Thursday, October 31, 2013

Let the Calls for White House Shake-Up Begin


Remember last May, when we learned that the president didn’t know the IRS was harassing Republicans, even after his chief of staff had been given a heads-up on the issue — presumably so that he would tell the president what was occurring? I wrote then that the president must have thanked his staff for keeping him in the dark and encouraged them to continue to do so.






Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2013/10/31/let_the_calls_for_white_house_shake-up_begin_318928.html
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Oracle shareholders vote against Ellison's compensation package


A majority of Oracle shareholders have once again voted against the company's executive pay practices, including for CEO Larry Ellison.


Thursday's vote at Oracle's annual shareholder meeting is nonbinding, and follows complaints from some large shareholders and their representatives who say Ellison is overpaid compared to his peers.


[ InfoWorld presents the Bossies 2013, the best open source software for data centers, clouds, mobile, and more. | Get the latest insight on the tech news that matters from InfoWorld's Tech Watch blog. ]


Ellison is paid $1 in salary, receiving the rest of his pay in stock options. In Oracle's past fiscal year, that totaled $76.9 million. Ellison declined to receive a bonus. Other top Oracle executives such as co-President Mark Hurd also receive a lot of stock options.


Ellison, who is one of the world's richest people, controls about one-fourth of Oracle's shares.


Shareholders voted against Oracle's executive pay practices at last year's meeting as well.


Oracle has defended its policy on the grounds that the stock options aren't worth anything unless Oracle's share price rises, which is good for both executives such as Ellison and every other Oracle shareholder.


Earlier this month, Oracle secretary and general counsel Dorian Daley described Ellison as the company's "most critical strategic visionary" and characterized his pay as a bargain compared to the benefits Oracle receives.


Ellison took questions from shareholders in attendance after the meeting's formal agenda concluded and the topics didn't always center on enterprise technology.


One referred to a near "disaster" the city of New York would have experienced had Eliot Spitzer been elected comptroller, and asked Ellison whether Oracle could "intervene financially" in New York elections.


"We live in a democracy, and the people pick their leaders, and we do that all the time," Ellison said. "If we're not happy with that we can pick someone else. I don't think Oracle should engage in political activity specifically trying to influence the New York City and New York state elections. We should focus on things like building fast computers and better software."


Another shareholder questioned why Oracle has two presidents in Hurd and Safra Catz.


"I just figured two's better than one," Ellison said to laughter. "Seriously, it's a large company. We have a separation of responsibilities." Hurd focuses on sales and support while Catz handles operational matters, he said. "I think they've both done outstanding jobs in their respective areas of expertise," Ellison added. "Either one of them could go out and get a CEO's job tomorrow."


A third questioner complained that she had to call Oracle's investor relations office three times to find out when the shareholder meeting was supposed to occur.


"We love people to come to our annual meeting," Ellison said by way of apology. "We even have cookies." Oracle will make sure information about the meeting is posted to its website, he added.


Ellison steered clear of saying anything controversial when asked about Oracle's involvement with the troubled Healthcare.gov website.


"As an information technology company we are doing everything we can to make it a highly performant, highly reliable [system]," he said. "I will refrain from editorial comments about what has happened there. I think most of us want our government to operate efficiently."


But Ellison revealed which rivals Oracle watches most closely. IBM, EMC, SAP, and Salesforce.com "are four competitors we spend a lot of time thinking about," he said.


Chris Kanaracus covers enterprise software and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Chris' email address is Chris_Kanaracus@idg.com


Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/oracle-shareholders-vote-against-ellisons-compensation-package-229980
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Manning says gender ID dispute could go to court

FILE - In this July 30, 2013, file photo, Army Pvt. Chelsea Manning, then-Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, is escorted out of a courthouse in Fort Meade, Md., after receiving a verdict in his court martial. Manning, who was convicted of sending more than 700,000 secret military and State Department documents to the secrets-sharing website WikiLeaks, said in a letter posted by the Private Manning Support Network that she will go to court, if necessary, to be allowed to live as a woman and receive hormone replacement therapy. Manning is serving a 35-year sentence at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, a men’s military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)







FILE - In this July 30, 2013, file photo, Army Pvt. Chelsea Manning, then-Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, is escorted out of a courthouse in Fort Meade, Md., after receiving a verdict in his court martial. Manning, who was convicted of sending more than 700,000 secret military and State Department documents to the secrets-sharing website WikiLeaks, said in a letter posted by the Private Manning Support Network that she will go to court, if necessary, to be allowed to live as a woman and receive hormone replacement therapy. Manning is serving a 35-year sentence at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, a men’s military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)







(AP) — Imprisoned documents leaker Chelsea Manning says she'll go to court, if necessary, to get treatment for gender identity disorder, also called gender dysphoria.

The Army private formerly known as Bradley Manning wrote in a letter to the Private Manning Support Network that her court-martial defense attorney, David Coombs, is helping her seek treatment for the disorder at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, a men's military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The support group posted the Oct. 28 letter on its website Wednesday.

Manning is serving a 35-year sentence for sending more than 700,000 secret military and State Department documents to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks while working as an intelligence analyst in Iraq.

Manning, 25, wrote that she wants to at least be allowed to live as a woman and receive hormone replacement therapy. She said Coombs will represent her in those efforts "by assisting me in matters related to exhausting my administrative remedies and, if denied outright, in filing a writ before a court with jurisdiction."

Coombs said Thursday he had nothing to add to Manning's comments. After Manning announced her request in August, Coombs said he hoped the military prison would "do the right thing" so Manning wouldn't have to go to court.

The military has said it does not provide treatment for gender dysphoria. Pentagon policy dictates that transgender soldiers are not allowed to serve, but Manning can't be discharged until she's released from prison and exhausts appeals of her criminal convictions. The Army Medical Command has said prisoners cannot receive hormone treatment at Fort Leavenworth, though Manning is apparently the first to request it. Prison officials have said Manning won't be allowed to dress as a woman.

Manning was diagnosed with gender dysphoria by two Army behavioral health specialists before her trial, but the Army has said prisoners must be re-evaluated.

Fort Leavenworth spokeswoman Kimberly Lewis said the prison cannot release inmate medical information due to privacy laws.

Manning also wrote that Coombs will help her file a petition for a formal name change from Bradley to Chelsea. Prison officials have said name changes are allowed.

The letter was one of four from Manning that the support network published. In another, she apologized for an earlier public statement in which she rejected the "pacifist" label after receiving the 2013 Sean MacBride Peace Award. Manning wrote in her apology that her decision to leak classified information reflected her "dedication to transparency" and a concern for human life and equality.

The Associated Press respects Manning's wish to identify as female.

___

Associated Press writer Michelle R. Smith in Providence, R.I., contributed to this report.

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-10-31-US-Manning-WikiLeaks/id-1898ad8b72bd4c0982c98a5400fbdfe7
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Kentucky is No. 1 in preseason poll


LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Every time Kentucky coach John Calipari starts to praise his latest crop of talented freshmen, he's just as quick to point out that it is a work in progress.

As the Wildcats take the first step toward coming together, Calipari will also have to remind his players to get through those growing pains quickly, because they are now the team to beat in college basketball.

Kentucky — with a collection of high school All-Americans — is ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press' preseason Top 25, a significant step considering the Wildcats finished 21-12 last season and were upset by Robert Morris in the first round of the NIT.

It's Kentucky's third preseason No. 1 and first since 1995-96 when the Wildcats won the national championship. The other preseason No. 1 was in 1980-81.

Kentucky was ranked for just one week in the final 16 polls of last season but Calipari enters this season with a roster featuring two returnees — Alex Poythress and Willie Cauley-Stein — and six freshmen who were selected McDonalds All-Americans last season.

To say that a ninth national championship is this year's goal is an understatement considering Kentucky has social media and blogs suggesting an unbeaten season is possible.

Calipari would just like to get to the Nov. 8 opener against North Carolina-Asheville first. The Wildcats begin the exhibition season Friday.

"It's a nice honor, but it's way too early to figure out who's the best team in the country," Calipari said. "We may be very talented, but I can't imagine us being the best team in the country at this point."

Kentucky beat out Michigan State in a close vote from the 65-member panel.

The Wildcats received 27 first-place votes and 1,546 points in the poll released Thursday. The Spartans, who return four starters from the team that lost to Duke in the NCAA tournament's round of 16, snared 22 first-place votes and 1,543 points.

It won't take long for the schools to settle the issue. Kentucky and Michigan State meet on Nov. 12 at the State Farm Champions Classic in Chicago.

If their rankings hold, it'll set up the earliest meeting between the top two teams. No. 1 Indiana beat No. 2 UCLA 84-64 on Nov. 29, 1975 in St. Louis, Mo.

The polling also enhances what already figured to be a strong showdown between two heavyweights.

"A 1-2 matchup is a win-win deal," Spartans coach Tom Izzo told the AP. "If you win, you understand where you are and what you have as a team. If you lose, you've got time to figure out what you need to do to get better. I'm not sure, though, how kids and fans will react to winning or losing that game."

Of his team's ranking, Izzo added, "it's exciting because it means a group of people think we're good, and we've got a chance to be great."

Defending national champion Louisville received 14 first-place votes and was third while Duke, which received the other two No. 1 votes, was fourth.

Kansas was fifth, followed by Arizona and Michigan. Oklahoma State and Syracuse tied for eighth and Florida rounded out the Top Ten.

Ohio State was 11th and was followed by North Carolina, Memphis, VCU, Gonzaga, Wichita State, Marquette, Connecticut, Oregon and Wisconsin.

The last five ranked teams were Notre Dame, UCLA, New Mexico, Virginia and Baylor.

The last preseason No. 1 not to be ranked in the final poll of the previous season was Indiana in 1979-80.

Indiana was the preseason No. 1 last season and the Hoosiers were fourth in the final poll.

Gonzaga was No. 1 in the final poll last season and 18 teams in that final poll were in the preseason Top 25.

The Atlantic Coast Conference had the most teams in the preseason Top 25 with five and the Big Ten had four. The new American Athletic Conference, the Big 12 and Pac 12 all had three ranked teams.

Though Kentucky's objective is winning its second NCAA title in three seasons, playing like it's the nation's best is also a priority for the Wildcats a year after falling from the poll weeks after starting No. 3.

"It's a blessing to be No. 1, but it means we have a (target) on our backs now and we really have to stay focused," Kentucky 7-footer Dakari Johnson said Thursday. "That's not the main thing we're focused on. We're just trying to be the best team that we can be."

Michigan State senior guard Keith Appling echoed that sentiment, especially since the Spartans came within three votes of being top-ranked.

"That has to be one of the things to drive us to work harder," he said.

The consensus is that Calipari landed his best in a series of No. 1 recruiting classes. The group features Julius Randle, James Young, Johnson, Marcus Lee and identical twin guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison, along with in-state standouts Dominique Hawkins and Derek Willis.

Along with Cauley-Stein, Poythress and senior reserves Jarrod Polson and Jon Hood, Kentucky has a mix of experience somewhat similar to the 2011-12 title team led by Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

The season will determine whether Kentucky is able to deliver, and Willis said the Wildcats are just focused on being on top at the end.

"There's a lot of talk about 40-0 and all that stuff," Willis said, "but we're just working on ourselves and not worrying about what the media is saying right now."

__

AP Basketball Writer Jim O'Connell In New York, and AP Sports Writer Larry Lage in East Lansing, Mich., contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kentucky-no-1-preseason-poll-170115661--spt.html
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In 2014, a new chance for Red Sox to build winner


BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox didn't just build a World Series champion in 2013.

They also created a blueprint for the team's next title.

The Red Sox took advantage of last August's salary purge to add middle-market free agents like Mike Napoli, Jonny Gomes, Shane Victorino and Koji Uehara — all key contributors to the World Series championship. As he looks to this offseason, general manager Ben Cherington will need to replace some big parts of the '13 team — including center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury — without making the free agent mistakes of the past.

"To be in this position, given where we've come from, reflecting back a year ago at this time, there's been a lot that's happened in 13 months," manager John Farrell said after the game.

"Ben Cherington deserves all the credit in the world for what he has done for this roster. To come in and see the energy and the commitment that the (players) had, the buying into a team concept every single day, and the one thing that really stands out more than anything is just their overall will to win. And that was no more evident than in this entire postseason."

The Red Sox were still smarting from their 2011 collapse when they traded Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez and more than $250 million in future salaries to the Los Angeles Dodgers last August. Although the team finished in last place, with the franchise's worst record in almost half a century, the rebuilding had already begun.

Instead of showering money on the biggest names to replace the high-priced talent that had departed, Cherington opted to take smaller risks on mid-range players.

It paid off with Uehara, the team's third or fourth choice as closer, winning the AL championship series MVP and closing out the last three wins in the World Series. It paid off with Victorino, who hit a game-winning grand slam in the ALCS and a three-run double in the Series clincher. And it paid off with Napoli, who had a three-run double in Game 1, and Gomes, whose three-run homer won Game 4.

"I'm a believer," Gomes said, adding that he knew the team had potential when he first reported to spring training. "As soon as we went to Fort Myers, (I knew) the movie's already been written, all we had to do was press play. And this is what happened."

But now it's time for the sequel.

Ellsbury is a free agent and agent Scott Boras is expected to demand a nine-figure contract. Napoli is also unsigned for next year, along with shortstop Stephen Drew and catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. The team will almost certainly prevent pitcher Jon Lester from becoming a free agent by picking up his $13 million option.

Drew could be replaced at shortstop by prospect Xander Bogaerts, who played his way onto the postseason roster. David Ross wound up as the primary catcher by the end of the Series, but if Saltalamacchia leaves the Red Sox would be looking for a replacement. Jackie Bradley Jr. and Daniel Nava are available to join Gomes and Victorino in the outfield.

Other free agents include onetime closer Joel Hanrahan, who was acquired in a trade from Pittsburgh but missed most of the season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Left-handed reliever Matt Thornton and shortstop John McDonald, who weren't on the postseason roster, are also eligible to become free agents.

Farrell doesn't know how the team will replace those who leave.

But he is hoping the improved clubhouse atmosphere will help the team sign any free agents they target.

"I think maybe what's gone on around the game or what's happened here probably is taken note around the league," Farrell said before the 6-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6.

"And I think, in the eyes of some, Boston might present some specific challenges that might be intimidating for certain players. But I would hope what they're witnessing would certainly become a place of destination for a number of guys that might have a choice."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/2014-chance-red-sox-build-winner-175006253--spt.html
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The Kardashians Are Turning Us All Into Conspiracy Theorists!

Keeping Up with the Kardashians is basically a fairy tale, right? It's about a castle full of beautiful princesses, each looking for her Prince Charming and happily-ever-after. Well, fairy tales aren't real. And the longer the show goes on, the more it seems like a complete work of fiction. At this point, we literally have no idea what to believe about the Kardashians' lives. And it's starting to make us feel a little crazy.
Source: http://www.ivillage.com/are-khloe-kardashian-lamar-odom-back-together/1-a-551432?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Aare-khloe-kardashian-lamar-odom-back-together-551432
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Jennifer Connelly Brings Taller Son Kai, 16, as Date to NYC Event: Picture


Who's the handsome man on Jennifer Connelly's arm? Her 16-year-old son! The 42-year-old actress brought her eldest son, Kai, as her date to the 19th annual Artwalk in New York City on Tuesday, Oct. 29.


PHOTOS: Celebrities and their lookalike kids


The mother and son posed for a photo together, and Connelly looked noticeably shorter than her teenage son -- even in heels. The Dilemma actress looked like a proud mother as she held Kai's arm, and showed off her classy little black dress and short new hairdo. Kai looked handsome in a black suit and tie while giving a big smile to photographers.


PHOTOS: 10 sexiest Jennifers in Hollywood


Kai is Connelly's only child from a previous relationship with photographer David Dugan. The New Yorker is also mom to son Stellan, 10, and daughter Agnes, 2, with husband Paul Bettany, whom she wed in 2003. 


PHOTOS: Celeb moms on the go


In a recent interview with Redbook, the Oscar winner and busy mom of three said she doesn't think about aging too much. "When I do, it's to wonder what we [as a family] want out of life," she shared. "Are we doing the things that we enjoy? I don't want to put happiness off to the future, because you never know what life will bring. As I get older, I have a clearer sense of what's important to me."


Source: http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-moms/news/jennifer-connelly-brings-taller-son-kai-16-as-date-to-nyc-event-picture-20133110
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Salesforce.com to offer private version of its AppExchange app store


Salesforce.com has long had a public AppExchange software marketplace, but now it's going to give customers the ability to create their own private AppExchanges where employees can download applications to use in their jobs.


Private AppExchange is generally available as of Friday to customers running Salesforce.com's Enterprise and higher editions, said Sara Varni, senior director of AppExchange marketing. However, those customers can give employees who don't use Salesforce.com itself access to the private store for $5 per user per month.


[ For a quick, smart take on the news you'll be talking about, check out InfoWorld TechBrief -- subscribe today. | Read Bill Snyder's Tech's Bottom Line blog for what the key business trends mean to you. ]


Enterprise application stores are rapidly coming into favor as companies seek to appease workers who are used to the generally painless experience of consumer app stores like Apple's iTunes. The managed app store model also gives enterprises a way to place a layer of governance over the software and devices employees are using, even as they provide easier access to software.


"The whole goal of private AppExchange is to empower the CIO to say yes," Varni said. While IT departments curate and oversee which applications get into the store, based on pre-determined permissions, employees can download them when they wish, she added.


In February, Gartner released a report predicting that 25 percent of enterprises will have their own app stores by 2017.


Salesforce.com is clearly hoping to keep its current customers from using rival vendors' technology, such as BMC's recently launched AppZone, to build out these stores.


Customers can use Private AppExchange to deliver any Web, mobile or desktop application to any device, with centralized authentication through Salesforce.com's recently launched Identity service.


Stores can also be customized to reflect a company's brand or various departments' needs, according to Salesforce.com.


Salesforce.com didn't run a formal beta program for Private AppExchange, but sought input from about 50 customers into its design. "Given our conversations, we know customers are hungry for this," Varni said.


The development effort was made easier given that much of the plumbing was already there, given the public AppExchange, said Ryan Ellis, senior director of product management.


Private AppExchange doesn't solve every problem related to enterprise app stores, such as the potential complexity of tracking software licenses and subscriptions as users download and use various applications.


It's possible to integrate Private AppExchange stores with third-party license management systems, Varni said.


Salesforce.com has also integrated Private AppExchange with its Chatter collaboration software. This means that "organizations can enable their employees to discover, discuss, rate and self-support applications collaboratively versus just being pointed to a generic app store and left to fend for themselves," Constellation Research vice president and principal analyst Alan Lepofsky [cq] said.


Chris Kanaracus covers enterprise software and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Chris' email address is Chris_Kanaracus@idg.com


Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/salesforcecom-offer-private-version-of-its-appexchange-app-store-229914
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Woody Allen Pens Rare Open Letter to Hollywood (Guest Column)



Courtesy Everett Collection


From left: Wiest, Mia Farrow, Barbara Hershey and Allen on the set of 1986's "Hannah and Her Sisters."





This story first appeared in the Nov. 8 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.


Tom Donahue's documentary Casting By, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2012, uses the careers of casting directors such as Marion Dougherty, Lynn Stalmaster and Juliet Taylor -- between them responsible for the ensembles of such films as Midnight Cowboy, Manhattan, Bonnie and Clyde and The Graduate -- to lament that casting is the only "single-card" opening credit that isn't recognized by the Academy Awards. With Casting By opening in New York on Nov. 1 and a week later in Los Angeles, Woody Allen wrote to THR to support the recognition of casting directors by championing his own:


PHOTOS: 'Blue Jasmine' Premiere: Cate Blanchett, Peter Sarsgaard Hit the Red Carpet in L.A. 


In my case certainly, the casting director plays a vital part in the making of the movie. My history shows that my films are full of wonderful performances by actors and actresses I had never heard of and were not only introduced to me by my casting director, Juliet Taylor, but, in any number of cases, pushed on me against my own resistance. People like Jeff Daniels, Mary Beth Hurt, Patricia Clarkson and others who are people I was unfamiliar with. A number of discoveries and careers have been launched by the energies and resourcefulness of my casting director. Not only did I use Meryl Streep for a small part in Manhattan when she was a relative unknown, but at the best my casting director helped start the film career of Mariel Hemingway and Dianne Wiest, a stage actress completely unknown to me but known by Juliet Taylor. I’m particularly difficult in the casting area because the whole process bores and embarrasses me. If it were up to me we would use the same half dozen people in all my pictures, whether they fit or not. Despite my recalcitrance, Juliet has forced me to meet and to watch the work of many new people and to hire people on nothing more then her strong recommendation. Because my films are not special effects films and are about human beings, proper casting is absolutely essential. I owe a big part of the success of my films to this scrupulous casting process which I must say if left to my own devices would never have happened. I might add also, anecdotally, that despite my firm conviction that I could never persuade luminaries like Saul Bellow, Marshall McLuhan, Susan Sontag, Mayor Koch and others to work in my films, the confidence and insistence of my casting director proved more accurate and I wound up getting these unlikely notables.


Sincerely,
Woody Allen


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thr/news/~3/Q-Km2ygjAJ0/woody-allen-pens-rare-open-651493
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Obamacare Hearings a Grudge Spectacle

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Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2013/10/31/obamacare_hearings_a_grudge_spectacle_318938.html
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Sonnen: Belfort Not Improved But “Second Scariest” Fighter in UFC


Before Vitor Belfort was booked to fight Dan Henderson on November 9th, the punishing striker was hoping to land a fight with Chael Sonnen. Not surprisingly, “The American Gangster” was interested in fighting Belfort, particularly if it led to him securing the latter’s “number one contender” ranking.


Obviously, the fight didn’t get signed, as following Sonnen’s win over “Shogun” Rua he was booked to fight Rashad Evans at UFC 167. After that, Sonnen will coach opposite Wanderlei Silva in the latest season of TUF Brazil, and will fight “The Axe Murderer”.


But despite the fact Belfort-Sonnen won’t happen anytime soon, the charismatic fighter recently relayed at a Q&A session in Manchester, he still wants to fight ‘The Phenom”comments via MMA Weekly.com).



“I’ve been trying to fight Vitor for a long time now. And I think Vitor is awesome. I think Vitor is probably the second scariest guy in the UFC right now, right under Jon Jones,” said Sonnen. “But I think he’s beatable. I think I can beat him. And I really don’t care either way. I’m going to go punch him in the face repeatedly.”



Interesting no? Of course, Belfort did look particularly frightening in his head kick wins over Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping. Sonnen, however, apparently doesn’t believe Belfort’s improved since he lost to Henderson in 2006.



“I can tell you Dan is better now than he was then. I don’t think Vitor is better. I think Vitor was very good back then, but I don’t think he’s better now. I think he’s just got a different haircut.”



Well, improved or not, hopefully Belfort will throw down with Sonnen at some point.


Stay tuned to MMA Frenzy.com for all your UFC news and coverage.




Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/95580/sonnen-belfort-not-improved-but-second-scariest-fighter-in-ufc/
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Los Campesinos! Lighten Up With 'No Blues'





The new Los Campesinos! album, No Blues, comes out Oct. 29.



Kirsten McTernan/Courtesy of the artist


The new Los Campesinos! album, No Blues, comes out Oct. 29.


Kirsten McTernan/Courtesy of the artist


The Welsh sextet Los Campesinos! has put out five albums since 2006, many of them with titles that don't seem destined to soar to the top of pop's generally lighthearted charts; We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed and Hello Sadness are just a couple of the band's record names. Lead singer Gareth David says the tone of the band's new album, No Blues, reflects a step in a more optimistic direction.



"This album is quite a turning point for us as a band. I think because it is a lot more hopeful than a lot of stuff we've written previously," David says. "As somebody who — to be serious for a moment — has sort of battled with depression for a long time and been in some pretty dark places, when there are those cracks of light and there is happiness, it's important to embrace those things because life is so fleeting. And you've got to make the most of it."


David recently spoke with NPR's Scott Simon about the origins of Los Campesinos! and his peculiar choice of a side job: graveyard maintenance. Click the audio link to hear more of their conversation.


Source: http://www.npr.org/2013/10/26/240764932/los-campesinos-lighten-up-with-no-blues?ft=1&f=10001
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The White Storm (Sou Duk): Film Review


A popular 1980s TV theme song -- with lyrics praising a code of honor based on valor and loyalty -- anchors Benny Chan's latest action thriller. Sung and hummed at various points in the film, its meant to illustrate the long-running friendship of the three protagonists, as they bond, bicker and finally turn against each other.



Just as much as it shows the characters clinging to the vision of their good old days, the musical motif can also be seen as a signpost for Chan's aesthetic nostalgia towards the classics of the past, as he merges his trademark high-octane action thriller tropes with the brotherhood-in-peril melodrama brought to the forefront by John Woo in the late 1980s and early 1990s.


PHOTOS: Inside Hollywood's Surprise Trip to 'China's Oscars'


But if only The White Storm could match the emotional power of, say, Bullet in the Head, Woo's 1990 hit, which like Chan's film, is about three Hongkongers whose close and long-running friendship is torn asunder after a horrendous episode in Southeast Asia. The director might then have proven himself to be still top of his game with the film's stunning car crashes, complicated gunfights and deafening explosions. But the three lead characters and their connections with each other remain too underwritten – a situation not helped by some of the bizarre behavior and incredible plot twists being foisted upon the protagonists.


Still, it's a full-on cinematic spectacle, which should secure much box-office traction in Chan's home city of Hong Kong (where the film premiered on Oct. 25 as the curtain-raiser of the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival) and also in a mainland Chinese market very much receptive to cops-and-criminals blockbusters. The director will be looking to go one step beyond the $34.5 million take of his previous film, 2011's Shaolin. Its genre roots will also allow for a certain presence in Asian-themed showcases, especially overseas, on the strength of its pedigree as the closing film of the Rome Film Festival on Nov. 17.


Chan has certainly made a good call in opting to ditch his latest action thriller's original English-language title, The Cartel War. So it is that the story revolves around the attempts to decimate a narco-syndicate, but the slightly more ambiguous handle of The White Storm is more suitable for a film that is as much about the psychological maelstroms whirling within its three protagonists as they confront the guilt and angst welling up in them as their pursuit of the narco-warlord becomes a maddening journey towards failure and betrayal. (The film's Chinese film title remains Sou Duk, or "The Drug Sweep.")


STORY: John Woo’s ‘Chinese Titanic’ Begins Shooting in Beijing


Over the opening credits, a machine-gun montage provides something of a back story to the film's three characters: Tin (Sean Lau) and Wai (Nick Cheung) are seen leading clean-up operations in drug-addled nightclubs, while undercover-cop Chow (Louis Koo) is depicted either peddling pills and powder to smacked-out revelers at dive bars around town, or discussing future big transactions with fellow hoodlums.


And it's after this eye-popping sequence that the story proper begins: during a meeting of this triumvirate in an empty apartment, the viewer is asked to acknowledge the bond among them as they row about the present (with Chow complaining about being confused about his identity with a comic gag about the mind-boggling number of cellphones he has to carry around for different purposes) and muse over their shared past. The austerity of this scene is a delight: the simple, sometimes deadpan exchanges relay -- thanks to  the strength of the three actors' performances --their personalities. Tin is the no-nonsense go-getter, Chow the jaded down-and-outer nearing a mental breakdown, and Wai the meek but obviously suppressed junior partner.


In a scenario that harks back to Infernal Affairs, Chow finds himself forced to endure seemingly endless purgatory in the underworld, as his two childhood friends (and current supervisors) coerce him to stay put in gangland so as to draw out the ever-bigger masterminds behind every drug deal. And it's on this errand that the trio find themselves landing (separately) in Thailand, where Chow is supposed to try and lure the crazed Thai-Chinese drug kingpin "Eight-Faced Buddha" (played here with extravagant flourish by veteran Hong Kong character-actor Lo Hoi-pang) out of his hiding and into the hands of the law (with Tin and Wai's Thai counterpart played by Vittaya Pansingram of God Only Forgives fame).


Tin's arrogance and ambitions eventually lead the group into death and disarray, with the film's first act ending with him pressed into making a choice, under gunpoint, that will change the dynamics in the triumvirate – and until here The White Storm retains a premise ripe for the exploration of shifting and scarred psyches. As the film's second half picks up five years after that episode in Thailand, the personalities have changed: the reinstated Chow has become the police force's ruthless rising-star and the crippled and demoted Tin is now the angst-stricken no-hoper, with their switched personalities brought into sharper focus by the return of Wai as a slick, confident avenger of Tin and Chow's past misdeeds.


Chan has proven himself able in drawing nuanced performances from his stars -- after all, it's under his aegis that Aaron Kwok won  Best Actor at the Golden Horse Awards with his turn as a disturbed detective in Divergence -- and he seems to be on a winner here with the tip-top, malleable forms of Lau, Cheung and Koo (whom Chan also procured to remarkable effect in Connected, his 2008 remake of Cellular). And three flourish, particularly in the scenes that showcase the friendship, guilt and antagonism they feel for and against each other.


Sadly, The White Storm doesn't exactly offer a full-formed and coherent narrative beyond the premise of plunging these characters into a moral abyss. In a situation that mirrors the illogical narrative that marred Chan's previous contemporary-set drama, City Under Siege, the five-strong screenwriting team's desire to instill a twist-heavy plot creates gaping holes instead – the biggest of which surrounds Wai's reinvention. And the story abruptly falls back into the goodies-versus-baddies binary during the bombastic and excessive final shootout.


Compounded by the deployment of holdover clichés from days past -- the relationship between Chow and his wife Chloe (Yuan Quan), for example, is wafer-thin and exists only as if to provide a hostage in the de rigueur rooftop standoff -- Chan misses the opportunity for a film that could have, like Woo's films two decades ago, provided a sharp choreography of both actions and emotions. As the on-screen tempest abates, The White Storm leaves a lot of ringing in the ears but too few pangs of the soul.


 


Opening Film, Hong Kong Asian Film Festival


Production Company: Sirius Pictures International, in a film presented by Universe Entertainment in association with Sun Entertainment Culture, Bona Film Group, Golala Investment, Sil-Metropole Organization


Director: Benny Chan


Cast: Sean Lau, Nick Cheung, Louis Koo, Lo Hoi-pang, Vittaya Pansingram, Yuan Quan


Producers: Daneil Lam, Alvin Lam, Wendy Wong, Stephen Lam, Benny Chan


Executive Producers: Chau Cheok-wah, Yu Dong, Song Dai


Screenwriters: Benny Chan, Manfred Wong, Ram Ling, Wong Chun, Tam Wai-ching


Director of Photography: Anthony Pun


Editor: Yau Chi-wai


Art Director: Chong Kwok-wing


Costume Designer: Joyce Chan


Music: Nicolas Errera


Sound Designers: Kinson Tsang, Yiu Chun-hin, Chow Yuk-lun


International Sales: Universe Films Distribution


In Cantonese, Mandarin, Thai and English


134 minutes


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thr/reviews/film/~3/SMERw1oH-wQ/white-storm-sou-duk-film-651151
Tags: Government Shutdown Over   nfl standings   VMA Awards  

Kerry Washington & Taran Killam Channel "Scandal" for "SNL" Promos: Watch Here!

Preparing for her big "Saturday Night Live" hosting gig, Kerry Washington stars in the latest promos for the NBC sketch comedy.


The preggers 36-year-old enjoyed a few laughs as she and Taran Killam took turns jabbing at her hit ABC political drama "Scandal" in which she plays crisis manager Olivia Pope.


"It's going to be a great show," Taran stated with no emotion in the first promo. When Kerry tried to correct him with his supposed actual line "It's going to be a WONDERFUL show" he sported his best "Scandal" expression and said, "Well I don't follow the rules."


Not only did Mr. Killam make fun of the series, he also attempted to impersonate performer Eminem.


Check out the "SNL" promo below!






Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/kerry-washington/kerry-washington-taran-killam-channel-scandal-snl-promos-watch-here-1071228
Category: banksy   Common App   Washington Navy Yard   college football   Kelly LeBrock  

Sprint Galaxy S4 getting Android 4.3 update

Sprint Galaxy S4

Galaxy Gear support and Samsung KNOX in latest update for Sprint's GS4

As predicted by a recently-leaked update timetable, the Sprint Samsung Galaxy S4 is today getting its Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update. Sprint's GS4 is the second U.S. model to get the upgrade, following Verizon's rollout on Monday. In addition to bringing the GS4 up to what is, for the moment, the latest version of Android, the update also adds support for the Galaxy Gear smartwatch, while implementing Samsung's KNOX enterprise security layer.

If the leaked timetable is to be believed, updates for AT&T and T-Mobile's Galaxy S4s should follow on Nov. 13 and 18 respectively.

Sprint subscribers, hit the comments and let us know how you're getting on with the new firmware.

via Android Central forums


    






Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/qPEC3-KC_xo/story01.htm
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Facebook smashes analyst targets but executive comments spook Street


By Alexei Oreskovic


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook Inc posted strong growth in its mobile advertising business on Wednesday but rattled investors after saying that it did not plan to boost the frequency of ads shown to users.


Shares of the world's No. 1 online social network soared as much as 15 percent in extended trading before suddenly falling to $47.40, down 3 percent from its $49.10 closing price.


In previous quarters Facebook has shown one ad per 20 "stories" in the newsfeed, but Chief Financial Officer David Ebersman told analysts Wednesday that the current ratio, although slightly higher than 5 percent, would not increase much more going forward.


Ebersman's comments, combined with remarks suggesting that young teenage users were beginning to use Facebook less frequently, soured the mood abruptly on an afternoon when the company topped Wall Street's targets with a whopping 60 percent increase in revenue, driven by its accelerating mobile business.


"There seems to be concern about the ad load not going up," said BTIG analyst Richard Greenfield.


But Greenfield said he believed investors were over-reacting, noting that the real impetus behind Facebook's rapidly growing top line has been an increase in its advertising prices, rather than the volume of ads.


As a public company, Facebook has had to balance showing more ads with the fear that too many of them would irritate fickle users and drive them elsewhere.


But Facebook's core advertising units appeared to be performing better than ever in the third quarter.


Revenue from mobile ads, which appear on smartphones, represented 49 percent of Facebook's total advertising revenue in the third quarter, or roughly $880 million. Mobile ads generated roughly $150 million in the year-ago period, when Facebook was just beginning to develop its mobile ad business.


"It looks like they're firing on all cylinders," said JMP Securities analyst Ronald Josey.


He said that Facebook's strong mobile advertising revenue in particular has put to rest the worries that many investors had at the time of the company's 2012 IPO.


"They clearly have the product, they have the traffic and now they have the advertising solution," said Josey.


Facebook said the number of its monthly active users increased to 1.19 billion as of the end of September, up from 1.15 billion at the end of June. Facebook said it counts roughly 507 million daily active mobile users.


Shares of Facebook has doubled in the past three months, as Wall Street has warmed to the Internet company's ability to thrive as consumers increasingly access the Web on smartphones and other mobile devices.


Facebook's total revenue in the third quarter was $2.016 billion, ahead of the average analyst expectation of $1.911 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.


Facebook said it earned net income of $425 million, or 17 cents a share, in the three months ended September 30, compared with a net loss of $59 million, or 2 cents a share in the year-ago period. (http://link.reuters.com/xas34v)


(Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic and Gerry Shih; Editing by Bernard Orr)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/facebook-third-quarter-revenue-jumps-60-percent-201416975--sector.html
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Boston celebrates World Series victory

The words "Go Sox" are illuminated on the side of the Prudential Tower before Game 6 of baseball's World Series between the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)







The words "Go Sox" are illuminated on the side of the Prudential Tower before Game 6 of baseball's World Series between the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)







Boston Transit Police patrol a street on bicycles outside Fenway Park before Game 6 of baseball's World Series between the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)







A security guard keeps an eye on things outside Gate D at Fenway Park in Boston, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. If the Boston Red Sox are able to win the baseball World Series at at the stadium, police and city officials want to make sure fans celebrate responsibly. Boston holds a 3-2 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals with Game 6 and if necessary Game 7 scheduled at Fenway for Wednesday and Thursday nights. Police plan to put extra patrols on duty to guard against any unruly celebrations. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)







(AP) — Jubilant Red Sox fans have taken to the streets around Fenway Park to cheer their team's World Series victory, the first time Boston has won baseball's fall classic at home in 95 years.

Fans chanted and caroused outside the historic ballpark Wednesday after Boston vanquished the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 in Game 6. Police reported no significant problems immediately following the game but said they were ready for post-game celebrations.

The Red Sox have now won three World Series in a decade, but they hadn't won at home since 1918.

The triumphant fans spilling out of Fenway joined hundreds already gathered around the ballpark.

Russ Stappen paid several hundred dollars for a ticket but says it was a small price to be a part of Red Sox history.

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-10-30-World%20Series-Boston/id-a41e5009e9454717be5152df1d55a8ce
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Stars in Disguise: Guess the Celeb Costumes!

From trick-or-treating with their kids to attending ghoulish parties, celebs love to play dress-up! Can you guess who's who?

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/celebrity-halloween-costume-trivia-quiz/1-b-291738?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Acelebrity-halloween-costume-trivia-quiz-291738
Category: torrie wilson   Big Brother 15   Betty Pino  

What Obama Really Meant


Way, way back before time itself began, President Barack Obama said these words, in reference to the Affordable Care Act: "If you like your plan, you can keep it." And then, as Daily Intel's Dan Amira pointed out Tuesday, he said it a bunch more times!






Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2013/10/30/what_obama_really_meant_318901.html
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NY bus driver saves woman from jumping off bridge

In an Oct. 28, 2013, photo provided by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, NFTA bus driver Darnell Barton poses in front of a bus in Buffalo, N.Y. On Oct. 18, 2103, Barton’s decisive action stopped a woman from leaping from a roadway bridge to her death on to the highway below. Caught between the rules of his job and his training as a first responder, Barton stopped his bus, grabbed the woman and brought her back over the rail to safety. (AP Photo/Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, Doug Hartmayer)







In an Oct. 28, 2013, photo provided by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, NFTA bus driver Darnell Barton poses in front of a bus in Buffalo, N.Y. On Oct. 18, 2103, Barton’s decisive action stopped a woman from leaping from a roadway bridge to her death on to the highway below. Caught between the rules of his job and his training as a first responder, Barton stopped his bus, grabbed the woman and brought her back over the rail to safety. (AP Photo/Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, Doug Hartmayer)







(AP) — A bus driver is being hailed as a hero for preventing a woman from jumping off a Buffalo highway overpass.

About 20 McKinley High School students had just stepped aboard Darnell Barton's Metro bus Oct. 18 when he spotted a woman who had climbed over a guardrail and stood leaning over the afternoon traffic zipping along the Scajaquada Expressway below.

With cars and an occasional pedestrian continuing to pass by her, Barton wasn't sure at first that the woman was in distress.

He stopped his bus, opened the door and asked if she needed help, at that moment conflicted between the rules of his job, which required him to call his dispatcher, and his training as a former volunteer firefighter and member of the Buffalo Special Police, which told him that if he made contact, he shouldn't break it.

"It was an interesting situation, knowing what you know and knowing what you have to do," he said by phone Wednesday. "Dispatch picked up. I remember giving my location and saying, 'Send the authorities, this young lady needs help' and then dashing the phone down."

The bus video system captures Barton, 37, leaving the bus and the 20-something woman looking back at him. Her gaze then returns to the traffic below.

"That's when I went and put my arms around her," said Barton, a father of two. "I felt like if she looked down at that traffic one more time it might be it."

With the woman in a bear hug, Barton asked if she wanted to come back over the rail. She hadn't spoken up to that point but said yes.

The video shows Barton tenderly helping her climb back over the guardrail and sit down. Then he sits next to her on the concrete. He asked her name and other questions to distract her, he said, learning she was a student.

"Then she said, 'You smell good,'" he said.

A corrections officer and a female driver who'd been behind the bus came to help, speaking to the woman until police and an ambulance arrived.

"While I was holding her, listening to their questions, I just prayed," the bus driver said. "Whatever was on her mind, it had her. It really, really had her."

When the ambulance drove away, Barton got back on his bus — and received a standing ovation from the high school students and other passengers who'd been watching through the windows. He finished his route, wrote up a report and went home.

"Being the humble individual that Darnell is, he didn't write it in a way that was going to call attention to himself," said C. Douglas Hartmayer, spokesman for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority. "It was: I did it, got back on my bus and continued. That speaks volumes about his demeanor and character."

Barton wishes he could speak with the woman again to make sure she's OK.

"Things like this put what's important in perspective," he said. "You hug your kids a little tighter, kiss your wife a little bit longer. You're grateful.

"Things may not be perfect," he said, "but as we say, they're a little bit of all right."

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-10-30-Bus%20Driver-Heroics/id-4d42f3a92a41458f8de3b7045e55902c
Category: Celia Cruz   Bosses Day   christina milian   Marion Bartoli   Dufnering  

'Duck Dynasty' Releases a Christmas Album (Seriously)

"Nothing says Christmas more than big hairy men in Santa hats," says Willie Robertson. And while that may be the most ridiculous statement he's uttered -- this week, at least -- there's no blaming the producers of A&E's Duck Dynasty for wanting to cash in on their show's popularity with, yes, a Christmas album. So here comes Duck the Halls, A Robertson Family Christmas, released on Tuesday for your listening… pleasure. (The show will also air a Christmas special on Dec. 11 at 10 p.m. ET.)
Source: http://www.ivillage.com/duck-dynasty-releases-christmas-album/1-a-551362?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Aduck-dynasty-releases-christmas-album-551362
Tags: World Series 2013   stenographer   Dumb and Dumber 2   Malcom Floyd   Julie Chen  

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Free Ride: Film Review



The Bottom Line


Smuggling-saga conventions are freshened somewhat by family-drama angle.




Venue


Hamptons International Film Festival (Phase 4)


Cast


Anna Paquin, Drea de Matteo, Cam Gigandet, Liana Liberato, Lloyd Owen, Jeff Hehpner, Yvette Yates, Ava Acres


Director-screenwriter


Shana Betz




THE HAMPTONS, NEW YORK — A loving portrait of a mother many would say deserves a much more critical eye, Shana Betz's Free Ride casts Anna Paquin as a roman-a-clef version of her own mother, a single woman who works as a drug smuggler in late-70s Florida while raising two daughters. Paquin's name will draw attention to the picture, whose parenting themes go only so far in making a familiar tale of the high life's perils feel novel.


Betz's debut feature presents her younger self (here named Shell, and played by Ava Acres) as a bystander who witnesses her mother's bad life choices but isn't old enough, as teen sister MJ (Liana Liberato) is, to have her coming-of-age shaped by the conflict they engender. We meet the family in Ohio, where Paquin's Christina, being regularly abused by her partner, picks the girls up from school one day and cheerfully declares they're driving straight to Florida.


There, a friend (Drea de Matteo's Sandy) has promised to set Christina up in a job doing light housekeeping at a mansion owned by her boss, "The Captain" (Lloyd Owen). The job's just a tryout for more illicit work: While it's not clear how Christina demonstrates her aptitude while dusting the mantel, she's soon being asked to ride along on boat charters that pick up bales of pot and bring them to the U.S..


Though she's told that her new job's central rule is not to have relationships within the organization, the gig is largely social: Smuggling trips are disguised as pleasure outings, and the party continues back ashore in bars where Christina and Sandy dance provocatively for their male coworkers. The captain moves the family out of their cheap motel and into a spacious farmhouse, complete with a horse for MJ. The barn doubles as a drug warehouse, and Mom makes her go-along values clear to a teen whose face betrays moral qualms, or at least fear of getting in trouble: "Wanna keep the horse? Then be cool."


The plot follows a familiar arc, with montages of hedonistic good times (including some druggy, gropey parties that are witnessed by the kids) leading to menacing turns of events and inevitable encounters with the Feds. Betz and her cast have a firm grip on the domestic side of things, with MJ's confused responses threatening to break the family up before the law can intervene, but the film's generosity toward Christina's decision-making is, however true to life, dramatically unsatisfying. A coda offers the director's actual mother, in voiceover, saying "you do what you can to take care of your family," a sentiment that may earn sneers from single mothers in the audience who've found less hazardous ways to make ends meet.


Production Company: Casm Films


Cast: Anna Paquin, Drea de Matteo, Cam Gigandet, Liana Liberato, Lloyd Owen, Jeff Hehpner, Yvette Yates, Ava Acres


Director-Screenwriter: Shana Betz


Producers: Susan Dynner, Cerise Hallam Larkin, Anna Paquin


Executive producers: Dan Keston, Mark Larkin, Stephen Moyer, Wendy Williams


Director of photography: Quyen Tran


Production designer:


Music: Jeff Russo


Costume designer: Alexis Scott


Editor: Danny Daneau


Sales: Cargo Entertainment


No rating, 85 minutes


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thr/reviews/film/~3/yAVNE4e1_nA/free-ride-film-review-651878
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An Up Close Look at the East Coast Google Mystery Barge

An Up Close Look at the East Coast Google Mystery Barge

The Google mystery barges docked near San Francisco and Portland, Maine are getting even more mysterious. We've seen the barge and heard the arguments about what's inside. But news that the search giant is making government officials keep their mouths shut about them—that takes it to the next level.

Read more...


    






Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/bJjhMtr8G-8/an-up-close-look-at-the-east-coast-google-mystery-barge-1454795416
Tags: ny giants   Ios 7 Release Date   Mayweather vs Canelo   Nexus 4   pharrell  

Cole Miller: “Unqualified People” Are Judging MMA


Cole Miller scored a big win at UFC Fight Night 30 last weekend, as the American Top Team featherweight worked his way to a unanimous decision win over Andy Ogle. Since Miller had lost three of his last four fights heading into the October 26th scrap, a defeat may have ended the fighter’s UFC run, which dates way back to 2007.


While Miller doesn’t contest the fact that his job may have been on the line versus Ogle, he doesn’t believe he’s 2-2 in his last four bouts. The reason being that Miller doesn’t think the judges got it right when he was handed a split decision loss versus Nam Pham, or more recently at UFC FN 26 when he lost by UD to Manny Gamburyan (which many folks believe should have been stopped in Miller’s favor to begin with after round one).


Thus, this is why Miller blasted judges in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan last Saturday, and why “Magrinho” made the following comments while appearing on the latest edition of “The MMA Hour” (comments via MMA Fighting.com).



“I knew I had to win,” Miller said.  ”I’ve kind of been up and down, but I’ve only been up and down because of what some 50 and 60-year-old judges have said about my fights. If you actually went back and looked at them, as far as I’m concerned, this is four wins in a row.”


“They’re not even qualified to be making the calls they’re making,” Miller added while referring to judges. “That’s kind of disgusting and that’s really unfortunate in our sport, because it changes the whole landscape of our sport. When you have unqualified people judging mixed martial arts, it changes the way that mixed martial arts is actually fought, because fighters are now adjusting their styles to please people that don’t know anything about our sport.”


“I love this sport,” Miller continued. “I really do. And I want to see it make progress. I don’t want to see it regress. With the judging in mixed martial arts, and how coaches are coaching the fighters, and how fighters are manipulating and molding their styles to please people that know nothing about MMA, it makes the sport regress.”



It’s certainly not the first time a fighter has fired away at the status-quo in terms of judging, and even if you don’t believe it’s as dire as Miller says, improvements need to be made. Particularly in situations where, as Miller alluded to, fighters are given rounds for just maintaining the top position rather than inflicting damage.


Stay tuned to MMA Frenzy.com for all your UFC news and coverage.




Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/95573/cole-miller-unqualified-people-are-judging-mma/
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Bellator 106: Pat Curran vs. Daniel Straus Video Preview

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Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/95569/bellator-106-pat-curran-vs-daniel-straus-video-preview/
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Dominick Cruz returns for bantamweight title unification bout and Jose Aldo defends featherweight belt at UFC 169

After being sidelined for more than two years because of knee injuries, bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz will finally fight again at UFC 169 Feb. 1 against interim belt-holder Renan Barao. Cruz last fought and won with a unanimous decision over now flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson in October of 2011.

After that, Cruz was selected as a coach of The Ultimate Fighter, opposite his rival Urijah Faber. The two had fought twice before and were set to have a rubber match after coaching TUF.

Cruz tore his ACL in a knee and was forced out of the fight. Barao stepped in to fight Faber in an interim title bout, which he won.

[Related: Johny Hendricks suffered second-degree burns while shooting commercial for UFC 167]

Cruz' recovery was delayed by a second ACL tear and surgery. Barao has defended his interim title twice in the meantime.

The main event of UFC 169 will include another title bout as featherweight champ Jose Aldo defends against Ricardo Lamas. Lamas has won four straight bouts heading into his long-awaited title shot.

Aldo has not lost in over seven years and 16 fights. He last fought and won at UFC 163, when he stopped Chan Sung Jung in the 4th round.

UFC 169 will take place SuperBowl weekend in Newark, New Jersey. Newsday first reported the two title match ups.

Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/dominick-cruz-returns-bantamweight-title-unification-bout-jose-151130199--mma.html
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Kelly Clarkson Says All She Wants For Christmas Is a Baby, Husband Brandon Blackstock Is "Excited About All the Practice"


No more time to waste! Newly hitched Kelly Clarkson is ready to expand her family -- and fast! While promoting her first Christmas album, this week, the "Catch My Breath" singer revealed during an interview with Valentine in the Morning on 104.3 MY FM that all she wants for Christmas is a baby bump.


PHOTOS: Celebrity weddings 2013


"I want babies, yep! I do," the 31-year-old exclaimed to host Valentine during their chat. "Everybody keeps saying, 'What do you want for Christmas?' And I'm like, 'I want to be pregnant.'"


The "Stronger" singer never thought much of having a family of her own, but admitted that becoming a step-mom to Brandon Blackstock's two kids from a previous marriage -- daughter Savannah, 12, and son Seth, 6 -- changed her outlook on motherhood.


PHOTOS: Best celebrity engagement rings of all time


"I honestly never ever used to want to want kids because I'm kind of selfish with my career, but going to soccer games with Seth and doing homework with Savannah -- I just really love it y'all. It's so cool. It sounds so cheesy but it's such a bigger point to life," she gushed. "I really lucked out with the whole kid situation. They're amazing."


The "People Like Us" rocker also previously told Elvis Duran and the Morning Show that she's ready to be a mom. "I want babies like right off the bat!" she said during the Oct. 9 radio interview. "My first child will be a girl—I know it in my soul." She added to Valentine: "I kind of want to have two around the same age."


PHOTOS: Kelly's body through the years


Clarkson and talent manager Blackstock, 36, got engaged in December 2012 and tied the knot in an intimate Tennessee ceremony at Blackberry Farm on Oct. 20. Two days later, the blushing new bride shared a stunning wedding video via Twitter and pictures of her wedding dress next to her new hubby.


"I'm happy I found him," the blonde beauty told Valentine. "He was definitely worth the wait, but you just never know when its going to happen I guess."


As for trying to get pregnant fast? She quipped: "Well, he's excited about all the practice!"


Clarkson's first Christmas album, Wrapped in Red, features 14 songs and is in stores now.


Source: http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/kelly-clarkson-says-all-she-wants-for-christmas-is-a-baby-husband-brandon-blackstock-is-excited-about-all-the-practice-20133010
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