#3: WOMEN'S BLUE SKY SWIMWEAR 'GRETA' FULL COVERAGE UNDERWIRE: SWIMSUIT TOP ONLY

Women's Blue Sky Swimwear 'Greta' Full Coverage Underwire: Swimsuit Top Only
Blue Sky Swimwear

Buy new: $37.60

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#7: WOMEN'S BLUE SKY SWIMWEAR 'SOPHIA' PIPED WRAP HALTER: SWIMSUIT TOP ONLY

Women's Blue Sky Swimwear 'Sophia' Piped Wrap Halter: Swimsuit Top Only
Blue Sky Swimwear

Buy new: $39.20

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

DEUTSCHE BANK FIRES 2 AS POSSIBLE INQUIRY LOOMS

A prosecutor?s office in Germany may follow up on the bank?s internal review of a suspected violation of privacy laws.

FRENCH REGULATORS RESIST A POWER-MONITORING BUSINESS

A French energy regulator said that a company providing electricity management devices to users would have to pay power producers for the power it saves.

APPLE PROFIT UP 15 PCT, HELPED BY IPHONES, LAPTOPS (AP)

AP - Apple Inc., the closest thing the tech industry has to a luxury brand, said Tuesday its profit jumped 15 percent in the most recent quarter despite the recession. IPhone revenue surged and reduced prices pushed laptop sales higher, even as the rest of the PC industry shrank.

*HELP ME CONVINCE RENEE!*

A

AIRLINES? RESULTS ARE HURT BY SLOWDOWN AND FUEL COSTS

Even with a drop in fuel costs, major airlines are preparing for difficult times ahead.

YAHOO 2Q PROFIT RISES 8 PCT DESPITE WEAK AD SALES (AP)

AP - Yahoo Inc. eked out a slightly higher profit in the second quarter as its new, no-nonsense chief executive cut enough expenses to shake off the Internet company's sharpest drop in ad revenue since the dot-com bust.

MUSICIANS FIND NEW BACKERS AS LABELS LOSE POWER

Firms plan to invest in artists who lack record deals and help them create direct links to audiences over the Internet.

A MURDOCH TABLOID PAID TO SETTLE PHONE-TAPPING CASE, EDITOR SAYS

Mr. Murdoch is said to have approved a $1.1 million payment to settle allegations that a London tabloid hacked into cellphones.

IN WASHINGTON, ROLL CALL IS BUYING CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY

Two competitors in coverage of Washington news will merge, but officials said their print and online publications would all remain.

SUGARLAND'S JENNIFER NETTLES ON VOCAL REST (AP)

AP - Sugarland singer Jennifer Nettles is on vocal rest after canceling two shows over the weekend.

BLUE JAYS SET JULY 28 DEADLINE FOR HALLADAY TRADE (AP)

AP - Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi still hasn't received an appropriate trade offer for Roy Halladay, and has set a July 28 deadline to complete a deal for the 2003 Cy Young Award winner.

NY JUDGE REINSTATES RATHER FRAUD CLAIM AGAINST CBS (REUTERS)

Reuters - A New York judge reinstated part of former TV news anchor Dan Rather's $70 million lawsuit against CBS on Tuesday, although the ruling could be legally meaningless if an appeals court dismisses the entire case.

RED SOX KNUCKLEBALLER WAKEFIELD ON DL (AP)

AP - All-Star knuckleballer Tim Wakefield is headed to the disabled list.

MANHATTAN ASSOCIATES POSTS SECOND-QUARTER LOSS (AP)

AP - Manhattan Associates Inc., which provides software and services that help companies manage inventory and supplies, posted a second-quarter loss Tuesday, though adjusted results easily beat Wall Street's expectations.

KRZYZEWSKI WILL COACH US IN 2012 GAMES (AP)

AP - Mike Krzyzewski coached the Americans back to the top and he's sticking around to help them stay there.

PACIFIC SUNRISE MERMAID TAILS

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AD PUBLISHER FACES HOUSING DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT (AP)

AP - The nation's largest free classified advertisement publisher is facing a federal housing discrimination lawsuit.

MPAM BIDS $725 MLN FOR NORTEL ASSETS (AP)

AP - A private equity firm specializing in distressed assets says it is bidding $725 million to acquire the cell phone network assets of Nortel Networks Corp., topping a previous $650 million bid from Nokia Siemens Networks.

THE LEDE: AMATEUR FINDS LARGE BLOT ON JUPITER

NASA has confirmed the discovery, which apparently shows that the planet was hit by something large recently.

APPLE'S PROFIT TOPS FORECASTS; MAC SALES STRONG (REUTERS)

Reuters - Apple Inc's quarterly profit blew past Wall Street forecasts thanks to strong sales of Macs and iPhones and higher-than-expected gross margins, sending its shares up more than 3 percent on Tuesday.

TRISTA SUTTER BLOGS ABOUT THE BACHELORETTE: DAVID THE BELLIGERENT JACKASS (E! ONLINE)

E! Online - Original Bachelorette Trista Sutter is putting her reality-TV experience to use for us here at Watch With Kristin by blogging about Jillian Harris' quest for the perfect guy. Take it away, Trista...

REVIEW: `THE UGLY TRUTH' ISN'T PRETTY (AP)

AP - At the end of the drearily formulaic romantic comedy "The Ugly Truth," as our two leads are finally admitting they've fallen for each other (no spoilers here, folks), Katherine Heigl's character asks Gerard Butler's why he's in love with her. Basically, he says he has no idea, only he phrases it with a word we can't reprint here.

VH1'S LATEST DIVAS: ADELE, KELLY, LEONA...MILEY? (E! ONLINE)

E! Online - Hmmm...Diana Ross, Stevie Nicks, Whitney Houston and Miley Cyrus. Something's not quite right with this picture.

KINGS REACH AGREEMENT WITH FREE AGENT SEAN MAY (AP)

AP - Free-agent forward Sean May has agreed to a one-year contract with the Sacramento Kings.

MAZZONELLI TO EXIT THEATRE BUILDING CHICAGO (PLAYBILL)

Playbill - Joan Mazzonelli, executive director of Theatre Building Chicago for 24 years, will leave the not-for-profit organization July 31 following board action that determined she was no longer a match with the company.

AMD 2Q SALES SLUMP 13 PCT, SHARES DIVE (AP)

AP - Advanced Micro Devices Inc. narrowed its loss in the second quarter, even though sales at the chip company slumped 13 percent.

SALES DRIVE ROBUST QUARTER FOR APPLE

The company?s quarter was led by sales of Macintosh computers and a burst in iPhone purchases, after the introduction of the new3GS.

YAHOO PROFIT ROSE NEARLY 8% IN 2ND QUARTER

Although revenue fell 13 percent, cost-cutting measures helped the company beat analysts? predictions.

STARBUCKS MANAGED TO TURN PROFIT IN 3RD QUARTER

An advertising blitz by McDonald?s for its espresso drinks hasn?t dented Starbucks? sales as much as was feared.

APPLE POSTS 1.23 BLN DLR PROFIT IN LATEST QUARTER (AFP)

AFP - Apple on Tuesday reported 1.23 billion dollars in profit in its latest fiscal quarter on strong sales of iPhones and Macintosh computers.

JUDGE APPROVES LIQUIDATION OF MADOFF FEEDER FUNDS

The Fairfield Sentry funds were the largest conduits for cash flowing into the hands of Bernard L. Madoff and his global Ponzi scheme.

WAGE SLAVES: NEW PORTLAND (VIDEO) WEB-SERIES DEBUT

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MELTDOWN 101: PACKAGE SIZES AT THE GROCERY STORE (AP)

AP - Your eyes are not deceiving you in the grocery store. Yes, your bag of Doritos just got bigger. No, the price didn't change.

XBOX LIVE'S GAMES ON DEMAND TO DEBUT NEXT MONTH (PC WORLD)

PC World - Microsoft promised games-on-demand for the Xbox 360 at last month’s E3 show, and now it’s ready to launch the service on August 11.

SQUARE FEET: A HOTEL?S PAST VS. A CITY?S FUTURE

The hotel is a fixture in Los Angeles, but it is also thought to be an impediment to pedestrian traffic in Century City.

IRELAND GOAL GIVES CITY FIRST WIN IN SOUTH AFRICA (AFP)

AFP - Stand-in skipper Stephen Ireland scored at the end of the first half to give Manchester City a 1-0 victory over Kaizer Chiefs on Tuesday in the Vodacom Challenge.

FOOTBALL MEDIA PICK TCU TO WIN MOUNTAIN WEST (AP)

AP - TCU football coach Gary Patterson said Tuesday he was happy that college football media picked his Horned Frogs as the preseason favorite to win the 2009 Mountain West Conference.

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART, GIRLS, CHAMPAGNE SOCIALISTS @ BACKSPACE | JULY 23

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ARMSTRONG TO STEP UP IF CONTADOR HAS BAD TOUR DAY (AP)

AP - Lance Armstrong mustered one of his strongest showings yet at this Tour de France on Tuesday, a dazzling burst of acceleration from yesteryear that allowed him to keep second place.

WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP GIVING DIDDY TV SHOWS? (E! ONLINE)

E! Online - Diddy just got another show? Why does he still have a job, much less a show? Can I have a show?

TROUBLED MILWAUKEE MILE DRAWS PROMOTERS' INTEREST (AP)

AP - Six investor groups have expressed interest in taking over promotional rights for the historic Milwaukee Mile racetrack.

SHARES MANAGE TO EKE OUT A GAIN

At the close, the Dow Jones industrials average was 67.79 points or 0.77 percent higher, while the Standard & Poor?s 500-stock index rose 3.45 points, and the Nasdaq was up 6.91 points.

*CRAZY BEWBIES BABE*

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CLEARWIRE GAMBLES ON WIMAX SERVICE IN LAS VEGAS (NEWSFACTOR)

NewsFactor - Residents of Sin City now have a speedier network. Clearwire Communications said residents of Las Vegas have hit the jackpot with the company's soon-to-be available WiMAX mobile Internet service.

#5: WOMEN'S SWIMSUIT SEPARATE BY BLUE SKY SWIMWEAR UNDERWIRE SWIMWEAR TOP

Women's Swimsuit Separate by Blue Sky Swimwear Underwire Swimwear Top
Blue Sky Swimwear

Buy new: $39.20

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#4: ROXY ROXY ROXY TIE SIDE BLACK M

ROXY ROXY ROXY TIE SIDE BLACK M
Swell

Buy new: $29.99

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#9: SWIMWEAR HALTER BABYDOLL TOP: SWIMSUIT TOP ONLY

Swimwear Halter Babydoll Top: Swimsuit Top Only
Blue Sky Swimwear

Buy new: $49.00

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#7: RAISINS JUNIORS' ORGANIC GROOVE SUNSET PANT

Raisins Juniors' Organic Groove Sunset Pant
Raisins

Buy new: $19.00

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#3: LEMON LUSH SWIMSUIT FULL BOTTOM: SWIMWEAR BOTTOM ONLY

Lemon Lush Swimsuit Full Bottom: Swimwear Bottom Only
Blue Sky Swimwear

Buy new: $37.00

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#1: LEMON LUSH SWIMSUIT HALTER BABYDOLL TOP: SWIMWEAR TOP ONLY

Lemon Lush Swimsuit Halter Babydoll Top: Swimwear Top Only
Blue Sky Swimwear

Buy new: $49.00

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#8: RAISINS JUNIORS' ORGANIC GROOVE SLIDE BRA BIKINI TOP

Raisins Juniors' Organic Groove Slide Bra Bikini Top
Raisins

Buy new: $19.00

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#6: WOMEN'S SWIMSUIT SEPARATE BY BLUE SKY SWIMWEAR V-FRONT SWIMSUIT BOTTOM

Women's Swimsuit Separate by Blue Sky Swimwear V-Front Swimsuit Bottom
Blue Sky Swimwear

Buy new: $46.00

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

FOGERTY ENLISTS SPRINGSTEEN, EAGLES FOR COVERS SET (REUTERS)

Reuters - John Fogerty's "The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again," a new collection of some of the veteran rocker's favorite classic songs, is set for release September 1.

PEDRO MARTINEZ THROWS SIMULATED GAME (AP)

AP - Pedro Martinez has taken a "really big step" forward after throwing 64 pitches over four innings in a simulated game.

STEELERS ROETHLISBERGER ACCUSED OF SEX ASSAULT IN LAWSUIT (AP)

AP - A woman has filed a lawsuit accusing Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of raping her last summer in his penthouse room at a casino in Lake Tahoe during a celebrity golf tournament.

PERRY SKIPS TITLE DEFENSE TO BE WITH DYING MOTHER (AP)

AP - Kenny Perry will not be defending his title at the Buick Open next week in Michigan so he can stay near his cancer-stricken mother.

ALL-STAR GAME WAS WEEK'S TOP RATINGS HIT (AP)

AP - Baseball's All-Star game was a hit with viewers last week to top the ratings. But claiming the No. 2 and 3 slots for the week was a quirkier sort of competition: "America's Got Talent" on NBC.

BARNES & NOBLE WILL ENTER COMPETITIVE E-BOOK MARKET (NEWSFACTOR)

NewsFactor - Barnes & Noble is entering the e-book market through its launch of an online store, a partnership with e-reader maker Plastic Logic, and software for downloading books onto PCs and portable devices such as BlackBerry smartphones, the iPhone, and the iPod touch.

(MOTLEY) CR

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SUSAN BOYLE: FAME IS LIKE `GIANT DEMOLITION BALL' (AP)

AP - Susan Boyle says sudden fame hit her like a "giant demolition ball."

FORMER PUTNAM EXECUTIVE TO LEAD FREDDIE MAC

The appointment of Charles Haldeman Jr. comes at a critical time for Freddie Mac, which is struggling under the weight of mounting loan defaults.

FRONTIER BUG

Wanted to record this to be sure I get back to it some point.

Problem is with all HTTP requests emanating from tcp.httpClient.

Setting the timeout has no effect when its not possible to open a connection on the server because tcp.openStream doesn't take a timeout parameter. It's always 20 seconds, near as I can tell.

Once I get back into the C source again I'll have to check this out.

You can see the problem on the log page for rssCloud -- when testing the link back from a remote app registering a handler, the timeout is never less than 20 seconds, even when it's unreachable. I have the timeout param in tcp.httpClient set at 180 ticks (3 seconds), which is plenty to find out if there's anyone at the other end.

TINY FIRM AT CENTER OF ELECTRICAL STORM

A French regulator has blocked Voltalis from helping consumers save money on their energy bills -- for now.

LAWMAKERS WARNED NOT TO MEDDLE IN DEALER CLOSINGS

The head of President Obama?s auto task force warned Congress that halting the closure of dealerships could threaten G.M.?s and Chrysler?s turnarounds.

LAWMAKERS CALL FOR TIGHTER REINS ON BAILOUT PROGRAM

Two senior Democratic lawmakers called on the administration Tuesday to make the $700 billion bailout program more visible and accountable to taxpayers.

DANE COOK'S HALF BROTHER ARRAIGNED ON NEW CHARGES (AP)

AP - The half brother of Dane Cook has pleaded not guilty to additional charges that he stole millions of dollars from the comedian.

ALICIA SILVERSTONE, LAURA LINNEY SET FOR BROADWAY (AP)

AP - Alicia Silverstone will join Laura Linney on Broadway this season.

SQUARE FEET: A PRESERVATION FIGHT AT THE HEART OF CENTURY CITY

The hotel is a fixture in Los Angeles, but it is also thought to be an impediment to pedestrian traffic in Century City.

PAKISTAN REFUGEES 'RETURN HOME'

At least 350,000 displaced people in Pakistan return to their homes in the strife-torn region of Swat, officials say.

BRITAIN'S NATIONAL GALLERY OFFERS ITS ART ON THE IPHONE (AFP)

AFP - Fans of fine art will be able to access some of their favourite paintings anywhere they choose through a new iPhone application launched Tuesday by the National Gallery in London.

HISTORY ALIVE!

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MICROSOFT POPFLY STRIKES OUT (INFOWORLD)

InfoWorld - Microsoft Popfly, the company's  hosted tool for building Web pages, mashups, and games, is being shut down on August 24, the victim of an economy that has the software giant re-evaluating priorities.

UK COURT REJECTS SUIT ON GOOGLE SEARCH RESULTS (AP)

AP - A British judge has ruled that Google cannot be held responsible for defamatory words that appear in results on the popular Internet search engine.

76ERS SIGN 1ST-ROUND PICK HOLIDAY (AP)

AP - The Philadelphia 76ers have signed first-round draft pick, guard Jrue Holiday.

HOLLYWOOD TURNS UP HYPE FOR COMIC-CON IN SAN DIEGO (REUTERS)

Reuters - Tens of thousands of pop culture fans will descend on the Comic-Con International event this week in San Diego that in recent years has changed from a convention of comic book lovers to a Hollywood movie bazaar.

GOODELL REMAINS MUM ON WHEN HE'LL DECIDE ON VICK (AP)

AP - NFL commissioner Roger Goodell isn't revealing when he'll decide whether to reinstate Michael Vick now that the former Atlanta Falcons star quarterback has been released from federal custody.

MICROSOFT PATENTS JOIN-LEAVE IN SPLIT-SCREEN MULTIPLAYER GAMES (PC WORLD)

PC World - Nothing like flipping through the US patent office's online text and image database and discovering someone's tried to lock up the way we play squad-based, split-screen shooters. Tried and succeeded, it seems, since such a patent was filed on behalf of Microsoft by James R. J. York on December 2, 2002 and apparently granted on July 14, 2009.

DUMB XML QUESTION

0. I know about View Source.

1. I use Firefox.

2. When I view my site's RSS feed I want to see the XML, not a stylesheet rendering of the XML.

3. To be clear, I want to see the actual XML.

4. Is there some way to force the browser to do this?

5. Please no lectures on how this isn't the way it's supposed to work. TIA.

6. I know about View Source.

7. I know about View Source.

Update: This post seems to explain what's going on. Most browsers do funny stuff with RSS.

ERIN ANDREWS VIDEO ATTACKS TARGET MACS AND PCS (PC WORLD)

PC World - Internet crooks love to create attack sites and e-mails that use lures based on popular news items and Internet porn. When the two come together, as with the recent news of an online "peephole" video of ESPN sportscaster Erin Andrews, the malware is sure to swarm.

NDSTATE LINEBACKER SUSPENDED (AP)

AP - North Dakota State backup linebacker Blake Sczepanski has been suspended indefinitely after his arrest over the weekend for allegedly driving under the influence.

ARMSTRONG FINDS NEW SPONSOR FOR HIS TEAM (AP)

AP - Lance Armstrong says he's found a new American sponsor to back his team next year.

MICROSOFT MAKES SECOND GPLV2 RELEASE IN AS MANY DAYS (PC WORLD)

PC World - Microsoft has made its second release under the General Public License in two days with software for the open-source online learning system Moodle.

INTER AND ETO'O CLOSE IN ON AGREEMENT (AFP)

AFP - Inter Milan are close to agreeing personal terms with Samuel Eto'o over a possible move from Barcelona, the Cameroon striker's agent said on Tuesday.

TONIGHT: FRED ECKHARDT?S 18TH ANNUAL BEER & CHEESE TASTING @ ROGUE ALES PUBLIC HOUSE

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GUO DIVES FOR ANOTHER WORLD TITLE (AP)

AP - Guo Jingjing has won five straight world titles on the women's 3-meter springboard.

SURVEYS OF PUBLIC ATTITUDES

The UK Border Agency has published the results of opinion polling carried out on our behalf.

US QUASHED REPORT ON DANGERS OF PHONE USE WHILE DRIVING (AFP)

AFP - The federal agency tasked with keeping US roadways safe suppressed research seven years ago on the dangers of cellphone use while driving, fearing political fallout from the study, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

ANALYSTS TEPID ON BARNES & NOBLE E-BOOKSTORE (AP)

AP - Shares in Barnes & Noble Inc. slipped Tuesday as the bookseller's plans for a new electronic bookstore received a tepid response from investors and analysts.

APPLE'S QUARTERLY EARNINGS: WHAT TO LOOK FOR (MACWORLD.COM)

Macworld.com - As with any time Apple announces its quarterly financial performance, Tuesday’s discussion of the company’s sales and profits for its fiscal third quarter will boil down to two questions—How did you do? and What are you planning on doing next time?

ESPN REPORTER SECRETLY VIDEOTAPED NUDE IN HOTEL (AP)

AP - ESPN reporter Erin Andrews was secretly videotaped in the nude while she was alone in a hotel room and the video was posted on the Internet, her attorney and the network said.

BREWERS HITTING COACH SVEUM GETS THREE-GAME BAN (REUTERS)

Reuters - Milwaukee Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum has been suspended for three games and fined for aggressive actions toward the umpires following Sunday's game against the Reds in Cincinnati, MLB said on Tuesday.

FOXCONN EMPLOYEE COMMITS SUICIDE AFTER IPHONE PROTOTYPE LOSS (MACWORLD.COM)

Macworld.com - According to news reports out of China, an employee at manufacturing firm Foxconn who lost an early prototype of the next-generation iPhone has been found dead. The employee, 25-year-old Sun Danyong, reportedly commited suicide by jumping out of a window of his 12th floor apartment last Thursday.

SONY BIDS FOR DOCUMENTARY ON MICHAEL JACKSON'S FINAL DAYS (E! ONLINE)

E! Online - If indeed this is it, these guys are gonna make a fortune.

#3: LEMON LUSH SWIMSUIT HALTER BABYDOLL TOP: SWIMWEAR TOP ONLY

Lemon Lush Swimsuit Halter Babydoll Top: Swimwear Top Only
Blue Sky Swimwear

Buy new: $49.00

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#4: SWIMWEAR HALTER BABYDOLL TOP: SWIMSUIT TOP ONLY

Swimwear Halter Babydoll Top: Swimsuit Top Only
Blue Sky Swimwear

Buy new: $49.00

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#1: RAISINS JUNIORS' ORGANIC GROOVE SUNSET PANT

Raisins Juniors' Organic Groove Sunset Pant
Raisins

Buy new: $19.00

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#6: GREEN/BLUE PALM SWIMSUIT FULL BOTTOM: SWIMWEAR BOTTOM ONLY

Green/Blue Palm Swimsuit Full Bottom: Swimwear Bottom Only
Blue Sky Swimwear

Buy new: $37.00

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#5: GREEN/BLUE PALM SWIMSUIT UNDERWIRE TOP: SWIMWEAR TOP ONLY

Green/Blue Palm Swimsuit Underwire Top: Swimwear Top Only
Blue Sky Swimwear

Buy new: $48.00

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#2: RAISINS JUNIORS' ORGANIC GROOVE SLIDE BRA BIKINI TOP

Raisins Juniors' Organic Groove Slide Bra Bikini Top
Raisins

Buy new: $19.00

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#8: NEWPORT NEWS STRING BOTTOM

Newport News String bottom
Newport News

Buy new: $17.00 $3.99

(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in String list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

FED CHIEF SAYS PACE OF DECLINE SEEMS TO HAVE SLOWED

Despite the positive signs, Ben S. Bernanke told lawmakers, the labor market remains weak, and interest rates will likely remain low for some time.

BOWING TO VETO THREAT, SENATE BLOCKS MONEY FOR WARPLANES

The 58-40 vote in the Senate to delete $1.75 billion in financing for new F-22s was a victory for President Obama in his efforts to reshape the military?s priorities.

WALL STREET UNABLE TO HOLD ON TO EARLY GAINS

Stocks backed away from early gains, despite positive earnings reports and signs from Ben S. Bernanke that the economic recession was worsening more slowly.

SINGER HAS THE DOLPHINS DANCING FOR JOY (AFP)

AFP - Marc Anthony, the salsa singer who is married to actress Jennifer Lopez, has become a minority owner of the Miami Dolphins, the National Football League team announced on Tuesday.

TWITTER ALL-STAR? BEST BUY PUTS NUMBER AT 250 (AP)

AP - After buzz built online about a new marketing job, Best Buy Co. Inc. is reworking the help-wanted listing that sought Twitter experience and put a number on it

RULES OF THE GAME (HARDCOVER) (HARDCOVER) NEWLY TAGGED "GAME"

Rules of the Game (Hardcover) (Hardcover)
By Neil Strauss

2 used and new from $25.00

First tagged "game" by Peter Weisberg
Customer tags: games(2), pickup, pua, style, pickup artist

MARC ANTHONY BECOMES A DOLPHINS MINORITY OWNER (AP)

AP - Singer Marc Anthony is the latest music star to join forces with the Miami Dolphins.

RYAN O'NEAL OPENS UP ABOUT FAWCETT'S FINAL HOURS (AP)

AP - Ryan O'Neal says even as Farrah Fawcett lay dying, she clung to life.

EVAN WILLIAMS VS THE INTERNET

In October 1994, at the dawn of blogging, I wrote a piece that actually shook the software world. At the time, the idea of a mere software developer expressing an opinion in public, unedited, in his own words, without the help of a major publication, was unheard of. It had never happened.

The piece was called Bill Gates vs the Internet. The thought was pretty simple. The tech industry was mired and exhausted. Too many BigCo's struggling to be the one who controls the future. As if a company could control the future. But the headlines in the business press encouraged them to think this way. Much as the leading tech blogs encourage Schmidt, Zuckerberg and Williams today to think of themselves as masters of the universe. They aren't and it's a losing strategy today as it was 15 years ago.

The problem for Bill Gates in 1994, the newly crowned King of Tech, was the Platform Without a Platform Vendor, the Internet. The difference between the Internet platform and the Microsoft platform was this: No Microsoft. No one to hold on to the family jewels. No one to put a developer out of business if they personally offended Bill. No one to keep the personalities of developers under control. No one to cut off their air supply.

In 1994, there was a revolution brewing. Bill didn't believe. But it happened anyway, even though he struggled mightily against it.

Blogging is one of the things that came out of this revolution, and along with it archives. So I can point to a piece I wrote in 1998 and it's still there. It was systematized, in software. This idea didn't come from a BigCo, and it didn't get killed by one. The free Internet solves problems pretty well. BigCo's don't solve problems.

So now instead of Bill Gates it's Evan Williams.

I read the piece on TechCrunch and thought it sounds like the transcripts of conversations from Microsoft in the mid-90s. Both were trying to compete with the Internet. Ev's problem is how is he going to keep his key engineers from defecting to the competition. How are they going to let developers use the "firehose" without using it to kill TwitterCorp. These are problems the Internet doesn't have. It doesn't employ any engineers, and when they leave one company to work for another they still work for the Internet. On the Internet no company owns all the data, so no one can control it. If you don't like the way a service works, use another.

The tech industry keeps having this argument with the Internet. It keeps thinking "this time we gotcha" but nahh, the Internet keeps right on going.

Moral of the story: If you find yourself in competition with the Internet, you should find a way out. Imho.

TEMASEK SCRAPS PLAN FOR AMERICAN CHIEF

Temasek, the investment firm controlled by the Singapore government, said that Charles Goodyear has decided not to become the chief executive because of differences over strategy.

WOULD-BE BUYER OF PIRATE BAY BACKPEDALS IN COURT (AP)

AP - The would-be buyer of Web site The Pirate Bay backpedaled in a Dutch court Tuesday, saying that it is uncertain whether the purchase will ever be completed.

DEMOCRATS MAY LIMIT TAX INCREASE FOR HEALTH PLAN

Congressional leaders suggested scaling back a plan to tax top earners and signaled a retreat from their timetable.

CONTADOR, ARMSTRONG STAY 1-2 AT TOUR IN ALPS (AP)

AP - Alberto Contador kept the overall lead in the Tour de France on Tuesday after another ride in the Alps, with teammate Lance Armstrong clinging to second place.

MARC ANTHONY BECOMES A DOLPHINS MINORITY OWNER (AP)

AP - Singer Marc Anthony is the latest music star to join forces with the Miami Dolphins.