Times of the Internet

Android Phone Sales Dominated By Samsung

U.S. Android phone sales are being dominated by Samsung Electronics, behind the success of the company's Galaxy S smartphone. On Friday, Samsung stated that the company had sold 3 million units of the Galaxy S, and had become the number one manufacturer of Android-enabled smartphones in the United States.

Samsung said sales of the Galaxy S really took off after the company made it available on all major carriers. Samsung now sells seven model variants of the smartphone, including the extremely popular Captivate, Vibrant, and the Fascinate.

Samsung said that in 'the very near future' they would upgrade all of their Android phones to Android 2.2, the newest version of the popular operating system that was created by Google, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG).

Samsung is already using Android 2.2. The company uses that operating system on its flagship tablet, the Galaxy Tab. Samsung claims it has already sold one million of those devices, which would make the Tab an early runner in the bid to dominate the tablet computing industry. Several analysts have predicted that over 70 million tablets will be sold in 2011.

Christmas Decoration Basics

With Christmas only a couple of weeks away, it's crunch time for putting up home decorations to celebrate the spirit of the season. Whether you enjoy colorful Christmas displays or more simple decor, there is a Christmas decoration style for everyone.

To help you get started on decorating for the holidays, here are our suggestions for the most loved Christmas decorations.

Wreaths - Wreaths are a great way to welcome friends and family when they arrive at your door. They also add a nice touch if hung above your fireplace mantle. If you enjoy the scent of fresh pine trees, select a natural wreath to adorn your home. If you prefer the convenience of a wreath that you can use for years, select an artificial wreath. This classic Christmas decoration never goes out of style.

Garlands - Garlands aren't just for use on your Christmas tree, they are perfect to use on staircases, outdoors or strung on top of the fireplace. These are available in metallics or in natural materials like pine. Popular colors of garland include gold, silver and red, although they're available in several other colors.

Christmas Stockings - Christmas stockings are a standard Christmas decoration. In many families, these stockings remain empty until Christmas day when they're stuffed with gifts and goodies. Christmas stockings are typically hung above the fireplace, but can be put anywhere that you want to create a Christmas-y look and feel.

Mistletoe - Want to add more love to your home? Than hanging mistletoe in your doorways is a must. Holiday tradion requires anyone that stands underneath the mistletoe must kiss the person standing beside them. Hang mistletoe from your front door, your kitchen entry or wherever people commonly gather in your home.

Christmas Tree - The most important Christmas decoration you'll need is a Christmas tree. Like wreaths, people can choose from artificial Christmas trees or real trees. Popular real Christmas trees include the Douglas Fir, the Fraser Fir, Blue Spruces, and Balsam Fir trees because of their fragrant pine scents. Once you've selected the perfect Christmas tree
for your home, decorate it with strings of Christmas lights, ornamental bulbs, ribbons, garland, or craft ornaments. This is especially fun for children that get excited about the holiday. Once you've decorated the tree just the way you like it, be sure to add a star at the top. Once you've finished this last task you can sit back, relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

We hope these Christmas decoration basics will help you get started on adorning your home for the holidays.

Nutmeg Found To Produce Hallucinations

Thrill seekers have always been known to seek out legal drugs that they can take that provide the type of high they can get from illegal drugs.

The latest material being used to produce a legal high is Nutmeg. Nutmeg is a popular herb that's used to season foods of all sorts and is used worldwide. If consumed in large quantities the chemicals found in nutmeg can produce a legal high for users.

Officials have known for years that nutmeg can cause hallucinations, giving users visions of grandeur. The nutmeg high comes from an organic compound named myristicin. The same chemical is found in a number of other spices including dill. The components of these otherwise safe products – if used as intended - causes nerve impulses that leads to psychoactive effects when eaten in large doses.

Some of the side effects of using nutmeg to get high can be quite unpleasant for the user. After consumption, people's mouth go completely dry and lose their sense of coordination. Users might also may have trouble standing, get a sore throat or he chills due to an increase in body temperature.

The hangover that comes from using nutmeg to get high might be the worst part. Symptoms can last for days and cause difficulty urinating. Nutmeg is one of a number of common drug foods that are often abused by typically younger users.

Like Salvia Divinorum and other legal highs, the benefits of using them are marginal and can cause serious illness in some users.

Clinton Portis Hopes To Play Again this Season

Clinton Portis said that he hopes that he will get a chance to continue playing for the Washington Redskins after his last two years have been plagued by injuries. The once very reliable running back only has a total of 227 yards so far this season, and has only played in five games. He started his career with the Denver Broncos and was part of a Mike Shanahan system there that constantly produced standout running backs. However, after being reunited with Shanahan he's been less fruitful so far this season, and it looks as though the Redskins might be ready to move on from the aging running back.

Last year Portis was only able to play in eight games after he suffered a severe concussion. Portis previously had said that he was ready to move on from football because he had lost his “lust for the game,” but claims that he has found his excitement for the game once again after reuniting with his former coach.

The question is not whether or not he can still play, its whether or not he can stay healthy. With a number of younger players coming in and performing well game in and game out, the Redskins will not want to pay him the veteran salary that he is looking for to continue to play in the NFL and will likely move on from him this off-season unless he is willing to take a serious pay cut to play with the team.

Prior to these last two years, Portis has been a sure fired 1,000 yard per season back who carries the team on his back when the passing game is not performing. We have not seen the same Portis this year and his career seems to be taking a turn in the same direction that LaDanian Tomlinson’s career did. The real question is whether or not he'll be able to pull it off.

Cliff Lee In High Demand Before First Meeting

The Texas Rangers took a trip to Arkansas they could meet with the pitcher that helped the team to get to the World Series last year. The Rangers have had a hard time keeping the big stars that they bring in but have seemingly gone in a different direction than they usually would. They are known for bringing in high profile batters and have struggled with pitching throughout the last decade. Now that they have Cliff Lee interested in returning, they want to keep him and are willing to go out of their way to at least provide some competition in the dealings against the New York Yankees, who are currently gridlocked in discussions with veteran Derek Jeter that could potentially hamper their ability to offer Cliff Lee a contract.

The winter meetings will be taking place next Monday in Orlando, and Lee will definitely be the topic of most of the discussions. His agent said today that the star is comfortable with his position on the team at this time and isn't in a hurry to make a commitment to make any team.

The Yankees are expected to offer him one of the most lucrative contracts in the history of the league. Lee will likely be looking for a long term deal that makes him the highest paid pitcher in the league, or at least a salary that matches the contract that was given to the Yankees CC Sabathia.

The Rangers have had financial troubles in recent years and they know that the pitcher that took them to the World Series for the first time in franchise history is something that will draw fans to the ball park. Their meeting in Arkansas proves that they are going to pursue Lee as hard as they can until he has either signed with them or is completely off the market.

House Extends Tax Cuts for Middle Class

Democrats were able to quickly move a bill through the House of Representatives on Thursday that extends the tax cuts that were originally put in place by the Bush administration. These tax cuts extend to families that make $250,000 per year or less. The new deal will extend the cuts for at least two years. Meanwhile, Democrats have tried to get around extending the tax cuts for those that make $250,000 or more, but in order to get this bill through both sides had to make some sacrifices.

The bill passed on a 234-188 vote today, and now the Obama administration can breathe a sigh of relief. They have collectively devoted a lot of time to ensuring that this bill extends the tax cuts and now can begin to focus on other issue that require their attention. The bill still needs to be approved by Congress.

GOP leaders would like to see the tax cuts also extended for those that make over $250,000 which is something that democrats have fought against since the start of the negotiations. Obama insists that the $700 billion price tag would make the move it an irresponsible one, but Republicans insist that it is necessary to extend tax cuts for all Americans, especially those that create the jobs throughout this difficult time.

The economy remains sluggish, and tax cuts seem to be a key talking point for both the Democrats and the Republicans. It stands to reason that if people aren't worried about their taxes being hiked, perhaps their faith will be restored and the economy can finally start to see some real recovery in the coming months.

A number of negotiators have been brought in to take a look at the issue and help both sides to find common grounds on the issues. Obama won't be able to pass what he wants without having at least a few Republicans on his side, so he'll have to discuss the changes with them.

General sentiment is that the negotiations on extending George Bush era tax cuts could go on for weeks before the two sides come to an agreement.

NASA Press Conference On Bacteria GFAJ-1 Provides New Look At Possible Alien Life

NASA held a press conference today regarding a bacteria named GFAJ-1 that was found in Mono Lake in California. They were not aware when they began studying the bacteria that it could one day lead to a revelation about life and how it forms in the universe. The DNA of the bacteria and the environment that they thrive in is unlike any environment for any living animal that's known to man.

The announcement said that the bug was able to survive in arsenic even when there is very little presence of phosphorous, which was expected to be required for an organism like this one to grow. The findings did not support that there is extra terrestrial life, but it almost guarantees that somewhere out there life does exist. The fact that we now know that species can survive in these conditions means that life could exist on planets that we previously deemed as uninhabitable.

The bugs actually consume the arsenic, which was considered to be an unliveable chemical before the findings were made public. Now the focus has shifted to the moons of Saturn and Jupiter, which contain arsenic, and based on the findings today could support some alien life.

It is being hailed as a huge scientific breakthrough throughout the scientific community. This has been speculated about for quite some time but we were never able to find proof that beings could exist in conditions as hostile as the ones that were present in Mono Lake. Now that the possibility of alien live has expanded infinitely, our search will continue in completely new directions than it previously has.

Tips For Dealing With Holiday Stress

The holidays are a great time of the year to celebrate the season with family and friends, but all the hustle and bustle that goes along with it can bring unwanted stress after you've decorated your home, spent hours shopping for gifts and adjusted your event calendar to accommodate another holiday function.

In addition to the regular stresses of your career, managing your home, personal relationships, financial pressures and other stress factors, the Holidays can also spur depression in some people, so it's a good idea to identify stress right away and deal with it in a healthy manner.

Here are some tips for dealing with stress during the holidays.

Make time for yourself - Making time for yourself to relax and slow down is very important. The days between Thanksgiving and New Years' can be hyperactive with parties, get togethers, school functions, shopping, baking, cooking and so on. Be sure to make time to enjoy some 'down time' doing an activity that you enjoy, whether it be reading a book by your favorite author or taking a luxurious bubble bath. Slowing down to enjoy the smell of the roses is always a great way to fight stress.

Prioritize your calendar - If you are the type of person that doesn't have a minute to sit down in December, prioritize your calendar
so you can do what you need to do more efficiently. Cut hours at the mall by shopping for gifts online and enjoy the convenience of shopping from your home. If you're invited to multiple engagements, decide which ones are most to you and revolve the rest of your holiday calendar off these dates.

Don't try to be perfect - It's natural to want everything to be perfect during the holidays, but sometimes this just isn't realistic.
This was proven by Mrs. Parker in A Christmas Story after her delicious turkey was ate by a pack of her neighbor's dogs. Instead of being upset, the family enjoyed dinner at a local Chinese restaurant. Remember that it's still just a day in your life and spending time with your loved ones is more important than any toy or gift you could give them. Avoid undue pressure.

Have a budget and stick to it - Before you embark on a holiday spending spree, have a budget laid out and stick to it. Avoid using credit cards unless you're able to pay the balance off in full next month, otherwise all the "deals" that you found will come with high interest charges and could take several months, maybe even years to pay off with minimum payments alone.

Most importantly, enjoy yourself and find the joy in the season, as the holidays remind us to be thankful for all of our blessings, of which there are many.

Eco Fashion Gaining Popularity

As awareness of the environment grows each day among diverse people, it's unsurprising to learn that fashion lovers are getting in on the act, demanding more eco friendly fashion options, Many traditional fashion products pose a hazard to the environment, which is causing people to look for safer alternatives.

Sustainable fashion, which is another name for eco fashion, is a large part of the design philosophy and trend of sustainability, which has gained popularity in recent years. Simply put, proponents of eco fashion aren't just concerned with how you look, but are also concerned with impact the fashion products you use have on the environment.
Eco fashion is centered on using environmentally friendly materials during the production process. This will help reduce toxic wastes that result from the manufacturing process and at the same improve working conditions for employees of the plant. Right now the hottest trends in the eco fashion, or sustainable fashion niches are related to the use of organic fibers.

Organic fabrics are simple to understand. They are produced from pure and natural fibers, which are either animal fiber or plant fiber. When organic clothing is made, only natural dyes are used.

Currently, the most widespread material for creating clothing is organic cotton. Other alternatives see the use of organic fabrics that are made from bamboo, corn, and hemp.

You have a better chance than ever to find organic clothing, natural materials, or eco fashion. Designers as diverse as McGregor and Green, Linda Loudermilk, Si:Su. Salts Organic, Sans Soucie, Stuart & Brown, Beau Soleil, Thieves, Prairie Underground, Deborah Lindquist, Elroy, Lelia Hafzi, Nadia Nour, and Nacy Dee have all done at least some designs for the niche.

Eco fashion is taking off and ever environmentally minded person should consider these new options for fashionable clothes.

Most Searched Yahoo Terms Of 2010

SAN FRANCISCO, CA., Dec. 1 (TOTI) --

We have known for quite some time that a different type of user uses the Yahoo search engine over alternatives like Bing and Google. Usually, a lot of their browsing will be done through the Yahoo homepage which is seemingly geared toward offering news and content, while Google focuses mostly on providing the user with the web sites that best relate to their search term.

Today yahoo released the list of their most searched terms over the course of the last year. The fact that a different type of user is clearly conveyed throughout the search terms because they are so different form the terms that google has at the top of their list. The number one most searched term was in relation to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill that hindered the sea throughout a good portion of the year.

A number of other search terms also related to the big news that dominated the headlines throughout the year. Celebrities including Miley Cyrus, Lady gaga and Justin Bieber were among the most searched celebrities. the World cup was also one of hthe most searched items throughout the year, with Kim Kardashian coming in fourth place.

The Apple iPhone also received a lot of searches, coming in sixth place on the list, closely followed by Megan Fox and American Idol. It seems as though Yahoo users search mostly for celebrities and other huge news items that can be easily found by the search engine that recently announced their excitement to be paired with Bing in a new search relationship in an effort to beef up their search results.

Verizon To Launch 4G Network On Sunday

CHICAGO, IL., Dec. 1 (TOTI) --

Verizon will be launching their 4G network on Sunday. Their network is large enough to cover one third of the US population and this upgrade will keep many of their loyal customers happy. Verizon is already known for having one of the best mobile networks across the United States, while other providers like AT&T have had a hard time keeping up with the company.

Customers will be able to purchase a number of accessories that help them to make use of the brand new network including a USB-plug that will plug into a laptop and allow it to access the network. This will cost a total of $100 after a $50 mail in rebate along with ta two year contract commitment to the company.

The plan will consist of a $50 plan that gives users the use of 5 gigabytes of data per month. There is also an $80 plan that will allow users to use 10 gigabytes of data transfer per month. Each extra gigabyte that each individual uses will cost them $10 on their bill, which is in line with what other companies have done3 in recent years.

Verizon is hoping to aggressively lock up the 4G market int eh coming months. While they are not the first provider to offer 4G, they certainly have the largest network in place and the potential for the company is unlimited. This is something that many of their customers have been calling for for a long time and should catapult to new heights.

With rumors that the iPhone could potentiailly come to Verizon, does this mean that soon enough we could see a 4G iPhone? It would be interesting to say the least. Soon the AT&T exclusive contract will run dry, and the iPhone will be able to be offered on a variety of different carriers.

Comcast Attacks Netflix Through Additional User Fees

Netflix is protesting what it calls recent “attacks” from Comcast that could potentially cripple the company’s ability to do business in the way that it has for the last several years. They have stated that a new fee that Comcast is preparing to charge their customers will put video distributors at a competitive disadvantage against the cable providers that they directly compete with. It is easy to see why Comcast would like to limit the number of its subscribers that access Netflix, since the two offer much of the same programming.

With President Obama pledging to uphold net neutrality and keep a level playing field for all Internet companies, it is issues like this that will determine how the entire ordeal plays out. The fee that would reportedly be charged by Comcast would serve as a tollbooth of sorts between their subscribers and their ability to watch third-party streaming video content. A number of their users have also protested the enactment of the fee.

The accusations by Netflix go much farther than just the fee, they are accusing them of taking the next step toward creating a “closed” Internet, one in which two services can be disconnected from each other because they compete. The fear is that companies like Comcast, who have their hands in both television and Internet cable, would block their Internet users from accessing sites that would pose a threat to their television side of the business.

Comcast has yet to respond to these allegations, and will likely have some sort of statement out there on the issue today. This is one of many face-offs that we can expect to see in the coming months regarding neutrality on the web and the consolidation of an “open” Internet.

Barbara Walters Top Ten List Adds Snooki And The Situation

NEW YORK, NY., Nov. 29 (TOTI) --

Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino and Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi have made this year's “Top 10 Fascinating People” list from Barbara Walters. Each year for the last eighteen, Walters has interviewed key people she has identified because they fascinate the American public.

Jersey Shore is new to the list, which also contains Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bieber, and of course Sarah Palin, who is rumored to be considering a run for president in 2012. All of the people selected already have huge followings, so don't expect the unexpected on this year's list.

The highlight of this year's special, which airs on December 9, is Walter's interview with the cast of Jersey Shore. She tries to get the gang to explain what “GTL” means to her, but seems befuddled somewhat by the explanation. She does manage to extract a few key pieces of info from the group, like learning that Jennifer “J-Wowww” Farley and Snookie are planning on getting a house together once Nicole pays off her mother's mortgage. Where do the two erstwhile reality stars plan on living?

If you said New Jersey, you were wrong. These two plan on living on Long Island. Tune in to the special to learn more about the most fascinating people around.

Not everyone thinks this list is "fascinating" at all.

Kate Middleton And Prince William – Positioning Lead To Their Romance

NEW YORK, NY., Nov. 28 (TOTI) --

Star has an interesting feature in in its December 6 issue about Kate Middleton, soon to be Princess, and how she first became romantically involved with Prince William. According to the tabloid, Kate's mother Carole, who was known as “Mrs. Meddleton” by some of her peers due to her social-climbing ways, made sure to do everything in her powers to help her daughter land herself a royal beau.

Carole allegedly helped place Kate Middleton at the University of St. Andrews, where Prince William was attending. Of course positioning is often the key to success in the world, and the proximity between Kate and the future prince made their romance bloom after William quickly noticed the glamorous Middleton and singled her out.

“There was kind of a spark there. Lots of girls threw themselves at him,” said a former dorm-mate. “But she was the only girl he'd ever spoken about. He started making a point of inviting her along to everything we did. There was a bar called Marbell's that we all used to go to. Kate would always hang out there with other girls.”

It didn't take William long to start getting serious about Kate Middleton, who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Now the couple is planning an April wedding and is discussing how to spend their holidays together.

It looks like positioning has once again proved itself a winner.

Jessica Simpson Prepares For Christmas And Her Wedding

Jessica Simpson might be newly engaged, but there's no question that she's wasting no time getting ready for the holidays and her upcoming wedding to Eric Johnson.

A source told In Touch magazine, "She's clearing her schedule for her big day. She's in wedding overdrive."

Jessica is said to be considering New Year's Eve or Valentine's Day for their nuptials, and she hopes to lose some weight before walking down the aisle.

The unnamed insider said, "She wants to be a size zero when she marries Eric." To reach her fitness goal, Jessica has been hitting the gym twice a day and working with her personal trainer.

In addition making her wedding plans, Jessica Simpson recently released Happy Christmas, her first studio album since 2008's Do You Know. Happy Christmas is available in stores and online now.

Wikileaks Website Down After Publishing US Secrets

SAN FRANCISCO, CA., Nov. 28 (TOTI) --

Wikileaks is currently not accessible, and is under a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack. The website today, most famous for its prior release of sensitive U.S. Military documents has once again released a huge cache of materials that are said to be of great important to US interests.

Several experts have already debated whether the leak could be damaging to the military. Most think many of the documents are redundant, and not likely to cause too many waves, besides potential important due their personal nature. Many of the documents show frank discussions of world leaders, which could be embarrassing considering the parties being discussed.

Hosting a website is fraught with peril, including but not limited to such unsophisticated but effective attacks like the DDOS the site suffered today. If outrage were to grow even greater, Wikileaks could be the source of more attacks going forward.

Word is coming in now that the Wikileaks documents may not be that exciting after all.

Jennifer Grey DWTS Diet Secrets Revealed

There's more to Dancing With The Stars than just putting on electrifying dance moves. The ABC dance show has also helped numerous contestants inadvertently get back in to shape after hours and hours of dance practice.

Jennifer Grey, the DWTS Season 11 winner, shaved 10 pounds off her frame while filming the show. Jennifer's mother, Jo Wilder, thinks that DWTS had everything to do with her svelte new body.

Wilder told OK! magazine, "She's eating a lots of protein and vegetables. She couldn't eat junk food and do what she's doing."

Until recently, Jennifer Grey, 50, was best known for starring in the 80's films Dirty Dancing and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. She's had a smattering of other smaller roles before she took 'front and center' and the first place award on Dancing With The Stars.

Other former DWTS contestants that have slimmed down while participating in the show include Kelly Osbourne, Marie Osmond and Joey Fatone.

Taylor Swift And Jake Gyllenhaal Enjoy Romantic Nashville

NASHVILLE, TN., Nov. 28 (TOTI) --

Taylor Swift and Jake Gyllenhaal sightings are becoming commonplace. The latest glimpse of the two stars and their budding romance was afforded to people in Nashville, who saw Gyllenhaal escort Swift around his native hometown.

"They were smiling and laughing. They were talking a lot and enjoying each other's company," fellow diner Elaina Mishu tells PEOPLE. "They didn't look like [just] friends."

The 29-year-old Gyllenhaal and the 20-year-old Swift have remained relatively quiet about their status, but taking a girlfriend home for the holidays certainly appears like a move in a more serious direction.

The two have remained quiet about their relationship to this point, not confirming that they are in fact a couple. Swift, who often writes songs about her love interests, says she never confirms exactly who she's talking about in her songs.

"The one thing that allows me to sleep at night is knowing that I've never confirmed who I write my songs about," the star said five days ago.

Teen Mom Amber's Violence Won't Go Without Punishment

Teen Mom Amber Portwood had no issues with starring in the MTV reality show that showcases teen motherhood, but after camera crews documented her committing violence against Gary Shirley, the father of their 2 year old daughter Leah, she's found herself on the wrong side of the law.

On November 18, 2010 Portwood was charged with three counts of domestic violence and could face up to three years in prison for her antics. Sources say that Amber is very upset about the possible consequences that she faces.

A source close to the family told OK!, "She was crying her eyes out. She's afraid she's going to jail."

The source continued, "She'd be stupid not to be afraid."

In addition to facing jail time, the state of Indiana removed Leah from her custody and placed her with her father, Gary Shirley. She was temporarily a warden of the state of Indiana before granting her to her father.

Amber Portwood is now only entitled to monitored visitation with her daughter and wasn't allowed to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with her due to the ongoing problems that surround her these days.

Lil’ Kim Attacks Nicki Minaj On Song

Lil’ Kim has made her feelings about Nicki Minaj very clear. As the Young Money Princess has continued to climb in popularity over the course of the last year, Kim has continually accused her of stealing her style and trying to claim that it was her own. These claims were set back after Minaj admitted that Kim was one of her influences and that she had knowingly and willingly copied her style in some regard to create her own original image.

Minaj did not address the issue despite the fact that Kim continually made light of hte situation and attacked her in public. Finally, Minaj was forced to deal with the issue on her song form her upcoming album “Roman’s Revenge,” a song that features heavyweight Eminem. The lyrics were straight forward and she gave her thoughts on the Kim situation several different times in the song.

Kim then responded with her own song named “Black Friday,” during which she attacks Nicki Minaj, whose album was named “Pink Friday.” It will be interesting to see if Minaj continues to respond. Throughout the process she has managed to look as if she was in control of the situation by claiming that she had no problem with Kim and was just upset by the way that Kim had handled the situation instead of directly talking to her.

In rap, it is commonplace to attack others for a variety of different reasons in order to prove your worth to the music industry. Artists will often make “diss” songs about other artists in an attempt to gain popularity or simply share their thoughts on a number of different subjects.