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Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Blake Griffin Dunk - Full Video
Monday night, reigning NBA Slam Dunk champion Blake Griffin rose up and Mozgov'd Kendrick Perkins.
Griffin's powerful slam over the surly starting center for the Thunder was so instantly reminiscent of Griffin's most famous in-game dunk over then-Knicks center Timofey Mozgov that Clippers announcer Michael Smith asked his broadcast partner Ralph Lawler, "Is it possible to top what he did last year?"
Lawler gushed in response, "[It's] almost a Mozgov!"
"It's better than a Mozgov! I didn't think it was possible to top him," shouted Smith.
Griffin quite literally did "top" Perkins, just as he did Mozgov. After setting a screen for Chris Paul and then taking a pass as he rolled to the rack, Griffin rose up. Seemingly too far from the rim to ever get there, he rose up and drew enough contact for the foul and then, somehow, managed to keep pushing toward the hoops and throw the ball through the rim for two points.
Griffin's powerful slam over the surly starting center for the Thunder was so instantly reminiscent of Griffin's most famous in-game dunk over then-Knicks center Timofey Mozgov that Clippers announcer Michael Smith asked his broadcast partner Ralph Lawler, "Is it possible to top what he did last year?"
Lawler gushed in response, "[It's] almost a Mozgov!"
"It's better than a Mozgov! I didn't think it was possible to top him," shouted Smith.
Griffin quite literally did "top" Perkins, just as he did Mozgov. After setting a screen for Chris Paul and then taking a pass as he rolled to the rack, Griffin rose up. Seemingly too far from the rim to ever get there, he rose up and drew enough contact for the foul and then, somehow, managed to keep pushing toward the hoops and throw the ball through the rim for two points.
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Monday, January 30, 2012
Beauty Studies Show Ratios Explain Video
How do you define beauty? What are the factors that govern whether or not you find someone physically attractive? This question has plagued philosophers and artists for millennia. And now, modern scientists think they're close to finding that magical formula for physical beauty. Aside from the obvious cues,--youthfulness, smooth skin, bright eyes--it pretty much all comes down to math.
When it comes to sexual attraction, we've known for some time that men prefer a waist-to-hip ratio of around 70%. And although opinions about a woman's ideal weight have shifted throughout history, that 70% ratio has been a consistent measure of her beauty.
Another thing we've noticed is that across cultures (and even across species), animals are most attracted to mates that have highly symmetrical faces. Some think that asymmetry may be indicative of underlying genetic problems, so we tend to seek out symmetry to improve our evolutionary chances of survival.
A southern California plastic surgeon named Dr. Stephen Marquardt continued in the tradition of famed mathematician Pythagoras when he claimed to find the golden ratio phi, popping up all over the ideal human face. He found that pretty people's mouths were 1.618 times wider than their noses, and that the widest point on their noses was 1.618 times wider than the narrow tip. He even claimed that the width of a supermodel's front two teeth is precisely 1.618 times the height of each tooth.
Since then, other researchers have found golden ratios of their own, but not of the Pythagorean variety. Studies at UCSD and the University of Toronto found that female faces were judged most attractive when the distance between the eyes and the mouth was roughly 36% of the overall length of the face, and when the distance between the two eyes was around 46% of the face's width. See, these researchers claim that we cognitively average all of the faces we encounter on a day-to-day basis. So those people that represent the most average face possible--the 36 and 46 percenters--are the ones we gravitate toward.
Now get this: repeated studies have found that people are most attracted to people who look like themselves. What's worse, they often choose mates based on how much they look like--you ready for it?--their parents! Let's hope that's an unconscious phenomenon.
And you won't believe what researchers at Albright College have been up to. They claim to have found the biological basis for gaydar. Yeah, you heard me: gaydar. In their study, straight men's faces were found to be more symmetrical than those of self-identified gay men. Ultimately, they claim that symmetry is a greater predictor of heterosexuality than masculinity.
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SAG Awards 2012 Winners List & Videos
2012 SAG Award winners (bold, starred) below:
FILM
Best Actor
George Clooney, The Descendants
Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar
Demian Bichir, A Better Life
JEAN DUJARDIN, The Artist *
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Best Actress
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
VIOLA DAVIS, The Help *
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton, We Need To Talk About Kevin
Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Armie Hammer, J. Edgar
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER, Beginners *
Best Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
OCTAVIA SPENCER, The Help *
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Outstanding Performance by a Cast
Bridesmaids
The Artist
The Descendants
THE HELP *
Midnight in Paris
TV
Best Actress in a TV Series – Drama
Glenn Close, Damages
Kathy Bates, Harry's Law
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
JESSICA LANGE, American Horror Story *
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
Best Actor in a TV Series – Drama
STEVE BUSCEMI, Boardwalk Empire *
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Patrick J. Adams, Suits
Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights
Best Actress in a TV Series – Comedy
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
BETTY WHITE, Hot In Cleveland *
Best Actor in a TV Series – Comedy
ALEC BALDWIN, 30 Rock *
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Steve Carell, The Office
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
Ensemble in a Drama Series
BOARDWALK EMPIRE *
Breaking Bad
Dexter
The Good Wife
Game of Thrones
Ensemble in a Comedy Series
30 Rock
Glee
The Big Bang Theory
MODERN FAMILY *
The Office
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Saturday, January 28, 2012
Ukrainian Three Shirtless Women Detained - Full Video
Saturday while trying to break into an invitation-only gathering of international CEOs and political leaders to call attention to the needs of the world's poor. Separately, demonstrators from the Occupy movement marched to the edge of the gathering.
After a complicated journey to reach the heavily guarded Swiss resort town of Davos, the Ukrainians arrived at the entrance to the complex where the World Economic Forum takes place every year.
With temperatures around freezing in the snow-filled town, they took off their tops and tried to climb a fence before being detained. "Crisis! Made in Davos," read one message painted across a protester's torso, while others held banners that said "Poor, because of you" and "Gangsters party in Davos."
Davos police spokesman Thomas Hobi said the three women were taken to the police station and told that they weren't allowed to demonstrate. He said they would be released later Saturday.
The activists are from the group Femen, which has become popular in Ukraine for staging small, half-naked protests to highlight a range of issues including oppression of political opposition. They have also conducted protests in some other countries.
"We came here to Switzerland to Davos to explain the position of all poor people of the world, to explain that we are poor because of these rich people who now sit in the building," said Inna Schewcenko.
Protesters from the Occupy movement that started with opposition to practices on Wall Street held a separate demonstration in Davos on Saturday. A small group of protesters are camped in igloos in Davos to call for more help for the needy.
About 40 Occupy protesters gathered in front of the town hall. Some held placards with slogans such as "If voting would change anything, it would be illegal" and "Don't let them decide for you, Occupy WEF."
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Eggner Ferry Bridge Hit By Delta - Full Video
Kentucky's governor said Friday there will be an immediate review of ways to restore an aging traffic bridge in the western part of the state after a five-story-high cargo boat carrying space rocket parts for NASA and the Air Force slammed into it, leaving a 300-foot-wide gap in the structure.
Gov. Steve Beshear promised speedy work to replace the damaged bridge at US 68 and Kentucky 80 that was struck Thursday night. The 1930's-era bridge already was in the process of being replaced and preconstruction work began months ago, state transportation officials said.
The two-lane bridge, which connects Trigg and Marshall counties at the western entrance to Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, handles about 2,800 vehicles daily. Drivers now face a detour of dozens of miles while it is out.
Coast Guard officials also closed a portion of the river on either side of the bridge, formerly known as Eggner's Ferrry Bridge, until it's determined to be safe for travel.
The 312-foot, 8,400-ton Delta Mariner hauls rocket parts for the Delta and Atlas systems to launch stations in Florida and California, according to a statement from United Launch Alliance, which builds the rocket parts in Alabama. The cargo was not damaged in the collision with the bridge, the company said.
The rockets are used by the Air Force, NASA and private companies to send satellites into space, said Jessica Rye, a spokeswoman with United Launch Alliance.
The ship's typical route to Florida takes it along the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers, then onto the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico and on to Florida's east coast, Sacco said.
Sacco said he didn't believe that the Delta Mariner has had any major incidents before the collision. In 2001, the ship was stuck in a sandbar on the Tennessee River during a trip to Decatur, but was later freed by a river tug after about an hour.
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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
BREWER V. OBAMA Face Off Over Book, Immigration Issues
Jan Brewer traded words with President Obama after she greeted him at a Phoenix airport Wednesday.
Brewer and Obama "spoke intensely for a few minutes" after he landed at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, according to a White House pool report. At one point, the GOP governor shook her finger at the president.
"He was a little disturbed about my book," Brewer told a reporter after the incident, referring to her political memoir, "Scorpions for Breakfast." In the book, Brewer depicted Obama as "patronizing" during an earlier meeting.
"I said to him that I have all the respect in the world for the office of the president," Brewer said. "The book is what the book is. I asked him if he read the book. He said he read the excerpt. So."
Brewer said Obama told her "that he didn't feel I had treated him cordially."
"I said I was sorry he felt that way but I didn't get my sentence finished," Brewer said. "Anyway, we're glad he's here. I'll regroup."
The last time Obama met with Brewer was June 2010, when the Arizona governor visited the Oval Office for a private, 30-minute encounter the White House called a "good meeting." At the time, Brewer said the meeting was "very cordial," but in her book she said Obama had been "condescending."
During Wednesday's encounter, Brewer handed Obama a handwritten letter asking him to sit down with her to discuss the "Arizona comeback."
"I thought we probably would've talked about the things that were important to him and important to me, helping one another," Brewer said of a potential meeting with the president. "Our country is upside down. Arizona was upside down. But we have turned it around. I know again that he loves this country and I love this country."
Brewer and Obama "spoke intensely for a few minutes" after he landed at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, according to a White House pool report. At one point, the GOP governor shook her finger at the president.
"He was a little disturbed about my book," Brewer told a reporter after the incident, referring to her political memoir, "Scorpions for Breakfast." In the book, Brewer depicted Obama as "patronizing" during an earlier meeting.
"I said to him that I have all the respect in the world for the office of the president," Brewer said. "The book is what the book is. I asked him if he read the book. He said he read the excerpt. So."
Brewer said Obama told her "that he didn't feel I had treated him cordially."
"I said I was sorry he felt that way but I didn't get my sentence finished," Brewer said. "Anyway, we're glad he's here. I'll regroup."
The last time Obama met with Brewer was June 2010, when the Arizona governor visited the Oval Office for a private, 30-minute encounter the White House called a "good meeting." At the time, Brewer said the meeting was "very cordial," but in her book she said Obama had been "condescending."
During Wednesday's encounter, Brewer handed Obama a handwritten letter asking him to sit down with her to discuss the "Arizona comeback."
"I thought we probably would've talked about the things that were important to him and important to me, helping one another," Brewer said of a potential meeting with the president. "Our country is upside down. Arizona was upside down. But we have turned it around. I know again that he loves this country and I love this country."
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Raid In Somalia: U.S. Military
U.S. Navy SEAL unit that killed Osama bin Laden parachuted into Somalia under cover of darkness early Wednesday and crept up to an outdoor camp where an American woman and Danish man were being held hostage. Soon, nine kidnappers were dead and both hostages were freed.
President Barack Obama authorized the mission by SEAL Team 6 two days earlier, and minutes after he gave his State of the Union address to Congress he was on the phone with the American's father to tell him his daughter was safe.
The Danish Refugee Council confirmed the two aid workers, American Jessica Buchanan and Poul Hagen Thisted, a Dane, were "on their way to be reunited with their families."
Buchanan, 32, and Thisted, 60, were working with a de-mining unit of the Danish Refugee Council when gunmen kidnapped the two in October.
The raiders came in quickly, catching the guards as they were sleeping after having chewed the narcotic leaf qat for much of the evening, a pirate who gave his name as Bile Hussein told The Associated Press by phone. Hussein said he was not present at the site but had spoken with other pirates who were, and that they told him nine pirates had been killed in the raid and three were "taken away."
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Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Oscar Nominations 2012 Video
2012 Academy Awards were announced on Tuesday morning, and as expected, films about films led the way.
"The Artist," the silent, black and white tribute to old Hollywood, earned a nod for Best Picture, and, after a series of recent critics and guild award wins, is considered the favorite. Writer/director Michel Hazanavicius received nominations for both Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Jean Dujardin was handed a bid for Best Actor for his turn as George Valentin, a silent film star who refuses to move into the era of the talkies; he earned the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy earlier this month. Bérénice Bejo, for her role as starlet Peppy Miller, earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
"Hugo," Martin Scorsese's 3D family homage to film preservation, earned 11 nominations.
"The Descendants," the Alexander Payne-directed dramedy considered the other top awards contender, was also nominated for Best Picture; Payne earned a nod for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, the latter of which he shares with writers Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. George Clooney, who stars as a beleaguered father, soon-to-be-widower and trustee of sacred family land in Hawaii, earned a nomination for Best Actor; he was awarded the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama earlier in January.
"The Help," the tale of domestic workers in segregated Mississippi at the beginning of the Civil Rights era, also earned a Best Picture nod, as well as a nomination for Viola Davis for Best Actress and nods for Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer for Best Supporting Actress.
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," the polarizing film about a boy in search of a secret from the father he lost on 9/11, earned a surprise nod for Best Picture, while Steven Spielberg's "War Horse" also slipped in. "Bridesmaids" earned a nomination for Best Original Screenplay for Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, while Melissa McCarthy got a nod for Best Supporting Actress.
Best Picture
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"The Help"
"Moneyball"
"War Horse"
"The Tree of Life"
Best Actor
Demian Bichir, "A Better Life"
George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"
Best Actress
Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis, "The Help"
Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"
Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn"
Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte, "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Max Von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
Best Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"
Best Director
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"
Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"
Best Original Screenplay
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
JC Chandor, "Margin Call"
Asghar Farhadi, "A Separation"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, "Bridesmaids"
Best Adapted Screenplay
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton, Jim Rash, "The Descendants"
John Logan, "Hugo"
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March"
Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian, "Moneyball"
Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughn, "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy"
Best Animated Feature
"A Cat In Paris"
"Chico & Rita"
"Kung Fu Panda 2"
"Puss in Boots"
"Rango"
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Bullhead (Belgium)
Footnote (Israel)
In Darkness (Poland)
Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)
A Separation (Iran)
Original Score
"The Adventures of Tintin," John Williams
"The Artist," Ludovic Bource
"Hugo," Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse," John Williams
Best Original Song
"Man or Muppet," The Muppets; Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
"Real in Rio," Rio; Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown, Lyric by Siedah Garrett
Best Achievement in Art Direction
"The Artist"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"War Horse"
Best Achievement in Cinematography
"The Artist"
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"
Best Achievement in Costume Design
"Anonymous"
"The Artist"
"Hugo"
"Jane Eyre"
"W.E."
Best Documentary Feature
"Hell and Back Again"
"If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front"
"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory"
"Pina"
"Undefeated"
Best Documentary Short Subject
"The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement?"
"God Is the Bigger Elvis"
"Incident in New Baghdad"
"Saving Face"
"The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom"
Best Achievement in Film Editing
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Moneyball"
Best Achievement in Makeup
"Albert Nobbs"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"The Iron Lady"
Best Animated Short Film
Dimanche/Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life
Best Live Action Short Film
"Pentecost"
"Raju"
"The Shore"
"Time Freak"
"Tuba Atlantic"
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
"Drive"
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"War Horse"
Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Moneyball"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"War Horse"
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Real Steel"
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"The Artist," the silent, black and white tribute to old Hollywood, earned a nod for Best Picture, and, after a series of recent critics and guild award wins, is considered the favorite. Writer/director Michel Hazanavicius received nominations for both Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Jean Dujardin was handed a bid for Best Actor for his turn as George Valentin, a silent film star who refuses to move into the era of the talkies; he earned the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy earlier this month. Bérénice Bejo, for her role as starlet Peppy Miller, earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
"Hugo," Martin Scorsese's 3D family homage to film preservation, earned 11 nominations.
"The Descendants," the Alexander Payne-directed dramedy considered the other top awards contender, was also nominated for Best Picture; Payne earned a nod for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, the latter of which he shares with writers Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. George Clooney, who stars as a beleaguered father, soon-to-be-widower and trustee of sacred family land in Hawaii, earned a nomination for Best Actor; he was awarded the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama earlier in January.
"The Help," the tale of domestic workers in segregated Mississippi at the beginning of the Civil Rights era, also earned a Best Picture nod, as well as a nomination for Viola Davis for Best Actress and nods for Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer for Best Supporting Actress.
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," the polarizing film about a boy in search of a secret from the father he lost on 9/11, earned a surprise nod for Best Picture, while Steven Spielberg's "War Horse" also slipped in. "Bridesmaids" earned a nomination for Best Original Screenplay for Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, while Melissa McCarthy got a nod for Best Supporting Actress.
Best Picture
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"The Help"
"Moneyball"
"War Horse"
"The Tree of Life"
Best Actor
Demian Bichir, "A Better Life"
George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"
Best Actress
Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis, "The Help"
Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"
Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn"
Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte, "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Max Von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
Best Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"
Best Director
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"
Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"
Best Original Screenplay
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
JC Chandor, "Margin Call"
Asghar Farhadi, "A Separation"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, "Bridesmaids"
Best Adapted Screenplay
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton, Jim Rash, "The Descendants"
John Logan, "Hugo"
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March"
Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian, "Moneyball"
Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughn, "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy"
Best Animated Feature
"A Cat In Paris"
"Chico & Rita"
"Kung Fu Panda 2"
"Puss in Boots"
"Rango"
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Bullhead (Belgium)
Footnote (Israel)
In Darkness (Poland)
Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)
A Separation (Iran)
Original Score
"The Adventures of Tintin," John Williams
"The Artist," Ludovic Bource
"Hugo," Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse," John Williams
Best Original Song
"Man or Muppet," The Muppets; Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
"Real in Rio," Rio; Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown, Lyric by Siedah Garrett
Best Achievement in Art Direction
"The Artist"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"War Horse"
Best Achievement in Cinematography
"The Artist"
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"
Best Achievement in Costume Design
"Anonymous"
"The Artist"
"Hugo"
"Jane Eyre"
"W.E."
Best Documentary Feature
"Hell and Back Again"
"If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front"
"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory"
"Pina"
"Undefeated"
Best Documentary Short Subject
"The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement?"
"God Is the Bigger Elvis"
"Incident in New Baghdad"
"Saving Face"
"The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom"
Best Achievement in Film Editing
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Moneyball"
Best Achievement in Makeup
"Albert Nobbs"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"The Iron Lady"
Best Animated Short Film
Dimanche/Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life
Best Live Action Short Film
"Pentecost"
"Raju"
"The Shore"
"Time Freak"
"Tuba Atlantic"
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
"Drive"
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"War Horse"
Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Moneyball"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"War Horse"
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Real Steel"
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
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Woman, Locked In Bathroom For 10 Years
21-year-old Palestinian woman has told authorities she was locked in a bathroom for the past decade by her father, who let her out only in the dead of night so she could clean their house.
"People are monsters," Baraa Melhem said her father would tell her, according to a social worker dealing with the case.
Palestinian police said on Monday they freed Melhem from the small bathroom of a home in the West Bank city of Qalqilya on Saturday after an anonymous tip.
Her father, who holds Israeli citizenship, was arrested and handed over to Israeli authorities. He is due to appear in an Israeli court on Wednesday, an Israeli police spokesman said.
Melhem told Voice of Palestine radio that when she was 11, her father confined her to the toilet and did not allow her to go to school or see her mother, whom he had divorced.
She was beaten with a baton and metal wires and given only one blanket to keep her warm, said the social worker, Hala Shreim.
"The bathroom was only 1-1/2 meters big, it was like a cell," Shreim said.
According to a statement issued by Palestinian police, the father, citing a "family dispute", admitted to locking up his daughter and feeding her mainly bread.
Melhem told Voice of Palestine that her father used to shave her hair and her eyebrows, and allowed her to shower only once a month. He would let her out of the bathroom every night at 1 a.m. to clean the house until 4 a.m., she added.
Melhem's father, the social worker said, often encouraged his daughter to commit suicide.
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Monday, January 23, 2012
Presidential Debate Defined By Crowd's Silence
Monday night's presidential debate -- the first in the crucial state of Florida -- may have come before any candidate actually took the stage.
Prior to the camera rolling, NBC, the debate's host, told audience members to hold their applause. It was not an agreed-to rule among the candidates themselves. In fact, none of the campaigns said they had even requested it. But it created a type of no-thrills vibe that clearly benefited one over the other.
Mitt Romney, by most estimates, emerged better off Monday night. He peppered his answers with attacks on Newt Gingrich that his own top advisers freely called "aggressive." Most of the action came within the debate's first half-hour, when the focus was on the former speaker's role as a consultant/lobbyist for Freddie Mac, his propensity for bombast and his serial unreliability.
'I don't think we can possibly retake the White House if our nominee was a lobbyist for Freddie Mac," Romney declared at one point.
After the fact, the campaigns spun the debate in typical fashion. But each adviser kept coming back to the same keystone: the prohibition on applause.
"Audiences, I think are there to watch," said Stuart Stevens, Romney's top adviser. "They are not there to be, sort of, an 11th man on the team. And look, we have done fantastically in these debates. The audiences have been very good for Mitt Romney. I just think, personally, that the audiences should not be, it is not the LSU-Alabama game."
"We are picking the president of the United States here," Stevens added. "It is not a game show."
If that didn't give off the indication that the Romney campaign felt it benefited from a dryer, quieter format, the reaction from the Gingrich camp certainly did.
"I also think the prohibition for no clapping was kind of un-American. What if you went to a baseball game and they were like, 'No cheering after a big play,'" asked Gingrich's top spokesman R.C. Hammond.
"I'm going to [file a complaint] right now," Hammond added, tongue in cheek. "R.C. is lodging a complaint."
For the campaigns to put such tremendous stock in the debate rules may seem like an effort in finding a superficial explanation for a candidate's performance. But the rest of Monday night's hour and 45-minute forum was, truly, a dull affair. The candidates found themselves agreeing on several substantive matters: whether it be a limited version of the Dream Act (a path to citizenship for military service) or English as an official language. Former Sen. Rick Santorum and Rep. Ron Paul, the other two candidates, weren't called on until 10-plus minutes in. And, far more often than in the past, they were used as strategic allies by the two frontrunners
Prior to the camera rolling, NBC, the debate's host, told audience members to hold their applause. It was not an agreed-to rule among the candidates themselves. In fact, none of the campaigns said they had even requested it. But it created a type of no-thrills vibe that clearly benefited one over the other.
Mitt Romney, by most estimates, emerged better off Monday night. He peppered his answers with attacks on Newt Gingrich that his own top advisers freely called "aggressive." Most of the action came within the debate's first half-hour, when the focus was on the former speaker's role as a consultant/lobbyist for Freddie Mac, his propensity for bombast and his serial unreliability.
'I don't think we can possibly retake the White House if our nominee was a lobbyist for Freddie Mac," Romney declared at one point.
After the fact, the campaigns spun the debate in typical fashion. But each adviser kept coming back to the same keystone: the prohibition on applause.
"Audiences, I think are there to watch," said Stuart Stevens, Romney's top adviser. "They are not there to be, sort of, an 11th man on the team. And look, we have done fantastically in these debates. The audiences have been very good for Mitt Romney. I just think, personally, that the audiences should not be, it is not the LSU-Alabama game."
"We are picking the president of the United States here," Stevens added. "It is not a game show."
If that didn't give off the indication that the Romney campaign felt it benefited from a dryer, quieter format, the reaction from the Gingrich camp certainly did.
"I also think the prohibition for no clapping was kind of un-American. What if you went to a baseball game and they were like, 'No cheering after a big play,'" asked Gingrich's top spokesman R.C. Hammond.
"I'm going to [file a complaint] right now," Hammond added, tongue in cheek. "R.C. is lodging a complaint."
For the campaigns to put such tremendous stock in the debate rules may seem like an effort in finding a superficial explanation for a candidate's performance. But the rest of Monday night's hour and 45-minute forum was, truly, a dull affair. The candidates found themselves agreeing on several substantive matters: whether it be a limited version of the Dream Act (a path to citizenship for military service) or English as an official language. Former Sen. Rick Santorum and Rep. Ron Paul, the other two candidates, weren't called on until 10-plus minutes in. And, far more often than in the past, they were used as strategic allies by the two frontrunners
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Tracy Morgan, '30 Rock' Star, Hospitalized At Sundance Festival
Tracy Morgan fell unconscious during an awards ceremony at Sundance in Park City, Utah, Sunday evening.
The "30 Rock" star collapsed outside of the building shortly after being honored at the Creative Coalition Spotlight Awards, where he "seemed out of control, yelling and falling onto the ground," the Hollywood Reporter reports. The actor, 43, was escorted out of the building after giving his speech, then was rushed to the hospital.
The "30 Rock" star collapsed outside of the building shortly after being honored at the Creative Coalition Spotlight Awards, where he "seemed out of control, yelling and falling onto the ground," the Hollywood Reporter reports. The actor, 43, was escorted out of the building after giving his speech, then was rushed to the hospital.
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Sunday, January 22, 2012
Joe Paterno Dead at 85
Paterno, a sainted figure at Penn State for almost half a century but scarred forever by the child sex abuse scandal that brought his career to a stunning end, died Sunday at age 85.
His death came just over two months after his son Scott announced on Nov. 18 that his father had been diagnosed with a treatable form of lung cancer. The cancer was found during a follow-up visit for a bronchial illness. A few weeks later, Paterno broke his pelvis after a fall but did not need surgery.
Paterno had been in the hospital since Jan. 13 for observation after what his family called minor complications from his cancer treatments. Not long before that, he conducted his only interview since losing his job, with The Washington Post. Paterno was described as frail then, speaking mostly in a whisper and wearing a wig. The second half of the two-day interview was conducted at his bedside.
His family released a statement Sunday morning to announce his death: "His loss leaves a void in our lives that will never be filled."
"He died as he lived," the statement said. "He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been. His ambitions were far reaching, but he never believed he had to leave this Happy Valley to achieve them. He was a man devoted to his family, his university, his players and his community."
Paterno built a program based on the credo of "Success with Honor," and he found both. The man known as "JoePa" won 409 games and took the Nittany Lions to 37 bowl games and two national championships. More than 250 of the players he coached went on to the NFL.
"He will go down as the greatest football coach in the history of the game," Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said after his former team, the Florida Gators, beat Penn State 37-24 in the 2011
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Man Utd vs Arsenal Live Stream| Man Utd vs Arsenal Full Match |Man Utd vs Arsenal Highlights|Man Utd vs Arsenal 22 January 2012
[ Man City 3-2 Tottenham Hotspurs ]
56' [1 - 0] S. Nasri
59' [2 - 0] J. Lescott
61' [2 - 1] J. Defoe
65' [2 - 2] G. Bale
90' [3 - 2] M. Balotelli (pen.)
56' [1 - 0] S. Nasri
59' [2 - 0] J. Lescott
61' [2 - 1] J. Defoe
65' [2 - 2] G. Bale
90' [3 - 2] M. Balotelli (pen.)
Manchester City 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester City 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester City 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
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'Heidi Klum and Seal to file for divorce' after six years of marriage
Heidi Klum is filing for divorce from Seal, her husband of almost 7 years, TMZ reports.
Klum will reportedly file in Los Angeles next week, citing "irreconcilable differences."
Klum, 38, and Seal, 48, married in 2005 on a beach in Mexico. They have three biological children together, in addition to Heidi's daughter Leni from a previous relationship.
The stylish couple was widely known for their lavish Halloween parties (and equally outlandish couple costumes). They also renewed their vows every year in elaborate ceremonies.
Heidi famously said she fell for Seal after checking out his, uh, merchandise in a pair of bicycle shorts. She legally changed her last name to Seal's, becoming Heidi Samuel, in 2010.
Klum's first marriage to stylist Ric Pipino ended in divorce in 2002.
Klum will reportedly file in Los Angeles next week, citing "irreconcilable differences."
Klum, 38, and Seal, 48, married in 2005 on a beach in Mexico. They have three biological children together, in addition to Heidi's daughter Leni from a previous relationship.
The stylish couple was widely known for their lavish Halloween parties (and equally outlandish couple costumes). They also renewed their vows every year in elaborate ceremonies.
Heidi famously said she fell for Seal after checking out his, uh, merchandise in a pair of bicycle shorts. She legally changed her last name to Seal's, becoming Heidi Samuel, in 2010.
Klum's first marriage to stylist Ric Pipino ended in divorce in 2002.
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Wolverhampton Vs Aston Villa (21.01.2012)
English Premier League:
Date: 21 January 2012 - Time: 5:30 BST
Venue:
Match Results and Highlights
[ Bolton Wanderers 3-1 Liverpool ]
04' [1 - 0] M. Davies
29' [2 - 0] N. Reo-Coker
37' [2 - 1] C. Bellamy
50' [3 - 1] G.R. Steinsson
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Saturday, January 21, 2012
Newt Gingrich Wins Big In South Carolina - Full Video
Newt Gingrich, whose candidacy was left for dead in June and then again earlier this month, scored a stunning victory over Mitt Romney here that has reshaped the Republican presidential primary and called into question Romney's ability to win the nomination.
As soon as the polls closed in South Carolina at 7 p.m., the major TV networks called the race for Gingrich. With 99 percent of the vote counted, Gingrich was at 40.3 percent to Romney's 27.9 percent, with former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) at 17 percent and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) at 13 percent, the Associated Press reported.
"Thank you South Carolina! Help me deliver the knockout punch in Florida," Gingrich tweeted soon after the race was called, directing people to where they could give money to his campaign.
Later Gingrich used his 23-minute victory speech to build on the themes that drove his popularity through the roof in this Southern state: deep resentment among conservatives of the influence of liberals in the press and other cultural institutions.
"The American people feel that they have elites who have been trying for a half century to force us to quit being American," Gingrich said.
"The elites in Washington and New York have no understanding, no care, no concern, no reliability, and in fact, do not represent them at all," he said.
Gingrich did not mention Romney by name and referred to him only twice, once to praise him as "a good example of America," and a second time to point out that Romney has a much better financed campaign.
As soon as the polls closed in South Carolina at 7 p.m., the major TV networks called the race for Gingrich. With 99 percent of the vote counted, Gingrich was at 40.3 percent to Romney's 27.9 percent, with former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) at 17 percent and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) at 13 percent, the Associated Press reported.
"Thank you South Carolina! Help me deliver the knockout punch in Florida," Gingrich tweeted soon after the race was called, directing people to where they could give money to his campaign.
Later Gingrich used his 23-minute victory speech to build on the themes that drove his popularity through the roof in this Southern state: deep resentment among conservatives of the influence of liberals in the press and other cultural institutions.
"The American people feel that they have elites who have been trying for a half century to force us to quit being American," Gingrich said.
"The elites in Washington and New York have no understanding, no care, no concern, no reliability, and in fact, do not represent them at all," he said.
Gingrich did not mention Romney by name and referred to him only twice, once to praise him as "a good example of America," and a second time to point out that Romney has a much better financed campaign.
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Fulham vs Newcastle United Live Video
Fulham 5-2 Newcastle United All Goals & Full Match (01.21.2012)
Fulham vs Newcastle United 5-2 All Goals & Highlights [01.21.2012]
Goals:
0-1 Guthrie 43'
1-1 Murphy (Penalty) 52'
2-1 Dempsey 59'
3-1 Dempsey 65'
4-1 Zamora (Penalty) 68'
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Nicki Minaj Pushes Back Sophomore Album, Premieres “Stupid Hoe” Video
Nicki Minaj promised more of character Roman Zolanski on her sophomore album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. Yet, as the video for the album’s latest single, “Stupid Hoe,” indicates, her sophomore disc isn’t solely an ode to Roman. Rather, her Barbie character, of pink wigs and a pastel universe, is back.
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Friday, January 20, 2012
Soul Singer Etta James Dies at 73
Etta James has died at the age of 73.
The legendary "At Last" singer died from complications from leukemia; she also suffered from dementia and hepatitis C.
James died at Riverside Community Hospital, with her husband and sons at her side, De Leon said.
Boldness was as much a trademark of James, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as her platinum-dyed mane.
She scored her first hit when she was just a teenager with the suggestive "Roll With Me, Henry," which had to be changed to "The Wallflower" in order to get airplay. Over the years, she'd notch many more, carving a niche for herself with her husky, soulful voice and her sassy attitude, which permeated her songs.
But it was her jazz-inflected rendition of "At Last" that would come to define her and make her legendary. The song, which starts with sumptuous strings before James begins to sing, was a remake of a 1941 standard. James made it her own, and her version became the new standard.
Over the decades, countless brides have used it as their song down the aisle, and it has been featured in car commercials and films like "American Pie," But perhaps most famously, U.S. President Barack Obama and the first lady danced to a version of "At Last" at his inauguration ball.
But the tender, sweet song belied the turmoil that James – born Jamesette Hawkins in Los Angeles – would endure for much of her life. Her mother – whom she described in her 1995 autobiography "Rage to Survive" as a scam artist, a substance abuser and unstable – was a fleeting presence in her life during her youth.
She never knew her father, although she had been told that he was the famous billiards player Minnesota Fats. When she was older, she met him and asked about the rumor. He wouldn't confirm or deny it: as James recalled, he simply told her: "I don't remember everything. I wish I did, but I don't."
Her mother would come in and out of her life, so she was raised by Lula and Jesse Rogers, who owned the rooming house her mother once lived in. The pair brought up James in the Christian faith, and even as a young girl, her voice stood out in the church choir. James would soon get solos and became so well known, she said that Hollywood stars would come to see her perform.
But she wouldn't stay a gospel singer for long. Rhythm and blues soon lured her away from the church, and she found herself drawn to the grittiness of the music.
"My mother always wanted me to be a jazz singer, but I always wanted to be raunchy," she recalled in her book.
She was doing just that when bandleader Johnny Otis found her singing on San Francisco street corners with a couple of girlfriends in the early 1950s.
"At the time, Hank Ballard and the Midnighters had a hit with `Work With Me, Annie,' and we decided to do an answer. We didn't think we would get in show business, we were just running around making up answers to songs," James told The Associated Press in 1987.
The legendary "At Last" singer died from complications from leukemia; she also suffered from dementia and hepatitis C.
James died at Riverside Community Hospital, with her husband and sons at her side, De Leon said.
Boldness was as much a trademark of James, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as her platinum-dyed mane.
She scored her first hit when she was just a teenager with the suggestive "Roll With Me, Henry," which had to be changed to "The Wallflower" in order to get airplay. Over the years, she'd notch many more, carving a niche for herself with her husky, soulful voice and her sassy attitude, which permeated her songs.
But it was her jazz-inflected rendition of "At Last" that would come to define her and make her legendary. The song, which starts with sumptuous strings before James begins to sing, was a remake of a 1941 standard. James made it her own, and her version became the new standard.
Over the decades, countless brides have used it as their song down the aisle, and it has been featured in car commercials and films like "American Pie," But perhaps most famously, U.S. President Barack Obama and the first lady danced to a version of "At Last" at his inauguration ball.
But the tender, sweet song belied the turmoil that James – born Jamesette Hawkins in Los Angeles – would endure for much of her life. Her mother – whom she described in her 1995 autobiography "Rage to Survive" as a scam artist, a substance abuser and unstable – was a fleeting presence in her life during her youth.
She never knew her father, although she had been told that he was the famous billiards player Minnesota Fats. When she was older, she met him and asked about the rumor. He wouldn't confirm or deny it: as James recalled, he simply told her: "I don't remember everything. I wish I did, but I don't."
Her mother would come in and out of her life, so she was raised by Lula and Jesse Rogers, who owned the rooming house her mother once lived in. The pair brought up James in the Christian faith, and even as a young girl, her voice stood out in the church choir. James would soon get solos and became so well known, she said that Hollywood stars would come to see her perform.
But she wouldn't stay a gospel singer for long. Rhythm and blues soon lured her away from the church, and she found herself drawn to the grittiness of the music.
"My mother always wanted me to be a jazz singer, but I always wanted to be raunchy," she recalled in her book.
She was doing just that when bandleader Johnny Otis found her singing on San Francisco street corners with a couple of girlfriends in the early 1950s.
"At the time, Hank Ballard and the Midnighters had a hit with `Work With Me, Annie,' and we decided to do an answer. We didn't think we would get in show business, we were just running around making up answers to songs," James told The Associated Press in 1987.
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Thursday, January 19, 2012
Newt Gingrich Responds To Ex-Wife's 'Open Marriage' Claims, Slams CNN During 2012
Thursday during the very first question. The charges, however, were not directed between the candidates, but between former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and debate moderator John King.
King asked Gingrich to respond to allegations by his ex-wife that in 1999, Gingrich asked her to have an open marriage with him.
"Would you like to take some time to respond to that?" asked King.
"No, but I will," responded Gingrich, receiving loud, sustained applause from the audience.
"I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office. And I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that," he said.
The audience gave Gingrich a standing ovation.
King asked Gingrich to respond to allegations by his ex-wife that in 1999, Gingrich asked her to have an open marriage with him.
"Would you like to take some time to respond to that?" asked King.
"No, but I will," responded Gingrich, receiving loud, sustained applause from the audience.
"I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office. And I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that," he said.
The audience gave Gingrich a standing ovation.
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Sarah burke dead | Sarah burke Dies | Sarah burke Crash | Sarah burke Accident
Sarah Burke was an X Games star with a grass-roots mentality – a daredevil superpipe skier who understood the risks inherent to her sport and the debt she owed to it for her success on the slopes.
The pioneering Canadian freestyler, who helped get superpipe accepted into the Olympics, died Thursday after a Jan. 10 crash during a training run in Park City, Utah.
Burke, who lived near Whistler, in British Columbia, was 29.
"Sarah was the one who, in a very positive way, stood in the face of adversity and asked, `Why not?'" said Peter Judge, the CEO of Canada's freestyle team. "What she would have wanted was for her teammates and others in her sport to stand up and also say, `Why not?' To benefit from the significant opportunities available to them, being able to compete in the Olympics and the X Games. Those were the things she wanted and cherished and fought for."
A four-time Winter X Games champion, Burke crashed on the same halfpipe where snowboarder Kevin Pearce sustained a traumatic brain injury during a training accident on Dec. 31, 2009.
Tests revealed she sustained "irreversible damage to her brain due to lack of oxygen and blood after cardiac arrest," according to a statement released by her publicist, Nicole Wool, on behalf of the family.
She said Burke's organs and tissues were donated, as the skier had requested before the accident.
"The family expresses their heartfelt gratitude for the international outpouring of support they have received from all the people Sarah touched," the statement said.
Judge said the accident did not come on a risky trick, but rather, a simple 540-degree jump that Burke usually landed routinely.
The pioneering Canadian freestyler, who helped get superpipe accepted into the Olympics, died Thursday after a Jan. 10 crash during a training run in Park City, Utah.
Burke, who lived near Whistler, in British Columbia, was 29.
"Sarah was the one who, in a very positive way, stood in the face of adversity and asked, `Why not?'" said Peter Judge, the CEO of Canada's freestyle team. "What she would have wanted was for her teammates and others in her sport to stand up and also say, `Why not?' To benefit from the significant opportunities available to them, being able to compete in the Olympics and the X Games. Those were the things she wanted and cherished and fought for."
A four-time Winter X Games champion, Burke crashed on the same halfpipe where snowboarder Kevin Pearce sustained a traumatic brain injury during a training accident on Dec. 31, 2009.
Tests revealed she sustained "irreversible damage to her brain due to lack of oxygen and blood after cardiac arrest," according to a statement released by her publicist, Nicole Wool, on behalf of the family.
She said Burke's organs and tissues were donated, as the skier had requested before the accident.
"The family expresses their heartfelt gratitude for the international outpouring of support they have received from all the people Sarah touched," the statement said.
Judge said the accident did not come on a risky trick, but rather, a simple 540-degree jump that Burke usually landed routinely.
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Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Marcos Baghdatis Breaks Racquets Full Video
That was the point that professional tennis player Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus reached during his Australian Open match against Stanislas Wawrinka on Wednesday.
After losing the second set against, Baghdatis decided to take out his frustration on his racquet.
But one apparently wasn't enough. Baghdatis felt the need to also smash the innocent racquets that weren't even involved in his struggles, two of which hadn't even been removed from their plastic yet.
Baghdatis smashed four racquets total and would ultimately go on to lose in four sets. The loss knocked the world's 44th ranked men's tennis player out of the Australian Open and likely out of the running for quite a few tennis equipment endorsements for the forseeable future.
After losing the second set against, Baghdatis decided to take out his frustration on his racquet.
But one apparently wasn't enough. Baghdatis felt the need to also smash the innocent racquets that weren't even involved in his struggles, two of which hadn't even been removed from their plastic yet.
Baghdatis smashed four racquets total and would ultimately go on to lose in four sets. The loss knocked the world's 44th ranked men's tennis player out of the Australian Open and likely out of the running for quite a few tennis equipment endorsements for the forseeable future.
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Patrick Wooden, North Carolina Pastor, Claims Gay Men Need Diapers 'Because Of What Happens To The Male Anus' After Sex - Full Video
North Carolina pastor has sparked an outcry after claiming that gay men "have to wear a diaper" because of "what happens to the male anus" after anal sex.
Pastor Patrick Wooden made the offending statement in a discussion with Americans For Truth About Homosexuality's (AFTAH) Peter LaBarbera, who organized this week's protest of the Southern Poverty Law Center after they designated AFTAH as an "anti-gay hate group."
"The God of the Bible made the human sperm, the God of the Bible designed it and it was not designed to be emptied into an area that is filled with feces," Wooden said, noting that gay sex would "most certainly mean the extinction of the human race.
Pastor Patrick Wooden made the offending statement in a discussion with Americans For Truth About Homosexuality's (AFTAH) Peter LaBarbera, who organized this week's protest of the Southern Poverty Law Center after they designated AFTAH as an "anti-gay hate group."
"The God of the Bible made the human sperm, the God of the Bible designed it and it was not designed to be emptied into an area that is filled with feces," Wooden said, noting that gay sex would "most certainly mean the extinction of the human race.
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Chicago Teen Beating - Video
17-year-old from Chicago was brutally beaten by a pack of six attackers while an accomplice recorded the pummeling that's been posted online.
Police say they're investigating the attack that ends with the victim bleeding from the lip and running shoeless down a snowy street in the city's Bridgeport neighborhood on Sunday afternoon, The Chicago Tribune reports.
The footage, which has appeared on YouTube, begins with the attack already underway. For more than three minutes, the victim is punched in the face and kicked repeatedly. At times he is hit in the head with a sneaker and dragged across the ground.
Many of the gang's faces are concealed by hooded sweatshirts, but those that are visible appear to be young white males. They utter the N-word repeatedly as they taunt and strike the victim, who appears to be Asian.
Police say they're investigating the attack that ends with the victim bleeding from the lip and running shoeless down a snowy street in the city's Bridgeport neighborhood on Sunday afternoon, The Chicago Tribune reports.
The footage, which has appeared on YouTube, begins with the attack already underway. For more than three minutes, the victim is punched in the face and kicked repeatedly. At times he is hit in the head with a sneaker and dragged across the ground.
Many of the gang's faces are concealed by hooded sweatshirts, but those that are visible appear to be young white males. They utter the N-word repeatedly as they taunt and strike the victim, who appears to be Asian.
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Monday, January 16, 2012
Kim Kardashian Stuns At Golden Globes After Party
The reality star stunned as she walked the red carpet at two different award show after parties.
According to Celebuzz, the 31-year-old hit both the Weinstein Company and the Warner Bros. and InStyle parties to celebrate the evening of accolades. Kardashian posed on the step-and-repeat in a plunging neckline, lace cap-sleeve gown that hugged her in all the right places.
And although Kardashian may have looked like a million bucks, that didn't stop Golden Globes host, Ricky Gervais, from taking a few cheap swipes at the TV star.
According to Celebuzz, the 31-year-old hit both the Weinstein Company and the Warner Bros. and InStyle parties to celebrate the evening of accolades. Kardashian posed on the step-and-repeat in a plunging neckline, lace cap-sleeve gown that hugged her in all the right places.
And although Kardashian may have looked like a million bucks, that didn't stop Golden Globes host, Ricky Gervais, from taking a few cheap swipes at the TV star.
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Rihanna Smoking In Hawaii; Singer Tweets About Marijuana Video
Rihanna's living a rough life these days.
The singer was photographed rolling what appears to be a blunt and smoking outside while relaxing in Hawaii Sunday. For those questioning just what exactly she's inhaling, we'll let her own tweet speak for itself:
"Kush rolled, glass full...I prefer the better things!" she wrote, quoting lyrics from Drake's "Up All Night."
Hey, maybe she's smoking some hand-rolled tobacco. Or maybe it's Blue Ivy. We guess we'll never really know for sure.
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Golden Globes 2012 Completed Photos & Videos
2012 Golden Globes, the mishap came care of Sarah Hyland, the adorable "Modern Family" actress.
Hyland's little accident came to light, of course, by the super-sleuths that are the E! correspondents. "I'm laughing," Giuliana said, "because I saw your zipper break on the red carpet! And I was like, 'E! Send a camera right over there!' "
But of course the impossibly charming Hyland took it in stride. "I kind of just felt an explosion in my back," she said, and her dress started to fall. But luckily she kept her simple zipper malfunction from turning into a much-feared nip slip. "I grabbed [my dress] before it was too late."
Sunday night's Golden Globes, but managed dredge up her husband's past while chatting with Giuliana Rancic on E!'s pre-show coverage.
The "Ringer" star, who is married to actor Freddie Prinze Jr., downplayed the fact that her hubby wasn't there -- he was watching football instead -- but reminded everyone that Prinze once served as the official "Mr. Golden Globes" quite a few years ago.
It's true -- a clip from the 1996 Golden Globes awards features the one and only Freddie Prinze Jr., along with "Miss Golden Globes" Jaime Nicole Dund.
The King's Speech," then consider 2012 the start of his next dynasty. The president of The Weinstein Company dominated the 69th annual Golden Globes ceremony on Sunday night and seems poised to rule the Academy Awards next month with similar ease. This despite not taking the stage once.
No fewer than five winners thanked Weinstein at the Globes: both Best Actresses, Michelle Williams and Meryl Streep; Best Actor in a Comedy Jean Dujardin ("The Artist's" French-speaking lead, who struggled through his English-language speech and still managed to thank Harvey); and Madonna herself. The Queen of Pop called Weinstein "The Punisher," a term that was later echoed by Meryl Streep during her acceptance speech.
We got a dose of crazy at the VMAs, a hint of glamour at the Emmys and a smattering of film fests since then. But the glamorous Golden Globes are what we've been looking forward to all season -- for the gorgeous red carpet dresses, of course.
And we've got all the gowns right here, plus the shoes, bags and bling. So who's got the best look of the night and who has the worst? You'll have to decide that for yourselves.
Golden Globe nominees, it also seems to have been the year of the 40-something actress.
Ageism is still alive and well in Hollywood -- no one is questioning that. Just last fall an actress filed a lawsuit against IMDB for revealing her age, claiming that it had cost her potential roles. And though 24.3 percent of the U.S. population is made up of women over 40, CBS News reported that this demographic only gets about half that percentage of TV and film roles. However, looking at the 2012 Golden Globe nominees, you wouldn't know it. Eleven of the female nominees are in their 40s, and many of the others (Jessica Lange, Meryl Streep, Tilda Swinton, Glenn Close to name a few) are in their 50s and 60s.
Whereas last year's awards were dominated by discussion of performances by younger stars like Natalie Portman ("Black Swan"), Anne Hathaway ("Love & Other Drugs"), Emma Stone ("Easy A") and Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone"), this year there is hardly a 20-something in sight, with the exception of Rooney Mara. And it's especially heartening that these mid-life actresses are being recognized for substantial roles.
The names were familiar: Kelsey Grammer, Matt LeBlanc, Claire Danes, Laura Dern and Jessica Lange. The television work for which they were honored by the Golden Globes Sunday night wasn't.
They are actors largely known for their work in film or in shows on commercial broadcast networks. Each took Golden Globe trophies for roles on new cable television series that won critical acclaim and commercial success in the past year, sometimes both.
Danes won her third Globe for portraying CIA agent Carrie Mathison on Showtime's new "Homeland." The series that explored terrorism and an Iraq war veteran also won a Golden Globe for best television drama.
Danes, who won her first Globe at age 15 for "My So-Called Life," remembered being so flustered then that she forgot to thank her parents.
"I am so lucky to have another opportunity to let them know how lucky I am to have their love and encouragement," she said.
Grammer's signature television role was the pompous psychiatrist Frasier Crane for many years on "Cheers" and "Frasier," but he won for best actor in a TV drama Sunday for playing a powerful Chicago mayor on Starz's "Boss."
Hyland's little accident came to light, of course, by the super-sleuths that are the E! correspondents. "I'm laughing," Giuliana said, "because I saw your zipper break on the red carpet! And I was like, 'E! Send a camera right over there!' "
But of course the impossibly charming Hyland took it in stride. "I kind of just felt an explosion in my back," she said, and her dress started to fall. But luckily she kept her simple zipper malfunction from turning into a much-feared nip slip. "I grabbed [my dress] before it was too late."
Sunday night's Golden Globes, but managed dredge up her husband's past while chatting with Giuliana Rancic on E!'s pre-show coverage.
The "Ringer" star, who is married to actor Freddie Prinze Jr., downplayed the fact that her hubby wasn't there -- he was watching football instead -- but reminded everyone that Prinze once served as the official "Mr. Golden Globes" quite a few years ago.
It's true -- a clip from the 1996 Golden Globes awards features the one and only Freddie Prinze Jr., along with "Miss Golden Globes" Jaime Nicole Dund.
The King's Speech," then consider 2012 the start of his next dynasty. The president of The Weinstein Company dominated the 69th annual Golden Globes ceremony on Sunday night and seems poised to rule the Academy Awards next month with similar ease. This despite not taking the stage once.
No fewer than five winners thanked Weinstein at the Globes: both Best Actresses, Michelle Williams and Meryl Streep; Best Actor in a Comedy Jean Dujardin ("The Artist's" French-speaking lead, who struggled through his English-language speech and still managed to thank Harvey); and Madonna herself. The Queen of Pop called Weinstein "The Punisher," a term that was later echoed by Meryl Streep during her acceptance speech.
We got a dose of crazy at the VMAs, a hint of glamour at the Emmys and a smattering of film fests since then. But the glamorous Golden Globes are what we've been looking forward to all season -- for the gorgeous red carpet dresses, of course.
And we've got all the gowns right here, plus the shoes, bags and bling. So who's got the best look of the night and who has the worst? You'll have to decide that for yourselves.
Golden Globe nominees, it also seems to have been the year of the 40-something actress.
Ageism is still alive and well in Hollywood -- no one is questioning that. Just last fall an actress filed a lawsuit against IMDB for revealing her age, claiming that it had cost her potential roles. And though 24.3 percent of the U.S. population is made up of women over 40, CBS News reported that this demographic only gets about half that percentage of TV and film roles. However, looking at the 2012 Golden Globe nominees, you wouldn't know it. Eleven of the female nominees are in their 40s, and many of the others (Jessica Lange, Meryl Streep, Tilda Swinton, Glenn Close to name a few) are in their 50s and 60s.
Whereas last year's awards were dominated by discussion of performances by younger stars like Natalie Portman ("Black Swan"), Anne Hathaway ("Love & Other Drugs"), Emma Stone ("Easy A") and Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone"), this year there is hardly a 20-something in sight, with the exception of Rooney Mara. And it's especially heartening that these mid-life actresses are being recognized for substantial roles.
The names were familiar: Kelsey Grammer, Matt LeBlanc, Claire Danes, Laura Dern and Jessica Lange. The television work for which they were honored by the Golden Globes Sunday night wasn't.
They are actors largely known for their work in film or in shows on commercial broadcast networks. Each took Golden Globe trophies for roles on new cable television series that won critical acclaim and commercial success in the past year, sometimes both.
Danes won her third Globe for portraying CIA agent Carrie Mathison on Showtime's new "Homeland." The series that explored terrorism and an Iraq war veteran also won a Golden Globe for best television drama.
Danes, who won her first Globe at age 15 for "My So-Called Life," remembered being so flustered then that she forgot to thank her parents.
"I am so lucky to have another opportunity to let them know how lucky I am to have their love and encouragement," she said.
Grammer's signature television role was the pompous psychiatrist Frasier Crane for many years on "Cheers" and "Frasier," but he won for best actor in a TV drama Sunday for playing a powerful Chicago mayor on Starz's "Boss."
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Saturday, January 14, 2012
Broncos vs Patriots Tim Tebow, Tom Brady Battle In NFL Playoffs Video
AFC Divisional Playoffs
New England Patriots (13-3)
vs.
Denver Broncos (8-8)
Gillette Stadium
Foxboro, Massachusetts
8:00 P.M. EST
Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow did something last week that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has not been able to do over the last few seasons: He won a home playoff game. Of course, Brady has won far more than his fair share (especially if you ask the Raiders) of playoff games and is the owner of three Super Bowl rings. Brady's team is also heavily favored tonight in Foxboro.
Last weekend, the Patriots were in the same position as most football fans. They were at home -- thanks to earning a bye in the opening round as the No. 1 seed in the AFC -- watching Tebow author another stunning chapter in his amazing season. In the climactic moments of the Wild Card triumph, Tebow made the Steelers pay dearly for not respecting his ability to throw the ball. Will the Patriots make the same mistake? Or, will Brady and the offense score enough points that his team's defense hardly figures?
During the regular season, the Patriots ranked just behind the league-leading Saints in terms of yard per game and points per game. Piloting that prolific offense, Brady joined Drew Brees and Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a single season.
While some fans are willing to attribute miraculous powers to Tebow, no one is going out on a limb to say he is a passer on par with Brady. And that may be the only attribute that will matter today. When these two teams met during the regular season, the Patriots hung up 41 points on the Broncos' defense while Tebow only managed 23 points -- the same number his team had heading into OT against the Steelers.
New England Patriots (13-3)
vs.
Denver Broncos (8-8)
Gillette Stadium
Foxboro, Massachusetts
8:00 P.M. EST
Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow did something last week that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has not been able to do over the last few seasons: He won a home playoff game. Of course, Brady has won far more than his fair share (especially if you ask the Raiders) of playoff games and is the owner of three Super Bowl rings. Brady's team is also heavily favored tonight in Foxboro.
Last weekend, the Patriots were in the same position as most football fans. They were at home -- thanks to earning a bye in the opening round as the No. 1 seed in the AFC -- watching Tebow author another stunning chapter in his amazing season. In the climactic moments of the Wild Card triumph, Tebow made the Steelers pay dearly for not respecting his ability to throw the ball. Will the Patriots make the same mistake? Or, will Brady and the offense score enough points that his team's defense hardly figures?
During the regular season, the Patriots ranked just behind the league-leading Saints in terms of yard per game and points per game. Piloting that prolific offense, Brady joined Drew Brees and Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a single season.
While some fans are willing to attribute miraculous powers to Tebow, no one is going out on a limb to say he is a passer on par with Brady. And that may be the only attribute that will matter today. When these two teams met during the regular season, the Patriots hung up 41 points on the Broncos' defense while Tebow only managed 23 points -- the same number his team had heading into OT against the Steelers.
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Jimmy Fallon's Ultimate David Bowie/Tim Tebow Mash-Up (VIDEO)
Jimmy Fallon knows his way around an unexpected musical performance. Between his Jim Morrison singing "Reading Rainbow" bit and his Neil Young covering "Pants on the Ground," it's safe to say that he's got the older-male-solo-artist-plus-hip-pop-culture-topic formula down to an art.
Thursday night's "Late Night" brought another magical installment in what we hope continues to be a series of performances, this time with Fallon dressed as David Bowie and singing "Space Oddity," but with some reworked, Tim Tebow-themed lyrics.
The Denver Broncos starting quarterback has made quite a name for himself this season, but most web kids probably know him because of Tebowing.
Thursday night's "Late Night" brought another magical installment in what we hope continues to be a series of performances, this time with Fallon dressed as David Bowie and singing "Space Oddity," but with some reworked, Tim Tebow-themed lyrics.
The Denver Broncos starting quarterback has made quite a name for himself this season, but most web kids probably know him because of Tebowing.
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Luxury Cruise Ship Runs Aground Off Coast Of Tuscany, At Least 3 Bodies Update Full Video
A luxury cruise ship ran aground off the coast of Tuscany, gashing open the hull and forcing some 4,200 people aboard to evacuate aboard lifeboats to a nearby island early Saturday. At least three were dead, the Italian coast guard said.
At least three bodies were recovered from the sea and at least three additional persons were feared dead, and helicopters were working to pluck to safety some 50 people still trapped aboard the badly listing Costa Concordia, said Coast Guard Cmdr. Francesco Paolillo.
Paolillo said it wasn't immediately known if the dead were passengers or crew, nor were the nationalities of the victims immediately known. It wasn't clear how they died. The Italian news agency ANSA reported that some people had jumped overboard in the scramble to evacuate the ship, which had just begun a Mediterranean cruise.
The evacuees were taking refuge in schools, hotels, and a church on the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, a popular vacation isle about 18 miles (25 kilometers) off Italy's central west coast.
ANSA quoted two Italian journalists who happened to be among the passengers taking the Mediterranean cruise as saying the accident happened during dinner hour.
"It was like a scene from the Titanic," another passenger aboard, journalist Mara Parmegiani, told ANSA.
Paolillo said the exact dynamics of the accident were still unclear, but that the first alarm went off about 10:30 p.m. (2130 GMT), about three hours after the Concordia had begun its voyage from the port of Civitavecchia, enroute to its first port of call, Savona, in northwestern Italy.
The coast guard official, speaking from the port captain's office in the Tuscan port of Livorno, said the vessel "hit an obstacle" -- it wasn't clear if it might have hit a rocky reef in the waters off Giglio -- "ripping a gash 50 meters (165 feet) across" on the left side of the ship, and started taking on water.
The cruise liner's captain, Paolillo said, then tried to steer his ship toward shallow waters, near Giglio's small port, to make evacuation by lifeboat easier.
But after the ship started listing badly onto its right side, lifeboat evacuation was no longer feasible, Paolillo said.
Five helicopters, from the coast guard, navy and air force, were taking turns airlifting survivors still aboard and ferrying them to safely. A Coast guard member was airlifted aboard the vessel to help people get aboard a small basket so they could be hoisted up to the helicopter, said Capt. Cosimo Nicastro, another Coast Guard official.
A statement from Costa Cruises, the company that runs the ship, confirmed that the evacuation of the 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crew had begun, "but the position of the ship, which is worsening, is making more difficult the last part of the evacuation."
Costa Cruises' statement did not mention any casualties, and said it had not yet determined the cause of the problem.
Costa Cruises said the Costa Concordia was sailing on a cruise across the Mediterranean Sea, starting from Civitavecchia with scheduled calls to Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Cagliari and Palermo.
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Friday, January 13, 2012
Panchkula 4 Girls Made Friend MMS Full Video |Panchkula MMS scandal Update
MMS (multimedia messaging service) clip of their estranged friend after stripping her in a car and circulated it to all the contacts in the phonebook of latter's mobile phone in Haryana's Panchkula district recently.
The MMS scam, which has taken Chandigarh by storm, seemed to be an act of revenge by the girls on the victim. She has been seeking justice since the incident.
As per the footage, the accused girls allegedly forced the victim into a car and snatched her mobile and wallet. They then slapped her a few times and proceeded to strip her. The victim was shot in the nude with her own mobile.
Later, the accused girls allegedly sent the MMS clip to all the contacts in her mobile's phonebook.
The incident took place on September 26, but no police case has been filed yet. The accused girls are residents of Panchkula staying in a paying guest accommodation. The victim also lives in Panchkula.
Chandigarh: In a shocking incident in Chandigarh, four girls forced a girl into their car, snatched away her mobile phone and money and then stripped her and shot her MMS. The victim wanted to report the matter to the police, but decided against it for fear of becoming infamous.
The incident took place on September 26 behind a hotel in Sector 4, Panchkula. It should be noted that such an incident has been reported for the first time in the tricity.
The incident occurred outside a discotheque. The four accused girls live in a paying guest accommodation in Panchkula. They are pursuing BA course and are often seen in night parties. The victim is also a resident of Panchkula. The MMS has been circulated among others by the four girls.
The incident occurred at around 2 pm on September 26. The victim was forced into a while-coloured Maruti 800. She was beaten up by the four girls. Her mobile phone and money was snatched away from her. When the victim protested, she was thrown out of the car and abuses were hurled at her. Then she was beaten up.
The Bhaskat team spoke to the victim.
The victim says: "I am scared that the girls might upload the MMS on the Internet. I will lodge a complaint with the police tomorrow."
On asked whether she knew the girls, she replied that she did; she had met them in a discotheque.
She says that her MMS is being circulated around and that she has seen the video as well.
She adds that many people told her about the MMS and that she will lodge complaint with the police.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Panchkula, Munish Chaudhry says: "So far, I have not received any information about the MMS. If a girl has been abused in such a way and her MMS has been shot, I assure that as soon as the girl lodges complaint with the police, first information report (FIR) will be filed and the accused four girls will be arrested. Cases of sexual abuse, theft and IT act will be lodged against them."
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Thursday, January 12, 2012
Karzai urges US to probe video showing its soldiers| Marines Accused Of Urinating On Dead Bodies
The US military was investigating a “disgusting” online video purportedly showing Marines urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, a Pentagon spokesman said.
The video shows what appears to be four servicemen, dressed in US military uniform, relieving themselves onto three bloodied bodies on the ground, apparently aware that they are being filmed.
“Have a great day, buddy,” one of them says, giggling.
It is not clear from the video whether the dead Afghans were Taliban insurgents or civilians.
The Pentagon has not yet verified the video, but spokesman John Kirby told AFP: “Regardless of the circumstances or who is in the video, this is… egregious, disgusting behavior, unacceptable for anyone in uniform.”
“It turned my stomach,” he added of the video, which was posted on the Live Leak website.
The Afghan Taliban Thursday denounced the video as “barbaric.”
“This is a barbaric act. Over the past 10 years there have been hundreds of similar cases that were not revealed,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed told AFP.
If authenticated, the images — which conjure up previous abuses committed by US troops during the decade-long war — could spark deep anger and resentment in Afghanistan and the wider Muslim world.
A military official who asked not to be named said the helmet and weapon carried by one of the men seems to indicate the four could be members of an elite sniper team.
The official also said such conduct would be punishable under the US code of military justice.
The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a prominent US Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, condemned the alleged desecration of corpses.
“If verified as authentic, the video shows behavior that is totally unbecoming of American military personnel and that could ultimately endanger other soldiers and civilians,” CAIR said in a statement on Thursday.
“We trust that this disturbing incident will be promptly investigated in a transparent manner and that appropriate actions will be taken based on the results of that investigation,” the statement said.
“Any guilty parties must be punished to the full extent allowed by the Uniform Code of Military Justice and by relevant American laws.”
A statement issued by the Pentagon said: “Headquarters Marine Corps has recently been made aware of a video that portrays Marines urinating on what appear to be deceased members of the Taliban.
“While we have not yet verified the origin or authenticity of this video, the actions portrayed are not consistent with our core values and are not indicative of the character of the Marines in our Corps.
“This matter will be fully investigated.”
U.S. Marines in Afghanistan urinating on dead Taliban fighters will be "fully investigated."
The video appeared to surface first on YouTube shortly before midnight Tuesday. It includes a caption indicating that the Marines were members of Scout Sniper Team 4, a Marine Corps unit that has served on the front lines of the war in Afghanistan this year.
The footage, lasting just 39 seconds, shows four Marines in full combat gear urinating on the bodies of three dead men, bearded and dressed in traditional Afghan garb. The Marines can be heard laughing and joking. "Have a great day, buddy," one says.
The desecration of corpses during wartime violates military law and can lead to court-martial.
Capt. Gregory Wolf, a Marine Corps spokesman said in an email that neither the origin nor authenticity of the video had been confirmed. He added that the "actions portrayed are not consistent with our core values and are not indicative of the character of the Marines in our corps."
"This matter will be fully investigated," Wolf said.
The video quickly went viral, appearing on hundreds of websites. On Wednesday afternoon, the Council on American-Islamic Relations released a statement condemning its contents.
The video shows what appears to be four servicemen, dressed in US military uniform, relieving themselves onto three bloodied bodies on the ground, apparently aware that they are being filmed.
“Have a great day, buddy,” one of them says, giggling.
It is not clear from the video whether the dead Afghans were Taliban insurgents or civilians.
The Pentagon has not yet verified the video, but spokesman John Kirby told AFP: “Regardless of the circumstances or who is in the video, this is… egregious, disgusting behavior, unacceptable for anyone in uniform.”
“It turned my stomach,” he added of the video, which was posted on the Live Leak website.
The Afghan Taliban Thursday denounced the video as “barbaric.”
“This is a barbaric act. Over the past 10 years there have been hundreds of similar cases that were not revealed,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed told AFP.
If authenticated, the images — which conjure up previous abuses committed by US troops during the decade-long war — could spark deep anger and resentment in Afghanistan and the wider Muslim world.
A military official who asked not to be named said the helmet and weapon carried by one of the men seems to indicate the four could be members of an elite sniper team.
The official also said such conduct would be punishable under the US code of military justice.
The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a prominent US Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, condemned the alleged desecration of corpses.
“If verified as authentic, the video shows behavior that is totally unbecoming of American military personnel and that could ultimately endanger other soldiers and civilians,” CAIR said in a statement on Thursday.
“We trust that this disturbing incident will be promptly investigated in a transparent manner and that appropriate actions will be taken based on the results of that investigation,” the statement said.
“Any guilty parties must be punished to the full extent allowed by the Uniform Code of Military Justice and by relevant American laws.”
A statement issued by the Pentagon said: “Headquarters Marine Corps has recently been made aware of a video that portrays Marines urinating on what appear to be deceased members of the Taliban.
“While we have not yet verified the origin or authenticity of this video, the actions portrayed are not consistent with our core values and are not indicative of the character of the Marines in our Corps.
“This matter will be fully investigated.”
U.S. Marines in Afghanistan urinating on dead Taliban fighters will be "fully investigated."
The video appeared to surface first on YouTube shortly before midnight Tuesday. It includes a caption indicating that the Marines were members of Scout Sniper Team 4, a Marine Corps unit that has served on the front lines of the war in Afghanistan this year.
The footage, lasting just 39 seconds, shows four Marines in full combat gear urinating on the bodies of three dead men, bearded and dressed in traditional Afghan garb. The Marines can be heard laughing and joking. "Have a great day, buddy," one says.
The desecration of corpses during wartime violates military law and can lead to court-martial.
Capt. Gregory Wolf, a Marine Corps spokesman said in an email that neither the origin nor authenticity of the video had been confirmed. He added that the "actions portrayed are not consistent with our core values and are not indicative of the character of the Marines in our corps."
"This matter will be fully investigated," Wolf said.
The video quickly went viral, appearing on hundreds of websites. On Wednesday afternoon, the Council on American-Islamic Relations released a statement condemning its contents.
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Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Sarah Burke Injured During Training In Park City, Utah - Full Video
Tuesday after crashing during a training run on the superpipe in Park City, Utah.
In an email to The Associated Press, Peter Judge, CEO of the Canadian freestyle team, confirmed a report in the Toronto Globe and Mail that Burke was in a coma but didn't know what that meant for her ultimate recovery. He told AP he didn't expect any updates until early Wednesday.
"What I've heard, relatively directly, is that she landed a trick down in the bottom end of the pipe, and kind of bounced, from her feet to her head," Judge told the Globe and Mail. "It wasn't anything that looked like a catastrophic fall, so I'm a bit mystified."
A spokeswoman at University Hospital in Salt Lake confirmed Burke had been admitted and was being evaluated.
Andy Miller, spokesman at the Park City Mountain Resort, said the accident happened early in the afternoon.
"She was stabilized there at the scene by resort mountain patrol, who took her to base patrol, where she was flown to the hospital in Salt Lake," Miller said.
He said the halfpipe was the same one where snowboarder Kevin Pearce was critically injured during training on Dec. 31, 2009. Pearce suffered traumatic brain injuries but has since recovered and returned to riding on snow last month.
Burke's husband, Rory Bushfield, also put out a message on Twitter seeking someone with a private jet who might help him and Burke's mother expedite a trip from Vancouver to Salt Lake City.
"Sarah is a very, very strong human and she will be fine," Bushfield told The Vancouver Sun
In an email to The Associated Press, Peter Judge, CEO of the Canadian freestyle team, confirmed a report in the Toronto Globe and Mail that Burke was in a coma but didn't know what that meant for her ultimate recovery. He told AP he didn't expect any updates until early Wednesday.
"What I've heard, relatively directly, is that she landed a trick down in the bottom end of the pipe, and kind of bounced, from her feet to her head," Judge told the Globe and Mail. "It wasn't anything that looked like a catastrophic fall, so I'm a bit mystified."
A spokeswoman at University Hospital in Salt Lake confirmed Burke had been admitted and was being evaluated.
Andy Miller, spokesman at the Park City Mountain Resort, said the accident happened early in the afternoon.
"She was stabilized there at the scene by resort mountain patrol, who took her to base patrol, where she was flown to the hospital in Salt Lake," Miller said.
He said the halfpipe was the same one where snowboarder Kevin Pearce was critically injured during training on Dec. 31, 2009. Pearce suffered traumatic brain injuries but has since recovered and returned to riding on snow last month.
Burke's husband, Rory Bushfield, also put out a message on Twitter seeking someone with a private jet who might help him and Burke's mother expedite a trip from Vancouver to Salt Lake City.
"Sarah is a very, very strong human and she will be fine," Bushfield told The Vancouver Sun
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Sexuality vs. Sensuality Completed Information Video
A working girl. I am all of these adjectives and many more. I happily and proudly make my living working in a legal brothel. My blatant acknowledgement of this fact might cause your heart to race. Whether out of anger or excitement, the fact is that I accept payment in exchange for affection. If you'll notice, I did not use the word "sex" when describing what I do. That's neither out of shame nor embarrassment, rather because sex is only a tiny percentage of what I do. I am proud of what I do, and I enjoy it immensely. I have had the honor and joy of entertaining men and women from all walks of life, professions and of various financial means. There is a misconception that those who seek the company of a paid companion are unable to find companionship on their own or that they are simply of amoral. That might be true in many instances, however, being one who practices the art of courtesanship, I can attest that my experiences have been much different.
Although assorted diversities, tastes and needs are typical, what has recently caught my attention is the American public's sudden desire for a GFE-style companionship. For those unfamiliar with GFE, allow me to explain. The acronym, so commonly used in my profession, stands for "Girl Friend Experience." In many déclassé forms of prostitution the definition of the girlfriend experience might mean that the lady offers kissing as part of her repertoire for an extra fee. A true courtesan offers herself in her entirety. The whole experience, whether a few moments or a few days, feels as though there is a deep connection of sensuality and warmth between the parties. The art of being a courtesan is perfected only with the exchange of affection and a desire for closeness, which comes from raw, unbridled passion. A true courtesan feels a genuine appreciation for her client.
Having been a professional paramour all my adult life, I was struck by the recent resurgence of requests for romantic interludes. I started to wonder: What has caused so many people to suddenly feel so alone and in need of an ear, a hand to hold, or casual dinner conversation? The answer is simple.
In my opinion, modern Americans have failed miserably when it comes to differentiating between the words "sex" and "sensuality." Our view of what is "sexy" has become so askew that many women and men don't even know what their own desires are anymore. With most contemporary portrayals of sexuality being outright promiscuity and tactless drunken debauchery, it's not surprising that women and men have lost sight of the joys and need for sensuality. Between this severely misguided view of human sexuality and the pressures of our everyday lives, the sex lives of most Americans have been stunted. Those involved in relationships, and even those who are battling through the "dating scene," are faced with the pressures to conform to what society is telling us sex should be.
There is a lack of appreciation for tenderness running rampant through our sexual society. Our porn has become boring and, in my opinion, it might have much to do with this unrealistic and unromanticized version of physical pleasure. Women seem to think that a quick, rough and raunchy screw is the definition of "sexy" for men. Men seem to think that a sweaty, all night, creatively impressive, position-fest is the answer. Although both have their place, that isn't the only way to give your partner the ultimate satisfaction. Taking the time to kiss, caress and hold one another is so important and the ability to really listen to one another is essential.
Allow me, a self-proclaimed expert in the field of pleasure, to be the one to tell you that the desire for pillow talk, kissing and tenderness has never been at such an all-time premium. My clients come from far and wide just to have the opportunity to let go, be romantic, take their time and just enjoy the company of another human. It might sound odd to take advice from a woman who is paid to pleasure the public, but I can assure you, the more you listen, the less the public will need my services.
Although assorted diversities, tastes and needs are typical, what has recently caught my attention is the American public's sudden desire for a GFE-style companionship. For those unfamiliar with GFE, allow me to explain. The acronym, so commonly used in my profession, stands for "Girl Friend Experience." In many déclassé forms of prostitution the definition of the girlfriend experience might mean that the lady offers kissing as part of her repertoire for an extra fee. A true courtesan offers herself in her entirety. The whole experience, whether a few moments or a few days, feels as though there is a deep connection of sensuality and warmth between the parties. The art of being a courtesan is perfected only with the exchange of affection and a desire for closeness, which comes from raw, unbridled passion. A true courtesan feels a genuine appreciation for her client.
Having been a professional paramour all my adult life, I was struck by the recent resurgence of requests for romantic interludes. I started to wonder: What has caused so many people to suddenly feel so alone and in need of an ear, a hand to hold, or casual dinner conversation? The answer is simple.
In my opinion, modern Americans have failed miserably when it comes to differentiating between the words "sex" and "sensuality." Our view of what is "sexy" has become so askew that many women and men don't even know what their own desires are anymore. With most contemporary portrayals of sexuality being outright promiscuity and tactless drunken debauchery, it's not surprising that women and men have lost sight of the joys and need for sensuality. Between this severely misguided view of human sexuality and the pressures of our everyday lives, the sex lives of most Americans have been stunted. Those involved in relationships, and even those who are battling through the "dating scene," are faced with the pressures to conform to what society is telling us sex should be.
There is a lack of appreciation for tenderness running rampant through our sexual society. Our porn has become boring and, in my opinion, it might have much to do with this unrealistic and unromanticized version of physical pleasure. Women seem to think that a quick, rough and raunchy screw is the definition of "sexy" for men. Men seem to think that a sweaty, all night, creatively impressive, position-fest is the answer. Although both have their place, that isn't the only way to give your partner the ultimate satisfaction. Taking the time to kiss, caress and hold one another is so important and the ability to really listen to one another is essential.
Allow me, a self-proclaimed expert in the field of pleasure, to be the one to tell you that the desire for pillow talk, kissing and tenderness has never been at such an all-time premium. My clients come from far and wide just to have the opportunity to let go, be romantic, take their time and just enjoy the company of another human. It might sound odd to take advice from a woman who is paid to pleasure the public, but I can assure you, the more you listen, the less the public will need my services.
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Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Google doodles Danish geologist Nicolas Steno's 374th birthday Completed Informantion and celebration
The Google logo appears in the form of a cross section of the earth's crust to commemorate Danish geologist and anatomist Nicolas Steno's 374th birthday.
Steno (also known as Nicolaus Steno, Niels Steensen or Niels Stensen) is regarded as the father of geology and he also made significant contributions to the field of human anatomy. He discovered the parotid salivary duct, also called Stensen's duct.
He was the one to propose the idea that fossils are remains of ancient living organisms and the reason behind the formation of many rocks is sedimentation. Steno was also the first to understand that a careful study of the earth's strata and fossils can give a glimpse of the planet's history as the earth's crust contains a chronological history of geologic events.
Steno later gave up science for religion and became a Roman Catholic in 1667 and was made a bishop in 1677. He died at the age of 48 on November 25, 1686.
Google posted a total of 260 doodles in 2011. This figure is only nominally higher than the 258 doodles that Google put up on its home page in 2010. Some of the doodles were limited to Google's country specific home pages while others appeared globally.
Google recently announced the revamp of its Doodle site (www.google.com/doodles) which houses all Google doodles since the very first back in 1998.
Nicolas Steno was born in Copenhagen on New Year's Day (Julian calendar), the son of a Lutheran goldsmith who worked regularly for King Christian IV of Denmark. Stensen grew up in isolation in his childhood, because of an unknown disease. In 1644 his father died, after which his mother remarried another goldsmith. In 1654-1655, 240 pupils of his school died because of the plague. Across the street lived Peder Schumacher, (who would offer Steno a post as professor in Copenhagen in 1671). After completing his university education, Steno set out to travel through Europe; in fact, he would be on the move for the rest of his life. In the Netherlands, France, Italy and Germany he came into contact with prominent physicians and scientists. These influences led him to use his own powers of observation to make important scientific discoveries. At a time when scientific questions were mostly answered by appeal to ancient authorities, Steno was bold enough to trust his own eyes, even when his observations differed from traditional doctrines.
At the urging of Thomas Bartholin, Steno first travelled to Rostock, then to Amsterdam, where he studied anatomy under Gerard Blasius, focusing again on the Lymphatic system. Steno discovered a previously undescribed structure, the "ductus stenonianus" (the duct of the parotid salivary gland) in sheep, dog and rabbit heads. A dispute with Blasius over credit for the discovery arose, but Steno's name is associated with this structure.[3] Within a few months Steno moved to Leiden, where he met the students Jan Swammerdam, Frederik Ruysch, Reinier de Graaf, Franciscus de le Boe Sylvius, a famous professor, and Baruch Spinoza.[4] Also Descartes was publishing on the working of the brain, and Steno did not think his explanation of the origin of tears was correct. Steno studied the heart, and determined that it was an ordinary muscle.
He travelled to Saumur where he met Melchisédech Thévenot and Ole Borch. Steno travelled to Montpellier, where he met Martin Lister and William Croone, who introduced Steno's work to the Royal Society. In Pisa Steno met the Grand Duke of Tuscany, who supported arts and science. Steno was invited to live in the Palazzo Vecchio, in return he had to gather a Cabinet of curiosities. Steno first went to Rome and met Alexander VII and Marcello Malpighi. As an anatomist in the hospital Steno focused on the muscular system and the nature of muscle contraction. He also became a member of Accademia del Cimento in Florence. Like Vincenzio Viviani, Steno used geometry to show that a contracting muscle changes its shape but not its volume.
Steno (also known as Nicolaus Steno, Niels Steensen or Niels Stensen) is regarded as the father of geology and he also made significant contributions to the field of human anatomy. He discovered the parotid salivary duct, also called Stensen's duct.
He was the one to propose the idea that fossils are remains of ancient living organisms and the reason behind the formation of many rocks is sedimentation. Steno was also the first to understand that a careful study of the earth's strata and fossils can give a glimpse of the planet's history as the earth's crust contains a chronological history of geologic events.
Steno later gave up science for religion and became a Roman Catholic in 1667 and was made a bishop in 1677. He died at the age of 48 on November 25, 1686.
Google posted a total of 260 doodles in 2011. This figure is only nominally higher than the 258 doodles that Google put up on its home page in 2010. Some of the doodles were limited to Google's country specific home pages while others appeared globally.
Google recently announced the revamp of its Doodle site (www.google.com/doodles) which houses all Google doodles since the very first back in 1998.
Nicolas Steno was born in Copenhagen on New Year's Day (Julian calendar), the son of a Lutheran goldsmith who worked regularly for King Christian IV of Denmark. Stensen grew up in isolation in his childhood, because of an unknown disease. In 1644 his father died, after which his mother remarried another goldsmith. In 1654-1655, 240 pupils of his school died because of the plague. Across the street lived Peder Schumacher, (who would offer Steno a post as professor in Copenhagen in 1671). After completing his university education, Steno set out to travel through Europe; in fact, he would be on the move for the rest of his life. In the Netherlands, France, Italy and Germany he came into contact with prominent physicians and scientists. These influences led him to use his own powers of observation to make important scientific discoveries. At a time when scientific questions were mostly answered by appeal to ancient authorities, Steno was bold enough to trust his own eyes, even when his observations differed from traditional doctrines.
At the urging of Thomas Bartholin, Steno first travelled to Rostock, then to Amsterdam, where he studied anatomy under Gerard Blasius, focusing again on the Lymphatic system. Steno discovered a previously undescribed structure, the "ductus stenonianus" (the duct of the parotid salivary gland) in sheep, dog and rabbit heads. A dispute with Blasius over credit for the discovery arose, but Steno's name is associated with this structure.[3] Within a few months Steno moved to Leiden, where he met the students Jan Swammerdam, Frederik Ruysch, Reinier de Graaf, Franciscus de le Boe Sylvius, a famous professor, and Baruch Spinoza.[4] Also Descartes was publishing on the working of the brain, and Steno did not think his explanation of the origin of tears was correct. Steno studied the heart, and determined that it was an ordinary muscle.
He travelled to Saumur where he met Melchisédech Thévenot and Ole Borch. Steno travelled to Montpellier, where he met Martin Lister and William Croone, who introduced Steno's work to the Royal Society. In Pisa Steno met the Grand Duke of Tuscany, who supported arts and science. Steno was invited to live in the Palazzo Vecchio, in return he had to gather a Cabinet of curiosities. Steno first went to Rome and met Alexander VII and Marcello Malpighi. As an anatomist in the hospital Steno focused on the muscular system and the nature of muscle contraction. He also became a member of Accademia del Cimento in Florence. Like Vincenzio Viviani, Steno used geometry to show that a contracting muscle changes its shape but not its volume.
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Bristol Palin Leaves Hollywood
Bristol Palin was coming off a successful run on "Dancing With The Stars" and had just purchased a home down in Arizona. A Hollywood career, it seemed, was in the offing.
Now, she's back in Alaska, having traded the spotlight for Sarah.
Palin told In Touch Weekly that she was done with the Hollywood life, fed up with the heckling and attention that she received on a constant basis. The turning point, she said, came when she was harassed at the Saddle Ranch while riding a mechanical bull in September.
"I wasn't really into the Hollywood thing,” she told the magazine. "After that, I just realized that I was over it. I was ready to come home."
It was certainly an interesting, high profile run for her in show business. She became a frequent target of comedienne Kathy Griffin, against whom she finally lashed out in February. She filmed a reality show with "DWTS" cast mate Kyle Massey and his brother, but the Bio channel scrapped that in November.
Various reporters claimed that she was going to attend college in Arizona and perhaps pursue a career in Hollywood makeup and styling.
Now, she's back in Alaska, having traded the spotlight for Sarah.
Palin told In Touch Weekly that she was done with the Hollywood life, fed up with the heckling and attention that she received on a constant basis. The turning point, she said, came when she was harassed at the Saddle Ranch while riding a mechanical bull in September.
"I wasn't really into the Hollywood thing,” she told the magazine. "After that, I just realized that I was over it. I was ready to come home."
It was certainly an interesting, high profile run for her in show business. She became a frequent target of comedienne Kathy Griffin, against whom she finally lashed out in February. She filmed a reality show with "DWTS" cast mate Kyle Massey and his brother, but the Bio channel scrapped that in November.
Various reporters claimed that she was going to attend college in Arizona and perhaps pursue a career in Hollywood makeup and styling.
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Josh Blanchard Fail- Full Video
World Championship qualifier in Las Vegas, Josh Blanchard was bowling a mere 129 in the ninth frame when he made a highlight that will surely win him a spot in SportsCenter's Not Top 10 list. As the PBA rookie went to bowl, his fingers got stuck in the ball causing him to cross the foul line. Then, it got worse. Blanchard slipped on the slick lane and fell into the gutter!
"Oh my goodness gracious!" the announcer screamed. His broadcasting partner followed up a few seconds later saying, "from bad to worse to miserable."
"Oh my goodness gracious!" the announcer screamed. His broadcasting partner followed up a few seconds later saying, "from bad to worse to miserable."
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Monday, January 9, 2012
Beyoncé's Baby Born Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City Videos & Photos
Beyoncé Knowles and hip-hop mogul Jay-Z welcomed their new baby girl into the world, and mother and daughter are doing just fine.
Blue Ivy Carter was born on Saturday at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, where the couple reportedly rented the entire fourth floor for $1.3 million.
TMZ notes that the birth caused a bit of a stir for a Boston-area event-planning company also named Blue Ivy, which was flooded with phone calls, texts, and Facebook messages. Will there be a name ownership dispute? Quick, somebody call the artist currently known as Prince.
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Bungee Jumping Accident At Victoria Falls: Australian Woman Video & Photos
22-year-old Erin Langworthy leapt off the 111-meter bridge attached to a bungee cord, the Sydney Morning Herald reports, however she did not spring back up as planned.
Amazingly, her gut-churning fall was captured on tape on the video above. The harrowing moment after the cord snapped, sending Ms. Langworthy plummeting into the crocodile-infested waters of the Zambezi River, onlookers standing on the bridge could be heard gasping and swearing.
According to the Associated Press, Langworthy swam to the Zimbabwe bank. When she was pulled from the water, the young woman began coughing up water and blood.
Miraculously, Ms. Langworthy escaped with her life after spending a week in hospital in South Africa. According to ABC, she only suffere.
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