy Dunbar and James Gangwer alleged in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court that Lavigne and her co-writers lifted their 1979 song "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend," which was originally performed by new wave band The Rubinoos.
"We are not so naive as to chalk it up to some sort of cosmic coincidence," Dunbar said in a statement Thursday. "The lyric, the meter, the rhythm _ they're identical."
The first court date has been set for Aug. 28 in Oakland.
A spokeswoman for Lavigne declined comment.
The lawsuit is not the first mention of the similarities between the songs. Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine, in a review published on Billboard magazine's Web site, noted that the chorus of "Girlfriend" was a "total lift from the Rubinoos' `I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.'"
The Rubinoos toured and recorded from 1975 to 1983 and had a hit with a cover version of Tommy James and the Shondells' "I Think We're Alone Now." They also wrote the theme song for the movie "Revenge of the Nerds."
Friday, July 6, 2007
Free drinks for everyone
One night, a drunk comes stumbling into a bar and says to the bartender: "Drinks for all on me including you, bartender." So the bartender follows the mans orders and says: "That will be $36.50 please." The drunk says he has no money so the bartender slaps him around and throws him out.
The next night the same drunk comes in again and orders a drink for everyone in the bar including the bartender. Again the bartender follows instructions and again the drunk says he has no money. So the bartender slaps him around and throws him out.
On the third night he comes in, the drunk orders drinks for all except the bartender. "What, no drink for me?" replies the bartender. "Oh, no. You get violent when you drink."
The next night the same drunk comes in again and orders a drink for everyone in the bar including the bartender. Again the bartender follows instructions and again the drunk says he has no money. So the bartender slaps him around and throws him out.
On the third night he comes in, the drunk orders drinks for all except the bartender. "What, no drink for me?" replies the bartender. "Oh, no. You get violent when you drink."
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Scientists work at creating a "Robocar"
WASHINGTON (UPI) -- A U.S. government competition is under way with scientists at 53 universities and other institutions developing "robocars" -- cars of the future.
The robocars must be designed to operate by themselves, with people serving only as passengers. The competition will be narrowed by October to 30 semi-finalists whose entries will be judged by the ability to navigate a simple network of roads with other vehicles present.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's third "DARPA Urban Challenge" competition will be held Nov. 3, with vehicles executing simulated military supply missions in a mock urban area.
DARPA will award $2 million, $1 million and $500,000 awards to the top three finishers.
In the Urban Challenge, the goal is to have the cars operate safely and autonomously through 60 miles of urban surroundings in less than six hours. The competition will take place at an undisclosed location in the western United States.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
The robocars must be designed to operate by themselves, with people serving only as passengers. The competition will be narrowed by October to 30 semi-finalists whose entries will be judged by the ability to navigate a simple network of roads with other vehicles present.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's third "DARPA Urban Challenge" competition will be held Nov. 3, with vehicles executing simulated military supply missions in a mock urban area.
DARPA will award $2 million, $1 million and $500,000 awards to the top three finishers.
In the Urban Challenge, the goal is to have the cars operate safely and autonomously through 60 miles of urban surroundings in less than six hours. The competition will take place at an undisclosed location in the western United States.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Frisky Deer Lead Police to Marijuana Farm
TRENTO, Italy (UPI) -- Some "unusually frisky" deer led police in northern Italy to a mountaintop marijuana plantation.
A university student and a factory worker, both in their 20s, were arrested on charges of growing the marijuana, the news agency ANSA reported. Defense lawyers said the deer consumed most of the evidence, which could lead to the charges being dropped.
The deer first attracted the attention of forest rangers who wondered why deer, normally reclusive animals, were out on the mountains during the daytime. They also heard stories from local residents of the deer being "unusually frisky," making great leaps on the mountainside.
When the rangers visited the mountaintop, they found some plant pots and shredded marijuana.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
A university student and a factory worker, both in their 20s, were arrested on charges of growing the marijuana, the news agency ANSA reported. Defense lawyers said the deer consumed most of the evidence, which could lead to the charges being dropped.
The deer first attracted the attention of forest rangers who wondered why deer, normally reclusive animals, were out on the mountains during the daytime. They also heard stories from local residents of the deer being "unusually frisky," making great leaps on the mountainside.
When the rangers visited the mountaintop, they found some plant pots and shredded marijuana.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
Sunday, July 1, 2007
How To Please Your I.T. Department
(A quick check list for those who need to make contact.]
1. When you call us to have your computer moved, be sure to leave it buried under half a ton of postcards, baby pictures, stuffed animals, dried flowers, bowling trophies and children's art. We don't have a life, and we find it deeply moving to catch a fleeting glimpse of yours.
2. Don't write anything down. Ever. We can play back the error messages from here.
3. When an I.T. person says he's coming right over, go for coffee. That way you won't be there when we need your password. It's nothing for us to remember 700 screen saver passwords.
4. When you call the help desk, state what you want, not what's keeping you from getting it. We don't need to know that you can't get into your mail because your computer won't power on at all.
5. When I.T. support sends you an E-Mail with high importance, delete it at once. We're just testing.
6. When an I.T. person is eating lunch at his desk, walk right in and spill your guts right out. We exist only to serve.
7. Send urgent email all in uppercase. The mail server picks it up and flags it as a rush delivery.
8. When the photocopier doesn't work, call computer support. There's electronics in it.
9. When you're getting a NO DIAL TONE message at home, call computer support. We can fix your telephone line from here.
10. When you have a dozen old computer screens to get rid of, call computer support. We're collectors.
11. When something's wrong with your home PC, dump it on an I.T. person's chair with no name, no phone number and no description of the problem. We love a puzzle.
12. When an I.T. person tells you that computer screens don't have cartridges in them, argue. We love a good argument.
13. When an I.T. person tells you that he'll be there shortly, reply in a scathing tone of voice: "And just how many weeks do you mean by shortly?" That motivates us.
14. When the printer won't print, re-send the job at least 20 times. Print jobs frequently get sucked into black holes.
15. When the printer still won't print after 20 tries, send the job to all 68 printers in the company. One of them is bound to work.
1. When you call us to have your computer moved, be sure to leave it buried under half a ton of postcards, baby pictures, stuffed animals, dried flowers, bowling trophies and children's art. We don't have a life, and we find it deeply moving to catch a fleeting glimpse of yours.
2. Don't write anything down. Ever. We can play back the error messages from here.
3. When an I.T. person says he's coming right over, go for coffee. That way you won't be there when we need your password. It's nothing for us to remember 700 screen saver passwords.
4. When you call the help desk, state what you want, not what's keeping you from getting it. We don't need to know that you can't get into your mail because your computer won't power on at all.
5. When I.T. support sends you an E-Mail with high importance, delete it at once. We're just testing.
6. When an I.T. person is eating lunch at his desk, walk right in and spill your guts right out. We exist only to serve.
7. Send urgent email all in uppercase. The mail server picks it up and flags it as a rush delivery.
8. When the photocopier doesn't work, call computer support. There's electronics in it.
9. When you're getting a NO DIAL TONE message at home, call computer support. We can fix your telephone line from here.
10. When you have a dozen old computer screens to get rid of, call computer support. We're collectors.
11. When something's wrong with your home PC, dump it on an I.T. person's chair with no name, no phone number and no description of the problem. We love a puzzle.
12. When an I.T. person tells you that computer screens don't have cartridges in them, argue. We love a good argument.
13. When an I.T. person tells you that he'll be there shortly, reply in a scathing tone of voice: "And just how many weeks do you mean by shortly?" That motivates us.
14. When the printer won't print, re-send the job at least 20 times. Print jobs frequently get sucked into black holes.
15. When the printer still won't print after 20 tries, send the job to all 68 printers in the company. One of them is bound to work.
Body Armor Test Goes Wrong
This guy puts on some government issue body armor with the idea that his friend will kick him in the chest to test how strong it is. Unfortunately his friends kick lands a little off target.
Body Armor Test Goes Wrong - Watch more free videos
Body Armor Test Goes Wrong - Watch more free videos
Handicap Dance Competition
These two guys are truely amazing. Both are unable to walk without assistance but it doesnt stop either from being incredible dancers.
Handicap Dance Competition - Watch more free videos
Handicap Dance Competition - Watch more free videos
Inaccuracies In The Paris Hilton Interview
This is a hilarious compilation of 15 inaccuracies Paris Hilton made while recently being interviewed on the Larry King Show.
Inaccuracies In The Paris Hilton Interview - Watch more free videos
Inaccuracies In The Paris Hilton Interview - Watch more free videos
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