Erin Haikal

National Dog Day 2013

2013-10-30T03:46:00.001-07:00

Today is National Dog Day! According to National Dog Day.com Aug. 26 is a day to celebrate “man’s best friend,” and America’s favorite pet – the dog. For many people, dogs aren’t just considered pets, but members of the family.

National Dog Day is a perfect opportunity to show how much we appreciate our furry friends for being there when we are down and bringing joy to our lives on a daily basis.

So how do we celebrate a day dedicated to dogs?

Easy!

If you don’t have a dog, you can celebrate National Dog Day by making a donation to a local animal shelter or even by going one step further and adopting a dog. You will bring joy to a homeless animal and in return you will get years of unconditional love from your new found best-friend!

If you are already a dog owner, go the extra mile today to show Fido what he means to you and your family.

Spoil him or her with an extra treat or two, a long walk or just show them the attention they well deserve. After all, in addition to giving love and companionship, dogs protect our homes, help lead the blind, and aid in rescue missions for local police and military on a daily basis – and all they ask for in return is a bowl full of food, a pat on the head and for someone to show them the unconditional love that they are willing to give to you.

If you are interested in adopting a dog, making a donation or just looking for general information on helping out a good cause on National Dog Day you can click here. Michigan residents can click here for local adoption and other ways to help celebrate National Dog Day.

Now go show your dog how much you appreciate them!

ARTICLE SOURCE ----- http://www.examiner.com/article/national-dog-day-2013-adopt-donate-and-help-celebrate-national-dog-day

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Celine Dion And Ne-Yo Record "Incredible" Duet.

2013-10-26T20:06:00.000-07:00

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Celine Dion and Ne-Yo cooperate in an "Incredible" new track for the former's forthcoming album admired American state Back to Life, due out next Tuesday, November 5.

While that pairing may seem odd at first look, the results quickly put that notion to rest in an exceedingly song Ne-Yo wrote for her.

Celine describes the sacred track as a “theme song for that moment after you do one thing that defines United Nations agency you're or defines a flash in time.”

“It’s associate honor and a pleasure to sing with Celine Dion, however it's not a simple factor,” aforementioned Ne-Yo, United Nations agency has additionally worked with Mariah Carey, Beyonce, and Rihanna."

“It’s the foremost irrelevant that I’ve ever felt," he admits, noting she could've carried it herself. "Because the scale of Celine Dion’s voice, you don’t want Pine Tree State there.”

ARTICLE ------ http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/10/celine-dion-ne-yo-record-incredible-duet-first-listen/

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Star of 'Simpsons,' 'Bob Newhart,' Marcia Wallace has died at seventy.

2013-10-26T19:56:00.001-07:00

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Marcia Wallace became a far-famed to several because the saucy, light-haired secretary on "The Bob Newhart Show" and additionally voiced Bart's crabbed teacher on "The Simpsons," died weekday in LA.

A representative from Wallace's agency confirmed the actress' death in an email to NBC News.

"Cheers to the humorous , kind, fabulous Marcia Wallace has taken her leave people," aforesaid "Simpsons" player Yeardley Smith on Twitter. "Heaven is currently a far funnier place b/c of you, Marcia. Xx"

Wallace's tired voice was the right delivery vehicle for blue blood Simpson's chain-smoking, always-exasperated teacher, Edna Krabappel. In 1992, Wallace won AN honour for outstanding voice-over performance. Her disrespectful "HA!" laugh became a personality trademark, and is even collected in a very YouTube video image.

But long before "The Simpsons," a generation of TV watchers knew her as Bob Newhart's joke-loving secretary, Carol Kester, WHO minded the central table at Dr. Bob Hartley's shared workplace suite on "The Bob Newhart Show." The character became thus well-known that in 1994, Wallace reprised the role of Kester on "Murphy Brown." She was nominative for AN honour for that guest look.

Wallace was additionally a game-show regular, creating quite a dozen appearances on shows together with "Hollywood Squares," "Match Game," "The $25,000 Pyramid" and "To Tell the reality," among others.

She had various TV appearances, ANd is remembered by "Brady Bunch" fans because the saleslady WHO oversubscribed middle sister January a black wig in an disreputable episode regarding acceptive WHO you're. alternative shows on her resume embody "Charles guilty," "ALF," "A totally different World," "Magnum, P.I." and "The Young & The Restless."

ARTICLE ----- http://www.nbcnews.com/entertainment/marcia-wallace-star-simpsons-bob-newhart-has-died-70-8C11473058

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Sandra Oh to Exit 'Grey's Anatomy'

2013-08-14T23:09:00.001-07:00

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"Creatively, I really feel like I gave it my all, and I feel ready to let her go," an emotional Oh tells THR of her decision to exit at the end of season 10.

Sandra Oh has opted to exit the medical drama from Shonda Rhimes, The Hollywood Reporterhas learned exclusively.

Oh has played prickly doctor Cristina Yang since the series premiered in 2005 and will exit ABC's top-rated drama following the completion of its upcoming 10th season. The actress, who was among the stars who signed new two-year deals in May 2012 to return to Grey's through season 10, instead will pursue other opportunities beyond the series.

"Creatively, I really feel like I gave it my all, and I feel ready to let her go," an emotional Oh tells THR. "It's such an interesting thing to play a character for so long and to actually get the sense that she wants to be let go as well. [Cristina] wants to be let go, and I am ready to let her go. We have to start the process, story-wise, for the Grey's writers to think of why she's going to go."

PHOTOS: 'Grey's Anatomy's' Famous Departures

Oh says she first began thinking about wrapping herGrey's run in May 2012 when what she called the "original six" inked new two-year deals to take them through the 10th season of the series. "I've gone through a lot of therapy over this," she says through tears. "I started thinking about it because I had to prepare myself. I gave myself two years to emotionally let go. At the end of last season, Shonda took me aside and said, 'What are your thoughts?' I said, 'I'm ready.'"

Oh informed her co-stars about her upcoming exit during Tuesday's table read for the show's 200th episode and said the decision "doesn't feel real" yet. "I seriously think I need that much support over processing it over this next year for me to be able to leave fully and leave in a way that I feel like Cristina deserves," she says, noting that Rhimes has supported her every step of the way. "For the first time, at least for my character, you actually have an endpoint, which in series television you never or very rarely have."

Rhimes has repeatedly noted that she sees herself in Cristina's character -- a driven doctor who repeatedly puts her professional life first and foremost over her personal affairs. The character was the second one Rhimes created -- following Ellen Pompeo's Meredith Grey.

"One of the best days of my life as a writer happened the day Sandra Oh walked in my door to audition and forever changed the course of Grey's Anatomy with her brilliant, nuanced portrayal of Cristina Yang," series creator/showrunner Rhimes says. "Over the past 10 seasons, I have been made better by Sandra's trust, faith and friendship, and I can't quantify how grateful I am for her collaboration on a character we both love so deeply. This year is going to be bittersweet for us -- we're both going to savor every moment of Cristina Yang, and then we're going to give her the exit she deserves. And when Sandra walks out of my door, Grey's Anatomy will once again be forever changed."

It's unclear just how Oh's exit will be handled on-screen. No additional castmembers are expected to be departing at this time, though the two-year contracts for stars Patrick Dempsey (Derek), Pompeo (Meredith), Justin Chambers (Alex), James Pickens Jr.(Webber) and Chandra Wilson (Bailey) are up at the end of season 10. (Dempseyrecently told THR that "it's worth having a discussion" on whether he would continue on atGrey's. "Whether or not we're in the show, I think the show will continue on," he said. "I know Shonda would like it to.")

"It's our intention to have Grey's on the air for many years to come, with as many of the original cast as possible," ABC said in a statement. Sources tell THR that negotiations will begin shortly with remaining original stars Dempsey, Pompeo, Chambers, Pickens and Wilson to continue on with the series after season 10. Oh's onscreen love interest Kevin McKidd will remain with the series beyond this season. "I want everybody for as long as they want to stay," Rhimes tells THR.

ABC Entertainment president Paul Lee hinted that there could be cast departures coming this season on Grey's Anatomy during his recent presentation at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour, noting that Rhimes was "planning a number of series out[s]." "We would like to see [Grey's] on the network for many years to come," he said.

Oh has earned five supporting actress Emmy nominations for the role, which originally was not envisioned to be an Asian-American. She is a four-time Image Award nominee, two-time People's Choice Award nominee and won the Golden Globe in 2006 for the part. In addition to a nomination for the Grey's ensemble, Oh also took home the SAG Award for actress in a drama series in 2006.

STORY: Emmys 2012: 'Grey's Anatomy's' Sandra Oh on Cristina's Emotional Season

During Oh's 10-season run, Cristina has been a vehicle for Rhimes and the Grey's writers to explore often controversial subject matter such as abortion and interracial marriage as well as PTSD -- three times -- including after a plane crash that claimed the lives of two former series regulars (Eric Dane, Chyler Leigh). As much as Grey's has been the story of Meredith and Derek's romance, it's as much about the former's relationship with her best friend Cristina and her on-again, off-again romance with Owen (McKidd).

"I want this to be a celebration," Oh says of Cristina's final run. "I want us to get to that point where we see this character ride off into the sunset. Letting go of such a huge part of my life … I want to cry right now. Grey's has been the most important role of my life. Playing Cristina and growing her and growing myself in her, I want to usher her into the next section of her life in the best way possible. It's got to be Cristina Yang's happily ever after."

During the season-nine finale, Cristina and Owen firmed up their split. Oh's character reaffirmed her desire to not have children -- a decision she has firmly maintained since Day 1 of the series -- and decided not to stand in the way of Owen finding happiness. "I feel like that was a very definite moment for them," Rhimes told reporters in May of the fact that Owen didn't run after Cristina despite professing his love for her. "Do they still love each other? Absolutely. Is that love ever going to die? I don't know. I know a lot of fans just want us to end everything by giving Cristina a baby [as if that's] going to make everyone happy, which infuriates me as a woman, as a human being and as someone who loves babies -- it drives me nuts. I adamantly stand by Cristina's ability and desire to not have a baby and to be happy about that. There's something great about this struggle and what's going to make her happy and see where they go next."

PHOTOS: The Couples of Shondaland: 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Private Practice,' 'Scandal'

Oh cited McKidd -- whom she called the "greatest acting partner you could ever ask for" -- for creating a place where she didn't feel as if she were acting but instead what Stanislavski called a "state of being." "You're not acting, you are in a state of being and you actually arethe character," she says. "To actually get to the point in my career where you can experience that was the highlight of my career. Learning the rare opportunity of what it is to work on one project for 10 years -- that's like being married in television years for like a thousand years."

Added McKidd of Oh's upcoming exit: "I feel so blessed and grateful to have been given the chance to work with her. When I joined the show in season five, she was so welcoming and nurturing to me as a new actor on the show -- something I will never forget and be always thankful for. Getting to act with her every day has made me a better actor, and getting to know her has made me a better person. She is an extremely warm and loving person and I will miss her. I wish her every good wish in the world and will miss her at work a huge amount, but I feel happy to know that she is moving on to new adventures and roles to explore. Sandra has inspired me to diligently work hard at my craft and to never phone it in or zone out -- her professionalism and passion for acting knows no bounds. I have been lucky to get the time I have with her."

Oh becomes the latest Grey's star to exit the drama. She joins Dane, Leigh and Kim Raver(Teddy), who was written out in the season-eight finale; original star T.R. Knight(George) exited in 2009; Isaiah Washington (Burke) was fired in 2007; and Katherine Heigl (Izzie) left in 2010 to pursue other opportunities.

PHOTOS: Broadcast TV's Returning Shows 2013-14

Kate Walsh's Addison character was spun off to star in Private Practice, which recently ended its six-season run. For her part, Rhimes has noted she'd like both Walsh and formerGrey's recurring player Caterina Scorsone to return before Grey's ends its run.

And Oh would be game, too. "There's no way that no one could keep me away from that," she said of an appearance in Grey's Anatomy's eventual series finale -- provided Cristina survives.

In the meantime, there's still the 24 episodes of season 10 for Oh to get through before she focuses on saying a final goodbye to her co-stars and Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

"I'm just going to focus on every single day," she says, noting she'd likely keep Cristina's stethoscope and ID badges as keepsakes. "I just can't think about it right now."

Grey's ranks as ABC's No. 1 drama among the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demographic, finishing its ninth season with an average of a 4.1 rating. In total viewers among original scripted dramas, it trails only Castle at the network.

Grey's Anatomy, which was renewed in May for a 10th season, returns Sept. 26 with a two-hour premiere. The drama also recently promoted four recurring players to series regulars as the show looks to continue on with its latest class of interns, something Lee stressed Rhimes has done before on the series. "She will, like she always does, bring changes that are extraordinary," he said.

And while Oh eyes her next career endeavor -- likely a return to the theater -- one thing will be certain: The actress will keep up with her co-stars every Thursday at 9 p.m.

"I feel like in 10 or 20 years, when I'm lounging around in my muumuu with a martini, I'm going to watch Grey's Anatomy from the pilot to whenever it ends, and I'm going to enjoy myself thoroughly and enjoy seeing all those moments and being able to see it with a new perspective," she says, reflecting on what has been a career-defining role.

Articles From --- http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/

by Lesley Goldberg.

America’s Best Family Sitcom

2013-08-14T22:49:00.001-07:00

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One of America’s broadest and best family sitcoms, Duck Dynasty, which is, yes, also a reality TV show, returns for its fourth season tonight on A&E. Duck Dynasty, about the antics of Louisiana’s hirsute, wealthy, proudly redneck Roberston clan, has been a huge hit for the cable channel, racking up ratings that would be the envy of ABC, NBC, CBS, or Fox. Executives at those networks must be beating their chests: Duck Dynasty is exactly the comedy they have been trying and failing to make for years and years. It is the funny, likeable, idiosyncratic, noncreepy, upbeat version of the crisis of masculinity sitcoms that have cycled through the networks, with more coming this fall. It’s a show in which men, aware of a changing world, hyper-perform certain aspects of their machismo—facial hair, hunting, a no-one-tells-me-what-to-do attitude—but with two key ingredients: self-awareness and joviality. The Robertson men happily ham it up for the camera they know is there, laughing instead of crying about the end of men, and it takes the sourness out of the shtick.

The Robertsons, a close-knit, multigenerational, religious Southern family that has made a fortune crafting duck calls, have described their show as “guided reality.” This means they are in cahoots with the producers when it comes to planning and executing any given episode’s plot points, which tend to be ripped right out of sitcom 101. Past episodes have followed the family on camping trips and high school reunions. They all hew to sitcom beats and are punctuated by solid to very good one-liners: The Robertsons are quick and deadpan improvisers.

In tonight’s premiere, the three grown Robertson sons—straight man Willie, wise-cracking Jase, easygoing li’l bro Jep—are prodded by their wives into planning a vow-renewal ceremony for their parents on the occasion of their 48th wedding anniversary. Jase and Willie complain endlessly—about their wives’ texting habits, how they would rather be fishing, having to get dressed up—until the whole thing comes off without a hitch and they conclude that part of being a man is doing anything to keep your wife happy, even if you whine about it the whole time.

The wives of Duck Dynasty are also familiar from sitcoms: they let their husbands get up to all the mischief, while they roll their eyes and, ultimately, are proven right. They are the soft power behind the loveable blowhards. Many of Duck Dynasty’s plots and jokes revolve around a low-key anxiety about being pussy-whipped (in the premiere someone makes a whipping sound effect at least three times), but though the men onDuck Dynasty may fetishize certain masculine behaviors and generalize about women for the camera, modern gender relations—in which men and women are genuine partners, not adversaries—does not inspire in them panic or outright misogyny.

Unlike their sitcom brethren, the Robertsons are not sad-sacks but successes. Changing social and economic circumstances have made them more protective of their guns and their religion and their beards, but have otherwise allowed them to thrive. They are rich and getting richer, famous and widely beloved: If it is the end of men, it is not the end ofthem, and the show’s spirit reflects their good fortune. So long as they get to keep their beards—much to their wives’ chagrin—they are content and confident enough not to mind that the joke’s on them.

And the Robertsons, more than any other reality TV family, seem totally in on the joke.Duck Dynasty has a nearly frictionless relationship with exploitation—as in, you do not watch it and think anyone is being exploited—an extremely rare feat for any reality show, but especially one about the personal lives of its protagonists. Duck Dynasty offers the best of both TV worlds: As with a sitcom, you can watch without feeling any creeping ickiness at the lives being upended or mocked for your entertainment. And as with a reality show, you can enjoy genuinely idiosyncratic individuals who are too specific—too Southern, too Christian, too into their guns, too hairy, too rich—ever to appear in a sitcom.

Article From --- http://www.slate.com/

British Open 2013: Tiger Woods opens with 2-under 69.

2013-07-19T04:13:00.001-07:00

British Open 2013: Tiger Woods opens with 2-under 69.

It's been five years since Tiger Woods has won a major championship. And despite four victories and a return to No. 1 in the world in 2013, majors are how he is measured now.

After his first 18 holes of the 142nd British Open, Woods at least found himself in contention.
Woods shot an up-and-down 2-under 69 to leave him three shots behind early leader Zach Johnson.
Woods played the first round with 2010 U.S. Open champ Graeme McDowell (Louis Oosthuizen withdrew after nine holes with an injury). We'll track their progress, hole by hole, throughout the first round.

No. 18, 470 yards, par 4: The closing hole has been a beast, playing to a par of 4.44. Uh-oh ... two tee shots miss the fairway, Woods just barely, McDowell farther off line. McDowell is forced to lay up; Woods, with a better lie, swings violently and fires it out of the rough and just short of the green. McDowell's third is a beauty, and he'll have a chance to save par. Woods' putt from off the green, about 90 feet, is decent, and he will have 6 feet to save par. McDowell misses his putt and finishes up with a 4-over 75. Not his best. Woods makes his par and is in with a 2-under 69.

No. 17, 575 yards, par 5: This hole has taken a beating, as expected, downwind from the tee. It was playing to a par of 4.6 when Woods and McDowell got there. Woods finds the fairway, McDowell ends up in a fairway bunker. McDowell chops out of the bunker and then fires his third, which rolls and rolls and rolls ... and despite landing in a bunker off the tee, he will have a good look at birdie. Woods knocks his second onto the green and will have 25 feet uphill for eagle. He gets it close enough for a tap-in birdie and is back to -2. McDowell can't get the birdie try to go ... another par to stay at +3.

No. 16, 186 yards, par 3: Woods misses long off the tee and will have to get up and down for par. McDowell, who needs something good, finds the green off the tee. Woods knocks his tricky second to within 3 feet to save par. McDowell's putt gets in the vicinity of Woods' ... each should save par. Woods stays at -1, McDowell stays at +3.

No. 15, 448 yards, par 4: Woods hits his 3-metal off the tee and splits the fairway. McDowell found the rough with his tee shot, and a fairway bunker with his second ... he was trying to lay up. Woods fired a 6-iron high in the air and landed it relatively softly about 25 feet from the flag. Woods cozies it up for a tap-in par to stay at -1. McDowell ends up with a double bogey and is now at +3.

No. 14, 475 yards, par 4: Woods finds the fairway again, with an iron ... meaning he'll have a long second. McDowell with a fairway metal finds the fairway, too. Woods had about 240 to the flag and finds the front of the green with his second. Long birdie putt, but safely on the putting surface. McDowell was 15 yards short of the green after two, but will have about 5 feet for par. Woods putted it off the green! Now he will have a not-so-easy up and down to save bogey. His par putt goes past, leaving 4 feet to save bogey. He got that one for his three-putt but drops back to -1. McDowell is at +1.

No. 13, 190 yards, par 3: Woods knocks it onto the green safely enough, a 9-iron to about 25 feet above the hole ... but the birdie putt will be no picnic. Or maybe it will be .... Woods bends it in for his third birdie in four holes, with a great par save as the other, and now he's at -2. McDowell makes par to stay at +1.

No. 12, 379 yards, par 4: Woods hits the stinger off the tee and finds the fairway again. He's hit the green in regulation five holes in a row. It should have been six in a row, but from 148 yards Woods flares it left and trickles it into a greenside bunker. Trouble brewing. After going birdie-birdie, then this; he can't stand prosperity. McDowell came up short of the green with his second. He pitches it up to about 4 feet for par. Woods' ball is near the wall; one foot in the bunker; one knee on the ground outside. He improvises, blasts it out to about 6 feet. Not an easy par save ... but he makes it. He will stay at -1. McDowell stays at +1.

Article From --- http://www.usatoday.com/

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Retailers, rock stars rip Rolling Stone's Boston bomber cover.

2013-07-18T05:50:00.001-07:00

Retailers, rock stars rip Rolling Stone's Boston bomber cover.

Rolling Stone may want to think twice before it attempts to generate sales by giving alleged terrorists the Jim Morrison treatment.
The music magazine unveiled the cover of its August issue featuring Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and while it has generated plenty of controversy, the PR may not exactly be the best thing for the magazine – which has endured sales declines in recent years – as many retailers vow not to sell the Tsarnaev-starring issue, which hits stands Friday.
CVS wase the first to announce it would not be selling the controversial August issue, followed by New England-based grocery store chain Tedeschi Foods, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, and Kmart.
7-11 has stated they still intend to sell the upcoming edition.
A slew of famous faces were also very vocal about their distaste for its cover selection.
“You always think as an artist ‘If I ever get on the Rolling Stone I'll know I've made it!’ That was until they started promoting terrorists,” tweeted country star John Rich. Jack Osbourne called the decision “disgusting” adding, “this is exactly why these f**k heads commit terrorism so they can get the recognition they so desire” and urging for a boycott of the mag. His sister Kelly slammed Rolling Stone for “glorifying a monster.” Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee gave it a simple “WTF?”, country crooner Brad Paisley called it “poor taste,” and "Karate Kid" star Ralph Macchio retweeted: “Making a great album isn't enough to get you on the cover of rolling stone anymore. Blowing up kids is.”
“This magazine has done some outlandish things over the years but this one is way over the top and could cost them readership and subscribers,” Hollywood publicist Roger Neal told FOX411’s Pop Tarts column. “I don’t think they expected this huge outcry. Somebody screwed up here plain and simple.”
Some experts are anticipating that the negative fallout will actually continue come Friday when the issue is released, with advertisers displeased their brands have not been connected to the suggested glorification of a terrorist.
“Advertisers should be concerned, this is about as un-American as you can get,” Neal said, while crisis communications guru Glenn Selig noted the publication is playing with people’s emotions on a subject that is deadly serious, for the sole purpose of selling a magazine.
"As we saw with Paula Deen, advertisers tend to run at the first sign of trouble which may prove to be problematic for Rolling Stone and perhaps did not play heavy enough in their initial calculus," Selig said. "Advertisers trust that a magazine like Rolling Stone won’t put them in such an awful position. Some advertisers will likely feel let down having got sucked into this ugly and uncomfortable situation.”
Editors at the magazine have defended their decision.
“I guess we should have drawn a d**k on Dzhokhar's face or something?” tweeted senior editor Christian Hoard on Wednesday, before abruptly deleting it.
Rolling Stone’s managing editor Will Dana addressed the issue with NPR host Melissa Block.
“I am completely comfortable about the decision that we made,” he said.
Rolling Stone also released an official statement, claiming that their hearts go out to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing, and that their thoughts are with them and their families.
“The cover story we are publishing this week falls within the traditions of journalism and Rolling Stone’s long-standing commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage of the most important political and cultural issues of our day,” continued the statement. “The fact that Tsarnaev is young, and in the same age group as many of our readers, makes it all the more important for us to examine the complexities of this issue.”
Some also argue that Rolling Stone backlash likely won’t be hurt it in the long term.
“It won’t have a long-term reputational effect because they will have a new cover with someone people love next month and the public that actually buys the magazine will not remember,” said Ronn Torossian CEO of 5WPR. “They may take a beating for a few weeks, but no one chooses a cover like this and doesn’t expect backlash. They took a gamble on a marketing concept. As much as it is a detestable ode to an alleged killer, it will not seriously damage them in the long run.”
And according to image consultant Tamara Jacobs, it could even attract (or re-attract) new eyeballs.
“Folks like me, who haven’t looked at Rolling Stone in a long time, are reading the issue and once re-acquainted, will probably buy the next one,” she added.

Article From: http://www.foxnews.com/

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Johnny Manziel: ‘It’s time to grow up’

2013-07-18T05:46:00.001-07:00

HOOVER, Ala. — Johnny Manziel strode into Southeastern Conference Media Days and was swarmed by hundreds of reporters and dozens of television cameras.
He shook some hands and the cameras flashed as he settled into his seat, the star of the SEC’s latest must-see TV show.
If the Texas A&M quarterback was troubled by all the attention, he didn’t show it.
Maziel answered every question thrown his way during the 30-minute Q&A, some were even about football. He said he largely enjoys the spotlight that comes with winning the Heisman Trophy — even if it sometimes includes unsavory headlines.

‘‘This is just another day,’’ Johnny Football said with a grin.

The 20-year-old sophomore and face of college football spent most of his three-hour stay at the Wynfrey Hotel, bouncing from one interview session to another. He mostly talked about an eventful offseason that has frequently made him a trending topic.
‘‘I don’t feel like I've done anything that’s catastrophic,’’ Manziel said. ‘‘Of course, I've made my mistakes. It’s time to grow up.’’
The most recent misstep came last weekend at the Manning Passing Academy. Manziel was one of many college quarterback counselors at the camp for high school prospects run by Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning in Louisiana, but he left before it was over.
He says he missed activities because he ‘‘overslept,’’ and his absence had nothing to do with being out the night before.
‘‘I was not asked to leave. It was a mutual decision,’’ Manziel said.
He said that while there were social events every night with the Mannings, he did not miss his meetings because of too much partying.
‘‘The speculation of me being too hung over and that’s the reason I missed the meetings is absolutely incorrect,’’ he said.
Manziel said he fell asleep without setting his alarm and his phone died during the night. He said he was rooming with Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron, but that McCarron didn’t wake him up.
‘‘I'm definitely not going to pin it on him,’’ Manziel said. ‘‘It’s my fault — 115, 120 percent.’’
He said he was disappointed he missed camp activities, but that there were ‘‘no hard feelings’’ between him and the Mannings. He said he’s already been invited back to next summer’s camp and looks forward to attending.
The early exit from the Manning camp is just part of Manziel’s offseason in the public eye.
— He pleaded guilty on Monday to a misdemeanor of not identifying himself to a police officer following a 2012 altercation at a bar near campus in College Station.
— He sent out an update on Twitter in June saying that he ‘‘can’t wait to leave’’ College Station, before quickly deleting the updated. He later apologized.
— He also created a minor stir in February when he said he took most of his classes online and didn’t go on campus very much.
None of the transgressions were huge, but they combined to keep Johnny Football in the news and raise questions about his character.
‘‘I think [handling the Heisman spotlight is] a learning experience, a growing experience,’’ said Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin. “Because, quite frankly, it’s something that nobody’s ever been through at that age.’’

Article From - http://www.bostonglobe.com/

By David Brandt.

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Godzilla' to 'Matrix,' epic 'Pacific Rim' borrows from sci-fi classics.

2013-07-13T05:42:00.001-07:00

Godzilla' to 'Matrix,' epic 'Pacific Rim' borrows from sci-fi classics .

Monsters fighting gargantuan robots, 3D, and a big budget full of special effects; what more could a comic-loving, sci-fi film fan want from a summer tentpole? In the case of the highly anticipated "Pacific Rim," the studios behind the film hope all of that is enough to send the Guillermo del Toro-directed thriller to the top of the box office.

And "Pacific Rim" pretty much delivers. Epic battles (best viewed on IMAX 3D — the extra ticket cost is worth it) and incredible special effects make the audience feel like it's part of the action every step of the way.
All of that action did, however, set the filmmakers back about $180 million, even while relying on actors to carry the film who are only really well known from the small screen. Fans of "Sons of Anarchy" will recognize Charlie Hunnam, there's also Idris Elba of "The Wire," Charlie Day of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" fame, and Rinko Kickuchi who does have some notable film experience — she was nominated for an Oscar for "Babel." Look for a small but memorable performance by Ron Perlman that requires you to stay for the credits.
It all goes down in a post-apocalyptic world where Kaiju, moonstruck creatures (in Japanese, the word literally translates to "strange beast") that rose from the sea, are at war with humans who build massive human-powered robots called Jaegers to try to save what's left.
As great as the effects may be, there are also plenty of details, big and small, that will make you feel like you’ve been there, done that. Not that there’s anything wrong with paying homage to the classics. Here are 11 movies we recognize in "Pacific Rim":

"Godzilla"
"Pacific Rim’s" most obvious influence is the movie with the most famous Kaiju. Godzilla emerged from the sea and attacked Tokyo. "Pacific Rim" is chock full of ferocious Kaijus with cool code names like "Knifehead" and "Leatherback." They are also sea creatures and they have destroyed most of the world.

"Clash of the Titans"
According to Warner Bros. Pictures’ production notes, the Kaijus were inspired by lizards, crustaceans and insects. But Perseus from “Clash of the Titans” might disagree; they really resemble the Kraken.

"Transformers"Giant robot aliens came to earth to protect it from other robot villains and save humanity from certain destruction. In “Pacific Rim” bigger weaponized robots (the Jaegers) —25 stories tall— try to save the world.

"Iron Man"
The Marvel Comics superhero is a man-powered, human-size robot. Jaegers are man-powered giant robots whose armor could be considered scaled-up redesigns of Tony Stark’s. Iron Man’s Arc Reactor keeps shards of metal from going into his heart. On “Pacific Rim,” a similar circular chest piece serves as a turbo booster for the Gypsy Danger Jaeger, the only analog robot left to save the world.

Articles From :

Maria Elena Fernandez NBC News.

Esther Williams, Swimming Champion Who Became a Movie Star, Dies at 91.

2013-06-06T21:50:00.001-07:00

Actress Esther Williams Dies at 91.

Esther Williams, a teenage swimming champion who became an enormous Hollywood star in a decade of watery MGM extravaganzas, died on Thursday in Beverly Hills, Calif. She was 91.

Her death was announced by her publicist, Harlan Boll.

From “Bathing Beauty” in 1944 to “Jupiter’s Darling” in 1955, Ms. Williams swam in Technicolor pools, lakes, lagoons and oceans, cresting onto the list of Top 10 box-office stars in 1949 and 1950.

“Esther Williams had one contribution to make to movies — her magnificent athletic body,” the film critic Pauline Kael wrote. “And for over 10 years MGM made the most of it, keeping her in clinging, wet bathing suits and hoping the audience would shiver.”

In her autobiography, “The Million Dollar Mermaid” (1999), Ms. Williams spoke of movie stardom as her “consolation prize,” won instead of the Olympic gold medal for which she had yearned. At the national championships in 1939, Ms. Williams, who was 17, won three gold medals and earned a place on the 1940 United States Olympic team. But Hitler invaded Poland, and the 1940 Olympics were canceled with the onset of World War II.

At a time when most movies cost less than $2 million, MGM built Ms. Williams a $250,000 swimming pool on Stage 30. It had underwater windows, colored fountains and hydraulic lifts, and it was usually stocked with a dozen bathing beauties. Performing in that 25-foot-deep pool, which the swimmers nicknamed Pneumonia Alley, Ms. Williams ruptured her eardrums seven times.

By 1952, the swimming sequences in Ms. Williams’s movies, which were often elaborate fantasies created by Busby Berkeley, had grown more and more extravagant. For that year’s “Million Dollar Mermaid,” she wore 50,000 gold sequins and a golden crown. The crown was made of metal, and in a swan dive into the pool from a 50-foot platform, her head snapped back when she hit the water. The impact broke her back, and she spent the next six months in a cast.

Ms. Williams once estimated that she had swum 1,250 miles for the cameras. In a bathing suit, she was a special kind of all-American girl: tall, lithe, breathtakingly attractive and unpretentious. She begged MGM for serious nonswimming roles, but the studio’s response was, in effect, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Audiences rejected her in dramas like “The Hoodlum Saint” (1946) and “The Unguarded Moment” (1956). Her only dry-land box-office success was “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” (1949), with Ms. Williams as the owner of a baseball team whose players included Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly (although even in that film, she was seen briefly in a swimming pool).

The men who played opposite her in a dozen lightweight comedies full of misunderstandings and mistaken identity were almost interchangeable. Johnny Johnston in “This Time for Keeps” (1947), John Carroll in “Fiesta” (1947) and Peter Lawford in “On an Island With You” (1948) were male ingénues whom the studio was hoping might turn into stars. In terms of star power, she was matched on screen only by Victor Mature, with whom she had an affair when they were making “Million Dollar Mermaid,” and by MGM’s all-American boy, Van Johnson, who wooed or was wooed by her in “Thrill of a Romance” (1945), “Easy to Wed” (1946), “Easy to Love” (1953) and “Duchess of Idaho” (1950).

“Just relax,” she recalled Mr. Johnson telling her after the first few days on “Thrill of a Romance.” “It’s your naturalness that’s going to make you a star.”

Esther Jane Williams was born in Los Angeles on Aug. 8, 1921, the fifth and last child of Lou and Bula Williams. Her father was a sign painter; her maternal grandparents had come west to Utah in a Conestoga wagon after the Civil War. Unwanted by a mother who was tired of raising children, Esther was turned over to her 14-year-old sister, Maurine. The family’s chief breadwinner was her brother Stanton. A silent movie star at the age of 6, Stanton died of a twisted intestine when he was 16 and Esther was 8.

That summer she learned to swim. From the beginning, Ms. Williams wrote in her autobiography, “I sensed the water was my natural element.” She counted wet towels at the neighborhood pool to earn the nickel a day it cost to swim there. The male lifeguards taught her the butterfly, a stroke then used only by men, and, at the Amateur Athletic Union championships in 1939, the butterfly won her a gold medal in the 300-meter medley relay.

Three years earlier, 20th Century Fox had signed the Norwegian ice skater Sonja Henie, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, and turned her into a movie star in a series of skating movies, and Louis B. Mayer, who ran MGM, wanted to match Fox. The studio found Ms. Williams performing in Billy Rose’s Aquacade at the San Francisco World’s Fair. She was, as she put it, learning to “swim pretty” in tandem with Johnny Weissmuller, a former Olympic gold medalist who was already the star of MGM’s “Tarzan” films.

At first, Ms. Williams was one of two dozen MGM contract players who had, she wrote, “a look, a voice, a sparkle or a smolder.” Few lasted more than a year. To test audience reaction to her, Ms. Williams was given the role of Mickey Rooney’s love interest in an Andy Hardy movie. Half a dozen starlets — including Lana Turner, Judy Garland and Kathryn Grayson — had already been tested that way. Fan mail response to the film, “Andy Hardy’s Double Life” (1942), was unequivocal: Audiences loved the girl in the two-piece swimsuit.

At 17, Ms. Williams married Leonard Kovner, a pre-med student whom she supported by working as a stock girl at a fancy department store. It was the first of her four marriages, and he would demand $1,500 — all the money she had saved from the Aquacade — before he would agree to a divorce.

Her 13-year second marriage, to the singer Ben Gage, would bring her three children and cost her considerably more money. According to Ms. Williams, Mr. Gage frittered away $10 million of her money on alcohol, gambling and failed business ventures. He also neglected to pay taxes and left her in hock to the Internal Revenue Service for $750,000 by the time they divorced in 1959. By then, Ms. Williams wrote, “I was 37 and there was not much mileage left in my movie career.”

A decade later she married Fernando Lamas, the Argentine-born actor and director, who had helped her to swim the English Channel in “Dangerous When Wet” (1953). He was the first man who gave Ms. Williams money rather than taking it from her, but he exacted a heavy price. Her three children were not allowed to live with them or even to come to their wedding.

That marriage lasted until Mr. Lamas’s death in 1982. Six years later she married Edward Bell, a professor of French literature 10 years her junior, with whom she introduced a collection of swimwear. She also put her name on a line of successful aboveground swimming pools.

She is survived by Mr. Bell; a son, Benjamin Gage; a daughter, Susan Beardslee; three stepsons, the actor Lorenzo Lamas, Tima Alexander Bell and Anthony Bell; three grandchildren; and eight stepgrandchildren.

Asked once who her favorite leading man was, Ms. Williams offered a simple and unsurprising response: “The water.”

A version of this article appeared in print on June 7, 2013, on page A25 of the New York edition with the headline: Esther Williams, Swimming Champion Who Became a Movie Star, Dies at 91.

By ALJEAN HARMETZ

http://www.nytimes.com/

The Purge Starring Ethan Hawke And Lena Headey.

2013-06-06T21:38:00.000-07:00

‘The Purge,’ Starring Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey

Human sacrifice is a reliable crowd pleaser, from the myth of the Minotaur to Shirley Jackson’s short-story shocker “The Lottery,” the Japanese film “Battle Royale,” the book (and now movie series) “The Hunger Games” and the television reality show “The Voice.” This week’s big-screen oblation, “The Purge,” revisits that old sacral feeling, updates it with agitated camerawork and seasons it with the vaguest suggestion of politics — and then lets it rip with machine guns, machetes and Manson Family-style gigglers in fright masks. Ain’t we got fun?

For most of its first hour, “The Purge” isn’t exactly an evening’s elevating entertainment, but it effectively creeps under the skin. It’s 2022 and James Sandin (Ethan Hawke), a high-performing employee at a security firm, is rolling through the entrance of his gated community in a fine mood.

He has just been anointed his company’s top salesman, good news tempered by the fact that tonight brings the annual Purge, the 12-hour national holiday during which Americans are legally absolved from every crime, including homicide and, presumably, insider trading. Since some crimes are more spectacular than others, more ready-made for big-screen consumption, this yearly national bloodletting appears limited to more familiar, more obvious police-blotter offenses: murder, beatings, more murder.

The time stamp announces that this is the future; that it’s also a dystopia is evident from the regressive image of James’s wife, Mary (Lena Headey), fussing about in a skirt and heels like a 1950s television handmaid. James, meanwhile, plays the caring father, sitting down to supper with his family (dinner, and then the show) in a scene with his children, Charlie (Max Burkholder), and Zoey (Adelaide Kane), that establishes his loving paterfamilias bona fides.

There’s a distinct, daddy-knows-best whiff to this tableau that’s underscored when a TV announcer bleats about the New Founding Fathers, God and America just before the Emergency Broadcast System kicks in. James mans the alarms and the gates roll down, securing the windows and doors as if home were a prison.

That’s the unsubtle message, or rather just one of several such blunt, bludgeoning ideas that the writer and director James DeMonaco tucks into “The Purge.”

Some introductory text suggests the political stakes, however blurred: unemployment is at 1 percent, crime is nearly nonexistent and it’s Morning in America (again): cue the smiling faces, fluttering flags and some pacifying notes from Debussy’s “Clair de Lune.” The movie doesn’t directly point fingers at political conservatives, but Mr. DeMonaco deploys the satire about God ’n’ Guns with such cumulative heavy handedness, that the target, so to speak, becomes obvious. (The emblem of the New Founding Fathers looks a lot like one for the National Rifle Association, complete with a gun-toting eagle.)

The message just gets louder and louder, cruder and cruder, which is too bad because Mr. DeMonaco knows how to set a stage. The banality of James and Mary’s milieu initially brings to mind the opening of Jackson’s “Lottery” (1948), in which the ritual bloodletting (ostensibly for harvest) is compared to civic activities like “square dances, the teenage club, the Halloween program.”

Once lockdown commences, however, Mr. DeMonaco quickly loses his grip on the ever-more blood-slicked material. Out come the guns and in come the villains, inner and outer. A symbol of collective callousness emerges in the form of a sacrificial black man (Edwin Hodge as the Bloody Stranger), an

Everyman lifted wholesale from George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead” if without the powerhouse effect.

“The Purge” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). Wholesale slaughter.

The Purge

Opens on Friday nationwide.

Written and directed by James DeMonaco; director of photography, Jacques Jouffret; edited by Peter Gvozdas; music by Nathan Whitehead; production design by Melanie Paizis-Jones; costumes by Lisa Norcia; produced by Jason Blum, Sébastien K. Lemercier, Andrew Form, Brad Fuller and Michael Bay; released by Universal Pictures. Running time: 1 hour 25 minutes.

WITH: Ethan Hawke (James Sandin), Lena Headey (Mary Sandin), Adelaide Kane (Zoey Sandin), Max Burkholder (Charlie Sandin) and Edwin Hodge (Bloody Stranger).

Written By----> By MANOHLA DARGIS

http://movies.nytimes.com/

Cristiano Ronaldo to be world's best-paid player.

2013-05-29T11:46:00.002-07:00

Real Madrid want to make Cristiano Ronaldo the "best-paid player in the world" as they look to build the club's future around him.

The Portugal forward, 28, has been linked with a summer return to Manchester United or a move to Chelsea.
"We want to build the Madrid of the future around him," Madrid president Florentino Perez told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser.
"And I would like Cristiano to be the best-paid player in the world."

Ronaldo became the world's most expensive player when he signed for Real Madrid from Manchester United for £80m in June 2009.

He has scored 55 goals in 55 games in all competitions this season, having reached the 200 mark overall for Real Madrid earlier this month.

Ronaldo said in January that he would see out his current contract, which expires in 2015, but was unsure where his career would take him after that.

He has since been linked with a return to Manchester United, who he left in a £80m move in July 2009 and with whom he had an emotional reunion in the Champions League in March, as well as French league winners Paris St-Germain.

Chelsea have also been linked with the former Sporting Lisbon man, with Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho rumoured to be close to a Stamford Bridge return.
Perez added: "Cristiano told me in the summer he was sad and I told him we would do everything possible for him to be content.

"I don't know if he has an offer from PSG. I think Cristiano is the best player in the world."

Article From--> http://www.bbc.co.uk

Neymar bound for Barcelona.

2013-05-25T23:58:00.002-07:00

Gifted Brazilian confirms he will sign five-year deal with Spanish giants for undisclosed sum, reported to be $36.12m.

Brazil's World Cup hope Neymar has confirmed he is moving to Spanish champions Barcelona on a five-year contract.
The gifted 21-year-old striker chose Barcelona on Saturday over their Spanish arch-rivals Real Madrid after Santos ended three years of resisting offers for Neymar and let him go before next year's tournament in Brazil.

"On Monday I'm signing a contract with Barcelona," Neymar said on his Instagram page and Twitter account.
"I want to thank the Santos fans for nine incredible years."

Neymar has been a first-team regular for Santos for the past four years, scoring 156 goals and providing 77 assists in 256 matches.
He guided them in 2011 to their first Copa Libertadores triumph since when Pele represented the club in the 1960s, and he has already established himself at international level, scoring 20 times in 32 appearances with Brazil.

'In my heart'
Neymar said that his feelings for the club and the fans would never change.
"Titles, goals, dribbles, celebrations and the songs the fans created for me will always be in my heart," Neymar said.
"This is a different moment for me, sad (departure) and happy (new challenge). God bless me in my choices.
"I made a point of playing tomorrow's match in Brasilia. I want the opportunity to enter the pitch once more with the 'mantle' (Santos shirt) and hear the fans shout my name."
Santos play Flamengo at the capital's refurbished World Cup stadium in their opening match of the Brazilian championship on Sunday.
The club said on Friday they had agreed to transfer Neymar and let him choose between two offers.
Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper put the latest offer from Barcelona at 74 million Brazilian Real ($36.12 million).

'Pele's heir'
Barcelona said that Neymar stood out for his polished skills.
"He makes a difference and scores goals," the club said on their website.
"He has received many accolades and the praise of the celebrated Pele, of whom he is considered his heir".
The reigning South American Player of the Year will link up at Barcelona with Argentine ace Lionel Messi, four times FIFA World Player of the Year.
The pair faced each other when Barcelona beat Santos 4-0 in the Club World Cup final in December 2011.
Barcelona are looking to revamp their stellar squad after what by their high standards is a slump during which they have been eliminated from the European Champions League at the semi-final stage for the past two seasons.

Messi partnership
Lining up Messi and Neymar together will likely keep the Barcelona standard at least as high as in their Champions League and Club World Cup winning seasons, a benchmark arch-rivals Real Madrid could struggle to match.
Neymar has been a target of top European sides for at least three years, including Chelsea in 2010, but Santos managed to reject all offers and improve his deal with sponsorships.
The ready smiling Neymar became a celebrity, had a part in a television soap opera and admirers imitated his Mohican style haircut.
However, since the middle of last year a move had become increasingly difficult for Neymar to resist while Santos lost the form that took them to their third South American Libertadores Cup title in 2011 and first since Pele's 1960s heyday.
"After rejecting a series of million-dollar offers for Neymar Jr, since the middle of 2010... against the trend in Brazilian football of selling its best talents quickly, Santos FC finally agreed on negotiations," Santos said on their Facebook page.
"Santos FC is freeing Neymar Jr, knowing they made all the efforts to keep him in Brazil for as long as possible."

Article From http://www.aljazeera.com/

Bayern Munich, Champion of Germany, Adds European Title.

2013-05-25T23:53:00.001-07:00

Bayern Munich, Champion of Germany, Adds European Title

LONDON — Some saw this as the opening to an age of German soccer dominance, and maybe it will be. Maybe years from now Saturday’s Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will be viewed as the start of the Bundesliga’s rise to the pinnacle of European sports

.But even if it isn’t, even if it turns out that two English teams or two Spanish teams play for the championship next year in Lisbon and the Bundesliga continues to lag behind the Premier League in popularity, there will always be this game. This night. This classic.

The British call a final like this a showpiece, and on a perfect night at Wembley, it was. There was tension. There was passion. There was wizardry and precision and players who seemed ready to run forever. There was, in the end, redemption.

It was fitting: Arjen Robben, the Dutch wing who had been roundly criticized for struggling in the biggest moments, starred in the most critical sequence of all, scoring the decisive goal for Bayern in the 89th minute and lifting the Bavarians to a 2-1 victory in front of a crowd announced at 86,298. Robben’s goal was also the perfect symbol for Bayern’s collective measure of payback as it reversed the crushing defeat it suffered to Chelsea in last year’s final at home.

The finish was sublime. After slipping behind the Dortmund defense, Robben took a pass from Franck Ribéry, eluded a defender and then coolly flicked the ball past Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller. Last year, Robben missed a critical penalty kick in the loss to Chelsea; this year, he was off running before the ball even crossed the goal line, sprinting toward the Bayern fans with his eyes wide and shaking his hands with glee.

Robben, who also lost the World Cup final with the Netherlands in 2010, said he nearly saw his career flash before him as he celebrated. “You don’t want the label of loser, you don’t want that tag,” he said afterward, cradling his award as the man of the match.

“This is a dream,” he said.

At the final whistle, many of the Dortmund players collapsed to the ground. They played Munich four previous times this season and could never do better than two draws, but on this day they played as if they believed they could pull off a huge upset, despite making only the second European final appearance in club history.

“We’re proud to have given Bayern a real game tonight,” Weidenfeller said. “We played well, but it wasn’t meant to be.”

Instead, it was Bayern, the German juggernaut, that won its fifth European title, sending off Coach Jupp Heynckes in the best possible manner. Heynckes, 68, will be replaced by the former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola next year, but even the Spanish master will have trouble topping Heynckes’s final season: Bayern won the Bundesliga in record fashion, claimed the Champions League over its rival and could add the German Cup with a win in the final next week.

Guardiola will take over this summer, and talk of a Bayern dynasty will begin long before he sets foot in Germany.

“It’s quite possible that a new era in Europe might have begun,” Heynckes said.

Heynckes also noted that Guardiola will take over a “perfectly functioning team,” and it would be hard to argue otherwise. Bayern is a monolith, with financial resources that allow it to poach players when necessary, including Dortmund’s star forward Mario Götze, who did not play in the final because of an injury. Heynckes also indicated that Dortmund’s Robert Lewandoski would most likely come to Munich as well.

Given that, Dortmund’s future is less certain. Dortmund is known as more of a scrappy underdog, though that label is not altogether accurate. While the team may well lose some of its players, the club is hardly downtrodden. In terms of revenues, Dortmund is the 11th-biggest club in Europe, and its image — which is rooted in passionate fans, a team motto of “Echte Liebe” (True Love) and fluorescent bumblebee-themed uniforms — makes it a trendy choice for German neutrals. That its coach, Jurgen Klopp, is of the quirky-genius mold surely helps.

Klopp, though, was clearly distraught late Saturday. He praised Bayern and Heynckes, but also wondered aloud what would have happened if the referee, Italy’s Nicola Rizzoli, had sent off Dante after the Bayern defender put his foot into Marco Reus’s stomach in the 68th minute.

Rizzoli awarded Dortmund a penalty kick, which Ilkay Gündogan converted to tie the score at 1-1, but Rizzoli did not show Dante, who was booked in the first half, a second yellow card and subsequent red for the reckless foul.

“Maybe if it is 11 against 10 we get the winner,” Klopp said. He added that he was proud of his team but that, at that moment, “it’s the disappointment that prevails.”

“If you’re looking forward to something and you don’t get it, it hurts,” he said.

The final came at the end of a week that featured plenty of typical English weather — cold, dank and windy with the occasional fit of rain — and a slow buildup to the game itself. By Saturday, though, the air was warm and the sky was clear, allowing the German fans to roam the streets near Westminster and Kensington with abandon.

Bayern fans, their red scarves flapping, seemed a mix of overconfident and wary. Bayern won the Bundesliga by a record 25 points this season and shredded Barcelona in the Champions League semifinal, winning the two-game series by 7-0. Winning here was all but expected.

The Dortmund fans, on the other hand, seemed a bit more festive. Known for their boundless enthusiasm — unlike many European fans, they often arrive and chant for hours before kickoff at home games — the Dortmund groups seemed to be reveling in the occasion. One man wearing a Dortmund shirt spent several minutes dancing with, or at least near, a police horse outside Wembley, while two young women in Dortmund colors sang songs in the middle of the street, stopping only to plead with passers-by for tickets to the match.

If they made it into the stadium, they saw a glowing advertisement for German soccer. An all-German final is not a referendum on the European game — there was an all-English final as recently as 2008 — but with the Bundesliga’s surging attendances, its focus on fan-owned clubs and a shining track record of player development, the German model is difficult to ignore.

The result Saturday was thrilling. Dortmund forced Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer into several good saves inside the first 20 minutes, and his performance was matched by his counterpart, Weidenfeller, who denied three chances from Bayern to keep the game scoreless.

Weidenfeller continued his strong play in the second half, but he was beaten in the 60th minute when Robben cut a sharp pass from the end line that Mario Mandzukic tapped in from close range.

Dortmund responded quickly with Gündogan’s penalty, but it always appeared as if Bayern was due for the winner. Thomas Müller had a rolling shot cleared off the line, and Weidenfeller’s save on David Alaba’s fierce shot in the 76th minute seemed to only delay the inevitable.

Thirteen minutes later, Robben ran free and the red end of Wembley erupted. Was it the beginning of a German renaissance? Perhaps. But on this night, in this stadium, the game itself was plenty.

Aticle From http://www.nytimes.com/

By SAM BORDEN

Published: May 25, 2013

'Fast 6': Silly, Speedy, And Certain To Cash In.

2013-05-23T22:09:00.001-07:00

Hot pursuits: Agents Hobbs and Riley (Dwayne Johnson and Gina Carano) to combat a something something terrorist something skidding explosions muscles.

For gearhead purists, the Fast and the Furious franchise is an ongoing heresy, the sins adding up with each new sequel. The appeal of the genre has always been its simplicity: Greasers racing for pink slips, their muscle cars grinding and screeching and speeding into the horizon.

The Fast and the Furious has moved the genre into the digital era, replacing the force of metal against metal with the unreal bobbing and weaving of an arcade game. And now at five sequels and counting, it's become freighted with the mythology of a George R.R. Martin series, with characters and incidents cobbled together like so many spare parts under a giant chassis.

The 2011 entry, Fast Five, intelligently accommodated the bloat by bringing the gang together for an Ocean's Eleven-style heist in Rio. The streamlined plot had the effect of channeling the series' excesses into a handful of giddily over-the-top action set pieces. The CGI ballet of flying sports cars and twisted wreckage may insult the physics of gearhead classics — to say nothing of the laws of Isaac Newton — but no one could say director Justin Lin doesn't go full throttle.

Now, with the series' lovable rogues dispersed to various tropical locales, each living high off their share of $100 million in ill-gotten money, Fast & Furious 6 has to find a new reason to bring them all together — and it's not nearly so graceful with the heavy lifting.

Porting over a plot from some generic spy thriller, Furious 6 opens with Dwayne Johnson's DDS agent from Fast Five coaxing Dominic (Vin Diesel), Brian (Paul Walker), and the rest of their crew (Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges, Sung Kang and Gal Gadot, among others) to stop a powerful mercenary with terrorist designs.

Former British Special Forces operative Owen Shaw (Luke Evans), now an underground operator with deep connections, seeks a computer chip that could lead to mass destruction in the wrong hands. The authorities, naturally, are are too weak and/or corrupt to bring him to justice.

Dominic and Brian have no interest in risking their necks for Johnny Law, but when it's revealed that Dominic's deceased former girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) is actually alive and running with Shaw's gang, they're eager to rescue her and bring her back into the family. (Fans will recall that Letty died in Fast & Furious, the fourth of the series, and the groundwork for her return was laid at the end of the last entry; death has about as much finality in Fast times as it does in a daytime soap.)

Fast 6 pits Shaw's crew against Dominic's in a high-tech battle royale, but it has a devil of a time explaining why everyone should hop into their cars. The obligatory here — in a London that looks no different from the scenes in Miami or Rio — is such an afterthought that the big race has no finish line and no winner. Lin peppers the film with action beats, including a good piece of hand-to-hand combat in a subway station, but the fact is that the surveillance work necessary to track down Shaw is more practically accomplished on foot.

That leaves Fast & Furious 6 to invest the lion's share of its resources in a highway duel that's as cheerfully ridiculous as any sequence in the series. (One word: tank!) For a 15-minute stretch, Lin and his effects team cut loose with high-speed jousting, massive explosions and countless feats of derring-do no actual human could survive.

It's glorious while it lasts, but then the film goes back to figuring out how to keep its oversized vessel from taking on water. And that's more hard work than it's worth.

By Scott Tabias/

Article from---->http://www.npr.org/

Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid loss.

2013-05-19T03:06:00.000-07:00

Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo Were feels off as Real Madrid lost 2-1 to Atletico Madrid in a stormy Copa del Rey final at the Bernabeu.

Ronaldo presented real-time with a header after a corner from Mesut Ozil from Diego Costa plane.

Produces a surface made from a cross of Falcao against Real Madrid hit the post three times Ozil, Karim Benzema and Ronaldo.

But Joao Miranda extension header earned a famous victory for Atletico.

In a weak Finale Madrid, Atlético also finished with 10 men after invading Gabi was a kick, ordered to win his second yellow card.

But the visitors were reduced to a disastrous night for real estate and his manager Mourinho, who suggested that he leave when the season ends in two games time limit.

Defeat means that the former Chelsea manager has been linked with a return to Stamford Bridge, the campaign ends without a major title.

Mourinho was on the bench in protest against the decision of the referee in the 76th Minute of the reference field.

The Portuguese reacted with fury when the referee awarded a free kick for Atletico, the race aboard his technical area and gestures.

Ronaldo followed his head through the tunnel after six minutes before the end of the extension, the former Manchester United player Flick seems his boot in the face of Gabi after entry into it for Atletico.

This was a final blow from the second to third in La Liga and the stakes could not have played higher.

While Mourinho was desperate to get his hands on a trophy after the disappointment in La Liga and the Champions League, Atletico were determined to secure a rare victory over their neighbors.

The Madrid derby was dressed up as a shootout between Ronaldo and Falcao after the rival forwards a total of 64 goals scored in La Liga this season.

And both would go out and play a significant role in front of a noisy crowd swelled to more than 30,000 fans in Atletico Real Madrid's Bernabeu stadium.

Real struck first on 14 minutes Ronaldo jumping high over the visitors defense to power Ozil corner out of the reach of Thibaut Courtois, the on-loan Chelsea goalkeeper.

This was the gate number 55 this season for the former Manchester United players in a real-Shirt and be 201 Career objective for real estate.

However, despite impressive work ethics in the real Luka Modric Midfield Atletico were level in the 35th Minute.

Falcao, who so often this season, the hit, this time turned provider as he produced a superb pass for fellow South American Costa into the goal with a fine left foot finish in off the post.

Diego Simeone Atletico rode their luck as real by the post office in three cases before extension was denied.

First Ozil hit the post from 20 yards before Benzema was also in the 61 Minute Özil from the recovery of Juan Francisco is the distance from the line denied frustrated.

Then Ronaldo hit the post on a free kick low and in the 68th minute Michael Essien spurned a golden chance to score a goal after the ball bounced out of his way before Mourinho was sent by the bank.

With the scores level after 90 minutes, the last one went into overtime.

Atletico had not the victory over Real 14 years cost Miranda head 98 Minute Cross Koke has changed all that.

Ozil has denied an equalizer by another fine save from Ronaldo was sent Gabi followed before the final whistle of what a thrilling final.

Article from--- http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Eurovision goes back to basics in Malmo.

2013-05-19T01:24:00.003-07:00

Victory Emmelie forest in Denmark in a year the Euro Vision Song Contest to the basics.

The 22-year-old gave Scandinavia their second win in a row and the third victory of his country in the history of the competition with their songs, Only teardrops.

Dominated by drums and whistles, is the entrance of the mass ballads, Europop and dance hits that have tried to imitate winning title of last year.

It's simple melody was adequate for one year, if the host country, Sweden, has decided to increase the annual music festival to its roots.

The competition had a reputation earned more expensive to the host - the 2011 competition reported in Dusseldorf cost 46m euros (39 million euros 59 million dollars), while Azerbaijan has become a rumored £ 60m on your show.And retire with a number of countries, including Portugal, Poland and Luxembourg from the competition in recent years, citing financial difficulties, this year should be the severity of the euro vision.
free

The first signs of a gradual reduction of Malmö held the race instead of big cities like Stockholm or Gothenburg.

In 2001, nearly 38,000 people at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen gathered for the competition this year - received the largest audience of the event.

Malmö Arena held 10,500 fans.

The organizers have also decided to take the game to instead have become the elaborate circus scene a new TV show.

Many actions performed parts of his songs with his back to the audience so that they can get their first plane
of the camera around them.

Swedish SVT has also chosen the order of execution of the "most exciting" show and decide the order of votes is found to produce more power - even if it was clear medium Denmark will be the clear winner.

At the press conference after the winners, Forest said he did not that he would win, although the favorite.

"Of course I believe in the song, but that's the interesting thing about the Euro vision. - I do not know what will happen, I am surprised and shocked when it happened," he says.
glitterball

Euro vision austerity was also easy to see on stage. With countries that have to pay for their own fireworks or other tricks were just staged many performances with the artist and his backup singers and dancers.

Forest also was barefoot and wore a dress of "eco-friendly" in their attempt to deal with you again even if he to the roots, drop the use of some fireworks and brightness.

The only real show-stopper was the Moldovan entry stands on a pedestal while wearing a huge skirt. With images of enlightenment and the Law of the Republic of Belarus, which was shown in a burst of giant ball.

Despite all their efforts, ended the UK Bonnie Tyler in 19th place with 23 points, thanks to the poor performance of Sweden, Slovenia, Switzerland, Romania, Spain and Malta - with generous seven points in Ireland and helps the lower part of the five to hold.

It was a better result than last year, as Engelbert Humperdinck recently completed in the UK, but Tyler for years in the industry and their European fans were waiting for help win votes.

Obviously not pick up the phone.

His case is perhaps that, although one of the charts in his time, was on this day 30 years ago. Euro vision and now it seems that the game of youth.

Many artists were victorious candidate or TV talent shows in his native country and usually less than 30 years.

And despite the final performance slot coveted insurance, Ireland Ryan Dolan had an unexpected and disappointing past, only Cyprus, Sweden and the United Kingdom five-point reward.

And Denmark next year? The head of the delegation said that they are looking at some places and there were five possible locations of the competition could take place - which means that it will continue to stay in a smaller scale.

Sweden has with the ball rolling today, the festival of Euro Vision Song Contest could soon be one of the Euro Vision Song are stripped to show it again.

Article From-- http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Sessi Bergambar

2012-12-29T21:10:00.000-08:00

Ini gambar arr saya angkat masa pergi Melaka di Zoo Melaka maa... Ok tak? Cun kan gambar nie? Hehehehe... Biasalah kan pro cameraman nie.. Masa nie lebih kurang dalam 2 @ 3 tahun lepas kot?

Nie pulak masa sebelum menaiki Elizabeth Cruise di Klang... Memang besar bangat la kapal nie.. Kalau tengok dalamnya fuuhhh memang puas hati.. Tapi esey tak naik laa itupun orang ceritokan ajo..Belum ada rezeki nak naik lagi..Insyaallah ada rezeki umur panjang memang ada niat nak naik bersama keluarga..Hehehe...tapi ntah bilo lah agak eh?

Haa...yang nie biasalah kan duk tengah-tengah tue tak lain tak bukan mem bosa la kan? Esey nyo gambar tak payah la nak tunjuk kan? Kang kok ramai plak terpikat dan tergoda..Hehehe...

Erin

2012-12-29T20:48:00.002-08:00

Nur Nasrin Sabrina anak esey yg no 2 eh. Tahun 2012 nie bulan 9 akan genap umur 4 tahun. Dio nie lain sikit perangai dengan abang eh. Panggilan erin dan tak mau dipanggil adik. Mak Ngah tempat jaga dia nie suka panggil Erin nie "kak nam". Selalu bergaduh dengan Haikal (abang dia). Kalau malam gerenti tidur dalam lingkungan kul 11 ke 12 tgh malam. itupun dipaksa masuk tidur kalau tak gerenti sampai kul 2 pagi tengok kartun. Tak dayo esey nak layan tengok kartun sampai kul 2 pagi temankan dio dooo....

Maso nie umur 6 bulan kot...

Semenjak beliau nie dapat adik memang sayang amat2 dia dekat adik Harith.. Tahun 2013 beliau masuk taska Rumah Si Kecil di Taman Ampangan..penuh bersemangat waja 1.6 sekarang nie nak masuk sekolah..excited sesangat..Jangan plak seminggu jo excited sekolah sok yo...Nak jadi surirumah tak cukup haul lagi...Hehehe...

Gambar sebolah nie diambil semasa duk kampung lagi nie bolum pindah ke seremban... Uwan eh yang jago.. Apak mo amak eh poei kojo..

Haikal

2012-12-29T20:21:00.000-08:00

Gambar sebolah nie tengah bergasak dopan rumah. Dari dalam rumah bergaduh sampai la ke dalam kereta.. Maso nie nak jalan2 pergi berkelah sambil mencuci mata memandang keindahan alam ciptaan Allah swt.. Seronok lagi 2 adik beradik nie maklumlah kan poei jalan2 la katakan...Sebona eh, abah eh yang beriya2 nak poei nie...gunokanlah anak-anak yang nak poei jadi takdolah nampak sangat abah eh yang ngalahkan budak2..Hehehe...cover line mesti wajib utk mengaburi pihak lawan...

Gambar ini ketika Haikal berusia 6 tahun bersekolah di Rumah Si Kecil taman Ampangan... Mantap kan beliau nie...Mestilah mantap tengok abah eh la cmno kan? Tapi sekarang Haikal dah berjaya melanjutkan pelajarannya di Sek. Keb. K.G.V.. Tahun 2013 beliau akan melangkah ke darjah 3 inovatif. Ayah dan mama akan sentiasa mendoakan semoga Haikal akan terus berjaya di alam persekolahan hingga ke peringkat yang paling tinggi... Insyaallah...mudah-mudahan dipermudahkan..

Episod Pengenalan

2012-12-28T17:55:00.000-08:00

Assalamualaikum....

Nie 1st blog esey buat julung2 kalinya dipersembahkan di alam internet ini. Kalau ianya tidak cukup untuk menepati citarasa anda semua esey mintak maap bebyk la yo. Ini sekadar info tentang keluarga esey sahajo yo. Walaupun tak sehebat mano pun blog tapi esey raso still pengunjung boleh memahami nya tul tak? Hehehe.....

Gambar diatas nie adalah gambar keluargo esey tapi anak esey yang no 3 tue takdo la plak..Maklumlah kan dio bolum dilahirkan di muka bumi Allah nie..Tanpa melengahkan masa lagi izinkan esey memberi gambaran atau mendefinasikan gambar diatas.... Yang bertudung sesorg tue tak lain tak bukan buah hati esey la kan yang terlalu saya sayangi Insyaallah hingga ke akhir hayat esey..(mem bosa tue). hehehe.... Yang lelaki tue adalah anak sulong esey namo eh Muhammad Haikal Iman. Yang perempuan tue adalah anak esey no 2 Nur Nasrin Sabrina.. No 3 yang baru sahaja dilahirkan selepas blog nie adalah Muhammad Harith Mirza sekarang baru berumur 3 bulan...

Yang gambar beramai2 tue maso esey menjelajah ke negeri bersejarah Melaka bersama sepupu2 esey..Untuk pengetahuan tuan2 dan puan2 kalau bercuti ke Melaka nie mmg banyak aktiviti dan tempat2 yang menarik yer...Bak kata orang tue 1 hari mmg tak puas la...mau dekat 5 hari baru dapat semua tempat kita lawati..Cehhh...nie bukan promote Melaka yo tapi tue lah hakikat eh..Tapi bagi esey sehari pun dah cukup sbb esey nie tak kuat berjalan2 atau melilau2..