More Cyclists Come Forward, Backing Armstrong Doping Claims

Lance Armstrong Doping – Another Cyclist Backs Claims – Federal prosecutors have intensified their criminal investigation of the cyclist Lance Armstrong since the end of the Tour de France last month. They questioned many of his former associates, including cyclists who have supported and detailed claims that Armstrong and his former United States Postal Service team participated in systematic doping. [nytimes]

Churchill Ordered UFO Cover-Up – The government took the threat of UFOs so seriously in the 1950s that UK intelligence chiefs met to discuss the issue, newly-released files show. Ministers even went on to commission weekly reports on UFO sightings from a committee of intelligence experts. The papers also include a wartime account claiming prime minister Winston Churchill ordered a UFO sighting be kept secret to prevent “mass panic”. [bbc]

Is James Bond Dead? – These are dark days for James Bond fans. It will likely be years before 007 returns to the screen, thanks to money troubles at MGM, Bond’s longtime studio, which has been up for sale since November. The last time the Bond series was put on this sort of “indefinite” hold was back in the early 1990s, after a series of legal battles (and Timothy Dalton) nearly wrecked the series. He also had a child with Mel Gibson’s ex, Oksana Whataver-her-name-is. The one that made Mel mal. [popwatch]

Lily Allen Has A Bun In The Oven – Lily Allen and her boyfriend, Sam Cooper, are expecting their first child, it was revealed today. A recent scan revealed the pop singer, 25, was three months’ pregnant, she told the Sun. “It brings me great pleasure to tell you that Sam and I are expecting our first child. It goes without saying that we are both absolutely delighted.” And baby shower – go! [guardian]

Could Negotiated Infidelity Help Your Relationship? – Could letting your man sleep with another woman help your relationship? Author and former mistress Holly Hill thinks so. “One of the main things that I have learned is that a woman that negotiates infidelity with her partner is far more powerful than a woman who is sitting home wondering why he’s late from the office Christmas party,” she says. “It’s better to walk the dog on a leash than let it escape through an unseen hole in the back fence.” [cnn]

Naomi Campbell Comes Clean About Blood Diamonds – Naomi Campbell admits she was given blood diamonds Naomi Campbell, the model, admitted that she was given “dirty rocks” by the former Liberian ruler Charles Taylor as she gives evidence at his war crimes trial. She told the court she handed the gems to a colleague and told him to “do something good with them”. She said she had wanted them to be donated to charity but added: “He still has them so they didn’t benefit.” Whatever, Naomi. [telegraph]

Secret Marriage Facebook Bust – Lynn France was a little suspicious when her husband claimed to have gone to China, even though he left his passport at home in Cleveland the whole time. But dang, the worst part came when her relatives pointed her to the Facebook page of the blonde Florida lady where there were “dozens of wedding photos” of this other lady with Lynn’s husband. And also the lady’s last name was now “France.” Ouch. [gizmodo]

Ard Matthews Busking On A Sidewalk Friday Morning – Just Jinjer’s Ard Matthews will be busking on the sidewalk outside the 2oceansvibe Radio studios in the Cape Quarter Lifestyle centre around 10h15 on Friday morning. He will have a dog next to him, as well as a hat into which you can throw money. There will even be a tube map on the wall (no spice). He is helping us raise some much needed funds for a 2oceansvibe Radio jet ski. [2ovradio]

DA Will Fight For Media Freedom – The Democratic Alliance says the Protection of Information Bill currently before Parliament poses the gravest legislative threat to our constitutional democracy since 1994. “We in the Democratic Alliance will fight the Bill with every means at our disposal.” The Bill makes it a punishable offence (up to 25 years in prison) to possess, communicate or publish classified state information. Go Helen! Go Helen! [timeslive]

Mozart’s Piano Found – An early piano believed to have been played by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has surfaced in Germany and could be worth millions of euros (dollars), a radio station reported Wednesday. Public broadcaster SWR said the instrument was built in 1775 and acquired in the 1980s by piano manufacturer Martin Becker in the southern German city of Baden-Baden from an antiques dealer in Strasbourg, eastern France. Not bad. Not bad. [afp]

Google Bails On Wave – Thank God! Google is halting development on Wave, its web app for real-time communication. “We don’t plan to continue developing Wave as a standalone product,” Google Senior Vice President of Operations Urs Hölzle said on the official Google Blog Wednesday. The company cites slow user adoption as the reason for its decision. Google will continue to support Wave through the end of the year, at which point the product will be phased out. I called it. Fact. [webmonkey]

YouTube and Ridley Scott’s Life in a Day Project Receives 80,000 Entries – Well, the guys over at YouTube are going to have a lot of (metaphorical) celluloid to sift through — its film project, Life in a Day, received 80,000 entries from 197 countries.Life in a Day launched at the beginning of July with the aim of documenting one day, July 24, as lived by people around the world. The project is executive produced by Ridley Scott. [mashable]

Emma Watson Chops Her Hair Off – With her famous role as Hermione Granger firmly behind her, Emma Watson has decided to experiment with a different look by cutting her hair into an edgy new ‘do. The 20-year-old actress was almost unrecognisable as she show off her crop while catching a cab in New York’s West Village with friends. I don’t like it, Emma. I’m sorry. I think you’re overtaking yourself. [dailymail]

The Fastest Bicycle Tyre Change – Judging by the hate mail I receive when I mention anything about cyclists and how they feel they are above the law by ignorantly cycling through red traffic lights, wearing helmets indoors and exposing the exact shape of their genitals, there is clearly still a lot of cyclists hanging around these parts. This one is for you guys. What’s the quickest you could change a tyre in? As quick as these guys? [youtube]

[thanks jason]