Saturday, December 31, 2011

Selena Gomez: Looking Back On Her Busy 2011

Teen superstar made headlines with her thriving career as a singer, actress.
By Jocelyn Vena


Selena Gomez
Photo: Getty Images

Selena Gomez will watch the ball drop as one of the many A-listers set to hang out with MTV on New Year's Eve during "NYE in NYC 2012." As one year ends and another begins, it seems like a great time to reflect on the very busy year that the teen superstar and the show's host is bidding a fond farewell to.

When the year kicked off, Gomez was already knee-deep in reports that she was dating pop heartthrob Justin Bieber. And while her love life dominated many of the headlines, her thriving acting and singing career also managed to make a few of its own.

In March, she dropped her single "Who Says," and explained that she wanted to empower fans with the feel-good track. "So I thought it was a sweet message," she explained. "With bullying, with cyberbullying, with all the negativity that is in high school and dealing with things, you're already trying to figure out who you are; it doesn't help when people are constantly trying to tear you down. And I'm dealing with it, of course. I'm going through it as well."

As she continued to prep for her 2011 tour and album release, she also focused on her acting career. In April she dropped her comedy "Monte Carlo." "It's a fun movie about three girls who try to go on a vacation," Gomez said of the big-screen summer romp. "And it ends up being horrible and my character gets mistaken for a British heiress, and they figure, 'What better way to make a horrible vacation amazing than to be a British heiress?' "

She finished filming her Disney show, "Wizards of Waverly Place," in May. And after being briefly hospitalized in June, she was back on the scene with her album When the Sun Goes Down. For her next video for "Love You Like a Love Song," the singer took fans on a wild karaoke-fueled bender through the '80s. She followed up the clip with stints as the VMA pre-show host and then hosted the MTV EMA in November.

Right before the holidays, she released one more video, the party clip for "Hit the Lights." "This one's saying that I'm at the point where I'm having fun with it. I'm not trying to be older. I'm not trying to be younger. I'm trying to explain where I'm at in my life, and I feel like that's what describes it, and having fun with my friends and it was beautiful and it was simple," she told MTV News. "I thought it was nice."

In 2012, she's set to film her "raw" role in the drama "Spring Breakers," and as she looks back on her own 2011 she explained that she felt "humbled" by it all. "I feel like this approach of this year, I wasn't expecting any of the things that happened," she said. "And so I just kind of want to go into the end of this year and the beginning of next year just excited and in a good place and not planning anything."

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676526/selena-gomez-2011-review.jhtml

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Vanessa Hudgens Spotted Kiss Attacking Her Man Austin In Florida Yesterday

Vanessa Hudgens spotted kiss attacking her man Austin in Florida yesterday. Apparently,movie starlet Vanessa Hudgens and her guy Austin Butler decided to head on down to Miami, Florida to enjoy some of their nice weather yesterday,December 29th,and got their major PDA on as Nessa hopped on him,and started attacking him with tons of kisses. Yep, he?s definitely got his spell put on her as she can?t keep her hands off him.

According to sources, the two love birds hit up their hotel pool in Miami,yesterday. Vanessa was seen,sporting a bikini at one point to go swimming. Then she attacked him with lots of kisses on the tanning deck most of the time. They were also with a couple of friends on their outing.

In related news,Ms. Nessa is about to get right back to work,filming a new movie this Spring,called ?Spring Breakers? with other starlets Selena Gomez,Glee?s Heather Morris,and more. It?s a crime/drama flick that will have Nessa and her co-stars,getting thrown into jail after robbing a fast food restaurant to fund their wild ways. It?s due out sometime in 2013. Follow us on Facebook by Clicking Here. Follow us on Twitter by Clicking Here.

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Source: http://ontheflix.com/2011/12/30/vanessa-hudgens-spotted-kiss-attacking-her-man-austin-in-florida-yesterday/

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Friday, December 30, 2011

'Forrest Gump,' 'Bambi' join US film registry

Forrest Gump's oft-imitated line, "My momma always said, 'Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get' " will be immortalized among the nation's treasures in the world's largest archive of film, TV and sound recordings.

The Library of Congress on Wednesday announced that 1994's smash hit "Forrest Gump" starring Tom Hanks was one of 25 films chosen to be included this year in the National Film Registry.

Story: Dummies in movies can make for smart humor

The oldest reels are silent films both from 1912. "The Cry of the Children" is about the pre-World War I child labor reform movement and "A Cure for Pokeritis" features the industry's earliest comic superstar John Bunny.

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Also from that silent era is Charlie Chaplin's first full-length feature, "The Kid," from 1921.

Under the terms of the National Film Preservation Act, each year the Librarian of Congress names 25 films that are "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant. This year, 2,228 films were nominated.

Story: Stephen King's horror classics and lesser-known favorites

"These films are selected because of their enduring significance to American culture," Librarian of Congress James H. Billington said in a statement. "Our film heritage must be protected because these cinematic treasures document our history and culture and reflect our hopes and dreams."

For each title, the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation works to ensure that the film is preserved for future generations. That comes either by the Library's massive motion-picture preservation program or through collaborating with other archives, motion-picture studios and independent filmmakers.

The most recent film chosen is "Forrest Gump," which won six Academy Awards including for Best Picture.

Story: 5 movies for which to be thankful

Also starring in that movie about an everyman who ended up being part of the most iconic events of the 1960s and 1970s was Sally Field. Her perhaps most famous role playing "Norma Rae" in the movie of the same name from 1979 also made the list. She won an Academy Award for her portrayal of a poorly educated single mother who fought successfully to make her Southern textile mill a union shop.

Making the list is the animated Disney classic, "Bambi," made in 1942 about a deer's life in the forest, "The Big Heat" from 1953, a post-war noir film, and 1991's disturbing, "The Silence of the Lambs," which won Oscars for stars Jody Foster and Sir Anthony Hopkins. Hopkins plays cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter in the psychological and violent thriller.

The original "War of the Worlds" from 1953 also will be preserved along with "Porgy and Bess," "Stand and Deliver" and John Ford's epic Western, "The Iron Horse," from 1924.

Lesser known films were chosen for their significance to the art.

Slideshow: Tom Hanks (on this page)

"A Computer Animated Hand" from 1972 is by Pixar Animation Studios co-founder Ed Catmull. The one-minute film that is one of the earliest examples of 3D computer animation displays the hand turning, opening and closing, pointing at the viewer and flexing its fingers.

Making the list were notable documentaries as well.

"Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment," focuses on Gov. George Wallace's attempt to prevent two African-American students from enrolling in the University of Alabama and the response of President John F. Kennedy. "Growing Up Female" from 1971 was one of the first films to come from the women's liberation movement.

Also included was "The Negro Soldier," produced by Frank Capra. It showed the heroism of blacks in the nation's wars and became mandatory viewing for all soldiers from spring 1944 until World War II's end.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45803617/ns/today-entertainment/

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DC ordered to pay $1M in historic gun case (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The District of Columbia has been ordered to pay more than $1 million in attorneys' fees as a result of a historic gun case that was ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Dick Heller sued the city in 2003 over its ban on handgun ownership and the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the ban in June 2008, saying it violated the Second Amendment.

A federal judge on Thursday issued an opinion awarding Heller's attorneys $1,137,072.27 in fees and expenses. The attorneys had argued they should be awarded $3.1 million. Attorneys for the city said the figure should be closer to $840,000.

District of Columbia Attorney General Irvin B. Nathan, the head of the office that represents the city in legal matters, said in a statement that Heller's lawyers had requested an "outlandish fee." Nathan praised the U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan's decision not to accept the full hourly rate the attorneys had requested or the full number of hours they had billed for.

Heller's lead lawyer, Alan Gura, says his team is still studying the opinion and possible next steps. Gura said he is pleased with much of the opinion, but he said the fee calculation the judge used was outdated and that lawyers doing similar work in Washington are typically compensated at a higher rate. The judge's opinion awards Gura approximately $662,000 for more than 1,500 hours of work on the case, paying him at a rate of $420 per hour. Five other members of Heller's team are also compensated.

After the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in 2008, the city rewrote its gun laws and for the first time in more than 30 years permitted handgun ownership. The new laws, however, include numerous registration requirements.

Those requirements prompted Heller to sue again, saying that the new laws are too restrictive. That case is still pending, with a federal appeals court ruling in October that the city must provide evidence justifying what it called "novel" handgun registration requirements including vision tests. The city is considering changes to the law that, if implemented, could impact the case.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111229/ap_on_re_us/us_washington_gun_ban_fees

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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Sony sells stake in LCD panel joint venture

TOKYO -- In a bid to streamline its money-losing television business, Sony said Monday it would sell its stake in its flat-panel joint venture with Samsung Electronics, letting go of more of its production capacity at a time when outsourcing has become the norm in the world of manufacturing.

Sony, the Tokyo-based technology and entertainment giant, which makes the Bravia liquid-crystal display televisions, said in a statement that it would sell its nearly 50 percent stake in the jointly owned manufacturer, S-LCD, to Samsung of South Korea for 1.08 trillion won, or $939 million.

Sony's exit from the joint venture, set up in Tanjeong, South Korea, in April 2004, would allow it to switch to less expensive outsourcing options that might allow it to resuscitate its struggling TV business. The only other LCD panels Sony manufactures are at its joint venture with Sharp, in which Sony owns a 7 percent stake.

Cutthroat competition in a peaking market is squeezing margins for TV manufacturers, especially Sony, which analysts have long criticized for high production costs. A strong yen has also weighed on Sony's bottom line by eroding the value of its overseas earnings when repatriated into the home currency.

Last month, Sony warned that it would lose money for the fourth year in a row in its current financial year, which ends next March. Its television unit alone is contributing billions of yen in losses.

Sony said it would

report a further impairment loss of 66 billion yen, or $856 million, for the last three months of 2011 due to its exit from the Samsung joint venture. But it expected to slash costs in its LCD business by 50 billion yen a year as a result of the move, it said in the statement.

Sony "aims to secure a flexible and steady supply of LCD panels from Samsung, based on market prices and without the responsibility and costs of operating a manufacturing facility," it said in the statement.

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics, the world leader in flat-panel TVs, would have free rein in producing its next-generation displays by taking control of S-LCD. The manufacturer said in a regulatory filing that its board had approved of the plan Monday.

For Samsung, those deals came as an acknowledgment of its emergence as a global player. The South Korean manufacturer has now taken over from Sony as the consumer electronics king. In its latest full financial year, Samsung earned $14 billion on sales of more than $134 billion, while Sony lost $3 billion on sales of $92 billion.

Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_19622289?source=rss

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MADALLA. December 27. KAZINFORM At a Nigerian Catholic church where a terror attack killed 35 people on Christmas, women tried to clean the sanctuary ahead of Mass on Monday while one man wept uncontrollably amid the debris; Kazinform refers to Arab News.

MADALLA. December 27. KAZINFORM?At a Nigerian Catholic church where a terror attack killed 35 people on Christmas, women tried to clean the sanctuary ahead of Mass on Monday while one man wept uncontrollably amid the debris; Kazinform refers to Arab News.

Outside the St. Theresa Catholic Church, crowds gathered among the burned-out cars in the dirt parking lot, angry over the attack claimed by a radical sect and fearful that the group will target more churches.

Rev. Father Christopher Jataudarde told The Associated Press that Sunday's blast happened as church officials gave parishioners white powder as part of a tradition celebrating the birth of Christ.

Some already had left the church at the time of the bombing, causing the massive casualties. In the chaos after the bombing, Jataudarde said one mortally wounded man, cradling his shredded stomach, begged him for religious atonement.

"Father, pray for me, I will not survive," the man said, according to the priest.

At least 52 people were wounded in the attack, said Slaku Luguard, a coordinator with Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency. Victims filled the cement floors of a nearby government hospital, some crying in pools of their own blood.

On Christmas, attacks by the radical sect Boko Haram left 39 dead across Africa's most populous nation. A bomb also exploded amid gunfire in the central Nigeria city of Jos and a suicide car bomber attacked the military in the nation's northeast.

After the bombings, a Boko Haram spokesman using the nom de guerre Abul-Qaqa claimed responsibility for the attacks in an interview with The Daily Trust, the newspaper of record across Nigeria's Muslim north. The sect has used the newspaper in the past to communicate with public.

"There will never be peace until our demands are met," the newspaper quoted the spokesman as saying. "We want all our brothers who have been incarcerated to be released; we want full implementation of the Shariah system and we want democracy and the constitution to be suspended"; Kazinform cites Arab News.

To learn more go to www.arabnews.com

Source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r5668463072

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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

a new opinion in Audio / HiFis about Apple iPod touch (3G) 8 GB

Apple iPod touch (3G) 8 GB

Product Type: Apple MP3 players

Newest Review:?... use it quite often. The picture quality is really good and the sound is excellent with headphones. However, if you don't have headphone... more

I've had my iPod Touch for over a year now. I have never had any issues with it and I use it every day. The battery life is quite good compared to the iPhone. If you turn it off when you are not using it, it can easily last 3 days, even if you use it quite often.

The picture quality is really good and the sound is excellent with headphones. However, if you don't have headphones in, it is quite quiet and not of the best quality.

It is quite heavy but very thin and comfortable to hold. It is very good looking, but the metal back does get scratched very easily, and I would recommend getting a silicon case for it. Be careful not to drop it because the screen does easily crack.

Compared to other MP3 players, this really does stand out. It is very quick and very responsive and it is great value for money. It has a very sleek and modern design and is definitely better looking than competing products.

You can download a variety of apps from the app store and music from iTunes. It is very easy to use and set up and the touch screen is very responsive. It has built in Wi-Fi which is very fast and great to use.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this to everyone. It's a great way to listen to music and play games!

Summary: A Great Device For Everyone

Source: http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/portable-mp3-player/apple-ipod-touch-3g-8-gb/1609081/

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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Utah man wins Lamborghini, crashes it hours later (AP)

SALT LAKE CITY ? A truck driver who won a $380,000 Lamborghini in a convenience store contest crashed the sports car six hours after he got it, and he now plans to sell the 640-horsepower convertible because he can't afford the insurance or taxes.

"I already had offers on it. I'm going to sell it," David Dopp said Wednesday. "I have bills more important than a Lamborghini. I've got a family to support."

Dopp, a 34-year-old truck driver for Frito-Lay, spun out of control just a few hours after taking the keys to the Murcielago Roadster that he won in a "Joe Schmo to Lambo" contest sponsored by Maverik convenience stores.

The lime green convertible was being held by his insurance company at a Utah towing yard. It will be sent to an authorized Las Vegas dealer for repairs next week.

Dopp told The Associated Press the damage "isn't super bad" ? a punctured oil pan and wheel and a few dents and scratches on the front and rear ends. The father of six said he couldn't afford to pay taxes on the car or the insurance, which runs $3,500 every six months.

"That's why rich people own them," he said. "The poor people like me don't."

Dopp was taking family members and friends on joy rides the first evening. He said he took a curve at about 45 mph and "hit some black ice and spun out." The car jumped a curb and went through a fence before coming to a rest about 75 feet off the road. Neither Dopp nor his passenger was injured.

"My heart pretty much fell out," Annette Dopp told KSL-TV of Salt Lake City. "They said they were OK. Then (came), you know, that feeling when your heart drops and you're like, `Oh, my gosh. What do we do now?'"

The Lamborghini was the envy of Santaquin, a town of 9,000 about 55 miles south of Salt Lake City. Police say the Lamborghini's high-performance summer tires weren't suited for icy conditions and the car is simply too powerful ? and exceptionally light with carbon fiber body parts. Dopp wasn't ticketed.

Dopp was videotaped jumping up and down and hollering in speechless disbelief when contest officials announced during a Nov. 12 college football game that he won the car. He had to take out insurance before he could claim the car ? "that was a good thing," he says ? and took the keys to the roadster Saturday.

Dopp said he never imagined he could keep the car for long because it costs too much to own.

He also won $5,000 worth of driving lessons at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele County.

Dopp said he'll be more careful the next time he gets behind the wheel.

The giveaway contest was for customers who use a rewards card at Maverik's 220 stores. It was co-sponsored by nonprofit organization "teamgive," which raises awareness about rare neurological diseases.

(This version CORRECTS Corrects dateline. Corrects to "for" instead of "force" in last paragraph. Makes minor changes. With AP Photos.)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111221/ap_on_bi_ge/us_lamborghini_winner_crash

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Monday, December 19, 2011

Video: Stocks 'Ridiculously' Cheap?

The Dow ended down slightly Friday, with the S&P, Nasdaq notching small gains. Mike Holland, Holland & Company, says stocks are "ridiculously" cheap and Treasuries are in a major bubble.

Related Links:

Business & financial news headlines from msnbc.com

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/45704089/

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Sunday, December 18, 2011

Back to Everton

updated 5:14 p.m. ET Dec. 15, 2011

CARSON, Calif. - Landon Donovan is returning to Everton on a two-month loan.

The Los Angeles Galaxy made the announcement Thursday, giving the Toffees some attacking help as they try to climb the standings after a slow start. Everton is 12th in the English Premier League standings and has just 15 goals in 14 league matches.

"I am delighted that we have managed to get Landon back. He will give us some good experience," Everton manager David Moyes said. "He did well for us when he was over two years ago and hopefully will return with those same qualities. His season has just finished and like last time we need him to hit the ground running because the games come thick and fast at this time of year."

Donovan will be eligible to play starting with the Jan. 4 home match against Bolton and will stay through the Feb. 25 Merseyside derby at Liverpool. He scored two goals in 13 matches during a loan to Everton from last January to March in 2010.

"The opportunity to return to Everton and play for such a well-respected club and a manager that I hold in such high regard was something that was simply too good to pass up," the 29-year-old midfielder and forward said. "I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Everton in 2010 and I'm hopeful that we can experience similar success this time around."

Donovan scored 16 goals in 34 games for the Galaxy this year, including the one that won the MLS Cup final against Houston last month. He is to return to the Galaxy on Feb. 26, ahead of the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal against Toronto.

"This is a great opportunity for Landon," Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said. "During the final months of the 2011 season he was limited because of an ongoing injury, and he just started to get his legs back during the playoffs. Therefore, I think that this opportunity with Everton comes at a perfect time as he is rested and ready to go."

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Chelsea slips, Dempsey scores

Euro roundup: Chelsea missed a chance to put pressure on the two Manchester clubs at the top of the Premier League on Saturday, yielding a goal with two minutes left in a 1-1 draw at relegation-threatened Wigan.

Getty Images

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45688565/ns/sports-soccer/

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Saturday, December 17, 2011

Motorola MotoActv


Marathon runners value their data, whether they call them "data" or not. They store maps, perhaps only mentally, but often also on websites like MapMyRun or with apps like RunKeeper. Calculations are used to compute pace. Training schedules factor in intensity, duration, and recovery periods. Running, and really any long-term commitment to physical activity, takes math and analysis.

What I like most about a little fitness gadget from Motorola called MotoActv ($249.99 for 8GB, direct) is its ability to output wonderful data. MotoActv is a touch-screen-based, GPS-enabled device and music player that correlates data beautifully. If you turn on music while working out, MotoActv can later plot your physical activity on a chart to show how your miles-per-minute ratio or strides per minute changed, by song, while running, jogging, walking, cycling, or using an elliptical machine. If you exercise outdoors and use the GPS feature, it syncs that same data to a map, which you can mouse over in a web application to see where you were geographically at different points in the graph.

Design and What's Included
Motorola's small black and red square gadget (1.75 by 1.75 by 0.25 inches?HWD) costs a small fortune?the 16GB version is $299.99. A same-capacity iPod nano?costs half that and includes an accelerometer and clock that can capture a lot of the same data, like distance and pace. When hooked into the Nike+ service and used in conjunction with compatible gym equipment, the iPod nano is very nearly the same product for much less. And it's slightly more compact and fashionable.

MotoActv's touch screen is much smaller than the plastic device itself, a little more than 1.5 inches wide by 1 inch tall.?The default screen on the bright display shows the date, time, steps taken (when working out), and number of calories you'll burn in a day, which is your baseline calorie use according to height, weight, age, and sex, plus burned calories according to exercise. Scrolling through the screens with left-right finger swipes brings up menus for settings, workouts, music, and notifications. Within each of those options, additional menus and choices appear. For example, the workouts page lets you see information about the most recent exercise activities you completed and start a new workout.

MotoActv comes with very comfortable and flexible headphones, a USB cord and outlet adapter, and not much else. Accessories sold separately that came with my kit to test the device included an arm band ($29.99) and clip ($19.99), which I can't imagine not having. If you're moving around, they are essential to using MotoActv. I also got a stiff plastic watch band ($29.99)?the official description being "sports wrist strap"?which seemed too uncomfortable to actually wear.

Set Up
Downloading the free app for my computers (both Mac and PC) was equally simple and quick. The final two pieces of the puzzle were establishing a Web account with the standard username and password requirements, and customizing my profile to account for my height, weight, age, and sex to get more accurate estimations of calories expended during physical activity.

MotoActv lets you select a few more options, though it's tough to tell what auto reminders and such you're agreeing to or dismissing based on the textual descriptions. Later, when actually working out with the device, these options become more clear, and of course you can change them after the fact.

Loading music onto the device took nothing more than connecting it to my computer with the USB cord. iTunes was recognized as my default music playing software, which made it easy to choose playlists when prompted. MotoActv is compatible with all music files types, such as MP3, AAC, and really anything that works in iTunes.?Computers recognize MotoActv as a mass storage device, which means you can also drag and drop files onto it.?The music player also includes access to FM radio.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/slBz2EHGcok/0,2817,2397538,00.asp

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Madonna to release first album in Live Nation deal

Director Madonna attends a special screening of "W.E." at the Museum of Modern Art on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011 in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)

Director Madonna attends a special screening of "W.E." at the Museum of Modern Art on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011 in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)

(AP) ? The Material Girl is finally going to make good on her promise to produce new albums under an all-encompassing rights deal worth $120 million that she signed with concert promoter Live Nation more than four years ago.

Madonna will release a new album in late March through Universal Music Group's Interscope Records, the label said Thursday.

Live Nation Entertainment Inc. will participate in the profits, if the album does well.

It will be her first album in five years and is part of a three-album agreement with Interscope. It will follow the late January release of the single "Gimme All Your Luvin'" and her halftime performance at the Super Bowl on Feb. 5.

Madonna broke from her longtime music backer, Warner Music Group, and was among the first of a host of megastars that Live Nation signed to huge rights deals that would give the concert promoter a share of revenue from touring, merchandise, fan clubs, sponsorships and even recorded music. Her deal covered 10 years.

Other pricey deals around that time included artists Jay-Z, Shakira, Nickelback and U2.

Live Nation has never had the ability to record, promote and distribute albums, so it has tied up with traditional recording companies to make its so-called "360 deals" work.

Jay-Z released his first album under his deal, "The Blueprint 3," with the help of Warner Music's Atlantic label in September 2009. "Watch the Throne," the rapper's collaborative album with Kanye West, came out in August with an assist from Universal's Def Jam.

Madonna's manager, Guy Oseary, said in a statement that "we couldn't be happier" with the new arrangement. "We anticipate a very bright future at our new home."

The expensive signings have not quite worked out as expected for Live Nation. It issued $25 million in new stock to pay Madonna in October 2007, but later found itself on the hook to make up the difference in cash when its stock price collapsed.

Live Nation shares closed at $8.23 on Thursday, down from $21.45 the day it closed the deal with Madonna.

It also took a $13.4 million write-down on the deals in the first quarter of 2010 as it revised downward their expected value.

The company, which merged with Ticketmaster in early 2010, has generated some sales from the deals, however. Madonna's "Sticky & Sweet" tour, which began in August 2008, went on to gross more than $400 million, giving her the crown for the most successful tour ever by a solo artist.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2011-12-15-Live%20Nation-Madonna/id-c3fb304f61c14afc827550a2e3d646f7

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Friday, December 16, 2011

It Takes 30,000 Downloads a DAY just to Crack the iOS App Store's Top 10 [Factoid]

If you think the whole mobile apps craze is just a fad, consider this statistic: any free app in the iOS App Store's top 10 list is receiving at least 30,000 downloads a day. A DAY! For the US alone! That's madness. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/GYISih3569U/it-takes-30000-downloads-a-day-just-to-crack-the-ios-app-stores-top-10

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Obama visiting Fort Bragg to mark end of Iraq war

President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign event in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign event in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

(AP) ? President Barack Obama is marking the end of the Iraq war with a tribute to the troops who fought and died in a conflict he opposed from the start.

Accompanied by first lady Michelle Obama, the president was traveling Wednesday to Fort Bragg in North Carolina to address service members and their families as he brings the war to a close.

At a base that's seen more than 200 deaths over nearly nine years of fighting in Iraq, Obama was to highlight the human side of the war, reflecting on the bravery and sacrifices of U.S. forces now on their way back home.

All U.S. troops are to be out of Iraq Dec. 31, though Obama has pledged the U.S. will continue to help Iraq as it faces an uncertain future in a volatile region of the world. Even as majorities in the U.S. public favor ending the war, some Republicans have criticized Obama's withdrawal, arguing he's leaving behind an unstable Iraq that could hurt U.S. interests and fall subject to influence from neighboring Iran.

Obama has on several occasions addressed his reasons for ending the war, casting it as a promise kept after he ran for president as an anti-war candidate and speaking of the need to refocus U.S. attention on rebuilding the troubled economy at home.

On Wednesday, his focus will be principally on the troops and their role and his commitment to ensuring veterans get the jobs and resources they need once they're back home. His audience will be those people most personally affected, including troops back from Iraq and their families.

In a local television interview Tuesday, Obama previewed some of his likely themes.

"We must not forget the men and women who gave their lives, tens of thousands wounded, all those missed birthday parties, missed soccer games and missed dinners because folks were on their second or third deployment. We should not take that for granted," the president told KOAA-TV in Colorado Springs, Colo. "It is an extraordinary testimony to the bravery, courage, dedication and patriotism of our soldiers."

It's the president's first visit to Fort Bragg, which is home to Army Special Operations, the 18th Airborne Corps and the 82nd Airborne, among others. Special Forces troops from Fort Bragg were among the first soldiers in Iraq during the 2003 invasion and its paratroopers helped lead the 2007 troop increase.

North Carolina, which Obama narrowly won in 2008, also is an important state for the 2012 presidential election and will host the Democratic convention.

To underscore the political significance, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, one of the leading GOP presidential contenders, addressed an open letter to Obama and sent it to the Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer decrying the unemployment rate for veterans.

Unemployment for veterans who served after Sept. 11, 2001, was 11.1 percent in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Romney called such a statistic a "disgrace."

"In the face of such economic hardship, fine words welcoming veterans home are insufficient," he wrote. "It is time for a fundamental change of direction. If you won't or can't lead our country out of the economic morass you've deepened, then I would suggest that it's time for you to go."

___

Associated Press writer Martha Waggoner in Raleigh, N.C., contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2011-12-14-Obama/id-42c2dec782f64ab0bf7917cd2fb00502

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Wednesday, December 7, 2011

FAA chief on leave after drunken driving arrest

This handout provided by Fairfax County, Va. Sheriff's Office shows FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. Babbitt was placed on a leave of absence Monday and U.S. officials said his employment is under review following his arrest for drunken driving in suburban Northern Virginia. (AP Photo/Fairfax County, Va. Sheriff's Office)

This handout provided by Fairfax County, Va. Sheriff's Office shows FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. Babbitt was placed on a leave of absence Monday and U.S. officials said his employment is under review following his arrest for drunken driving in suburban Northern Virginia. (AP Photo/Fairfax County, Va. Sheriff's Office)

(AP) ? FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt was placed on a leave of absence Monday as Department of Transportation officials decide how to handle Babbitt's weekend arrest on charges of drunken driving in suburban northern Virginia.

DOT officials are in "discussions with legal counsel about Administrator Babbitt's employment status," said a statement released by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's office Monday afternoon.

The Federal Aviation Administration is part of the Transportation Department. Babbitt is about halfway through a five-year term.

Babbitt, 65, was charged with driving while intoxicated after a patrol officer spotted him driving on the wrong side of the street and pulled him over about 10:30 p.m. EST Saturday in Fairfax City, Va., police in the Washington, D.C., suburb said.

Babbitt, who lives in nearby Reston, Va., was the only occupant in the vehicle, the statement said. Police said he cooperated and was released on his own recognizance.

Babbitt apparently delayed telling administration officials about the arrest. White House spokesman Jay Carney said President Barack Obama and Transportation Department officials learned of the arrest Monday afternoon, about an hour before a 1:30 p.m. EST statement was released saying Babbitt had been placed on leave at his request.

Separately, Fairfax City police issued a statement on the arrest to the media at about noon Monday. They refused to disclose the results of Babbitt's blood alcohol test. The legal limit is .08.

LaHood has aggressively campaigned against drunken driving, and is working with police agencies and safety advocates on an annual holiday crack down on drinking and driving later this month. Safety advocates credit LaHood with doing more to raise the visibility of human factors in highway safety ? including drunken driving, drivers distracted by cell phone use, and parents who fail to buckle in their children ? than any previous transportation secretary.

Deputy FAA Administrator Michael Huerta will serve as acting administrator, the DOT statement said. In recent months Huerta has been leading the FAA's troubled NextGen effort to transition from an air traffic control system based on World War II-era radar technology to one based on satellite technology.

Babbitt was a former airline captain and internationally recognized expert in aviation and labor relations when Obama tapped him in 2009 to head the FAA, which has nearly 40,000 employees. He was a pilot for the now-defunct Eastern Airlines for 25 years, and had served as president of the Air Line Pilots Association. As head of ALPA in 1990s, he championed the "one level of safety" initiative implemented in 1995 to improve safety standards across the airline industry.

Babbitt's nomination in 2009 was warmly received by both industry officials and airline unions. His easy manner and insider's knowledge of the airline industry generated respect in Congress, where he regularly testified on safety issues and in support of NextGen.

Babbitt took over at the FAA when the agency was still reeling from the exposure of widespread safety gaps in the regional airline industry. The problems were revealed by a National Transportation Safety Board investigation of the February 2009 crash of a regional airliner near Buffalo, N.Y., that killed 50 people.

Babbitt and LaHood promised to immediately implement a series of safety initiatives. At Babbitt's urging airlines adopted a series of voluntary safety measures. But safety advocates say voluntary measures aren't enough. The FAA under Babbitt has also initiated several efforts to craft major new safety regulations, ranging from preventing pilot fatigue to boosting experience levels and training of airline pilots.

But several of those efforts have stalled as industry opponents lobbied White House officials against the proposed regulations, saying they would cost too much or be too burdensome.

The biggest crisis of Babbitt's FAA tenure occurred last spring when nine air traffic controllers were allegedly caught sleeping on the job or where unresponsive to radio calls while on duty over a period of several weeks. The head of FAA's Air Traffic Organization was forced to resign during the ensuing uproar.

As FAA's top official, Babbitt has the final say in disciplinary proceedings involving controllers who violate the agency's drug and alcohol regulations.

___

Barakat reported from Fairfax, Va.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-12-05-FAA%20Chief-Drunken%20Driving/id-38f4bd2574934980b294c65035e09d2d

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Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Pets on Campus: Why Not Here? Why Not Now? | The Point News ...

Have you ever wished that you could just go back to your room to forget all your worries and relax for a little while?? Now imagine this, you get back from class ? tired maybe stressed ? you go back to your room and there is someone waiting for you.? Someone who is always happy to see you, who can?t wait to just be with you.? They rely on you, you take care of them, and they love you unconditionally for it.? If you think that I?m not talking about a person, then you would be absolutely correct.? I?m talking about man?s best friend, dog.

Pet friendly housing should most certainly be an option at a school such as St. Mary?s College of Maryland.? Given our geographic location, with open space in every direction, a dog park could be a simple addition to campus.? One or two of the residence halls could easily be set aside as pet friendly, no additional buildings would be necessary.? Having a pet in college provides many benefits while having few to no negative consequences.? Most of the aspects of pet ownership that would normally be considered negative would, in the case of college students, be lessons in responsibility.

It is often said that College is a place where young adults undergo a period of maturation.? How better to mature than to care for another living being.? A pet is completely dependant on its owner, teaching responsibility, time management, and sacrifice.? Being a pet owner in college would force a student to take complete responsibility for the pet?s wellbeing, meaning feeding, grooming, and health care, among other things.

The student would have to make time to go back to their room to feed their pet, take it out, and play with it.? This is where time management would come into play, with the student needing to manage their schedule to allow them the time to properly take care of their pet.? For the sake of the pet, the student may need to sacrifice time otherwise spent socializing.? Some students would find this to be too taxing for their limited amount of time already spent studying or socializing, and those students would be the ones to forgo the option of living with a pet.

There are quite a few colleges and universities that have pet friendly housing options, and each seems to be very successful.? Eckerd College offers four pet-friendly, air-conditioned dorm ?clusters.? Students are allowed to have cats and dogs, as long as they are under 40 pounds, as well as snakes and fish. Students must comply with requirements and can?t leave pets on campus during breaks.

Asides from being a private institution, Eckerd College is very similar to our own college.? It has a little less than two thousand students, and is located on the waterfront with plenty of open areas.? Sound like a school you?ve heard of?? I thought so.? Another similar college to ours with a pet friendly housing policy is Washington and Jefferson College, in Washington, Pennsylvania.? This liberal arts school in the suburbs of Pittsburgh allows students to bring their pets along to school and live in the ?Pet House? dorm. There are some breed restrictions, but Washington & Jefferson College permits cats, dogs less than 40 pounds, small birds, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, turtles and fish. Other animals may be permitted on a case-by-case basis. Pets must be spayed or neutered, and have been owned by the students? family for at least a year and registered.

As you can see, the infrastructure already exists at other colleges, and there are many others that have pet friendly housing options as well.? There is no need for our college to reinvent the wheel, when a simple change in college policy is almost all it would take.? Yes some students might be allergic to pets of one kind or another, but they wouldn?t have to be housed in the pet friendly dorms.? This kind of housing would be a volunteer opportunity, for those who want to be able to continue to live with a pet, much like SAFE (Substance and Alcohol-Free Environment), Eco (for environmental studies students) and Women in Science houses.

Some students get to college and have trouble making friends and meeting new people.? Pets help to combat loneliness and have been shown to increase their owners? chances of meeting other people. A study in Hyde Park in London, showed that when accompanied by their dogs, pet owners spoke to more people and had longer conversations than when they walked alone.

The opportunity for such a mutually beneficial relationship, one that could easily be provided by the college, just needs a push from us, the students.? If you feel similarly, write a letter to the Office of Residence Life, or even try talking them in person.? Join me in my fight for pet friendly housing here on campus!

Source: http://thepointnews.com/2011/12/pets-on-campus-why-not-here-why-not-now-2

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Intrade Numbers (FWIW Alert) (talking-points-memo)

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Monday, December 5, 2011

BC-FBN--Lions-Saints Folo, FBN

BC-FBN--Lions-Saints Folo,816Saints defeat Lions 31-17 for 4th straight winAP Photo NUA137, SPANNUA111, NUA134, NUA126, NUA122, NUA120, NUA118Eds: Saints 31, Lions 17. With AP Photos.By BRETT MARTELAP Sports Writer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? Drew Brees makes setting records sound so simple.

"Every guy on our team knows that just get where you are supposed to be and we'll find the open guy and continue to move the ball down the field," Brees said.

The Saints' star quarterback did just that Sunday night, completing 26 of 36 passes for 342 yards and touchdowns to three different receivers in a 31-17 victory over the Detroit Lions.

The performance gave Brees 4,031 yards this season, making him the first quarterback in NFL history to eclipse the 4,000-yard mark in a season's first 12 games.

"We were able to spread the ball around and come up with some big plays," Brees said. "I hope our hopes and aspirations are bigger than setting records."

Brees' touchdown passes went for 67 yards to Robert Meachem, 20 yards to Lance Moore and 6 yards to Darren Sproles. He also connected eight times with tight end Jimmy Graham for 89 yards as the Saints (9-3) improved to 6-0 at home while taking a two-game lead over Atlanta in the NFC South.

"He's a surgeon out there and makes me look good," Graham said of Brees. "When your quarterback has confidence in you, it raises you to a new level."

During the Saints' three touchdown drives in the first half, Brees completed 12 straight passes for 216 yards.

Matthew Stafford passed for 408 yards and one touchdown for the Lions (7-5), who have lost five of their last seven, but remain in playoff contention.

The Lions hurt themselves with 11 penalties for 107 yards, including three offensive pass interference penalties and a personal foul on tight end Brandon Pettigrew for shoving an official who was trying to get between him and Saints safety Roman Harper after the whistle.

"We beat ourselves today. Our offense continued to get derailed by penalties," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "We cannot afford to be selfish and put the team at risk of taking points off the board and there was way too much of that today."

The mistakes made it impossible for the Lions to keep pace with the league's No. 1 offense, and Detroit missed a chance to take a one-game lead over Chicago and Atlanta in the NFC wild-card race.

"We had a great opportunity to do what we wanted to do," Stafford said. "Obviously, we did not do it tonight. Smart football teams are still playing in January. Teams that make smart decisions don't beat themselves."

Mark Ingram scored New Orleans' first touchdown on a 14-yard run. The Saints then built a 24-7 halftime lead on the touchdowns to Meachem and Moore before Detroit showed signs of mounting a comeback.

Jason Hanson's 31-yard field goal made it 24-10. The Lions pulled within one score on Maurice Morris' 9-yard touchdown reception.

Hanson lined up for 55-yarder early in the fourth quarter that could have pulled the Lions even closer, but missed it wide left. That set up the Saints' decisive seven-play, 55-yard scoring drive on which Brees found Graham four times for 46 yards before hitting Sproles for his score.

"I like the fact that we answered in the second half when the momentum shifted," Saints coach Sean Payton said.

Although the Lions were without Ndamukong Suh because of his two-game suspension, and also without injured defensive backs Chris Houston (left knee) and Louis Delmas (left knee), Schwartz said that was no excuse for several defensive lapses, particularly in the first half.

"We played poorly on defense. We never gave ourselves a chance," Schwartz said. "We didn't get the job done in coverage. We didn't get the job done rushing the passer."

Still, Detroit got more pressure on Brees than the Saints' recent opponents, sacking him twice, including rookie Nick Fairley's first career sack. Brees had not been sacked in three previous games.

Stafford completed 31 of 44 passes, but was sacked three times and intercepted by Tracy Porter.

Nate Burleson had five catches for 93 yards, while Calvin Johnson had six catches for 69 yards. Kevin Smith had a 2-yard touchdown run in the first half.

Meachem caught three passes for 119 yards, and the Saints' defense was bolstered by the return of linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who had missed three games with left knee injury that required surgery. He had a team-leading 10 tackles.

Notes: Lions T Jeff Backus set a new franchise record with his 172nd consecutive start, surpassing Hall of Fame CB Dick LeBeau. ... Schwartz said Fairley was limited by pain in his left foot, which he'd injured during training camp, but X-rays were negative. ... Brees is the second quarterback in NFL history to pass for 4,000 or more yards in six straight seasons. Peyton Manning did it from 1999-2004. ... Graham now has 1,046 yards this season, making him the first Saints tight end to have more than 1,000 yards receiving in a season.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-05-Lions-Saints%20Folo/id-e0e2684454dc4c018b8a5c299120972d

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Sunday, December 4, 2011

Zynga hopes to raise about $1 billion in IPO

(AP) ? Hoping to harvest some fresh cash, the online game company behind "FarmVille" said Friday that it plans to raise $1 billion in an initial public offering of up to 100 million shares.

Zynga Inc. is the latest in a spate of IPOs by Internet companies this year, ranging from professional networking service LinkedIn Corp. to the online deals site Groupon Inc. They're all precursors to Facebook's public debut expected sometime after April next year. Facebook could fetch as much as $10 billion in its offering.

Zynga, whose games are played mainly on Facebook, plans to sell its shares at $8.50 to $10 each. If the shares are priced at $10, Zynga will be valued at $7 billion based on the number of its total shares. That's a smaller valuation that the company's shares have traded recently on SharesPost, a secondary stock exchange used to trade the stock of privately held companies. There, a recent trade valued Zynga at $11.7 billion.

The company expects to sell 14.3 percent of its available stock, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. That's a relatively high "float," which could give investors confidence that the company isn't trying to artificially inflate its value. Groupon raised some concerns when it sold just 5.5 percent of its outstanding stock. Though not unprecedented, the amount was below that of many prominent tech companies, such as Google (7.2 percent), Amazon (12.6 percent) and LinkedIn (8.2 percent).

The offering gives investors the option to buy an additional 15 million shares to cover over-allotments, bringing the total number of shares for sale to 115 million.

Newly-public tech companies aren't always a hit after their initial offering. Shares of Internet radio company Pandora Media Inc., are trading below their IPO price and Groupon is slightly above and has fluctuated wildly. Unlike those two, however, Zynga is profitable. The company makes most of its revenue by charging small amounts of money for virtual items in its games. Players pay for new crops in "FarmVille," for example, or new buildings in "CityVille," its most popular game.

The company plans to use the proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes such as game development, marketing and other expenses. It also plans to use part of it for its philanthropic venture, Zynga.org.

Zynga has about 2,300 employees. It was founded in 2007 by CEO Mark Pincus. Following the IPO, Pincus will continue to be the sole holder of Zynga's Class C stock, each share of which carries 70 votes. After the offering, Pincus, 45, will control about 36.2 percent of the total voting power at Zynga through Class B and Class C shares he owns.

Companies often split their stock into different classes to keep control of the decisions about the company in the hands of founders and early employees. But having a class of shares carry 70 votes is unusual ? about 10 is more common.

__

Associated Press Writer Mae Anderson in New York contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2011-12-02-US-Zynga-IPO/id-5fa13483a44d4b0ab13cd8b32c809d02

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Saturday, December 3, 2011

Vicki B. Escarra: A Season of Giving? Apparently Not.

I must say that I was disappointed by many of the comments I read in response to yesterday's NYTimes.com feature story about the dramatic rise in the number of children who qualify for free lunches through the National School Lunch Program.

The recession was a devastating event for millions of our friends, neighbors and even family members. People lost their jobs, their homes. Factories and mills closed in town after town, leaving no work and no income for communities that thrived on those businesses. The average American family is struggling to get by.

Most of us have had to tighten our belts a little. But for middle class families, that belt-tightening means barely being able to afford rent, fuel and, of course, food. But what surprised me the most by so many of those comments was the expectation that those families should also be without electricity, telephones, heat or air-conditioning, cars and even "running water [or] flush toilets." They probably have refrigerators and bathtubs, too. Since when do such basics constitute a life of luxury?

The economic hardships of a nation are felt most by its people. It baffles me not only that some people cannot grasp that reality, but that they so quickly demonize people who are suffering due to economic circumstances beyond their control -- especially at a time of year when our compassion and generosity is supposed to be heightened by the holiday spirit.

I applaud the NYTimes readers, who understand the plight of families hurt by the recession, for speaking up to counter uninformed opinions. Please consider sharing your voice to help Feeding America inform others about the reality of hunger in America.

To those who suggest that we should let the people hurt most by the recession -- and their children -- just fall into poverty, hunger and despair, I say "Bah! Humbug!"

?

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vicki-b-escarra/charitable-giving-holiday-season_b_1123268.html

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Roger Ebert says "At the Movies" going on hiatus (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Veteran film critic Roger Ebert said that his "At the Movies" television show will go on hiatus at the end of the year while additional funding is sought.

Ebert said the move was necessary to allow public television stations that carry the show to plan their early 2012 programming.

"We held off as long as possible but we had to give notice today," he wrote on his blog on Wednesday night, adding that it was "a sad but necessary moment of realism."

Ebert said that while American Public Television, which distributes "Ebert Presents At The Movies" had been very helpful, he and his wife, co-producer Chaz Ebert, have been funding "Ebert Presents" on public television channel PBS almost entirely by themselves since it premiered in January.

Since announcing the show's troubles earlier this month, Ebert said they had spoken to executives, charitable foundations, web delivery services, potential corporate sponsors and funding sources.

"We are still talking with them, but the time crunch has intervened," he said. "So we are going on hiatus while we sort it out."

The new show is the latest version of the legendary "Sneak Previews" movie review show that Ebert launched in 1979 with Gene Siskel. Co-hosted by Christy Lemire and Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, it is shown in more than 90 percent of the country.

(Reporting by Chris Michaud; editing by Jill Serjeant)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111201/en_nm/us_rogerebert_atthemovies

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Friday, December 2, 2011

93% 50/50

I'm late to the party, but I finally got around to seeing 50/50.Being Seth Rogen's second cancer comedy; first being Funny People, it is a much more subtle film. I found that Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the main talent of the film, delivers an amazing performance that is Oscar worthy. It's not the easiest job in the world to make a cancer comedy, but it somehow works due to the writing from Will Reiser (whom the film is based on) as well as the many touching performances which include Anna Kendrick and Bryce Dallas Howard. An all around good time.Based on a true story, this is the story of Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who is a regular Joe. He is a writer for a radio station, and works with his hardcore-stoner best friend Kyle (Seth Rogen). He sometimes lives with his menacing, controlling girlfriend (Bryce Dallas Howard) and has a father with Alzheimer's and a clingy mother. Sounds fairly normal for a movie, right? Not at all.After a visit to the doctor due to severe back aches, Adam receives some surprising news: he developed a detrimental tumor located in his upper back. Being an average Joe as I mentioned, it is fairly difficult for Adam to react to something like this normally. In the next few months, Adam endures chemotherapy, heart break, therapy from an inexperienced therapist (Anna Kendrick), and extreme depression. The doctors have given him a 50/50 survival chance, so it's life or death for poor Adam.It's not usual to have a cancer comedy, but somehow, it all works, mainly due to Will Reiser, who wrote the films script. Not only that, the main character was based off of his personal experience from surviving cancer. If that isn't surprising enough, the character Seth Rogen plays is based off of Rogen's experience with this, so technically, he is portraying himself... with a different name. Anyway, the script mostly consists of dramatic moments and dialogue, which frequently include light doses of comedy.While there are some fantastic supporters here, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's supreme, Oscar-worthy performance completely steals the show. Coming off of his magnificent performance in last years mind-twister Inception, and his little indie film Hesher, this artist has outdone himself with one of the best performances of the year thus far, and easily the greatest performance in his brief time on the silver screen.Sweet, sincere, and far from complex; 50/50 is an enjoyable treat for anyone looking for a very good drama. 50/50 is well-made, slightly funny, realistic, and entertaining all the way through.

June 13, 2011

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/5050_2011/

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