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Say what you like about Kim Dotcom, but the man is certainly tenacious. After being well and truly dismantled by the combined efforts of the FBI and a New Zealand anti-terrorist force, most people would still be at home, licking their wounds.

But for this larger-than-life German with a colorful past worthy of a Hollywood movie (he’d love one of those of course), backing down was never an option. Once released from prison he picked up where he left off, building a brand new lawyer-pleasing cloud hosting company and becoming an outspoken privacy advocate and Internet surveillance critic.

Rewind more than two years ago, before that frankly stunning January day in 2012, Dotcom was working on a project intended to shake up the music industry. His Megakey product was a tool designed to block ads as users browse the web, replacing them with ones from Dotcom’s own ad network. This would generate revenue to help pay for ‘free’ music, a controversial technique which led to Dotcom stating that it would only activate itself on sites in the Alexa 100 – a take from the rich and give to the poor mechanic.

It was envisioned that Megakey would dovetail with another service, Megabox, but that particular naming convention will no longer see the light of day. In 2013 Dotcom confirmed to TorrentFreak that his new music offering would be called Baboom.

Today, the eve of Dotcom’s 40th birthday and the one-year anniversary of the launch of Mega.co.nz, will also see the release of Dotcom’s brand new album, Good Times. Various tracks have already been heard around the web, from the rowdy ‘Party Amplifier’ to the Dotcom alter-ego-featuring Live My Life. With production genius Printz Board, erm, on board, the sound quality is as good as you’d expect.

Dotcom can do old-school CDs too (pic courtesy of Dotcom lawyer Ira Rothken)

Good Times is being promoted online by Dotcom himself and on radio, but it is also enjoying some traditional offline marketing, with Dotcom’s face currently plastered over the back of around 100 buses.

The really unique aspect of the album, however, is its integration into the launch today of Baboom. Billed as a ‘soft launch’ of the yet-to-debut full service, Dotcom’s album is the centerpiece and sole musical attraction.

Baboom’s only current offering, Kim Dotcom’s ‘Good Times’

At the moment the Baboom site is a fairly straightforward affair. As an early preview most features are disabled although fans can read all about Kim, look at his pictures and videos and, of course, listen to his music. All of the tracks from the album are available to download for free in three formats – MP3, FLAC and .WAV. There’s also some samples to download for use in a remix competition.

Additionally, those who wish to pay for the album can do so, but no money changes hands on the Baboom site. All sales are directed to iTunes, Amazon and Bandcamp. Dotcom’s Twitter feed is embedded into his artist page but there are currently no other signs of ‘social’ elements woven into the music experience. Music discovery processes will also have to wait.

Of course there are many unanswered questions over where the service goes from here. Most iTunes or Spotify-like streaming services have the backing of the major labels which together provide tens of millions of licensed tracks. At this stage, considering Dotcom’s somewhat stormy relationship with U.S.-based rightsholders, it seems unlikely that Baboom will be able to compete on volume. While a focused and personal artist-to-fan experience could be on the cards, Dotcom only does big….so watch this space.

The full Baboom service is currently penciled in for a late-2014 launch.

Source: TorrentFreak, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing and VPN services.

These Transformers costumes have the word “sexy” right there in the title, but we’re not sure we agree. They’re definitely…something.

Look for them to arrive soon in Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Megatron versions.

Product Page ($80)

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In signs that enthusiasm for juicing shows no signs of flagging, it now extends to those who like to indulge in the occasional cocktail. As the New York Times reported last month, hip bars are embracing the world of fresh fruit and vegetable juices — taking the same concoctions people use to re-energize after a workout or up their intake of leafy greens — and adding a shot of vodka, gin or tequila. Besides being pro-produce, health-minded booze buffs, it seems, are also drawn to the idea of mixers that preclude the usual sugary sodas and syrups.

Nutrition experts, not surprisingly, are quick to point out that “juicetails” and “kaletinis” aren’t exactly health food. “It sounds like a good idea to meet your fruit and vegetable quota by throwing some into a cocktail,” says Martica Heaner, PhD, adjunct associate professor of nutrition at Hunter College, CUNY School of Public Health, in New York City. “But the problem is that alcohol actually impairs the absorption of some nutrients.” Not to mention that even regular juices, minus the alcohol, have dietary drawbacks.

But even if the juiced-up juices aren’t a free pass to imbibe, they’re certainly not bad for you (insert the “in moderation” speech here). The cocktails have a fresh deliciousness about them, and the juices are, at the very least, a nutritional step up from Day-Glo margarita mixes and their kin. And if you manage to swallow a few extra nutrients while getting a buzz, well, consider it a bonus.

5 Fresh Juices, 5 Spiked Spin-Offs

The Original: Super Green Juice
Serious incentive to clear out the crisper, this combo of lettuce, greens, apple and cucumber could also be dubbed “Green Out the Fridge” juice.

The Spiked Spin-Off: Green Margarita (top of page)
If you’re in less of a detox mood than a retox one, add tequila and a splash of Cointreau for a mean green rendition of the margarita.

 

The Original: Carrot-Orange Juice
With its sunny appearance and equally bright flavor, this juice manages to win over even juice cynics. (Chia seeds optional.)

The Spiked Spin-Off:  Orange You Glad
In the boozy remake, orange liqueur and orange bitters ramp up the citrus flavors. (Maraschino cherry optional.)

 

 

The Original: Strawberry-Apple Juice
This pink juice is as simple as it is pretty, with just two ingredients: strawberries and apples.

The Spiked Spin-Off:  Gin and Juice
Tricked out with gin, club soda and sprigs of basil,  the drink takes a sophisticated turn and becomes (wait for it) Gin and Juice.

 

 

The Original: Kiwi-Watermelon Lime Juice
Thanks to kiwi and limes, this juice claims impressive stores of vitamin C. Watermelon adds some sweet balance and provides a nice hue.

The Spiked Spin-Off:  Pink Derby
Come cocktail hour, the fresh fruit juice can be transformed into a bourbon-spiked beauty.

 

 

The Original: Beet-Carrot-Apple Juice
Beets are regulars at juice bars everywhere. Combining them with other produce, like sweet carrot and tart green apple, helps balance the overall flavor.

The Spiked Spin-Off:  Beet Negroni
The traditional Negroni is a mix of gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. Here, the earthy beet blend takes the place of the latter.

 

Sally Wadyka is a Boulder, Colorado-based journalist who writes about nutrition, health and wellness.

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Anti-gun Democrats – this is why we can’t take you seriously. Seriously, can this moron find his ass with both hands?

On Friday Nintendo projected that it would take a $240 million net loss for the fiscal year ending in March on weak holiday sales of its Wii U console and related software, and scaled back its sales projections for its home console and its 3DS hand-held. This morning the company is seeing the effects of that news in its stock price, according to this BBC report.

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We know that much of the dialogue from Fight Club takes place inside the mind of Ed Norton's character, but this video goes a long way to showing how a key scene in the movie would have played out without a physical Tyler Durden in the mix.

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In this video, we see how a mother dog teaches her pup how to walk down the stairs. First she lovingly demonstrates, then she provides watchful encouragement. The puppy is scared, but he does the job. That's a good dog! Then we are treated to a look at a cat teaching a kitten how to navigate down the stairs. Now you know the difference between cats and dogs. (via Daily Picks and Flicks)

President Barack Obama is blaming racism for his low approval rating among white voters. According to a Gallup Poll conducted January 14 through 16, Obama’s approval rating has slipped to 39 percent. A majority of those polled said they are dissatisfied with the nation’s president. The poll included voters of all races.

In a recent interview with New Yorker magazine, Obama said racism may have negatively impacted his approval rating:

“There’s no doubt that there’s some folks who just really dislike me because they don’t like the idea of a black President.”

Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer disagrees. The spokesman said the approval ratings are directly related to several controversial policies, including the Affordable Care Act. Spicer said the president’s approval rating has steadily declined with the introduction of “Obamacare and other job-killing policies.”

Stephen Hess, with the Bookings Institution, agrees with Spicer. He points out that an overwhelming majority of voters elected President Barack Obama. Hess said the president’s approval rating began to decline amid the introduction of the Affordable Care Act.

Although they appear to be separate issues, Obama suggests politics and racism may have a strong historical connection:

“There is a historic connection between some of the arguments that we have politically and the history of race in our country, and sometimes it’s hard to disentangle those issues… You can be somebody who… worries about the power of the federal government… that philosophy is wrapped up in the history of states’ rights in the context of the civil-rights movement and the Civil War and Calhoun.”

Obama certainly received more votes than Republican candidate Mitt Romney. However, exit polls suggest he received only 39 percent of the white vote. Some may argue that the exit polls prove race was a factor. However, those claims would be difficult to prove, as the poll was not official and voters were not asked why they chose a particular candidate.

Although the president blames racism for his declining approval rating, he said the same factor may compel others to give him a chance. He said black and white voters may choose to give him “the benefit of the doubt precisely because [he is] a black president.”

President Barack Obama is receiving stark criticism for his opinion, as he previously denied race was a factor in his popularity. His opponents suggest he is simply using the “race card” to avoid responsiblity for his controversial policies.

Although his motive will remain a topic of debate, it appears President Obama genuinely believes he is a victim of racism among voters.

[Image via Flickr]

Obama Blames Racism For Low Approval Ratings is a post from: The Inquisitr News

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Ebony magazine, February 1964, Vol. 19 No. 4

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