Nearly one million Maclaren strollers were recalled today after 12 reports of children having their fingertips amputated by a hinge mechanism. The strollers were sold at Target and Babies R Us.

I checked with my wife and we have never owned a stroller made by Maclaren but I hope others will read this and be aware of the recall. What a terrible thing to happen to a child!

From the Associated Press:

The recall includes all nine models of single and double umbrella Maclaren strollers, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which announced the recall after an investigation.

The amputation risk occurs when a child’s finger is placed in the hinge mechanism of a stroller while it is being unfolded. When the opened stroller locks into place, it can cut off the tip of the child’s finger.

The recall includes the following stroller models: Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller. They have been sold at Babies “R” Us, Target and other stores around the country since 1999. Prices for the strollers ranged from $100 to $360.

From USA Today:

The  recall affects all of the models sold between 1999 and November 2009.

“The stroller’s hinge mechanism poses a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is unfolding/opening the stroller,” the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says.

It says the British firm has received 15 reports of children placing their finger in the stroller’s hinge mechanism, resulting in 12 reports of fingertip amputations in the United States.

Click here to read the CPSC report and click here to read a statement from the company.

From the New York Times:

The CPSC said consumers should immediately stop using the strollers, which were made in China, unless otherwise instructed. The recall involves all Maclaren single and double umbrella strollers sold in the United States starting in 1999.

Maclaren said it has received 15 reports of children placing their finger in the stroller’s hinge mechanism, which led to 12 reported fingertip amputations in the United States.

The incidents occurred while the strollers were being opened or closed, not while the children were seated in the strollers, a spokeswoman said.

Maclaren is offering consumers a free repair kit. The recall only relates to the British company’s U.S. business.

Models affected by the recall include Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveler.

Pretty big news as Google announced this morning that it has struck a deal to buy mobile ad network, AdMob, for $750 million in stock.

From the Associated Press:

Google already has a mobile ad delivery system, DoubleClick Mobile, which it got with its $3.2 billion acquisition of DoubleClick Inc. in 2008. Google said buying AdMob will give it more expertise in a market that is expected to grow rapidly over the next several years.

Omar Hamoui founded AdMob in 2006. The company, which is based in San Mateo, Calif., provides a market for advertisers to buy space on Web sites geared for mobile devices.

“Mobile advertising has enormous potential as a marketing medium and while this industry is still in the early stages of development, AdMob has already made exceptional progress in a very short time,” Susan Wojcicki, Google’s vice president of product management, said in a statement.

From TechCrunch:

Google has just announced that it has acquired AdMob, the mobile ad platform that has been especially popular on the iPhone, for $750 million. This is a big win for the company’s early investors, which include Sequoia Capital and Accel Partners (this is a huge day for Accel — they were also investors in Playfish, which was just acquired by EA). More recent investors include DFJ and Northgate Capital.

Google has set up a website to explain the benefits of the AdMob acquisition, detailing the rapidly growing (and still very nascent) mobile advertising space. Google also created the graphic below to highlight the differences between its own mobile search ads, and the display ads AdMob shows in applications on the iPhone and other platforms.

From Reuters:

The all-stock deal gives Google, whose Android software is increasingly used to power smartphones such as the Motorola Inc Droid, an important element to monetize mobile Internet traffic.

Privately held AdMob makes technology for serving display ads on mobile phones and to track the performance of the ads.

Google, the world’s No.1 Internet search engine, does not disclose how much of its revenue, which totaled nearly $22 billion in 2008, comes from mobile ads.

I can’t believe it’s actually been 20 years since the Berlin Wall came crumbling down on November 9, 1989. I’m starting to accept the fact that I’m actually getting older. Hell…I’ve reached 31!

At the time this historical event took place, I understood what it meant. But, looking back, I think that I only understood the significance of the day in general terms. I remember that I was in 6th grade and had read about its origins and the affect it had on the people of Germany, Europe and even the rest of the world in school.

I heard the stories of my grandfather fighting in World War II in Germany and all the stories that he had to tell of going back years later and seeing the wall in person. It’s amazing to look back at all of the history and realize what a momentous day that November day actually was.

So…where were you when the Berlin Wall fell? Do you have any memories? Do you live, or have you ever traveled to Germany either before the wall fell…or after?

From Reuters:

It’s not often that a historic announcement comes, as an afterthought, almost by accident, at the end of an otherwise stultifyingly tedious press conference.

But that’s how the Communist East German government told an incredulous world that the Berlin Wall, that most potent symbol of the Cold War, would be thrown open after three decades.

I was fortunate enough to witness that most famous news conference of modern German history on November 9, 1989, called with no great fanfare by Politburo member and spokesman Guenter Schabowski.

For an hour he had rambled through the dull deliberations of a meeting of the Communist Party’s ruling Central Committee.

Many journalists had already left the small, stuffy windowless room on the first floor of the International Press Center where news conferences were held. Some had headed home, some drifted to the restaurant where the Stasi security police routinely observed foreign reporters by hidden camera.

Even though pressure had been building on the East German government for months to grant “Reisefreiheit” — or freedom to travel — Schabowski had nothing to say about that until near the end of his presentation when he was asked about travel rules by Riccardo Ehrman of the Italian news agency ANSA at 6:53 p.m.

“Therefore…um…we have decided today…um…to implement a regulation that allows every citizen of the German Democratic Republic…um…to…um…leave East Germany through any of the border crossings,” said Schabowski.

From CNN:

As Germany celebrates the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, I can’t help remembering my spooky 1971 visit during the Cold War. When we crossed back to the West, tour buses were emptied at the border so mirrors could be rolled under the bus. They wanted to see if anyone was trying to escape with us.

Back then, life in the East was bleak, gray and demoralizing because of ongoing political repression and their unresponsive Soviet-style command economy.

Today, Berlin feels like the nuclear fuel rod of a great nation. It’s so vibrant with youth, energy and an anything-goes-and-anything’s-possible buzz that Munich feels spent in comparison.

From the New York Times:

Flanked by leaders from the former Eastern Bloc in Communism’s last days, and mobbed by a cheering crowd, Chancellor Angela Merkel launched a day of commemoration Monday of the fall of the Berlin Wall, retracing the steps of the first East Germans, herself included, surging to West Berlin 20 years ago.

Mrs. Merkel’s symbolic walk across the Bornholmer Strasse bridge, accompanied by Mikhail S. Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, and Lech Walesa, the former shipyard worker who led a fight against Moscow-backed Communism in Poland, came as Berlin prepared for an evening of celebration to mark the moments on Nov. 9, 1989, when the wall began to crumble.

In a light drizzle hundreds of people gathered to observe the moment, some recalling the crowds who swelled the former East German checkpoint at the Bornholmer Street crossing point after an East German official announced that, with immediate effect, travel restrictions would be eased.

Mrs. Merkel has told reporters recently that she was one of those to walk into the west that night across the gray iron bridge at Bornholmer Strasse. Many of the hundreds crowding onto the bridge with her on Monday were former East German civil rights activists.

According to reports, Iran is planning to charge three American hikers with espionage.

From CNN:

The three Americans have been detained since July 31 on charges of illegally crossing the border from Iraqi Kurdistan into Iran. Their family and friends say it was an innocent mistake.

The announcement of the charges comes only days after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met privately with the families of Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal, who were detained along the Iran-Iraq border at the end of July.

Tehran’s prosecutor general, Abbas Ja’afari Dolatabadi, announced the charges in an interview with the official Iranian news agency IRNA.

“The charge against the three U.S. citizens who were arrested on the Iran-Iraq border is espionage. Investigation of their cases is in progress,” he told IRNA, adding: “There will be more to say [about them] soon.”

Good synopsis of the new book “Mommy’s Little Girl” on the CBS News Web site today.

The article includes details about the book and a transcript of an interview conducted by Barry Leibowitz of 48 Hours Mystery interview with author Diane Fanning. Lots of good questions and some insight into the authors thought process.

Has anyone had the opportunity to read the book? I’ve thought about whether or not I want to but haven’t actually gone out and made the purchase. Any thoughts?

From the article:

What’s the most fascinating forensic aspect of the case that needs answers?

I, personally, maintain a querulous pose on the issue but, also find it, in my mind, to be irrelevant. I was far more moved by the anecdotal evidence. Not only did trained dogs hit on the trunk, but experienced investigators and other observers recognized the smell of decomposing human flesh. They all assure us that it is an odor never forgotten and never mistaken. To me, that is compelling evidence.

Did you uncover anything that may prove more important than most people realize?

The state knows that Casey Anthony researched this subject. If the prosecutors believe she employed it to eliminate her child, a courtroom presentation of this process could prove to be the most dramatic moment in the trial.

Is there an element of the case you think is still to be unraveled?

It sounds too melodramatic to happen. But all along, this story has been filled with those unexpected, jaw-dropping, head-scratching moments that no one saw coming. Could the appearance of Caylee’s biological father be another one of them?

Oh Britney…that lip-synching has got to stop!

In her latest outing to Australia, Britney Spears lip-synched most of her songs, singing only on ballads.

From The Daily Telegraph:

Fans walked out after only three songs at Perth’s Burswood Dome on Friday, upset by her lacklustre performance.

Adding to Spears’ woes, media companies, including News Limited, refused to photograph the concert after being asked to signrestrictive agreements by her management. None were imposed on video journalists.

From E! Online:

The promoter of this tour leg refuted claims of fans fleeing the Circus, telling The Australian newspaper “Britney is aware of all this and she’s extremely upset by it.”

Also issuing a nuanced response were reps for the Burswood Entertainment Complex where the Perth concert was held, who announced, “From Burswood’s perspective, the event was a huge success.”

Not sure how well that response will go over with the woman who told the Telegraph, “It was a waste of $200—I could have got four pairs of shoes for that.”

Spears’ manager, Adam Leber, also came to the superstar’s defense via Twitter, claiming that it was the work of a sole Australian journalist that sparked the lip-synch debate.

I’ve been to a lot of great country shows: Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Brooks & Dunn, Blake Shelton, Lady Antebellum, McBride, Trailer Choir, Keith Urban, Shania Twain and a WHOLE LOT MORE! I’ve been to a ton of shows at the Rodeo Club in San Jose, put on by local country station 95.3 KRTY.

But this year’s show with Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley and Jimmy Wayne has to rank up there near the top. I first saw Brad Paisley live at the KZLA Country Bash in Irvine, California, back in 2001 about a month after the terrorist attacks on America.

Back then, Paisley was still an up and coming talent. Today, he is one of the best in the industry.

The night started off with a short set by Jimmy Wayne. Too bad it was only 6 songs because I’m pretty sure that this guy is going to be huge. He has a stage presence that puts him at a much higher level than his billing and its shows as he plays the crowd during his entire set. After the show, I got the chance to meet him. He was really nice and took the time to sit and talk for a minute with each person during the meet and greet. The photo can be found below.

Jimmy Wayne and I

Here’s the set list:

Cowboys and Angels

Stay Gone

Kerosene Kid

Trespassin’

Smile Sara

Do You Believe Me Now

Next on the bill was one of my favorites, Dierks Bentley. For most concerts, Dierks Bentley would be a headliner and he proved it during his set which include most of my favorites (how could you leave off my all-time favorite “Tryin’ to Stop Your Leavin’”). There was so much about his set that I loved. “Sideways” is a great song to start with because it really gets the crowd going. Others such as “How Am I Doin’”, “What Was I Thinkin’” and “Feel That Fire” were crowd favorites.

Great music, great voice and, like Wayne, Bentley really played the audience. I love the way that he was able to mix in the party songs with the ballads and he never lost touch with his emotion. This is clearly demonstrated in each song he performed during his one hour set.

I’ll admit, I would have loved a little longer set but you can’t complain when you get nine of his best! I think if he had been the headliner, the set list would have included a few additional songs. The crowd was really into the set but I really enjoyed when he took the time to slow down a bit for “My Last Name”. Very emotional and showed his softer side.

Dierks Bentley

Here’s the set list:

Sideways

Lot of Leavin’ Left to Do

How Am I Doin’

Settle For A Slowdown

Come a Little Closer

My Last Name

Feel That Fire

What Was I Thinkin’

Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)

About 9:20, it was time for the main event of the evening: Brad Paisley. Paisley is an entertainer at heart and really knows how to put on a show. Multiple times during the show, he thanked the audience for coming out to show, knowing that we are in difficult economic times and still paid to see the performers that night. Yes, the show’s are pretty expensive, but I’ll continue to pay to see my favorite artists live.

Paisley played all of his hits and the audience was eating out of his hands from the opening number “Start a Band” (minus Keith Urban of course). It was a great mix of old songs, and new. Ballads and rockers. And of course, lots of guitar solos. Paisley is an incredible guitarist who demonstrates his talent throughout.

Brad Paisley

I loved the videos that played on the screen in the background throughout the show. Good stuff! Loved the parodies and everything. It really made the songs come to life even more.

“Welcome to the Future”, Paisley’s latest hit was the opening song of a three song encore. This song has fast become my favorite song that Paisley has ever performed. Not only does it have a great beat and just makes you want to turn up the radio when it comes on, it has a great message of hope and making you realize that the future is here, now!

During the encore, Paisley brought Wayne and Bentley back out for a great rendition of “Alcohol” which capped the night! , a great cover of Don Henley’s classic “Boys of Summer” was the final song of the evening, but seeing these three talented musicians on stage together was a real thrill, and a perfect song!

If you ever get the chance to check out Brad Paisley (and Dierks Bentley and Jimmy Wayne) live, I suggest you do! It’s definitely a 5 star show!

If I can get some video of the show up, I’ll be sure to do so! You can always check out my Facebook page which has the videos there.

Here’s the set list:

Start a Band

American Saturday Night 

Mud On The Tires

Wrapped Around

Celebrity

Waitin’ on a Woman

Water

Feel Like Makin’ Love (Bad Company Cover)

I’m Still a Guy

Catch All the Fish / I’m Gonna Miss Her

She’s Everything

The World

Letter to Me

When I Get Where I’m Going

Ticks

Online

Then

Encore:

Welcome to the Future

Alcohol 

Boys of Summer (Don Henley Cover)

Overall, I thought Taylor Swift did a pretty good job last night as both the host, and musical act on Saturday Night Live.

The opening monologue was a little goofy but the skits involving Kate Gosselin and Twilight (for those of you who love Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart) were actually pretty funny.

I was a little surprised at the lack of reference to the Kanye West incident because there were some great opportunities for sketches, but I’ll survive

What did you think of her performance?

From the Wall Street Journal:

Taylor took the stage for the opening monologue in a glittery black dress and, playing a guitar, performed a comic tune called “Monologue Song (La La La).” In the number, she took a lyrical swipe at Joe Jonas, her ex-boyfriend, and sang “and if you’re wondering if I might/ be dating the werewolf from “Twilight”/ I’m not going to comment on that in my monologue.”

The singer appeared in a segment sending up “The View”-she played guest host Kate Gosselin, complete with the reality mom’s famously asymmetrical hairdo. “My hairdresser was halfway through giving me ‘The Rachel’ when his blowdryer exploded on the back of my head,” Swift as Gosselin said, explaining the genesis of her hairstyle.

Swift appeared in a lot of skits, and she had her moments in most of them. She had a funny, crazy laugh in a bit about being interviewed by manipulative celebrity reporters. In another segment she played a teen, fed up with all the talk about “Driving While Texting,” who starts campaigning against the dangerous things that parents do, including “Driving While Arguing with the GPS” and “Driving While Singing Along To a Song You Don’t Know the Lyrics To.”

A great run by Phil Ivey this year but he came up just short, finishing in 7th place at this year’s main event.

Ivey was eliminated on the first hand after a break late tonight/early this morning by Darvin Moon.

Ivey appeared to have the edge up AK to AQ when Moon his a Queen on the flop. With a 3 on the turn, followed by a 5 on the river, Ivey was eliminated.

Still…a great run by one of the greatest poker players ever!

University of California tailback Jahvid Best was carted off the field this evening after he landed on the back of his head when he made a leap over a defender to score a touchdown in the second quarter against the Oregon State Beavers.

It was a horrifying incident that ended up looking a lot worse than it could have been. Last I heard on ESPN, Best has feeling throughout his body and is only suffering from a concussion.

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

For almost 15 minutes on Saturday, Memorial Stadium went quiet. The entire Cal football team gathered on the field, 20 yards from the end zone where Jahvid Best lay immobile, surrounded by a huddle of medical staffers. A wheeled stretcher waited nearby. Most of Best’s teammates knelt, some with their faces hidden in their hands.

The box score from the game would show a 7-yard touchdown run by Best midway through the second quarter, another Heisman Trophy credential for the Bears’ junior tailback. It wouldn’t explain how quickly the exhilaration of seeing Best vault over an Oregon State cornerback turned to horror. A shove by another Oregon State player sent him higher into the air, flipping until he landed so hard on his upper back and shoulders that the force sent his helmet flying off.

From Yahoo! Sports:

Best remained on the ground for an uncomfortably long time, ultimately being carted away on a stretcher with an oxygen mask over his face; the early verdict indicates he does have feeling in all his extremities and is apparently suffering from a concussion.

Best is often compared to another all-purpose Pac-10 speedster, notorious end zone leaper Reggie Bush, and has gone airborne before. It makes for a nice picture, and if he’d somehow picked himself off the turf after this one, the shot would make Sports Illustrated and live on in infamy.