| The New Yankee Stadium Tickets |
| The new Yankee Stadium is a stadium currently under construction. The new Yankee Stadium will serve as the home baseball park for the New York Yankees. The new Yankee Stadium will replace and assume the name of the previous Yankee Stadium, built in 1923. The new Yankee Stadium will open on April 3, 2009 when the Yankees host an exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs. The projected total cost of 1.6 billion U.S. dollars makes The New Yankee Stadium the second most expensive stadium ever built after the new Wembley Stadium in London. |
| Event : | Date(s) : |
| New York Yankees | August 26, 2009 - November 5, 2009 |
| Wrigley Field Tickets |
| More Wrigley Field Information:  In 2006, Wrigley Field's capacity will be 41,118 making Wrigley Field the fourth-smallest ballpark being used in 2006. Wrigley Field became the home of the Cubs following the 1915 season when the Federal League was disbanded. Wrigley Field had an original seating capacity of 14,000 and cost $250,000 to build. Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. Wrigley Field is the second oldest active major league ballpark, and the only remaining Federal League park. Wrigley Field was also the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League from 1921-1970. Wrigley Field was built in 1914 for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales. Wrigley Field was originally named Weeghman Park for the Whales' club owner, Charles Weeghman, who obtained a 99-year lease on the property from the city. Wrigley field was then called Cubs Park from 1920 to 1925 before it was expanded and named after Wrigley in 1926; "Cubs Park" is still sometimes used as an alternate name. |
| Event : | Date(s) : |
| Chicago Cubs | August 26, 2009 - November 2, 2009 |
(CNN) -- Hurricane Bill is expected to remain in open waters this weekend, but experts warn it still poses dangers along the U.S. East Coast.
Hurricane Bill is expected to pass between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast over the weekend.
Although Bill weakened Friday afternoon to a Category 2 storm, CNN meteorologist Bonnie Schneider said it was "still a large and dangerous storm," especially the threat of rip currents along the coast.
Rip currents, or rip tides, are strong seaward flows of water that occur where there's a break in the shoreline. They are capable of pulling even strong swimmers out to sea, and they are difficult to detect.
The National Hurricane Center warned that Bill could regain some strength Saturday as it passes between Burmuda and the East Coast and warned of "extremely dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents" along much of the East Coast and the Canadian Maritime Provinces.
Mike Schapiro knows the danger of a rip current. He found himself in the powerful surge when he was 7 years old.
"I was being pulled along with a rip tide in Belmar, [New Jersey]," he said. "I panicked. But, fortunately, I was eventually able to stand. Another person in the water had to be rescued."
Watch CNN's Bonnie Schneider talk about rip currents »
As of 8 p.m. ET, Bill's center was about 200 miles southwest of Bermuda and about 600 miles east-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
Forecasters have said the storm will pass between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast Saturday. Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 85 miles from Bill's center, and tropical storm-force winds outward as much as 275 miles, the center said.
A coastal flood warning was issued late Friday for areas along the North Carolina coast, with ocean overwash expected to be significant along the Outer Banks north of Cape Hatteras.
The National Weather Service on Friday issued a high surf advisory for Virginia Beach, Virginia, and warned of a high risk of rip currents.
The Virginia Beach Emergency Medical Services Department ordered red flags be flown to warn beach-goers of rough waters. And the Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service closed the oceanfront for the weekend, according to CNN affiliate WAVY-TV 10.
Still, some people still were out enjoying the water, albeit with caution.
"I think [the flying of red flags] means we should be paying attention," Erma Wicks told CNN affiliate WAVY. There is an alert in the water. But there's no problem; I'm not going in that far."
Farther north, the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency began making preparations ahead of the rough surf that was expected to hit this weekend.
RIEMA said on its Web site that it planned to staff its lifeguards at "monitoring" level this weekend.
"We have to plan for the worst and hope for the best in this situation," RIEMA Director J. David Smith told CNN affiliate WPRI.
In New York, all beaches facing the Atlantic Ocean were closed "due to heavy, high waves and particularly heavy currents," New York City Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe said.
"The lifeguards have a lot of experience with these ocean beaches and they just felt it was really too difficult to keep swimmers out of danger," Benepe said.
"We're seeing very strong currents and increased wave height, waves of six to eight feet at Rockaway Beach. The normal out there is usually no more than two or three feet," he said.
In Montauk, New York, the easternmost point of Long Island, at least one merchant was erring on the side of caution after hearing forecasts for choppy seas.
"I can't cry wolf," said Henry Uihlein, who owns Uihlein's Marina and Boat Rentals in Montauk.
"I start crying wolf about this, it looks like I'm alarming people to haul their boats prematurely," Uihlein said. "But I am going to haul all my boats out of the water. That way I can handle if it does come close. People don't want to go through the expense and aggravation of hauling their boats out if the storm is going to miss us."
Uihlein said he witnessed the rough seas and had seen enough.
"I just got back in from off the water. I was about maybe three miles northeast of the Montauk Lighthouse," he said. "Once you get past the lighthouse, it's getting nasty."
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Michael Jackson's family on Friday delayed his burial by five days as a judge ruled that a touring show of his memorabilia could go on and police raided another pharmacy in their ongoing probe of his sudden death.
The "Thriller" singer's burial will now take place on September 3 and not August 29, which would have been Jackson's 51st birthday, because some family members did not want the pop star to be buried on that day, said Londell McMillan, attorney for the singer's mother, Katherine Jackson.
McMillan said there was a miscommunication within the family about the burial date. "I think there were two dates floated originally," McMillan told Reuters, saying some family members wanted him buried on the birthday and others objected.
The service for friends and family will still be held at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park, in a suburb of Los Angeles at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT).
Jackson suffered cardiac arrest and died on June 25. A police investigation into his death appears focused on his use of prescription drugs and on the doctors who treated him.
On Friday, federal drug enforcement agents raided a pharmacy in Beverly Hills that Jackson had used.
Police have previously raided the home and offices of Jackson's personal doctor, Conrad Murray, who was hired to care for Jackson ahead of a series of London concerts planned for July and has become a key subject of their investigation.
They have searched the offices of Jackson's dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein, in recent months, too.
Also on Friday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff approved a deal between executors of Jackson's 2002 will and concert promoter AEG Live for a traveling exhibition of Jackson memorabilia over the family's objections.
Tensions over the estate's administration have risen in recent days, in part, because Katherine Jackson's attorneys have said they could file a wrongful death lawsuit against Murray and name AEG, which paid the doctor, as a co-defendant.
McMillan said Katherine Jackson and others in the singer's family objected to the touring exhibition because they believe it is irresponsible to rush into too many business deals, and doing so could undermine a potential wrongful death suit.
"Mrs. Jackson will not approve something that could possibly be used against her if she chooses to file a future lawsuit," McMillan said.
Asked outside of court about the investigation into Michael Jackson's death, AEG attorney Kathy Jorrie said it's "important" for authorities to conduct that probe.
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis)
Copyright 2009 Reuters News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
LOS ANGELES — Fans wearing 3D glasses clapped as soon as James Cameron's face appeared on screen. The filmmaker, shown in 3D, invited moviegoers to enjoy a 16-minute peek of his anticipated sci-fi epic "Avatar," which was screened for free around the world Friday.
The footage takes viewers to the planet Pandora, where an ex-Marine (Sam Worthington) is among a group of humans who have their brains linked to cloned versions of a native species in order to safely explore the spectacular environment. Sigourney Weaver plays a botanist overseeing the exploration. She, too, embodies an avatar based on the tall, lithe, tailed, blue humanoid species that populates the planet.
Together they meet an enormous hammerhead dinosaur with a plume of multicolored spikes on its face and the snarling tiger-like creature that scares it away.
Another scene shows Worthington's character befriending a native woman (Zoe Saldana). They discover a psychedelic forest of luminescent flowers and battle an army of flying dragons. Relying on 3D and performance-capture technology Cameron has helped pioneer, "Avatar" is an immersive blend of animation and live-action movie magic.
Fans at an IMAX screening in Los Angeles were overwhelmed by the 3D footage.
"It was almost a sensory overload," said Ryan Moore, 23, a student at Ohio State University. "You have to be in the moment wearing the (3D) glasses to really appreciate it."
Dwayne Smith of Venice was taken with the digital effects.
"It looked very real, especially the aliens. It looked amazingly real," said the 45-year-old. "It was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen, actually."
The free preview convinced one fan to buy a ticket on the spot.
"I think it's going to be one of the greatest movies this decade," said 21-year-old film student Derek Nunn.
The screenings, shown on some 440 screens in 58 countries, kept social networking sites abuzz with fan feedback.
One who was disappointed with the trailer said seeing the extended footage in 3D changed his mind about the movie.
"It is essential that you watch it in IMAX 3D, or 3D," Manoj Patel of Manchester, England, wrote on the film's Facebook page. "I just got back from watching the 15-minute footage, and I've got to say, my mouth was wide open all the way through."
Response to the film's 2D trailer, which debuted online Thursday, was mixed. Analyzing the two-minute teaser, several movie blogs — including Movieline.com and Spout blog — noted the film's similar appearance to the 2008 animated flop "Delgo" and other science fiction movies.
But fans who saw the footage in 3D gave it overwhelmingly positive reviews.
"The trailer does not represent the movie properly," Smith said. "The trailer short-sells it."
Cameron said Friday he heard the trailer was a hot topic on Facebook and Twitter, but that he lacks certain social networking skills to take part.
"I don't even know how to Twitter," he said in an interview. "I'm so unhip that it's tragic."
But the 55-year-old filmmaker, whose last flick was world box-office record-holder "Titanic" in 1997, knows how to make a splash on screen. He said his team came up with the "crazy stunt" of inviting people to the movie theater to watch 16 minutes of "Avatar" for free.
"And it's not even a continuous 16 minutes," Cameron said. "There are a number of scenes, about three or four minutes apiece. And the idea was to let people come in and really sample the quality of the goods."
"Avatar" is set for release Dec. 18.
Dates are a traditional food for Ramadan - which begins today in most of the Islamic world - since the Prophet Mohammed is said to have used them to break the month’s sunrise-to-sunset fast each evening.
In Washington, Obama continued his outreach to Muslims.
The praying, fasting, and other centuries-old rituals “remind us of the principles that we hold in common, and Islam’s role in advancing justice, progress, tolerance, and the dignity of all human beings,’’ he said.
Obama said he has received quite a bit of feedback from a June speech in Cairo saying he wants to improve American ties with Muslims around the world.
Internet marketing, also referred to as i-marketing, web marketing, online marketing, or eMarketing, is the marketing of products or services over the Internet.
The Internet has brought many unique benefits to marketing, one of which being lower costs and greater capabilities for the distribution of information and media to a global audience. The interactive nature of Internet marketing, both in terms of providing instant response and eliciting responses, is a unique quality of the medium. Internet marketing is sometimes considered to have a broader scope because it not only refers to digital media such as the Internet, e-mail, and wireless media; however, Internet marketing also includes management of digital customer data and electronic customer relationship management (ECRM) systems.
Internet marketing ties together creative and technical aspects of the Internet, including design, development, advertising, and sale.
Internet marketing also refers to the placement of media along different stages of the customer engagement cycle through search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), banner ads on specific websites, e-mail marketing, and Web 2.0 strategies. In 2008 The New York Times working with comScore published an initial estimate to quantify the user data collected by large Internet-based companies. Counting four types of interactions with company websites in addition to the hits from advertisements served from advertising networks, the authors found the potential for collecting data upward of 2,500 times on average per user per month.[1]
Internet marketing, also referred to as i-marketing, web marketing, online marketing, or eMarketing, is the marketing of products or services over the Internet.
The Internet has brought many unique benefits to marketing, one of which being lower costs and greater capabilities for the distribution of information and media to a global audience. The interactive nature of Internet marketing, both in terms of providing instant response and eliciting responses, is a unique quality of the medium. Internet marketing is sometimes considered to have a broader scope because it not only refers to digital media such as the Internet, e-mail, and wireless media; however, Internet marketing also includes management of digital customer data and electronic customer relationship management (ECRM) systems.
Internet marketing ties together creative and technical aspects of the Internet, including design, development, advertising, and sale.
Internet marketing also refers to the placement of media along different stages of the customer engagement cycle through search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), banner ads on specific websites, e-mail marketing, and Web 2.0 strategies. In 2008 The New York Times working with comScore published an initial estimate to quantify the user data collected by large Internet-based companies. Counting four types of interactions with company websites in addition to the hits from advertisements served from advertising networks, the authors found the potential for collecting data upward of 2,500 times on average per user per month.[1]
The targeted user is typically browsing the Internet alone, so the marketing messages can reach them personally. This approach is used in search marketing, where the advertisements are based on search engine keywords entered by the user.
And now with the advent of Web 2.0 tools, many users can interconnect as "peers."
Internet marketing and geo marketing places an emphasis on marketing that appeals to a specific behaviour or interest, rather than reaching out to a broadly-defined demographic. "On- and Off-line" marketers typically segment their markets according to age group, gender, geography, and other general factors. Marketers have the luxury of targeting by activity and geolocation. For example, a kayak company can post advertisements on kayaking and canoing websites with the full knowledge that the audience has a related interest.
Internet marketing differs from magazine advertisements, where the goal is to appeal to the projected demographic of the periodical. Because the advertiser has knowledge of the target audience—people who engage in certain activities (e.g., uploading pictures, contributing to blogs)— the company does not rely on the expectation that a certain group of people will be interested in its new product or service.
Geo targeting (in internet marketing) and geo marketing are the methods of determining the geolocation (the physical location) of a website visitor with geolocation software, and delivering different content to that visitor based on his or her location, such as country, region/state, city, metro code/zip code, organization, Internet Protocol (IP) address, ISP or other criteria.
A typical example for different content by choice in geo targeting is the FedEx website at FedEx.com where users have the choice to select their country location first and are then presented with different site or article content depending on their selection.
With automated different content in internet marketing and geomarketing the delivery of different content based on the geographical geolocation and other personal information is automated.
Internet marketing is relatively inexpensive when compared to the ratio of cost against the reach of the target audience. Companies can reach a wide audience for a small fraction of traditional advertising budgets. The nature of the medium allows consumers to research and purchase products and services at their own convenience. Therefore, businesses have the advantage of appealing to consumers in a medium that can bring results quickly. The strategy and overall effectiveness of marketing campaigns depend on business goals and cost-volume-profit (CVP) analysis.
Internet marketers also have the advantage of measuring statistics easily and inexpensively. Nearly all aspects of an Internet marketing campaign can be traced, measured, and tested. The advertisers can use a variety of methods: pay per impression, pay per click, pay per play, or pay per action. Therefore, marketers can determine which messages or offerings are more appealing to the audience. The results of campaigns can be measured and tracked immediately because online marketing initiatives usually require users to click on an advertisement, visit a website, and perform a targeted action. Such measurement cannot be achieved through billboard advertising, where an individual will at best be interested, then decide to obtain more information at a later time.
Internet marketing as of 2007 is growing faster than other types of media.[citation needed] Because exposure, response, and overall efficiency of Internet media are easier to track than traditional off-line media—through the use of web analytics for instance—Internet marketing can offer a greater sense of accountability for advertisers. Marketers and their clients are becoming aware of the need to measure the collaborative effects of marketing (i.e., how the Internet affects in-store sales) rather than siloing each advertising medium. The effects of multichannel marketing can be difficult to determine, but are an important part of ascertaining the value of media campaigns.
Internet marketing requires customers to use newer technologies rather than traditional media. Low-speed Internet connections are another barrier: If companies build large or overly-complicated websites, individuals connected to the Internet via dial-up connections or mobile devices experience significant delays in content delivery.
From the buyer's perspective, the inability of shoppers to touch, smell, taste or "try on" tangible goods before making an online purchase can be limiting. However, there is an industry standard for e-commerce vendors to reassure customers by having liberal return policies as well as providing in-store pick-up services.
A survey of 410 marketing executives listed the following barriers to entry for large companies looking to market online: insufficient ability to measure impact, lack of internal capability, and difficulty convincing senior management.[2]
Information security is important both to companies and consumers that participate in online business. Many consumers are hesitant to purchase items over the Internet because they do not trust that their personal information will remain private. Encryption is the primary method for implementing privacy policies.
Recently some companies that do business online have been caught giving away or selling information about their customers. Several of these companies provide guarantees on their websites, claiming that customer information will remain private. Some companies that purchase customer information offer the option for individuals to have their information removed from the database, also known as opting out. However, many customers are unaware if and when their information is being shared, and are unable to stop the transfer of their information between companies if such activity occurs.
Another major security concern that consumers have with e-commerce merchants is whether or not they will receive exactly what they purchase. Online merchants have attempted to address this concern by investing in and building strong consumer brands (e.g., Amazon.com, eBay, Overstock.com), and by leveraging merchant/feedback rating systems and e-commerce bonding solutions. All of these solutions attempt to assure consumers that their transactions will be free of problems because the merchants can be trusted to provide reliable products and services. Additionally, the major online payment mechanisms (credit cards, PayPal, Google Checkout, etc.) have also provided back-end buyer protection systems to address problems if they actually do occur.
Online advertising techniques have been dramatically affected by technological advancements in the telecommunications industry. In fact, many firms are embracing a new paradigm that is shifting the focus of online advertising from simple text ads to rich multimedia experiences. As a result, advertisers can more effectively engage in and manage online branding campaigns, which seek to shape consumer attitudes and feelings towards specific products. And just what is the critical technological development that is fueling this paradigm shift? The answer: Broadband.
In March 2005, roughly half of all American homes were equipped with broadband technology. By May 2008, broadband technologies had spread to more than 90% of all residential Internet connections in the United States. When one considers a Nielsen’s study conducted in June 2008, which estimated the number of U.S. Internet users as 220,141,969, one can calculate that there are presently about 199 million people in the United States utilizing broadband technologies to surf the Web.
As a result, all 199 million members of this burgeoning market have the ability to view TV-like advertisements with the click of a mouse. And to be sure, online advertisers are working feverishly to design rich multimedia content that will engender a “warm-fuzzy” feeling when viewed by their target audience. As connection speeds continue to increase, so will the frequency of online branding campaigns.
Internet marketing has had a large impact on several previously retail-oriented industries including music, film, pharmaceuticals, banking, flea markets, as well as the advertising industry itself. Internet marketing is now overtaking radio marketing in terms of market share.[3] In the music industry, many consumers have been purchasing and downloading music (e.g., MP3 files) over the Internet for several years in addition to purchasing compact discs. By 2008 Apple Inc.'s iTunes Store has become the largest music vendor in the United States.[4]
The number of banks offering the ability to perform banking tasks online has also increased. Online banking is believed to appeal to customers because it is more convenient than visiting bank branches. Currently over 150 million U.S. adults now bank online, with increasing Internet connection speed being the primary reason for fast growth in the online banking industry.[citation needed] Of those individuals who use the Internet, 44 percent now perform banking activities over the Internet.[citation needed]
Internet auctions have gained popularity. Unique items that could only previously be found at flea markets are being sold on eBay. Specialized e-stores sell items ranging from antiques to movie props.[5][6] As the premier online reselling platform, eBay is often used as a price-basis for specialized items. Buyers and sellers often look at prices on the website before going to flea markets; the price shown on eBay often becomes the item's selling price. It is increasingly common for flea market vendors to place a targeted advertisement on the Internet for each item they are selling online, all while running their business out of their homes.
The effect on the advertising industry itself has been profound. In just a few years, online advertising has grown to be worth tens of billions of dollars annually.[7][8][9] PricewaterhouseCoopers reported that US$16.9 billion was spent on Internet marketing in the U.S. in 2006.[10]
Internet marketing has had a growing impact on the electoral process. In 2008 candidates for President heavily utilized Internet marketing strategies to reach constituents. During the 2007 primaries candidates added, on average, over 500 social network supporters per day to help spread their message.[11] President Barack Obama raised over US$1 million in a single day during his extensive Democratic candidacy campaign, largely due to online donors.[12]
 Above: Dr Anthony Gaspari believes that he has diagnosed Dede's rare condition. Below: Dede with his teenage daughter. He fears that his children may also become infected |
| An Indonesian fisherman who is "half man half tree" has been offered new hope of recovery by an American doctor - and Vitamin A. 32-year-old Dede, who lives in a remote village in Indonesia with his two children, feared that he would be killed by the tree-like growths that cover his body. Known locally as 'Tree Man' his condition has baffled local doctors for 20 years. He has root like structures growing out of his body - branches that can grow up to 5cm a year and which protrude from his hands and feet, and welts covering his whole body. In an attempt to earn a living to support his family, he is part of a circus troupe, displaying his Tree Man limbs along with others afflicted with skin deformities in 'freak' shows. The former fisherman was the subject of a documentary "Half Man Half Tree", part of the "My Shocking Story" series on Discovery Channel TV. Dede's story began when wart-like "roots" started growing out of his arms and feet after he cut his knee in a teenage accident. The medical world was completely baffled. The welts spread rapidly across his body and soon he was not able to carry out ordinary household tasks. Dede was sacked from his job and deserted by his wife. He has been raising two children, now in their late teens, in poverty. He is resigned to the fact that local doctors have no cure for his condition. To try to support his family he even joined a local "freak show", parading in front of a paying audience along with victims of other peculiar diseases. While he has the support of his extended family, he has frequently been a target of ridicule and abuse in rural fishing village where he lives. But now new hope has emerged for Dede after an American dermatology expert flew out to his home village south of the capital Jakarta. Dr. Anthony Gaspari of the University of Maryland claims to have identified Dede's condition, and has proposed a treatment that could completely change his life. Following the testing of samples of the lesions and Dede's blood, Dr. Gaspari says his condition is caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). This is a fairly common infection that usually causes small warts to develop on sufferers. Dede's problem is that he has a rare genetic fault that impedes his immune system. This means his body is unable to contain the warts. According to Dr. Gaspari, the virus was able to "hijack the cellular machinery of his skin cells", instructing them to produce huge amounts of the substance that caused the tree-like growths known as "cutaneous horns" on both his hands and feet. The doctor became involved in the case through the Discovery Channel documentary, and he is convinced that Dede's condition can be largely cleared up by a daily doses of a synthetic form of Vitamin A, which has been demonstrated to stop the growth of warts in severe cases of HPV. Dr. Gaspari said that Dede's warts should reduce in size to the point where he can use his hands. He said he had never seen anything like this in his entire career. - December 24, 2007.   |
