Getting permission to build a library of high-quality content has been the bane of several would-be Blockbuster killers. Armstrong wouldn't divulge the name of the studios, but said they were major and well-known.

In addition, selection is improved.

Race to replace Hastert is in national spotlight

The territory is just the latest suburban Chicago district that's gone from reliably Republican to a potential toss-up.

To the north, Democrat Melissa Bean of Barrington unseated Republican veteran Phil Crane in 2004 and fended off a well-funded challenger two years ago. Along the lake, four-term Republican Rep. Mark Kirk of Highland Park has been stockpiling campaign cash for a rematch against Dan Seals, who came surprisingly close in 2006. And in DuPage County, Henry Hyde's retirement led to a close, nationally-watched contest two years ago between eventual winner Republican Peter Roskam and Democratic Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth.

Hastert's district also is one of three open seats in Illinois created by Republican retirements, making it that much harder for the GOP to compete for control of Congress in the fall.

Serbs refuse to accept Kosovo's declaration of independence

Bush for supporting Kosovo's independence bid, saying the U.S. leader's name would go down in black letters in Serbian history. In Kosovo, Serbs in Kosovska Mitrovica defiantly flew the Serbian flag as they tried to ignore ethnic Albanians' raucous celebrations just hundreds of meters away. The Serbian government _ which steadfastly opposed full statehood for Kosovo during internationally mediated talks last year _ said it has a secret action plan for Kosovo. It says the plan does not include military action, though officials have said Serbia will seek to retain control of areas in northern Kosovo inhabited by Serbs. Serbia also warned that it will downgrade relations with any foreign government that recognizes Kosovo's independence. Tadic urged international organizations to immediately annul this act, which violates the basic principles of international law.

Hip-Hop Rumors: Is Kimora Preggers? Bottle Hits Pitbull! Timbaland ...

All content within this section is pure rumor and generally have no factual info outside of what the streets have whispered in our ear. Read on.

Damn! What is the hell is going on? I heard about 2,500 people packed club PLANETA in San Antonio, TX to see the one and only Pitbull.

NOLA Fired Up: Three-day ceramics event starts Friday

To comment or read his previous articles, visit blog.nola.com/dougmaccash.

The Big Top (3 Ring Circus Gallery) 1638 Clio St., 569-2700. "Clay Under the Big Top," group exhibit including Mark Derby, Naomi Duffey, Michele Hudelot, Maria LuVollo, Bill Newman, Diane Pecnik and Pandra Williams, with a reception, 6-10, through March 29.

Fans Say UAlbany's Brian Lillis is AE Player of the Year..

Lillis, a 6-foot-5 senior from Urbandale, Iowa, leads the Great Danes in scoring (15.8 ppg), rebounding (6.1 pg), assists (3.5 pg), steals (1.7 pg) and blocked shots (0.7 pg). He is one of 10 players at the Division I level to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists. Lillis, who ranks among the league leaders in six statistical categories, has scored 20-plus points five times and recorded five double-doubles.

The Fans' Choice award included voting in the preliminary round and finals, with those votes added together to determine the winner. Vermont's Mike Trimboli won the inaugural award in 2006-07.

Boutique hotel shines in Bodrum

Tucked away atop a hill a five-minute drive from Bodrum's center is a modest yet luxurious boutique hotel. Having bucked the declining tourism trend in the area both in 2006 (only the hotel's second season) and early into the summer of 2007, The Butterfly may have struck a business model for accommodation that can withstand any blows to the area's tourism industry a model that makes it stand out from the majority of Bodrum's other hotels and bed and breakfasts.

Bookings have doubled every year since opening, said Patrick Hembrough, joint-owner of The Butterfly. Even more interesting, the hotel has not spent any money on formal advertising. The Butterfly opened in its current form and location about two-and-a-half years ago. In its first season, almost all of their clientele discovered The Butterfly via the hotel's Web site.

Malware writers exploring Software as a Service model

The business of writing, buying, and selling malware has become increasingly commercial over the past few years, but a new report from online security firm Finjan sheds light on just how mainstream the crimeware business has gone. Earlier this month, the company discovered a small, standalone application gathering data on over 8,700 servers, including web sites from 2,500 North American companies and a handful of sites in Alexa's top 100 ranking. Potential buyers were able to log into the malicious server hosting the data-gathering service and evaluate any given web site's size and Google Page Rank to decide whether or not the site's FTP information was worth purchasing or not.

The concept of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is nothing new, but this is the first time anyone has organized the purchase of FTP login credentials, with additional tools available to help a buyer confirm he's making a smart purchase.

Hooked on technology

She also loves using her digital still cameras and has several video cameras, from a DVD camcorder to outdated tape-based models.

Dr Kabillo has found that addiction to online gaming is more common among young men, particularly among those who are uncomfortable in social settings.

Radio & TV Talk

Amazingly, "Prison Break" was the top show in Atlanta but ranked just 34th nationwide. Only one program (NFL Sunday football) was both in the top 10 locally and nationally.

Juanita Bynum, the Pentecostal televangelist who recently filed for divorce from Bishop Thomas Weeks III after his alleged assault on her in August, will be a guest DJ Thursday from 10 a.m.

Video is the winner on the Web

Overall, across the world, online viewers spent 3.25 hours in November watching videos up from 2.5 hours in January the same year. On an average, they spent 2.8 minutes online. In November 2007, the world watched a phenomenal 9.5 billion videos online, 28.3 per cent higher than September 2007. YouTube alone accounted for 2.9 billion of those, with 29.5 million visitors...

Video content is now an integral part of the Web 2.0 trend where person-to-person interaction and information sharing will be the bedrock of the development of the Internet.