Wireless Giants Deny Price-Fixing Texts

CNET) Executives from the nation's largest phone companies went to Capitol Hill Tuesday to defend themselves against allegations that they've been fixing prices on text messaging. Executives from AT&T and Verizon Communications testified before the Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, saying their companies have not been involved in a conspiracy to hike text messaging rates. And they argued that competition is alive and well in the wireless market. The hearing was called in response to a letter sent in September from Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) to the four major U.S. operators - Verizon, AT&T, Sprint Nextel, and T-Mobile USA - asking them to explain why their text rates had all increased to 20 cents per message. Kohl noted in his letter that these rates marked a 100 percent increase since 2005. Shortly after the letter was sent, about 37 separate class action lawsuits were filed against wireless operators alleging price-fixing on text-messaging services. Both AT&T and Verizon have denied these claims. And the companies came to Capitol Hill to clear their names. "Especially in light of this litigation firestorm, we want to make it perfectly clear that AT&T sets the prices for all of its products on a unilateral basis," said Wayne Watts, general counsel for AT&T, in his written testimony. "There is no evidence to support an accusation that anyone at AT&T engaged in any inappropriate, much less illegal, behavior as alleged in these lawsuits." read more

MySpace is cutting nearly 30 percent of its work force

LOS ANGELES (AP) - MySpace said Tuesday it is cutting nearly 30 percent of its work force in a bid to become more efficient, bringing its staffing level more in line with its more popular rival, Facebook.
The move, the latest cost-cutting effort at the site, comes less than two months after the unit of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. (NWS) (NWSA) hired former Facebook executive Owen Van Natta, 39, as its new chief executive.
It also comes a day after data from tracking firm comScore show Facebook has caught up with MySpace in monthly U.S. visitors for the first time.
"Simply put, our staffing levels were bloated and hindered our ability to be an efficient and nimble team-oriented company," Van Natta said in a statement.
The cuts amount to about 420 people, bringing the total number of MySpace's U.S. staff to 1,000. As of May, Facebook had about 850 employees worldwide, the vast majority in the United States.
MySpace's user base has stagnated at about 125 million worldwide users, while Facebook said its usage has doubled to more than 200 million in less than a year.
Until now, MySpace still had the edge among U.S. users. But numbers from comScore show that in May, MySpace and Facebook both had about 70 million users apiece in the United States.
MySpace generates more revenue, according to Internet research firm eMarketer; it estimates that MySpace generated about $605 million in global advertising revenue last year, compared with $250 million for Facebook. MySpace's revenue is expected to shrink next year while Facebook's is seen as growing. read more

Baby Sitter Arrested After Baby Drowns In Bucket

A New York City baby sitter faces charges following the death of an 11-month-old boy. Authorities say the toddler may have fallen head-first into a mop bucket. Police say 28-year-old Krystal Khan was arrested Monday on a charge of endangering the welfare of a child. Authorities responded to a call of an unconscious child at her home in Queens. James Farrior died at a hospital. BlogWatch: What The Blogs Are SayingAn autopsy will be performed on Tuesday to determine the cause of his death. The name of Khan's attorney was not immediately on record. There was no answer at a telephone number listed for her home. EMS units responded to the call just before 11 a.m. at a home on 108th Street in Richmond Hill.Neighbors say the woman who runs the place came outside screaming. "When I came outside I heard the baby fell into a bucket of water," said Angie Singh, who lives nearby. The child was in cardiac arrest when paramedics arrived. "They said he's not breathing, and then the firemen just ran with him," said neighbor Liz Rivero. One neighbor said CPR was being performed on the child as he was taken from the house. read more

Father and son sentenced to two years in prison Friday for stealing more than $3 million from a California church

SANTA ANA, Calif., June 12 (UPI) -- A father and son were sentenced to two years in prison Friday for stealing more than $3 million from a California church where both served as pastors.
Richard Wimberly Cunningham, 76, of Moreno Valley, Calif., and Philip Ladd Cunningham, 52, of Laurinburg, N.C., appeared in court in Orange County, the Los Angeles Times reported. Both had pleaded guilty to grand theft.
Prosecutors said the Cunninghams wrote checks to themselves on eight accounts belonging to the Calvary Baptist Yorba Linda Church and School. They also used church credit cards for personal expenses.
The money was spent on time shares in Hawaii and Palm Springs, Calif., memberships in country clubs and expensive cars. The Cunninghams have already paid $3.1 million in restitution, the newspaper said.

Blogger's baby was a hoax

The unmarried mother's story about giving birth to a child diagnosed as terminally ill in the womb hit a major nerve on the Internet.Every night for the last two months, thousands of abortion opponents across the nation logged on to a blog run by the suburban Chicago woman who identified herself only as "B" or "April's Mom."People said they prayed that God would save her pregnancy. They e-mailed her photos of their children dressed in pink, bought campaign T-shirts, shared tales of personal heartache and redemption, and sent letters and gifts to an Oak Lawn P.O. box in support.As more and more people were drawn to her compelling tale, eager advertisers were lining up. And established parenting Web sites that oppose abortion were promoting her blog -- which included biblical quotes, anti-abortion messages and a soundtrack of inspirational Christian pop songs.
Related links
On the Web: Snapshot of blog from June 2, 2009
By Sunday night, when "April's Mom" claimed to have given birth to her "miracle baby" -- blogging that April Rose had survived a home birth only to die hours later -- her Web site had nearly a million hits.There was only one problem with the unfolding tragedy: None of it was true.Not the pregnancy, and not the photos posted on the blog of the supposed mother and Baby April Rose, swaddled in white blankets. The baby was actually a lifelike doll, which immediately raised the suspicion of loyal blog-followers."I have that exact doll in my house," said Elizabeth Russell, a dollmaker from Buffalo who had been following the blog. "As soon as I saw that picture, I knew it was a scam."By Monday, outraged followers on dozens of Christian parenting Web sites unmasked "April's Mom" as a hoaxer, and hundreds more vented their anger."She needs to be exposed and held accountable," Russell said.Sensing people were close to establishing her identity, "April's Mom" on Monday raced in vain to delete her Web site and Twitter and Facebook accounts.But it was too late. The online community found out her true identity: Beccah Beushausen, 26, a social worker from Mokena. more

Cristiano Ronaldo accepts a world record £80m bid

Manchester United have performed an incredible about-turn on Cristiano Ronaldo by accepting a world record £80m bid from Real Madrid for the Portuguese winger. Ronaldo, currently on holiday in Los Angeles, has informed Manchester United of his desire to leave Old Trafford for the Bernabeu and the Premier League champions have now granted his wish by allowing him to speak to Real over a transfer.
In a brief statement issued on the club website this morning, United confirmed that they have accepted Real's offer, while stipulating that the deal must be wrapped up by June 30.
The statement said: "Manchester United have received a world-record, unconditional offer of £80million for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid.

"At Cristiano's request - who has again expressed his desire to leave - and after discussion with the player's representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player.
"Matters are expected to be concluded by 30 June. The club will not comment until further notice.
Having failed to prise Ronaldo away from Old Trafford last summer, Real have now stunned United with the size of their offer for the 24 year-old, who cost the Premier League champions £12.2m as a 17-year-old from Sporting Lisbon in 2003.
Ronaldo has done little to hide his desire to play for Real and his behaviour towards the end of last season, when he reacted angrily to being substituted against Manchester City at Old Trafford, highlighted cracks in his relationship with manager Sir Alex Ferguson. more

David Carradine did not commit suicide

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The independent forensics expert who examined David Carradine's body says the actor didn't commit suicide, and Carradine's brothers are asking for understanding as Thai authorities investigate.
Keith and Robert Carradine say they're grateful for the outpouring of support during what they call a "profoundly painful time." In a statement read Thursday in Los Angeles, they also thanked U.S. and Thai authorities for their work.

Carradine was found dead a week ago, hanging in a closet of a Bangkok hotel room.