SCRABBLE - Electronic Arts

SCRABBLE Electronic Arts Genre: Games Price: $2.99 Release Date: July 11, 2008

BETTER THAN EVER! Get in and out of games easier with Fast App Switching…Enjoy enhanced notification features...Access the Teacher Feature in every mode…and more! Whether you connect with friends and play up to 25 games at a time via Facebook or savor SCRABBLE solo, America’s favorite word game is perfect on iPhone® & iPod touch®! PLAY MULTIPLE WAYS Play against the computer, square off in Pass N’ Play with up to 4 friends, or go head-to-head via Local Network Play. You can even challenge friends and play up to 25 games via Facebook. TALK A GOOD GAME WITH ENHANCED CHAT AND NOTIFICATION FEATURES Socialize and stay in the game, too! With the in-game chat feature, the chat icon will blink when you have a message, and you don’t have to exit the game to talk with your friends. And when you’re not playing, you can get notified when it’s your turn, when a game is created, or when a game ends. LEARN AS YOU GO IN EVERY GAMEPLAY MODE By popular demand, the exclusive SCRABBLE Teacher Feature is now available in EVERY gameplay mode. See the best word choice from your previous move with this fan favorite feature. The more you play, the better you get – no matter which way you choose to play! IT’S NOW EASIER TO ACCESS ACTIVE GAMES OR START A NEW ONE Simply swipe through your options with the new Main Menu Carousel. Start a game with one touch, and easily view and access games in progress. Quick controls keep the action going. Shake to shuffle letters. Drag 'n drop to place tiles. Pinch to zoom for a better view of the board. With easier-than-ever navigation, wordplay fun is always at your fingertips! LOSS FOR WORDS? Get a helping hand! Use the in-game word list, built-in official SCRABBLE dictionary, or the exclusive Best Word feature to see your highest scoring choices. ROCK WHILE YOU RACK UP THE WORD SCORES Listen to and control your iTunes® Library, and get the wordplay party going with friends and family. ________________________________________ ** DON'T MISS OUR OTHER EXCITING GAMES! ** Reckless Racing, TETRIS®, Madden NFL 11 by EA Sports™, The Sims™ 3 & Need For Speed™ Hot Pursuit COMING SOON: Rock Band™ Reloaded GIFT THIS APP: Click the “Buy App” arrow on the iTunes® App Store Be the first to know! Get inside EA info on great deals, plus the latest game updates, tips & more… VISIT US: ea.com/iphone FOLLOW US: twitter.com/eamobile LIKE US: facebook.com/eamobile WATCH US: youtube.com/eamobilegames © © 2008 Hasbro. US and Canada Only. Game code © 2008 Electronic Arts Inc.

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LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 - Warner Bros.

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 Warner Bros. Genre: Games Price: $4.99 Release Date: November 19, 2010

***iPad Owners - You must have the new OS 4.2 update before the game can be played on the iPad. Although this game is listed as Universal and can be purchased without any problems, the game is unable to synch to iPad devices until the release of OS 4.2.*** ---------------------------------- "...early impressions seem to indicate that this could be one of the best games currently on the platform." - Kotaku.com "This is the game to show your doubting friends as I don't believe a game of this depth or breadth presently exists on the App Store, and certainly not one with the care and attention that the Warner Bros. team have expended on it." - TouchArcade.com ---------------------------------- Experience the events of Harry Potter's first four years at Hogwarts – LEGO® style! Play as Harry, Ron, Hermione and many more as you explore Hogwarts and engage in countless hours of gameplay spread across 40+ levels based on the Harry Potter books and movies. ---------------------------------- LEGO® Harry Potter™: Years 1-4 brings the world of LEGO® Harry Potter to life on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, giving gamers the power to play with LEGO characters and models in a brand new way. Based on the first four Harry Potter books and movies, LEGO® Harry Potter: Years 1-4 builds on the foundations of previous LEGO® videogames by offering a mix of fun, accessible gameplay and light-hearted humor – appealing to all ages. Players can explore the wizarding world and feel as though they are at Hogwarts. Features: •The Events of Harry Potter’s First Four Years at Hogwarts – LEGO® style! – including the Triwizard Tournament, the Quidditch World Cup, the Basilisk battle in the Chamber of Secrets, the encounter with Aragog and the face-to-face confrontation with Voldemort himself. •Stunning Graphics – take advantage of the Retina Display. •Intuitive Touch-Screen Controls – take complete control over your character to explore, solve puzzles and duel. •An Authentic Harry Potter Experience - -Visit Iconic locations – including Diagon Alley, the Forbidden Forest, the village of Hogsmeade and -Hogwarts castle – a grand, immersive 3-D environment and the largest, most detailed LEGO® game location ever built. -Play as over 100 characters – including Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. -Attend Hogwarts – cast spells, mix potions, fly on broomsticks and complete hundreds of magical tasks to earn points. •Character Customization – using hundreds of different LEGO® Harry Potter pieces. •Classic LEGO® Humor – enjoy the characteristic comedic LEGO® ‘twist’ on events from the fiction •Endless Replayability – use ‘Freeplay’ to discover areas of gameplay not accessible in Story Mode •Collectables – pick up a huge variety of items throughout the game. -------------------------- Check out these other exciting WB apps: • Harry Potter: Spells • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince • Sherlock Holmes Mysteries • LEGO Batman: Gotham City Games © Harry Potter characters, names, and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter publishing rights © JKR WB Games Logo, WB Shield; ™ & © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s10)

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MotionX GPS Drive - MotionX™

MotionX GPS Drive MotionX™ Genre: Navigation Price: $0.99 Release Date: September 25, 2009

Limited Time Offer! ★★★★★ "hands-down my favorite navigator for the iPhone" -Andy Ihnatko, Chicago Sun-Times ★★★★★ "packed with features..." -Walt Mossberg, The Wall Street Journal ★★★★★ "MotionX-GPS Drive: Hands-Down the Best Value in GPS Apps" -Gizmodo.com Always Live, Always Up-to-Date, a Fraction of the Cost. MotionX: Next-Generation Driving and Pedestrian Navigation. Fast easy download from your iPhone! ____________________________________ MotionX-GPS Drive turns your iPhone into the next-generation car and pedestrian navigation solution with new features not yet seen on mobile devices, including “door-to-door” personal navigation tools, user interface innovations to simplify the navigation experience, and integration of live search. With the advanced MotionX Find-N-Go™ technology, you can find anything, anywhere and then just follow the directions. Driving or Walking. It's that simple. Covers the U.S. and Canada. Exclusively for the iPhone. ____________________________________ MotionX: Includes 30 Days of Real-time Navigation with Live Voice Guidance ✔ The purchase of MotionX-GPS Drive includes 30 days of live turn-by-turn navigation with voice guidance. ✔ At the end of the 30 day period, continue using real-time navigation any time by making an in-app purchase. Choose either the 30-day or 1-year Live Voice Guidance package. ✔ Access your purchases on multiple iPhones or iPads for households with multiple users! ✔ In-app purchases are non-recurring with no automatic charges. Live Voice Guidance gives you: ✔ Real-time turn-by-turn voice guidance, fully integrated with the iPod. ✔ Live over-the-air maps and real-time navigation. ✔ Cached routes and maps for optimal performance. ✔ Predictive live traffic data for optimal routing. Please note the core application provides a great driving experience without any further purchases. With full access to search, routing, 3D maps, and pedestrian navigation tools all part of the core solution, find your destination and get there quickly with MotionX. ____________________________________ MotionX: Live and Dynamic Everything about MotionX-GPS Drive is dynamic. Search, maps, routing, POIs, and destination information, such as phone numbers and addresses, are all up-to-date. This is a significant advantage over on-board solutions which are huge downloads (over a Gigabyte) and have static data which is outdated the moment it is loaded. This fully-live, always up-to-date, connected experience leverages the full power of the iPhone. MotionX uses the latest NAVTEQ maps, Bing search, and live predictive traffic data from TrafficCast to deliver the most complete navigation solution designed exclusively for the iPhone. ____________________________________ MotionX: Designed and Optimized for the iPhone ✔ Full support for landscape mode. ✔ iPod integration: Listen to music, audiobooks, & podcasts. ✔ Magnetic compass. ✔ Address book contacts integration. ✔ Place a phone call directly from search results. ____________________________________ Drawing upon feedback from over 4 million iPhone GPS users, MotionX has built a complete navigation solution specifically for the iPhone. MotionX-GPS Drive is state-of-the-art with a state-of-the-art business model. This means a better solution at a fraction of the cost. MotionX is committed to passing on to our customers the best possible pricing for guidance services and turn-by-turn routing. We ourselves must pay the data suppliers and therefore must charge a minimum fee for this service. We focus on providing the best value for quality information. MotionX is committed to constant improvement. We listen to our users and continuously add the most requested features. Of course all of our updates are free! Note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. © 2003-2010 Fullpower Technologies, Inc.

Source: "Top 25 Apps" via Glen in Google Reader

Skyfire Web Browser - Skyfire Labs, Inc.

Skyfire Web Browser Skyfire Labs, Inc. Genre: Utilities Price: $2.99 Release Date: November 03, 2010

Skyfire is the ONLY WAY to enjoy millions of FLASH VIDEOS from the web on your iPhone or iPod Touch. Browse your favorite web sites and finally unlock the content that matters to you: funny clips, sports and news updates, the video link your friend sent you. Plus share your content easily with your network via Facebook and Twitter, and enjoy one click access to your Facebook Wall while you browse. Skyfire’s award winning technology already enables Flash content for millions of mobile users and is finally available on the iPhone. Our cloud computing platform translates videos from Flash into an iPhone-friendly format. We unlock millions of Flash videos for you that otherwise would not play on your iPhone or iPod Touch. It’s a bit of engineering magic. Over 100,000 web sites supported, with more added every day. "As for actually watching Flash videos, it couldn't be easier -- once you've navigated to a page embedded with a video, a popup window will appear and you're good to go." - Engadget >>>> Special Early Adopter Price!! <<<<< >>>> Flash VIDEO supported. Flash Games and Apps are NOT supported <<<< >>>> For Canada users: Skfyire cannot support sites, that are not accessible from the US! Thus CBC, CTV, GlobalTV, etc are not supported. Sorry. <<<< >>>> Skyfire for iPhone is NOT optimized for the iPad. Please be patient, the Skyfire iPad App is in the works <<<<< FEATURES: •Play millions of Flash videos – everyday, with no limits! •All-new ‘Skybar’ toolbar gives one-click access to video and related content •Be social: Share via Facebook and Twitter. •Stay in touch: Unique Facebook 'Quickview' allows you to see your wall and feeds with one click. •Standard browser elements: Tabs, search, sharing, bookmarks, history, etc. •Video search, with safe search option helps you quickly find videos about your favorite topic •‘Desktop’ option loads pages as on a desktop browser, giving a greater selection of video (vs. mobile sites) • Private Browsing option: Browse with no history and cookies left behind • Click the ‘Explore’ button for related videos, news trends, photos and tweets! NOTES: • Flash VIDEO content is supported, but Flash Games and Apps are NOT supported (aren’t there enough games on iPhone already?) •Not all Flash video sites work universally. The list of supported sites grows daily (request new sites via Settings > Feedback menu) •Hulu is NOT supported (they don’t allow it), but scores of other premium sites available •It may take 15-30 seconds for videos to load: Preparing goodness takes time… © 2010 Skyfire Labs, Inc.

Source: "Top 25 Apps" via Glen in Google Reader

Fruit Ninja - Halfbrick Studios

Fruit Ninja Halfbrick Studios Genre: Games Price: $0.99 Release Date: April 20, 2010

NOW WITH GAME CENTER MULTIPLAYER! -- OVER TWO MILLION FRUIT NINJA COPIES SOLD! A huge thanks to everyone out there, you have made this great game even greater because of your amazing support! #1 Paid App in Germany, Norway, Czech Republic, Russia, Israel, Taiwan and Macau! #2 Paid App in USA, Canada, Australia, France, New Zealand, Italy, China, UK, Sweden and more! A huge thanks to all our fans for supporting the game, proving that ninjas hate fruit all over the world! Fruit Ninja is a juicy action game enjoyed by millions of players around the world, with squishy, splatty and satisfying fruit carnage! Become the ultimate bringer of sweet, tasty destruction with every slash. **** "It's simple, fun and best of all challenging." - Touch Arcade Review "Fruit Ninja is fun, fun, fun. It’s an instant pleasure." IGN review "The low price makes the game more than worth it." - TUAW Review "Fruit Ninja is the sort of game that has come to typify the rising dominance of quick, simple and most of all additively fun gameplay." - AppSpy Review "You'll know it's fun, and you'll know you want to keep playing." - Slide to Play Review "Fruit Ninja epitomizes all things a great iPhone game needs." - Resumeplay Review "The game oozes style and polish." - AppAdvice Review "My God this game is great. Best iPhone game in a while." - User review. "Just spent 15 minutes on the crapper in my office complex playing this little gem of a game. Productivity -1" - Touch Arcade comment **** Swipe your finger across the screen to deliciously slash and splatter fruit like a true ninja warrior. Be careful of bombs – they are explosive to touch and will put a swift end to your juicy adventure! Fruit Ninja features Classic, Zen and the amazing new Arcade mode, along with online multiplayer for Game Center-enabled devices! It also has awesome global leaderboards and achievements to unlock! Your success will also please the wise ninja Sensei, who will accompany your journey with wise words and fun fruit facts. Fruit Ninja is the messiest and most satisfying fruit game ever! © 2010 Halfbrick Studios

Source: "Top 25 Apps" via Glen in Google Reader

Call of Duty: Zombies - Activision Publishing, Inc.

Call of Duty: Zombies Activision Publishing, Inc. Genre: Games Price: $4.99 Release Date: November 16, 2009

Four Massive Zombie Maps. One Great New Price. Now includes the ALL-NEW fan favorite, Der Riese, the largest, most feature-rich Zombie map to date. This is the ultimate Co-op experience for the iPhone/iPod Touch! “Der Riese” (Zombie Factory) features: • The all-new Pack A Punch Machine allows you to upgrade ANY of your weapons: Increased Firepower, More Ammo, and a new Metal Finish. • New Teleporters allow you and your team to zip around this enormous map and evade the oncoming Zombie Horde. • The Bowie Knife allows to you take down higher level zombies in one quick blow. • Favorites such as the Hell Hounds, the Wunderwaffe lightning gun, and the Perks-a-Cola Machines return. • The online 4-player co-op action you've come to expect returns with even more intensity. “Shi No Numa” (Zombie Swamp) features: •Shi No Numa is a hauntingly beautiful environment filled with terrifying zombies, weapons, and zombie traps. •New weapons featuring the Wunderwaffe DG-2. Fry hordes of zombies with a single blast from this shockingly powerful new weapon. •Survive the Hellhounds! Ferocious and fast, the Hellhounds will test your reflexes and your team's ability to work together. •New playable characters! Play as Tank Dempsey (US), Takeo Masaki (Japan), Nikolai Belinski (USSR), and the infamous Dr. Richtofen (Germany). •New Zombie traps including the Flogger for massive Zombie destruction and the Zipline for quick getaways. Call of Duty: Zombies also includes: •“Verrückt” (Zombie Asylum): Dare to enter the insane asylum and fend off the Zombie onslaught alone or with friends. Use electric traps to keep the zombies at bay. •“Nacht der Untoten”: The original zombie map returns in all its glory. Fight to survive in the abandoned bunker that started the zombie phenomenon. About Call of Duty: Zombies: Call of Duty: Zombies brings the classic Call of Duty: World at War zombie-slaying game mode to the iPhone™ and iPod® Touch. Featuring ALL 4 Zombie maps, you’ll need to bring along your friends to help push back the endless waves of attacking zombies! Highlights include: - Call of Duty: Zombies for the iPhone™ supports up to four players via Wi-Fi/Internet and two players via Bluetooth. Play with your friends in the same room, on the other side of town, and even across the globe. With the option of either private or open matchmaking, where there’s a Wi-Fi connection, there’s a friend to go Zombie-hunting with.* - This is the Zombie experience from Call of Duty: World at War. All 4 Zombie maps have been fully realized on the iPhone™ in a silky smooth 3D environment, along with the return of your favorite guns and killer power ups. - Three different control schemes are available to suit your style. Take advantage of the iPhone’s unique tilt capabilities or, for Zombie vets, use the virtual analog sticks to fend off the undead. - Call of Duty: Zombies features a massive list of unique Achievements. - Leaderboard support awards the best of the best, accessed directly through your iPhone™ or iPod® Touch. Become the top zombie slayer and prove your standings to the world! So snap to attention, pick up Call of Duty: Zombies, and start fending off the zombie horde! *Wi-Fi support only at this time, play unavailable on cellular networks. Note: Call of Duty: Zombies is best played on a 2nd generation iPod® Touch or higher with the latest firmware installed. © Activision Publishing, Inc.

Source: "Top 25 Apps" via Glen in Google Reader

FlightTrack Pro – Live Flight Status Tracker by... - Ben Kazez

FlightTrack Pro – Live Flight Status Tracker by Mobiata Ben Kazez Genre: Travel Price: $9.99 Release Date: January 31, 2009

The best flight tracking app out there! Import flight data automatically from any airline confirmation email and get push alerts with real-time changes to your flight. Get real-time flight itinerary updates, and beautiful, zoomable maps that even work offline. FlightTrack Pro has everything you need to stay on top of your trip. Download now and see why FlightTrack is the most popular flight tracking app on the App Store. “Top 10 iPhone Apps of 2009 – The ultimate app for checking itineraries and tracking flights.” – TIME “If you travel by air, you’re going to want this application.” – Forbes “Brilliant.” – New York Times FlightTrack Pro works seamlessly with TripIt. Forward your airline confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com, and flights appear automatically in FlightTrack Pro. Works with over 1000 travel sites! It’s pretty magical. TRAVEL SMART. • Automatically sync itineraries with TripIt • Sync with your phone’s calendar • Share flight status by email, Facebook or Twitter • Supports multitasking on iOS 4 • Add flight notes for seat numbers, confirmation numbers and more BEAUTIFUL MAPS. • Zoomable, live flight tracker maps with satellite and weather radar imagery • Review weather radar and forecasts • Offline mode for use in airplanes – maps still work! • Airtime, aircraft, and speed & altitude (US) DETAILED COVERAGE RATED #1 BY THE WSJ. • Real-time status for gates, delays and cancellations • Covers more than 4000 airports worldwide • Full international flight coverage with 1400 airlines • Find alternate flights at a tap PREDICT FLIGHT ISSUES. • Push alerts update on flight updates even when app is closed • Predict flight delays with airport warnings and historical delay forecasts • See status of incoming flight legs to predict delays (select flights) FlightTrack is optimized for crisp, sharp graphics on iPhone 4’s high-resolution Retina Display. Also by Mobiata: FlightTrack Pro · TripDeck · HotelPal · StayHIP · HomeAway http://www.mobiata.com/ Questions or comments? Email us: support@mobiata.com We answer all emails quickly! © Copyright 2008-2010 Mobiata LLC

Source: "Top 25 Apps" via Glen in Google Reader

Joe Budden Credits Eminem With Slaughterhouse's Detroit Love

New Jersey MC says Em 'is just one of the most supportive hip-hop people that I've met.'
By Mawuse Ziegbe, with reporting by Rahman Dukes

Joe Budden
Photo: MTV News

At the Detroit stops of Jay-Z and Eminem's Home and Home Tour, there was undeniable crowd support for another hip-hop crew: rap supergroup Slaughterhouse. The team's New Jersey representative Joe Budden credits a lot of the Midwest love not only to group member and Detroit native Royce Da 5'9", but also to the support the collective has received from Motor City megastar Eminem.

"We get a lot of support out there in the D," Budden told MTV News. "I attribute a lot of it to just Royce and Em."

Budden said that, despite Eminem's superstar status, he still has love for the purest elements of the hip-hop art form. The Mood Muzik spitter said Slaughterhouse stand for those same rap essentials, which endears the foursome to the hip-hop luminary.

"Em, to be as successful as he is, and I'll just tell this to anybody with two ears, or one ear for that matter, is just one of the most supportive hip-hop people that I've met," he said. "He's really, really just into hip-hop and rap and lyrics. He's just really into all of the things that group was built around."

Although Eminem and the Slaughterhouse crew see eye-to-eye creatively, bringing Budden, Royce, Crooked I and Joell Ortiz into the Shady fold has been an ongoing saga. Earlier this year, Ortiz spoke with MTV News about finalizing a deal with Em.

"We in the ninth inning of it, we just keep changing pitchers," the Brooklyn MC said in May. "I don't know, man — it's a lot of hold-ups. I thought on my end I was straight, but I wasn't. We're going back and forth with the people I'm working with. Joe [Budden] had some issues or whatever. The interest is still there. Everybody is excited about it; it's just a lot of people involved in this. Four artists, four separate managers, label situations — a lot of black and white that gotta get settled for it to happen, but verbally, we're on Shady! Eminem is excited, the whole group is excited. The world is excited. I can't even do a show without somebody asking that. Without them being, 'You ripped it, what's up with Em?' Everybody is waiting on this, so it's going to happen. It's going to happen."

What do you think about Joe Budden's thoughts about Eminem? Let us know in the comments!

Related Artists

• Joe Budden
• Eminem
• Slaughterhouse

Source: "Eminem In The News" via Glen in Google Reader

T.I., Eminem Team Up For 'All She Wrote'

No Mercy, due December 7, also will feature Kanye West, Chris Brown, The-Dream and Christina Aguilera.
By Paul Cantor

T.I. and Eminem
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ John Shearer/ Getty Images

T.I. and Eminem have teamed up once again, this time for "All She Wrote," which leaked online Tuesday (November 16). The song is from T.I.'s upcoming album, No Mercy, due in stores December 7.

T.I. recently began an 11-month stint in an Arkansas prison for parole violations. His problems with the law have left him with a fair share of critics, and "All She Wrote" takes a shot back at them. Witness the song's hook: "I don't really care what you call me, just as long as you don't call me broke/ I bet they knew as soon as they saw me, good night it's over with that's all she wrote/ Streets like cold Chicago, ain't nothing new, I seen it all before/ But still I ball like no tomorrow, good night it's over with that's all she wrote."

Of No Mercy, T.I. wrote on his website: "This album represents some of my best work inspired by my most recent best and worst life experiences ... I've been taking stock of myself and digesting everyone's comments and criticisms. Now it's my turn to express myself and take you into my mind."

The production on "All She Wrote" is a mellow affair, guitar strums over steady staccato 808s. It allows both artists adequate space to let their voices take center stage.

Speculatively, in the first verse, T.I. addresses former Grand Hustle member Alfamega, who the Smoking Gun revealed last year was a DEA informant. T.I. raps, "Others sworn under oath or vanished left completely scorned/ You tell lies, get cut n---a, kick rocks/ You never did blend in with the big shots."

Eminem's verses, however, deal more with the opposite sex: "I rather slip and fall in sh-- than fall in love with you/ Before I f---ing tie a knot, I'll tie you in one/ Bitch you think this is a Nintendo game, how f---ing dumb is you/ I'll give you some lumps before I split some lump sums with you."

No Mercy, T.I.'s seventh LP and first release since 2008's double-platinum Paper Trail, also will feature appearances from Kanye West, Chris Brown, The-Dream and Christina Aguilera. Production will be handled by Dr. Luke ("Magic," "Right Round"), Danja ("My Love," "Knock You Down") and Jim Jonsin ("Whatever You Like," "Lollipop"), among others.

T.I. and Eminem last officially collaborated on T.I.'s 2007 album T.I. vs. T.I.P. on the track "Touchdown."

Which of T.I.'s No Mercy collaborations are you most excited to hear? Tell us in the comments below!

Related Artists

• T.I.
• Eminem

Source: "Eminem In The News" via Glen in Google Reader

42 killed, 90 injured in China fire - CNN

The 28-story building was under renovation when it went up in flames, according to Xinhua.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• NEW: Death toll jumps, according to state media
• NEW: Residents tell media that renovation workers threw cigarette butts in halls
• The building is home to 150 families
• Officials do not know the cause of the fire

iReporter Karl Loo lives near the building and was there about a half-hour after the fire started. See his dramatic video from the scene.

Beijing, China (CNN) -- A fire at a high-rise building in Shanghai killed at least 42 people and injured more than 90 on Monday, China's state media said.

The 28-story building was under renovation when it went up in flames, the Xinhua news agency said.

Witnesses said a scaffolding caught fire, and flames then spread to the building.

Firefighters rescued more than 100 residents from the burning building. The building houses 150 families, the news agency said.

"I can smell the smoke and police have pushed onlookers farther away," said Peijin Chen, a freelance photographer who lives across the street from the building. "I saw people taken out and put on stretchers."

Officials do not yet know the cause of the fire. But local media reports quoted residents as saying fire prevention measures had been lax since renovations began a month ago, and that workers frequently threw their cigarette butts into the hallways.

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Refusal of Calif airport screening is Internet hit - San Jose Mercury News

SAN DIEGO—A man who refused a body scan and pat-down search at a San Diego airport has become an Internet sensation.

John Tyner posted a cell phone audio recording of his half-hour encounter Saturday at Lindbergh Field.

The software engineer couldn't board a flight after refusing a full-body scan that reveals people naked and wouldn't allow a TSA worker to conduct a groin check. Tyner tells the worker, "If you touch my junk, I'm gonna have you arrested."

Tyner's blog says he left the airport—but only after being threatened with a lawsuit and fine for failing to complete security screening.

A TSA statement Sunday said body scans and pat-downs make flying safer.

———

John Tyner's blog account: http://johnnyedge.blogspot.com/2010/11/these-events-took-place-roughly-between.html

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Rep. Charles Rangel walks out of his own ethics hearing - Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON — The long-awaited congressional ethics hearing for New York Rep. Charles Rangel proceeded without him Monday morning after the Harlem Democrat walked out of the proceeding, saying he did not have legal representation.

In a tense exchange with members of a subcommittee of the House ethics panel, Rangel complained that the two-year investigation into whether he had failed to report sources of income, among the 13 alleged violations, caused him to rack up a legal tab of nearly $2 million. His lawyers warned the hearing could cost another $1 million. After he was unable to convince them that he would be able to pay, they withdrew as his representatives earlier this fall, Rangel said.

Rangel said he had not had time to raise money through a legal defense fund to hire new attorneys. He said it was not fair to ask him to continue without representation just so the committee could finish the hearing before the end of the current lame-duck session of Congress.

"Can you tell me under what theory of fairness would dictate that I be denied due process, that I be denied an attorney?" Rangel asked.

"I don't think it's fair that I participate in any type of proceeding if, in fact, what you are basically telling me, that the political calendar will not allow you enough time to allow me to get a lawyer at this crucial point in my life," he added. "Fifty years of public service is on the line. I truly believe that I'm not being treated fairly."

"There's a lot of pain that I feel. … I love this Congress. I love this country. I think I'm entitled to more than is being suggested."

After his statement, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), the chair of the ethics committee, noted that it was Rangel's responsibility to retain counsel and sought to proceed with the hearing. Blake Chisam, the panel's chief counsel, moved to introduce more than 500 exhibits collected over the course of the 21-month-old investigation.

Rangel then said he would have to leave.

"I object to the proceeding and, with all due respect, since I don't have counsel to advise me, I'm going to have to excuse myself," he said, "because I have no idea what this man has put together."

At that point, the panel then moved into executive session to consider a motion by Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.) to delay the proceeding. Rangel left, trailed by a crowd of camera-toting media.

After about 30 minutes, the subcommittee returned, and Lofgren said the proceedings would continue without the New York congressman.

Lofgren said the subcommittee had provided Rangel with advice about how to pay his legal fees on four different occasions over the last two years. Several members of the panel then chastised the law firm that had been representing Rangel, Zuckerman Spaeder, for withdrawing as his representatives.

"It's an astonishing display of professional irresponsibility, in my view," said Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.)

Rangel's absence from his own ethics hearing is the latest twist in what has been a humbling experience for the veteran lawmaker. After rising through Congress to assume the chairmanship of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, Rangel stepped down from that post earlier this year as the ethics committee examined his financial dealings.

In July, he was charged with 13 House ethics violations. He is accused of using one of his four rent-controlled apartments in New York as a campaign office, using his congressional office to solicit corporate contributions for a public-affairs school established in his name, failing to report rental and investment income on his disclosure forms and failing to pay property taxes on a Caribbean rental property.

Ethics staff were not certain he would show up Monday for the start of the hearing, but he arrived promptly at 9:01 a.m., dressed nattily in a dark gray suit accented by wide-striped tie and red pocket square. He shook hands with supporters and then took his place at the respondent's table, paging through a thick white binder.

Several minutes later, the eight-member adjudicatory subcommittee filed in, grim-faced. Rangel nodded somberly to his colleagues as they took their seats at the horseshoe-shaped desk behind him.

In an opening statement, Rep. Michael McCaul (R- Texas) noted the "rare and historic" nature of the hearing, the first of its kind since 2002.

"Let me be clear: No member of this committee asked for this assignment," he said. "Sitting in judgment of a fellow member and colleague is a very difficult thing for all of us to do."

matea.gold@latimes.com

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Lloyd Banks Previews 'Where I'm At' With Eminem On 'RapFix Live'

'I worked with Em numerous times, but every time, it just feels like the first time,' G-Unit MC tells Sway.
By Paul Cantor, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Lloyd Banks
Photo: MTV News

On Thursday (November 11), when Lloyd Banks sat down with Sway for his second visit to "RapFix Live," he discussed his song with Eminem on Hunger for More 2, due November 22. There had actually been two songs featuring Eminem floating around online, including a snippet of "Where I'm At" and "Celebrity," featuring Akon.

"[People] heard two songs because one of them leaked out," Banks explained. "Em had a few records to play with. He had laid a verse down for 'Celebrity,' but ultimately we ended up going with the record 'Where I'm At.' "

Banks allowed Sway to cue up a snippet of the song, and on it, we heard Em spit, "I'm moving on, don't worry about me/ 'Cause I'mma be just fine without ya, you'll see/ There ain't no one on this earth right now I'd much rather be/ 'cause goddamnit, I'm glad that I'm me/ If you could be where I'm at, you'd wanna be you too/ If you felt the way I feel, I bet you'd be in as good a mood as I'm in/ But you don't, 'cause you just feel like you."

"It was more of a 32-bar, 32-bar verse for each of us," Banks said. "We had a little more open space to be creative. I spoke with him for a minute, maybe a half-hour, just about the record, on how I was gonna approach it. It was kind of like ... he just brought me through what his verse was. He played me it over the phone, so he didn't leave me out in the blind."

This is not the first time Em and Banks have collaborated. They've actually been working together since the entire Shady/G-Unit/Aftermath roster was warring with Ray Benzino in the early aughts.

"I worked with Em numerous times, but every time, it just feels like the first time," Banks said. "Because he doesn't sound the same. Every time he steps it up a notch higher."

Are you looking forward to Em and Banks' collabo? Let us know in the comments!

Related Videos

• 'RapFix Live' With Lloyd Banks

Related Artists

• Lloyd Banks
• Eminem

Source: "Eminem In The News" via Glen in Google Reader