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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

33rd bcs circular

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sleigh Bells Perform, Justin Timberlake Impersonates Bon Iver on "Saturday Night Live"


On tonight's episode of "Saturday Night Live", JT performed a parody of "Holocene", impersonating Justin Vernon as part of a sketch about Beyoncé and Jay-Z's new baby. (At the close of the show, Timberlake returned, holding a sign that read "I Heart Bon Iver".)
The Blue Ivy Carter sketch was a highlight of a pretty great overall "SNL" episode, hosted by Maya Rudolph. Sleigh Bells were the musical guest, performing "Comeback Kid" and "End of the Line" from forthcoming album Reign of Terror. Watch those performances below, via the Audio Perv.
It was also revealed that Jack White will be the musical guest on "SNL" on March 3, on an episode hosted by Lindsay Lohan. Should be interesting...

Bobby Brown leaves Houston funeral after spat


 Singer Bobby Brown made a brief and dramatic appearance at ex-wife Whitney Houston's memorial service Saturday, leaving abruptly after being told that his entourage couldn't sit together, police sources told CNN.
Brown accused security of treating his family badly and barring him from visiting with his daughter, an account that Houston's family vehemently denied, according to a family friend.
On CNN's live video feed, Brown was seen arriving with several people and appeared emotionally distraught, with red eyes and head hanging as he walked up the aisle of the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. He approached Houston's casket, passed it and went back down the aisle.
"My children and I were invited to the funeral of my ex-wife Whitney Houston," Brown later said in a statement. "We were seated by security and then subsequently asked to move on three separate occasions. I fail to understand why security treated my family this way and continued to ask us and no one else to move. Security then prevented me from attempting to see my daughter Bobbi Kristina.
"In light of the events, I gave a kiss to the casket of my ex-wife and departed as I refused to create a scene. ... I will continue to pay my respects to my ex-wife the best way I know how," the statement said."
Brown was expected to attend with two guests but showed up with 10 people, a close friend of the Houston family told CNN on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
"The family approached Bobby and told him that he could stay in the area reserved for family, but that his guests would need to move to a different section to make room for Cissy (Houston) and the rest of the family," the family friend said. "Bobby said no."
When Brown refused, the family asked police to intervene.
"The police told Bobby that he could stay in the area reserved for family, but that his guests needed to move," the friend said. "Bobby said no, and left with all of his guests."
The family friend maintained that Brown was always invited to the funeral.
"There was never a question of whether he would be invited or not," the friend said.
Describing what happened at the service, the Rev. Al Sharpton posted on his Twitter account: "I am at Whitney's funeral. I spoke with Bobby Brown trying to calm him down and not distract from the services. Today is about Whitney."
Brown was scheduled to perform with his group, New Edition, later Saturday in Connecticut. Brown considers performing as therapy to get him through a difficult time, a source close to him said Sunday.
He and Houston were married from 1992 until 2007, with Houston getting sole custody of their daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, when they divorced. Their daughter was born in 1993.
When they married in July 1992, questions arose about whether it was a publicity stunt to help polish Brown's image as a bad boy who had weathered drug rumors and had acknowledged having three children out of wedlock. Houston scoffed at such rumors, saying that anyone who questioned their marriage didn't understand what the commitment meant to her. They married in a lavish ceremony at her New Jersey estate.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, reports begin to surface about Houston's struggles with drug addiction, health problems and her rocky marriage with Brown. Her album sales dropped, and her voice began to show signs of wear.
In a now-infamous interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer in 2002, Houston admitted using drugs, but denied using crack. "Crack is whack," she said, quoting a line from a mural painted in 1986. In the same interview, Houston said, "The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy."
In 2004, filming began on the short-lived reality show "Being Bobby Brown." "The show aired during the worst years of the couple's crumbling marriage: drug use, lifestyle excess and bad behavior were all caught on tape, and Houston's reputation sunk to new lows," according to Biography.com. Houston later said she did the show to try to save her marriage.
In March 2011, Brown announced that he and his New Edition bandmates were reuniting and planning a new album and tour.
The group -- made up of Brown, Ralph Tresvant, Michael Bivins, Ricky Bell, Ronnie DeVoe and Johnny Gill -- had reunited periodically over the years, with and without Brown.
Brown's music career initially took off with New Edition, which started as an R&B boy band.
He left New Edition in 1986, after hits that included "Candy Girl," "Cool It Now," and "Mr. Telephone Man."
His solo career has included his 1988 multiplatinum album, "Don't Be Cruel," which featured the hit singles "Don't Be Cruel," "Every Little Step," "Rock Wit' Cha," "My Prerogative" and "Roni."

Friday, February 17, 2012

Pat Buchanan out at MSNBC

Pat Buchanan out at MSNBC: MSNBC dropped conservative commentator Pat Buchanan on Thursday, four months after suspending him following the publication of his latest book.

The .......

Pat Buchanan out at MSNBC

Pat Buchanan out at MSNBC: MSNBC dropped conservative commentator Pat Buchanan on Thursday, four months after suspending him following the publication of his latest book.

The ...

Pat Buchanan out at MSNBC


MSNBC dropped conservative commentator Pat Buchanan on Thursday, four months after suspending him following the publication of his latest book.
The book "Suicide of a Superpower" contained chapters titled "The End of White America" and "The Death of Christian America." Critics called the book racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic, charges Buchanan denied.
MSNBC President Phil Griffin said last month that he didn't think Buchanan's book "should be part of the national dialogue, much less part of the dialogue on MSNBC."
The network said on Thursday that "after 10 years, we have decided to part ways with Pat Buchanan. We wish him well."
Buchanan, in a column posted on Thursday, called the decision "an undeniable victory for the blacklisters."
The former GOP candidate had seemed increasingly out of place on MSNBC as it emphasized liberal commentary in recent years. But he kept a regular presence, even forging an unlikely chemistry with talk show host Rachel Maddow despite disagreeing on most issues.
Buchanan wrote that advocacy groups like Color of Change and the Anti-Defamation League brand people as racists or anti-Semites if they dare "to venture outside the narrow corral in which they seek to confine debate." They seek to silence and censor dissent while proclaiming devotion to the First Amendment, he said.
"I know these blacklisters," he wrote. "They operate behind closed doors, with phone calls, mailed threats and off-the-record meetings. They work in the dark because, as Al Smith said, nothing un-American can live in the sunlight."
The liberal media watchdog Media Matters for America said that MSNBC made the right decision in letting Buchanan go.
The book "was not his first, nor his worst offense," said Ari Rabin-Havt, executive vice president of Media Matters. "He's been making the same racially insensitive, anti-Semitic and homophobic statements for the past 50 years."

Randy Travis arrest video released; Oprah Winfrey to return to acting

Randy Travis arrest video released; Oprah Winfrey to return to acting: Video has been released that shows the recent arrest of country singer Randy Travis for public intoxication. The catch phrase of the ...

Randy Travis arrest video released; Oprah Winfrey to return to acting


Video has been released that shows the recent arrest of country singer Randy Travis for public intoxication. The catch phrase of the otherwise not terribly compelling clip: “Are you kiddin’ me?” (Associated Press)
Oprah Winfrey is reportedly considering an offer to co-star in “The Butler,” a film about Eugene Allen, an African American man who worked as a White House butler for eight presidents over a span of more than 30 years. The movie will be directed by Lee Daniels, Academy Award-winning writer of “Precious”; the screenplay, rewritten by Daniels from a script by Danny Strong, is based on a Washington Post story by our own Wil Haygood. Hugh Jackman and Mila Kunisare among those who also may sign on to the project. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Mery Streep: From Margaret Thatcher to Julia Roberts’s mother. (Andreas Rentz – Getty Images)In other casting news, Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep have signed on to star in a screen adaptation of “August: Osage County,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Roberts will play Streep’s daughter in the film. It’s the first time the two women have worked together on a movie project. (Via Weinstein Co. press release)
Aw, it’s like old times: Charlie Sheen has called “Two and a Half Men” a “steaming pile of [expletive]” after Warner Bros. sent him a cease-and-desist letter, asking his production company not to use any promotional photos from his former show to promote his upcoming sitcom “Anger Management.” “I’m thrilled,” Sheen told TMZ, in addition to making the steaming pile comment. “It insulates me from having to redundantly see myself in the idiotic bowling shirt.” (TMZ)
Terry O’Quinn — you knew and loved him as John Locke on “Lost” — has signed on to star in an ABC pilot for “666 Park Ave.,” a potential series about a historic New York City building that may be host to some supernatural activity. Sounds like “Lost” meets “American Horror Story,” doesn’t it? (Deadline)Ian Somerhalder will receive the Wyler Award at the Humane Society’s Genesis Awards next month. The “Vampire Diaries” star is being recognized for raising awareness about animal rights issues. (Via Humane Society of the United States)
Seal, who had been wearing his wedding ring despite plans to divorce Heidi Klum , has apparently removed the ring. Or at least he had when this photograph was taken in Australia. (E! Online)
With “ The Simpsons ” celebrating its 500th episode this week, it makes sense that designer Jeremy Scott created a series of Bart Simpson-inspired looks for Fashion Week. Yup. Total sense.

Randy Travis arrest video released; Oprah Winfrey to return to acting

Randy Travis arrest video released; Oprah Winfrey to return to acting: Video has been released that shows the recent arrest of country singer Randy Travis for public intoxication. The catch phrase of the ...

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Taliban say Marine tape won't hurt Afghanistan talks


The video, posted on YouTube and other websites, shows four men in camouflage Marine combat uniforms urinating on three corpses. One of them jokes: "Have a nice day, buddy." Another makes a lewd joke.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the video, describing the men's actions as "inhuman" and calling for an investigation, in a statement on Thursday.
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta telephoned Karzai to denounce the actions in the video as "deplorable" and to say it would be investigated immediately, the Pentagon said. General Martin Dempsey, the top U.S. military officer, said actions depicted in the video were illegal.
The U.S. military has identified two of the four Marines in the video so far, a Marine Corps official told Reuters, adding the Marine Corps believed the images were authentic.
But the Pentagon stopped short of offering an official confirmation that the video was real and Panetta said there was not yet a "firm conclusion" on the matter.
The video is likely to stir up already strong anti-U.S. sentiment in Afghanistan after a decade of a war that has seen other cases of abuse. That could complicate efforts to promote reconciliation as foreign troops gradually withdraw.
"Such action will leave a very, very bad impact on peace efforts," Arsala Rahmani, a senior member of the Afghan government's High Peace Council, told Reuters.
The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama, seeing a glimmer of hope after months of efforts to broker talks, is launching a fresh round of shuttle diplomacy this weekend.
Marc Grossman, Obama's special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, will fly into the region for talks with Karzai and top officials in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
One immediate goal is to seal agreement for the Taliban to open a political office in the Gulf state of Qatar.
Despite concerns when the video emerged that it would not help efforts to build confidence among the warring parties, a Taliban spokesman said although the images were shocking, the tape would not affect talks or a possible prisoner release.
"We know that our country is occupied," he said. "This is not a political process, so the video will not harm our talks and prisoner exchange because they are at the preliminary stage."
CONCERN FOR MORE PROTESTS
Panetta said he had ordered the Marine Corps and the commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan to investigate and said anyone found responsible will be punished.
"The danger obviously is this kind of video could be misused in many ways not only to undermine what we are trying to do in Afghanistan but undermine the potential for reconciliation. There is a danger there," Panetta told reporters on a trip to Texas.
"But I think if we move quickly - if we conduct this investigation and hold these people accountable - we send a clear signal to the world that the U.S. is not going to tolerate that kind of behavior and it doesn't represent the United States as a whole."
General James Amos, the commandant of the Marine Corps, said in a statement the video "apparently depicts Marines desecrating several dead Taliban in Afghanistan."
He said he had asked the Naval Criminal Investigative Service to examine the incident and had set up another internal inquiry headed by Marine officers.
A Marine officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that all of the Marines in question were believed to be from the 3rd Battallion, 2nd Marines, which is based in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, at the time of the incident.
That unit served in Afghanistan from March to September 2011, the official said.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said he was not aware of whether President Barack Obama had seen the video.
News of the footage had yet to spread in Afghanistan - a country where a minority has access to electricity and the Internet is limited to a tiny urban elite - but Afghans who were told about what the tape appears to show were horrified.
"It may start with just video footage but it will end with demonstrations around the country and maybe the world," said 44-year-old Qaisullah, who has a shop near Kabul's Shah-e-dushamshera mosque.
Anti-American feeling has boiled over, or been whipped up, into violence several times in Afghanistan in recent years. Protests over reports of the desecration of the Muslim holy book have twice sparked deadly riots.
The tape also sparked anger across the Middle East and in Internet chatrooms, prompting reference to earlier scandals involving U.S. soldiers' treatment of prisoners in Iraq and the killing of unarmed civilians in Afghanistan.
"This is the embodiment of the strong assaulting the weak. It's nothing new for the Americans, it only adds to what they have done in Abu Ghraib prison. This a breach of the sacredness of Islam and Muslims," said Othman al-Busaifi, 45, in Tripoli.
The U.S. military has been prosecuting soldiers from the Army's 5th Stryker Brigade on charges of murdering unarmed Afghan civilians while deployed in Kandahar province in 2010 and cutting off body parts as war trophies.
"They cut off ears and fingers and keep them as medals, and urinate on bodies, then they talk about civilization," wrote user Abu Abdullah al-Janubi on one forum.
CRITICAL TIME
The video was released at a critical time for what U.S. officials hope might become authentic talks on Afghanistan's political future.
In Kabul, Grossman will seek approval from Karzai - whose support for a U.S. effort he fears will sideline his government has wavered - to move ahead with good-faith measures seen as an essential precursor to negotiations that could give the Taliban a shared role in governing Afghanistan.
The diplomatic initiative includes a possible transfer of Taliban prisoners from the U.S. military detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Heather Locklear hospitalized


Update from msnbc.com staff at 10:45 p.m. ET
A spokeswoman for Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks, Calif. confirms to KNBC TV’s Bev White that Heather Locklear was admitted and will stay overnight. She was conscious, stable and resting comfortably, said Kris Carraway-Bowman, VP of marketing and public relations for the hospital.
Original story
Actress Heather Locklear was taken to the hospital on Thursday afternoon after a 911 call was placed from her home earlier in the day.
"Emergency response personnel responded to a medical emergency call at Ms. Locklear's residence," Ventura County Sheriff's Capt. Mike Aranda told PEOPLE. "Once they arrived, it was determined that Ms. Locklear needed to be transported to the hospital for further medical attention."

News Channel 5 won’t broadcast Ads from MPG clients


News Channel 5 will no longer filled with the ads from MPG clients. The MPG clients include Hyundai/Kia, EDF Energy and Nationwide. Yes, after the discussion between News Channel 5 that belongs to Northern & Shell of Richard Desmond and MPG, the MPG clients ads are no longer be found on this channel. From a specific source, the ads from MPG clients won’t be absent for good, but it won’t return at least until March.
News Channel 5 Disagreement
On News Channel 5 and MPG discussion, News Channel 5 is represented by Nick Bampton, the sales director of the station. It is said that the discussion does not meet any agreement for the autumn trading contract. We have no idea about the trading problem because the agent, MPG has made a smooth deal for 2012 period with other four TV channels. Based on a source that has relation with Sky Media, ITV and Channel 4 have made agreement with MPG and it is said that they found the agreement satisfying.
News Channel 5 Deal
What happened with News Channel 5 and MPG is actually not the first issue on agency-broadcaster disagreement. In 2001, some broadcasters did not speak the same voice as the clients of FNCG clients like Reckitt Benckiser and Univeler. In 2010, News Channel 5 had similar problem with Aegis media.