Genesis 'New York Concept' sports sedan bows and wows in word debut

Genesis 'New York Concept' sport sedan debuts in New York

Genesis debuted what may just be the best-looking and most inspiring concept on the 2016 New York International Auto Show.

Appropriately named the New York Concept, this sports sedan from Hyundai’s upscale brand is perfectly suited for Manhattan with its athletic, distinct, and balanced design. Finished in modest metallic blue paint, this concept is more than just a hint at the future of Genesis design language.
With endless copycat designs across today’s automotive landscape, the New York Concept is a refreshingly unique take on the mid-sized sports sedan.

Intended to be powered by the company’s familiar 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo and paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, the New York Concept is as much about efficiency as it is great design. Given that it’s a concept, it’s given Genesis designers the opportunities to push boundaries and the interior is a perfect example of that. There’s a 21-inch, 4K infotainment display, made by LG, that runs across much of the dash.

The exterior design details of the New York Concept make it a properly distinctive sports sedan. The shape of the grille, headlamps, and fascia give the sedan a distinctiveness not seen before and, if repeated on upcoming Genesis models, will give the brand a gorgeous and unique design language.


Source : ctvnews.ca

Ellen Page describes coming face-to-face with serial killer of gay people

Ellen Page and co-host Ian Daniel discuss their New Viceland ‘Gaycation’ series in New York Rex

The Oscar-nominated actor Ellen Page has described how she came face-to-face with a self-confessed serial killer of gay people in Brazil while filming a documentary on attitudes to homosexuality.

A former police officer turned hitman told the  X-Men star, who came out in 2014, that he had started his murder spree – which he said involved running over people he believed to be gay – after finding out that his son was homosexual.

The Canadian actor said she had made the Gaycation series, investigating LGBT cultures around the world with digital media company Vice, to highlight the vulnerability of gay people to homophobic discrimination and violence.

In the episode on Brazil, which has one of the highest murder rates of gay and transgender people in the world, the killer, who goes by the alias of “El Grande”, told Page he had carried out murders while serving as a policeman in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.

Speaking with his face covered by a mask, the now ex-officer said: “We used to patrol and the only thing I didn’t like were gays. If I saw them on the way I’d run them over. I did not care what was going on. I didn’t even care for the consequences.” Asked by Page how he felt he could justify his actions, the man continued: “I think every pigsty must be cleaned up. So how do I do my job? By cleaning up what was dirty. For me, they are worse than animals. If they cross my path, I’ll take care of them.”
The killer explained that he had begun his violence after finding his son having sex with another man, adding: “I took issue. I started to hate gays, lesbians or anyone of that kind.”

At one point during the interview, the actor – clearly upset by what she is being told – asked if it was safe to tell her interviewee that she is gay. After doing so, he replied: “You know, each to their own. I live my life and they live theirs. Now, if they cross my path, it’s a different story.”

The 29-year-old actor, who is in a relationship with artist and surfer Samantha Thomas, acknowledged that she had been scared. Speaking at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, she said: “I think we’d be lying if we said we didn’t feel frightened… You’re not thinking about yourself. You’re thinking about the vulnerable people who are walking the streets of Rio and might not know this man is walking right by them or he might just run them over in his car.”

The actor, who recently confronted Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz at a rally about gay rights, said America needed to do more to end the isolation of minorities. She said: “If we’re in any way perpetuating a society that discriminates and treats people unfairly and doesn’t strive toward true equality, you cause a lot of harm in people’s lives, and a lot of pain and a lot of difficulty.”

She added: “There can be such loneliness and isolation when you’re growing up in a society that does infuse this idea in you that you’re different or something’s wrong or you’re sinful… I’m privileged; I live in LA; I’ve done a job that has given me money; I can walk down the street and kiss my girlfriend. I think a lot about those more vulnerable than me.”


Source : independent.co.

Islamic State Is Giving Birth Control to Female Captives to Keep Them Fit as Sex Slaves — NYT

A man carries a Yazidi released by Islamic State group militants as she arrives in Kirkuk, 180 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq

The Times wrote that the militants’ enforced use of birth control appeared to be part of an effort to uphold an Islamic mandate: “According to an obscure ruling in Islamic law cited by the Islamic State, a man must ensure that the woman he enslaves is free of child before having intercourse with her.”

A 16-year-old Yazidi girl who spent a year locked in a room as a sex slave told the New York Times, “Every day, I had to swallow one [birth control pill] in front of him. He gave me one box per month. When I ran out, he replaced it. When I was sold from one man to another, the box of pills came with me.”

The recently escaped female captives described being given a variety of contraceptives including oral and injectable.

The Times learned of two cases in which women who had been captured while pregnant were pressured to have an abortion to make them fit for being raped.

A man named Abdal Ali told the Times that his 20-year-old sister was in her second trimester when she was taken captive two years ago.

Her Islamic State captor gave her pills, which were said to cause her to miscarry, but she hid the pills under her tongue and later spit them out.

“They wanted to get rid of the child so that they could use the woman,” Ali said.

A 20-year-old identified as “H.” was also pregnant when she was captured. She was driven to the hospital by the fighter that had bought her to try to force her to undergo an abortion. When she refused, her captor punched her repeatedly in the stomach, she told the Times.

She was smuggled out of Islamic State territory soon after and two months later gave birth to a health baby boy.


Source : theblaze.com

Canadians hold centre stage at White House state dinner

Before Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains saw Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds at the White House state dinner, he didn’t know what to expect.

“I must confess, in real life,” Mr. Bains said, pausing for effect, “he’s got big muscles.”

“He’s an intimidating guy.”

Intimidating, but grateful: Mr. Bains said the Vancouver-born movie star, who attended the dinner with his wife, Blake Lively, met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and told him he was proud to be Canadian and thrilled to be there.

Mr. Bains, smiling but bleary-eyed, was speaking the day after the historic event hosted by President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama. Between the dinner, the after-party on the rooftop of Washington’s posh W Hotel, and official meetings and events, Mr. Bains estimated he’d only had about an hour’s sleep.

But, like most of the 22-member Canadian delegation, he was still wired from the night before.

At the dinner, Mr. Bains sat at one of the round tables in the White House’s stately east room beside Lisa Monaco, the president’s homeland security and counterterrorism adviser.

As they dined on lamb chops and maple pecan cake, the two talked about their respective portfolios of economy and security, but also discussed the lighter, but no less important subjects, of family and golf.

“It was really a special evening,” Mr. Bains said.

Mr. Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau’s three-day visit to Washington included an official welcoming ceremony on the White House lawn and a state luncheon.

But the state dinner was the apex of hospitality.

The first for a Canadian Prime Minister in 19 years, it was a dinner party with the most powerful people in the world, at one of the grandest residences in the world, where Canadians held the attention of a nation – if only for a night.

“There are parts of [a] visit like this that are undeniably fun,” Mr. Trudeau said Friday, speaking at the Center for American Progress luncheon in the Mayflower Hotel.

“Last night’s state dinner was just wonderful. It was a coming together of friends who have much in common, much to celebrate. And not just at the head table, but across and throughout the room.”

At the dinner itself, Mr. Trudeau toasted Mr. Obama “on behalf of 36 million Americans,” which a top official from his office says was an accident.

“He meant to say Canadians,” Mr. Trudeau’s principal secretary Gerald Butts told The Globe and Mail.

U.S. Ambassador Bruce Heyman and his wife, Vicki, sat at a table with Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., David MacNaughton, and his wife, Leslie Noble.

“It was warm, magical, the energy was palpable,” Ms. Heyman said. “Just a lot of love in the room, and respect and admiration and history.”

Ms. Heyman, who wore a navy and floral Oscar de la Renta gown, said guests spent a lot of time mingling between tables.

She added that there was a “multigenerational” feel to the dinner, with Ms. Grégoire-Trudeau’s parents and Margaret Trudeau in attendance, as well as Mr. Obama’s girls, Malia and Sasha.

“There was a wonderful familial connection,” she said.

The head table included the leaders and their wives, as well as actor Michael J. Fox and his wife Tracy Pollan. Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels sat at a nearby table beside Malia Obama and Canadian actress Sandra Oh.

On his way into the dinner, Mr. Fox told reporters, “It’s terrific that our countries have a fresh start. It’s nice to see.”

When asked about Mr. Trudeau, he said, “He’s cool.”

“I was a fan of his dad. When I was a kid, I used to say we had the coolest world leader going. His son is pretty cool, too.”

Word has it that members of the Prime Minister’s inner circle were even taken into the Oval Office for a private tour with White House chief of staff Denis McDonough.

Mr. Reynolds and Ms. Lively were in the front row for the evening’s entertainment in the purple-lit state dining room, which featured American singer Sara Bareilles and young women from Washington’s Children of the Gospel Choir. As the group’s powerful voices filled the space, Ms. Obama moved to the music in her chair, and gave the girls high-fives on their way out.

At the state department luncheon earlier in the day hosted by Secretary of State John Kerry, Montreal-bred singer Rufus Wainwright serenaded guests at the piano with three songs, including Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, which was Mr. Trudeau and Ms. Grégoire-Trudeau’s wedding song.

Mathieu Bouchard, a senior adviser in the PMO, said he was “impressed” with the luncheon, particularly in seeing the antechamber beforehand, which contained President Thomas Jefferson’s desk and the 1973 Paris peace accord.

“You see the importance that they place on preserving institutional history,” he said.

Mr. Bouchard said it was inspiring to see how the Americans look beyond partisan lines when it comes to history, noting that two former Republican secretaries of state, Colin Powell and Henry Kissinger, sat at the head table during the luncheon, beside Ms. Grégoire-Trudeau.

“How often do you see that in Canada?” he said.

“Despite the fact that their politics are much more divisive than ours, they treat the functions with more respect.”


Source : theglobeandmail.com

Novak, Hopkins have right answer to all the questions

For the past five years, Hopkins coach Ken Novak Jr. heard the questions.

“You can’t believe how many times everyone has asked, ‘What’s wrong with you guys?’ ” Novak said.

After a 64-55 victory against Lakeville North in Saturday’s Class 4A title game, Novak and his Royals will get a reprieve from the pressure.

The Royals claimed their first championship since three-peating in 2009, 2010 and 2011. They did it against a Lakeville North program that beat Hopkins in the 2014 championship game.

“Two years ago we should have won it,” Novak said. “We really should have. That one was really hard, maybe the hardest loss I’ve ever had because [the title] was ours. So it was really nice to get this one.”

Hopkins’ crown is the school’s ninth overall and its seventh since 2002.

The Royals won without much doubt. They beat Apple Valley — the state’s top-ranked team entering the tournament — 84-60 in Friday’s semifinal before taking down Lakeville North.

“Being a player at Hopkins, you’re held to a high standard,” senior guard Xavier Johnson said. “You have to work hard every day, focus every day and learn to play a way not a lot of high school teams play.”

After the buzzer, senior Amir Coffey climbed a ladder, scissors in hand, preparing to cut his slice of the Target Center net.

Coffey struggled for a moment separating the thread. Even in victory, things aren’t always easy.

Sometimes that makes it all the more sweet.

“Like Coach said, when you’re not winning state championships, everyone looks at the team or the program like, ‘What’s wrong with you guys?’ ” Coffey said “We haven’t won in a while. It’s a real good feeling to do that, especially with this group of guys.”


Source ; startribune.com

John Boehner Endorses Fellow Ohioan John Kasich

John Boehner, the former speaker of the House, shown on Capitol Hill in June, endorsed Gov. John Kasich of Ohio on Saturday.Credit

WEST CHESTER, Ohio – On Saturday afternoon, John Boehner, the former speaker of the House, posted an image of himself on Instagram pushing a lawnmower and boasting, “My first cut of the year. My grass is perfect!!!!”

That evening, in one of his few public appearances since he resigned from Congress under pressure last year, Mr. Boehner endorsed Gov. John Kasich in Ohio’s Republican primary on Tuesday.

In a low-key speech to the Republican Party of Butler County, meeting here in his hometown, Mr. Boehner avoided any mention of the front-runner for the nomination, Donald J. Trump, nor did he allude to the anti-establishment uprising roiling the party nationally or in Ohio, where Mr. Kasich, despite his popularity, is fighting for his political life.

“I’m not really interested in getting in the middle of all this,’’ Mr. Boehner said. He went on to say that he had voted for Mr. Kasich, casting an early ballot, based on their years of friendship, including 18 years overlapping in Congress.

Mr. Kasich, a two-term governor who enjoys high approval ratings in Ohio, has called out nearly the entire Republican apparatus in the state to support his candidacy.

Mr. Boehner has kept a low profile since he stunned Republicans last year by announcing he would step down from the House, averting a possible government shutdown and breaking with elements of his party that rejected any deals with Democrats.

Paradoxically, the no-compromise wing of the Republican Party helped fuel the rise of Mr. Trump, whose supporters believe that only a total Washington outsider can end government dysfunction.

Deborah McGillvary, who attended a Trump rally on Saturday outside Dayton, said Mr. Boehner had disappointed her. “I think he became very weak in his attempt to try to pacify everybody,’’ she said. “He just let down the entire Republican Party.’’

The race to succeed Mr. Boehner in Ohio’s eighth district, which includes suburban Cincinnati and rural communities, has more than a dozen candidates who will be on the primary ballot on March 15. They represent Tea Party and other anti-establishment factions that undermined Mr. Boehner’s leadership, and outside money is pouring in.

Mr. Boehner, who cracked jokes about mispronunciations of his name and his well-known tendency to shed sentimental tears, sounded deeply relieved to be out of the fray.

“I have no regrets about how I retired,’’ he said. “Every day I’m grateful that I’m not there.’’


Source : nytimes.com

Donald Trump Blames Bernie Sanders for Protests, Violence at Recent Campaign Events

Donald Trump addresses his supporters at a rally in Ohio on March 12, 2016.

The Republican presidential front-runner said in an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” Sunday that he “should get credit, not be scorned” for his handling of the tension at his events.

“You had professional disruptors, thousands of them, from Sanders and to a smaller extent, Hillary (Clinton),” he said of a Friday night event in Chicago that Trump canceled after chaos broke out there.

Trump said of conservatives: “We are treated so unfairly, and I’m treated very unfairly.”

He fired a warning shot at Sanders, suggesting that his supporters could disrupt the Vermont senator and Democratic hopeful’s events after some of the Chicago protesters brought pro-Sanders signs.

“If conservative Republicans ever went into his rally, you would see things happen that would be unbelievable,” Trump said, even as he denied that a tweet he’d posted Sunday morning saying that Sanders should “be careful” was a threat.

And he bragged that “we’ve had no injuries at my events with thousands of people.”

His comments come a week after a 78-year-old Trump supporter was arrested after video showed he sucker-punched a protester who was being escorted from a Trump event in North Carolina. (On NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Trump on Sunday told moderator Chuck Todd that he’s “instructed my people to look into” whether he could pay the man’s legal bills.)

Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, meanwhile, was accused of grabbing Breitbart journalist Michelle Fields, who tweeted photos of her bruises and filed a criminal complaint alleging she’d been assaulted.

Sanders, in an interview with Tapper on “State of the Union,” said his campaign “had nothing to do” with what happened in Chicago. He also called on his supporters to allow Trump’s events to go forward.

“I would hope that my supporters would not disrupt meetings. To protest is one thing, to disrupt is something else,” he said.

Still, Sanders said Trump carries the blame for the escalating tensions at his events.

“Even his Republican colleagues make this point: His language, his intonation, when he talks about carrying people out in stretchers … this is a man who keeps implying violence, and then you end up getting what you seek,” he said.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio also criticized Trump on “State of the Union.”

“He has turned the most important election in a generation into a circus, into a complete fiasco and a carnival,” he said.

Rubio suggested he’s considering backing off his pledge to support the Republican nominee if Trump wins the nomination.

“It’s getting harder every day to justify that statement to myself, to my children, to my family, and to the people that support me,” Rubio said.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich said on “State of the Union” that he, too, is tired of seeing Trump’s comments designed to make people “depressed and down and angry.”

“When I saw the violence in Chicago, I just had enough,” Kasich said.

Source : ktla.com

Listen to new track from ex-Vampire Weekend member Rostam

Former Vampire Weekend Rostam Batmanglij has debuted a new solo song and video called 'Gravity Don't Pull Me' - scroll down to watch it.

The video shows Rostam singing 'Gravity Don't Pull Me' against the backdrop of a dance routine choreographed and performed by YouTube dancers Jack Grabow and Sam Asa Pratt.

"This video was in some ways years in the making," Rostam said as it dropped. "In 2010 I came across a YouTube video Jack Grabow posted when he was a senior in high school of himself improvising dance to the [Vampire Weekend] song 'I Think Ur a Contra'. 

"I was really proud of the drum parts I'd written for the end of the song and I felt like he was able to capture those rhythms in a serious way - I got a feeling he understood what I was getting at in a way that I wondered if anyone ever would."

Rostam continued: "When I finished a version of 'Gravity Don't Pull Me' in the fall of 2015, Jack was one of the first people I sent it to. I was pretty clear on what I wanted – Jack to choreograph a dance to be mirrored by another dancer for a symmetrically shot performance on camera. 

"He chose to bring in Sam Asa Pratt. The two had been in the same dance club in high school and I recognised Sam from a video he'd posted of himself dancing to the song 'Osaka Loop Line' from the Discovery album."

Meanwhile, a press release from Rostam's label XL Recordings has promised that 'Gravity Don't Pull Me' will be one of a "collection of singles" the artist intends to drop in 2016. He previously released the tracks 'Wood' and 'EOS'.

Rostam announced his departure from Vampire Weekend in January, citing his desire to develop a solo career.

Source : nme.com

Porsche expects flat profits in 2016

Porsche's profit hot streak is expected to slow in 2016 as the Volkswagen Group brand is projecting flat earnings, although the financial performance is expected to remain strong overall.

The luxury automotive brand said Friday that its revenue would rise "slightly" but that earnings would "reach the same level" as 2015.

One factor dragging earnings is a multibillion-dollar investment in the Mission E ultra-luxury electric vehicle, which made a splash with critics and enthusiasts when it was revealed last year. The vehicle is viewed as Porsche's response to Tesla Motors' popular Model S electric sedan.

Though Porsche is part of the Volkswagen family of brands, which also includes Audi and several other luxury nameplates, Porsche has not suffered a noticeable blow from VW's emissions scandal.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulators have said certain models of the Porsche Cayenne contained software that was designed to cheat emissions standards, but the scandal is largely affecting the VW and Audi brands.

Porsche, in fact, reported $23.3 billion in sales for 2015, up 25% from a year earlier. It also reported an operating profit of $3.8 billion, also up 25%, with a pretax operating margin of 16%.

The brand sold more than 225,000 vehicles globally in 2015, up 19%.

Porsche CEO Oliver Blume, in a statement, called it “extraordinary results even by Porsche standards."

Still, Porsche declared that it is primarily focused on profit and not sales volume — which aligns with VW's shift away from volume in the wake of its emissions scandal.


Source : usatoday.com

Battenfeld: IndyCar sells tickets, Walsh stands by

Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh has backed down and OK’d the sale of IndyCar tickets despite promoters still lacking a single permit from the city and state to turn the Seaport District into a noisy, high-speed race course.

Walsh last November had blocked Grand Prix of Boston from selling tickets to the Labor Day weekend event, saying they needed to get signed final approvals from the city and state.

But the mayor’s office said yesterday he was informed that Grand Prix of Boston would start selling tickets to the public next week, and a spokeswoman said he did not object.

It’s unclear why Walsh reversed himself, but race promoters have been under pressure from nervous investors to get the necessary permits to hold the race. That pressure led to the promoters, city and state signing an “intent” agreement last December.

Promoters have refused to disclose their investors but say they have enough financial backing to make the race a success.

Race officials yesterday said a final agreement was imminent. It’s at least the third time promoters have asserted that deals with Walsh and state agencies were imminent or close to being signed.

The Grand Prix group also asserted in December that tickets could go on sale before the end of the year, but three months later no agreements have been signed. The promoters also may need approval from environmental agencies to build the course over a contaminated waste site behind the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.

A spokesman for the EPA did not return calls from the Herald for the past two days to answer questions about whether race promoters need to get permits from the federal agency.

Walsh personally brought the race to the city despite getting no input from Seaport District residents and he has staunchly defended it despite a series of stumbles and a change in leadership from the promoters.

Walsh’s original agreement with Grand Prix of Boston would have forced the city and state agencies to pay potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars for repaving and other street improvements. After being criticized for that deal, Walsh and promoters agreed to revoke it and now no public money will be used for the race.

A group of Seaport District residents have organized to oppose the race, saying they have concerns about the event creating major traffic problems in their neighborhood as well as race cars hurtling through the streets at up to 180 miles per hour.

Source : bostonherald.com

‘The Division' sets new video games sales record

The game has been out for less than a week and already has set new video game sales record, according to Ubisoft's own data.

The latest Tom Clancy-inspired action RPG title is the fastest selling game in Ubisoft's history.

In 24 hours, the new game has sold through more digital and physical copies than any other title, according to the company's own data.

"We're extremely happy with The Division's record-breaking launch," said David Polfeldt, Managing Director, Ubisoft's Massive studio.

The game, which is set in the aftermath of a pandemic that turns polite society inside out, features a top secret tactical group that hide among the public, called the Division, who are called upon when the future of the world looks in doubt.

The game's ambitious scale and scope--it's a third person shooter, RPG, and a massive online multiplayer rolled into one--means that development has been slow and launch dates pushed back, therefore it is little wonder that Ubisoft is being so quick to point to sales figures.

The game's performance also highlights how using closed betas in the months leading up to a hard release is a very good idea, not just for ironing out bugs but for building up buzz and excitement.

Source : dnaindia.com

'Beetlejuice 2' is not happening, despite report

Director Tim Burton speaks as he receives the SAMURAI award during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo International Film Festival in Tokyo October 31, 2014. REUTERS/Yuya Shino (JAPAN - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT SOCIETY)

Saying Beetlejuice three times (for nearly three decades) just isn’t enough.

Despite a recent report that Tim Burton himself said a "Beetlejuice" sequel is a go, FOX411 has learned that isn’t the case. 

Showbizspy.com reported the filmmaker said "Beetlejuice 2" had been approved by the Warner Bros. team and that cast members Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton were on board. Turns out, that report is a hoax. 

Burton’s publicist tells us he did not provide a "Beetlejuice 2 statement" to the website since the movie is not in development. Plus they said Burton’s focus is entirely on his other films, such as “Miss Preegrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” and “Dumbo.”

There was a similar enthusiastic reaction last year when Ryder herself alluded to there being a sequel. Fans continue to express their desire to see the ghost with the most once again they'll just have to keep waiting.

Source : foxnews.com

'GOTHAM' STARS MORENA BACCARIN, BEN MCKENZIE WELCOME FIRST CHILD

Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin at a New York screening of 'Deadpool' in February.

Baccarin also recently appeared opposite Ryan Reynolds in 'Deadpool.'

Gotham stars Morena Baccarin and Ben McKenzie have welcomed their first child, a rep for the actress confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.

Their baby girl, Frances Laiz Setta Schenkkan, was born on March 2.

"All are happy and healthy and appreciate the well-wishes," according to a statement released on behalf of the couple.

On Gotham, Baccarin and McKenzie play a couple who are also expecting a baby. Baccarin also has a two-year-old son, Julian, with her estranged husband, Austin Chick.

The actress recently appeared opposite Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool, playing Vanessa to Reynolds' Wade Wilson in the comicbook-inspired hit movie.

Source : hollywoodreporter.com

Flaked review: Netflix's other Will Arnett dramedy

There is a great funny-sad TV series to be made from Will Arnett playing a decayed self-loathing hedonist slacking through a midlife crisis in evocative Los Angeles locations. And Netflix already made that show: Bojack Horseman season 3, coming soon! Flaked neighborhood-shifts Arnett from decadent Hollywood to bohore Venice. It’s also not animated, features no talking animals, and is powers-of-ten less realistic.

Arnett plays furniture store owner Chip, a onetime drunk living a life of perpetual recovery. Flaked opens with Chip leading a meeting, explaining his own grim backstory by way of helping other addicts struggle toward recovery. Unfortunately, in its first few episodes, Flaked is mostly about Chip struggling with all the goshdarn women who can’t stop sleeping with him. It’s Californication with more tattoos and terrible.

I love Arnett; I love the weird way he can make preening narcissism look melancholy. He has a great presence onscreen: That forehead, those wild eyes, the general ambience of Patrick Wilson gone Bizarro. But Flaked is another horrid post-Togetherness dramcom that’s too cute to be serious and too lame to be funny. In one episode, there’s a gag about sticking a finger up a dog’s butt. And how about that hipster coffee? Expensive, amiright?

Full Disclosure: To write this review, I watched the first four episodes of Flaked. They are harmless. Ruth Kearney plays a bland love interest named London, and Heather Graham pops in to play Arnett’s ludicrously successful actress ex-wife. After watching four boring and aimless episodes, I figured I had seen all the show had to offer. But it turns out there is a Big Twist later in the season which simultaneously tries to “explain” the first few episodes while also removing whatever emotional resonance the show seemed to be going for. Binge at your peril.


Source : ew.com

Obama Confronts a Skeptical Silicon Valley at South by Southwest

President Barack Obama is heading to Austin, Texas, to recruit technology workers to government service at the South by Southwest festival. He may instead find himself asked to explain his administration’s high-stakes showdown with one of Silicon Valley’s biggest names.
Obama’s appearance on Friday at the event known as SXSW, the first by a sitting president, comes as the FBI tries to force Apple Inc. to help investigators crack into an iPhone used by one the assailants in December’s San Bernardino, California, deadly terror attack. Apple has appealed a magistrate court order that it assist the government, saying to do so would create a backdoor into its phones that undermines encryption technology.

Siding with Apple are technology companies including Amazon Inc., Microsoft Corp., Facebook Inc. and Google’s parent Alphabet Inc. On Thursday, the government filed a memorandum in the case arguing that Apple would need to assign as few as six workers for as little as two weeks to hack into Syed Farook’s phone.
“This burden, which is not unreasonable, is the direct result of Apple’s deliberate marketing decision to engineer its products so that the government cannot search them, even with a warrant,” government attorneys said in the filing.
Obama will be interviewed at the festival by the editor of the Texas Tribune and also take questions from the audience. South by Southwest, now 30 years old, has grown from an event to highlight local musicians and artists into one of the nation’s largest and most popular technology conferences and film-and-music festivals.

The White House has backed the FBI in its fight with Apple, but has said Obama believes it it is vital to balance privacy protections against the needs of law enforcement. Obama has not weighed in on legislation being drafted by Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, a North Carolina Republican, and the senior Democrat on the panel, Dianne Feinstein of California, which would require companies to comply with court orders asking for assistance accessing encrypted data.
Apple and other tech firms have said that building backdoors into their encrypted products could put them at a disadvantage to foreign competitors. They have also warned that China or other countries could demand similar cooperation with government investigations.

Kristie Canegallo, the White House deputy chief of staff, said on a conference call with reporters that she didn’t expect Obama to raise the Apple dispute in his remarks. But the town hall format means the question could come from an audience member.

Recruiting Coders

If Obama is confronted on the matter, it won’t be the first time his policies have caused the White House a headache at the Austin festival. In 2014, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden gave a virtual keynote speech from Russia on privacy rights. WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange also spoke remotely to the conference that year.
Still, White House officials believe that engagement with the technology sector is critical, especially if the administration is to recruit talented programmers to help modernize the federal government.

“Cooperation that exists between the government and the tech sector continues beyond the issue of encryption,” Jason Goldman, the White House’s chief digital officer, said on the call with reporters.

In recent years, Obama has hired officials from companies including Microsoft, Alphabet, and Twitter Inc. to help repair the broken HealthCare.gov enrollment system and the byzantine Veterans Affairs claims processing system, among other assignments. The administration hopes the president’s appearance at SXSW can help replenish the ranks of hundreds of technology specialists who put their Silicon Valley careers on hold for public service.
“While I’m there, I’m going to ask everyone for ideas and technologies that can help update our government and our democracy to be as modern and dynamic as America itself,” Obama said his March 5 radio address.
Haley Van Dyck, deputy administrator of U.S. Digital Service, a startup operation within the White House, said the administration wants tech workers to sign up for stints with the federal government of between three months and two years. She likened the effort to the Peace Corps.

“We are working very hard to build a tradition of public service in the tech sector where it hasn’t existed before,” said Van Dyck, who helped develop the mobile strategy for Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.

Digital Diapers

The White House has recently sought to highlight some of the administration’s technology initiatives in advance of the president’s appearance at the festival.
On Wednesday, the White House endorsed a Federal Communications Commission’s plan to allow low-income Americans to use their Lifeline phone subsidies for broadband access. The administration hopes 20 million more Americans obtain high-speed Internet through the program. And on Thursday, the administration announced it had paired online merchant Jet.com, Inc. with manufacturers to make cheaper diapers more accessible for poor families.

Earlier in the week, the administration said it would release new federal datasets for companies to use to develop applications and information tools. The White House says it wants the technology to be used to help Americans find better housing and job opportunities. And the White House said on March 9 that 15 additional cities and states had joined a federal initiative intended to pair tech employers with skilled workers.


Source : bloomberg.com

Taylor Swift to perform at F1 Grand Prix

Pop star Taylor Swift is set to perform at the United States' Formula One Grand Prix.

The 26-year-old 'Blank Space' hitmaker has been drafted in to perform at the event in Austin, Texas on Saturday October 22 and organisers hope it will help to attract spectators, reported Female First.

Circuit of the Americas chairman Bobby Epstein said, "How do we expand our audience? That's what this headliner does. In the past we have chosen headliners that are a great match with our existing demographic. But I don't need our existing demographic alone. We need the future. We think we will sell every ticket that we have got and it is because of the combination of both Formula 1 and Taylor Swift."

Source : dnaindia.com

‘Spring Break for nerds’ kicks off Friday in Austin, Texas

FILE - In this Saturday, March 14, 2015, file photo, JJ Castillo, from left, Vanessa Cottingham, and Pamela Ledbetter, wave at a Koceto Jo prototype 360-degree view video camera during the SXSW Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas. At South by Southwest Interactive, an annual tech festival dubbed “Spring Break for nerds,” eyes are on virtual reality, online privacy and, of course, the latest hot apps. The five-day festival kicks off Friday, March 11, 2016, in Austin, Texas.

NEW YORK (AP) - The smell of BBQ is in the air and talk about virtual reality, online privacy and the latest hot apps is on everyone’s minds. It’s time again for South by Southwest Interactive, an annual tech festival dubbed “Spring Break for nerds.”

The five-day festival, which kicks off Friday in Austin, Texas, is more freewheeling than other tech conferences like CES in Las Vegas and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. It’s where St. Bernards delivering Mophie smartphone chargers to festival goers - as the charger maker arranged last year - can garner as much buzz as the apps brought to fame there, including Foursquare in 2009 and Twitter in 2007.

“It’s an interesting place to see what types of things are bubbling up in technology,” said Ryan Hoover, founder of Product Hunt, a service for people to rate new tech products. “It has this mixture or collision of technology and entertainment. When different types of minds and people are connecting together, new ideas come out.”

The festival has grown larger and more corporate over the years, with sponsors including McDonald’s and Samsung, but it still draws an eclectic crowd of movers and shakers in the tech industry each year.

This year’s sessions include one on a futuristic transportation system, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, which aims to move people in a capsule inside an enclosed tube track at 760 miles per hour - faster than commercial airliners.

Twitter co-founder Biz Stone will discuss the evolution of online search, while “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” director J.J. Abrams and “The Jinx” director Andrew Jarecki will tout Jarecki’s new app for video editing and sharing, KnowMe.

Even President Obama will make an appearance, the first for a U.S. president at the festival. He plans to talk about civic engagement with the editor-in-chief of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit news outlet based in Austin.

Ethan Kurzweil, a Bessemer venture capitalist who has attended the festival for eight years, said that while South by Southwest Interactive is no longer the little-known yet influential festival it once was, “you can still hear people talking about the very-bleeding-edge consumer tech trends.”

South by Southwest Interactive is part of the larger SXSW festival, which also features sections for movies, music and games over 10 days. The interactive conference drew 33,825 registrants from more than 80 countries last year; the combined festival had about 80,000.

Organizers drew criticism several months ago when, faced with threats, they canceled two panels on harassment in online video games. In response, the festival will hold a daylong “online harassment summit” on Saturday, with a slate of panels examining the problem of online harassment.

Another hot topic will be the U.S. government’s demands that Apple create a software program to bypass security features in an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino mass shooters. One panel will focus on ways to improve the relationship between the government and the tech industry, while preserving privacy and security.

And virtual reality will continue to garner buzz, particularly as many systems such as Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Sony Playstation VR are expected to hit the market this year. Some sessions will be part of the SXSW gaming festival, which runs March 17 to 19. But the interactive festival will have such panels as “Holy light field! Creating lifelike presence in VR.” And Samsung will show off VR chairs that offer motion simulation as people wear Samsung’s $100 VR headset, Gear VR.

Source : washingtontimes.com

I think Islam hates us: Donald Trump

In yet another round of controversial remarks, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has said he thinks "Islam hates us" and asserted that those having hatred against the US cannot be allowed to enter the country.

In yet another round of controversial remarks, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has said he thinks “Islam hates us” and asserted that those having hatred against the US cannot be allowed to enter the country. (AP)

In yet another round of controversial remarks, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has said he thinks “Islam hates us” and asserted that those having hatred against the US cannot be allowed to enter the country.

“I think Islam hates us,” Trump told CNN, deploring the “tremendous hatred” that he said partly defined the religion.
Trump, 69, maintained that the war was against radical Islam, but said, “it’s very hard to define. It’s very hard to separate. Because you don’t know who’s who.”
Asked if the hate was “in Islam itself,” Trump said that was for the media to figure out.

“You’re gonna have to figure that out, OK?” he said when asked if there was hatred in the religion itself.
“We have to be very vigilant. We have to be very careful. And we can’t allow people coming into this country who have this hatred of the United States,” Trump said.
The real estate tycoon-turned politician made headlines in December when he called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the US “until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.”
Despite widespread condemnation of the remarks, Trump has stood by the proposal.

When asked yesterday to outline how he would project power overseas, Trump said “there can be no doctrine”
Trump also tried to clarify his position on how far he would go in targeting the families of terrorists.
He has said in the past that he is in favour of “expanding the laws” that govern how the US can combat and deter terrorism. Trump has also called for bringing back water-boarding, even vowing the US “should go a lot further than water-boarding.”

But Trump yesterday declined to say what specific measures he would support.
“I’ll work on it with the generals. We have to play the game at a much tougher level than we’re playing it now,” he said, without elaborating.
Meanwhile, fresh from his triple victory on Tuesday in Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii, Trump held a massive rally in Fayetteville, NC.
“Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, and Hawaii. Wow, so we’ve been winning a lot and now this week we have Florida which is an amazing place you know I mean it’s gonna be amazing and as you know we have Ohio where you have an absentee governor,” Trump said referring to his opponent and sitting Ohio Governor John Kasich.
Trump was cut off during his rally by 17 interruptions from protesters, at one point asking the crowd, “Where do these people come from?”

Outside, the protesters ejected were joined by many others protesting the billionaire shouting, “No Trump, No KKK, No Fascist USA”.

Source : financialexpress.com

Two dead in murder suicide inside Indiana engine plant

Two peopl are dead after murder suicide at a Cummins engine plant in Seymour, Indiana.

Two people are dead in a murder suicide inside an engine plant in southeast Indiana.

The shooting took place aound 8:30 a.m. Thursday inside a meeting room on the second floor of the Cummins Engine Plant in Seymour, Indiana, according to local outlet TribTown.

Two people died, one of whom was the shooter who committed suicide.

Employees at the Cummins plants in both Seymour and nearby Columbus, Ind. were on lockdown inside the building and were eventually escorted out by Indiana State police.

It’s unclear what association the shooter or the victim had with Cummins.

Source : nydailynews.com

Mental health millage passes in Ottawa County

OTTAWA COUNTY, MICH. - County voters placed an importance on mental health services when they went to the polls Tuesday.

The Ottawa County mental health millage received 45,963 (59.3 percent) yes votes to 31,497 (40.7 percent) no votes, according to unofficial election results.

The 0.3-mill levy will collect about $3.2 million annually for 10 years. Funds will go to Ottawa County Community Mental Health, which is expected to receive about $7 million in Medicaid funding cuts over the next four years.

The owner of a $100,000 taxable value home will see a $30 property tax increase.

“I am so grateful to this community for their support in passing the mental health millage,” said Lynne Doyle, executive director of Ottawa County Community Mental Health. “In doing so, we have demonstrated that mental health matters. Community Mental Health of Ottawa County will use millage dollars to provide critical support and services to individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness as well as prevention and early intervention programming for the greater community.

I am proud to live and work in a community where every citizen is valued and we help those in need,“ she continued. ”I applaud Ottawa County’s willingness to be the first in Michigan to approve a dedicated mental health millage. Thank you to those individuals and organizations that helped us to spread the word about this important issue.“

On average, CMH serves about 3,000 people a year.

Given recent funding cuts, CMH has made staffing reductions, contract out more services, and sought additional funds through grants and the millage.

Some services that will receive assistance through the millage include treatment services, prevention and early intervention services, employment services, jail services, and creating psychosocial hubs aimed at providing services for community integration and inclusion.

Grand Haven resident Genevieve Ness said it isn’t just people living with mental illnesses who receive the services, it’s also people who live with developmental disabilities.

Ness said services have been “drastically” cut, given CMH’s budget cuts, and something needs to change.

“A penny’s worth of prevention is worth a pound a cure,” she said.

Tiffany Stevens also supported the countywide proposal because of the wide-reaching affect on residents. Stevens said her brother lives with a mental illness, and she supported the measure because it stands to help him and others.

If the proposal didn’t pass, Doyle previously said they would have continued to make cuts, and seek additional funding grants.


Source : wzzm13.com

White bread, corn flakes increase lung cancer risk, study says

Foods with a high glycemic index include white bread or bagels, cornflakes and puffed rice. The index measures how quicklyblood sugar levels are raised after a meal. However, diets high in fruit and vegetables were found to decrease the risk.

London: Carbohydrates, long blamed for fuelling obesity, have now been linked to lung cancer.

A new study has revealed a 49 per cent increase in risk among people consuming a diet with a high glycemic index.

The index measures how quickly blood sugar levels are raised after a meal, and foods with a high GI include white bread or bagels, corn flakes and puffed rice.

However, diets high in fruits and vegetables were found to decrease the risk.

Lead study author Dr Stephanie Melkonian, of University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre, said: “We observed a 49 per cent increased risk of lung cancer among subjects with the highest daily GI compared to those with the lowest daily GI.

“Diets high in glycemic index result in higher levels of blood glucose and insulin, which promote perturbations in the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs).

“Previous research suggests increased levels of IGFs are associated with increased lung cancer risk.

“However, the association between glycemic index and lung cancer risk was unclear.”

In the UK, there are around 45,525 new cases of the disease diagnosed each year, while 35,371 people lose their life to the disease annually, according to Cancer Research UK.

In the US, lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women.

The study, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, is the largest ever to investigate the potential link between glycemic index and lung cancer.

Scientists surveyed 1,905 patients newly diagnosed with lung cancer and compared the results with 2,413 healthy individuals.

Senior study author Dr Xifeng Wu said: “The associations were more pronounced among subjects who were never smokers, diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma or had less than 12 years of education.

“This suggests that it is the average quality, instead of quantity, of carbohydrates consumed that may modulate lung cancer risk.”

In the US, lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women.

The study, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, is the largest ever to investigate the potential link between glycemic index and lung cancer.

Scientists surveyed 1,905 patients newly diagnosed with lung cancer and compared the results with 2,413 healthy individuals.

Senior study author Dr Xifeng Wu said: “The associations were more pronounced among subjects who were never smokers, diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma or had less than 12 years of education.
Among smokers, the risk was only elevated by 31 percent between the two groups.

While tobacco use is the leading cause of lung cancer, it fails to account for all cases, particularly in those who never smoked.

Accumulating evidence suggests that dietary factors may modulate lung cancer risk, Wu, noted.

While specific dietary recommendations cannot be made on the basis of these results, the authors suggested limiting foods and beverages with high GI.

Examples of low GI foods include whole-wheat or pumpernickel bread, rolled or steel-cut oatmeal and pasta.

Source : gulfnews.com

Trump tries to stay on message in NC amid wave of protests

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Protesters have become commonplace at Donald Trump's political rallies, but the multitude of interruptions Monday in North Carolina made it somewhat difficult for the businessman to stay on message.

A few minutes into Trump's speech on trade, jobs and foreign policy to a packed Concord area, protesters made themselves known to the crowd of thousands. As he typically does, Trump urged law enforcement and security teams to "get 'em out of here," to thunderous cheers from his supporters.

The interruptions continued every few minutes from a variety of groups, all seemingly unaffiliated and not voicing objection to any particular position. Before Trump even took the stage, a group of more than a dozen young people, of varying races and clad mostly in black and white, were escorted out of the building after linking hands and standing alongside the stage.

During Trump's speech, a man was scurried through the crowd by police officers as he made obscene gestures, raising both middle fingers. A lone woman stood and shouted in protest, her exact comments unclear. Another handful of young people were removed from a balcony. The final two people escorted from the arena held three fingers in the air in a salute linked to the Hunger Games. One of the men had on a yellow emblem reading, "Stop Islamophobia."

Trump paused at each interruption. Supporters in the area — home to the Charlotte Motor Speedway, a flagship of NASCAR, which endorsed Trump on Monday — simultaneously booed the protesters and cheered on law enforcement.

"Bye, bye," Trump said from the stage, at one interruption. "Go home to mommy," he said, as another man — a "little guy" — was removed. "Let her tuck you in bed."

Trump spent much of his time on stage discussing trade and his ability to create jobs, including here in North Carolina, where his Trump National Golf Club sits about an hour from the arena where he spoke. He also led the crowd in a pledge to cast their votes for him when North Carolina holds its primary on March 15.


Source : stltoday.com

Google's Radical Wireless Network Is Now Open to All U.S. Customers

Here’s how you can get it.

After months of an invite-only system, Google’s mobile network, Project Fi, is now letting anyone in the U.S. sign up.

The service, which Google  debuted last April, lets customers only pay for the Internet data they use instead of a bulk plan. It also comes with useful features like Wi-Fi assistant, which automatically connects the device to available Wi-Fi when possible, a tracker for how much data has been used, SIM cards for using the service’s data plan with other devices like tablets, 24/7 customer support, and the ability to use the service even when traveling abroad for the same price.

“We launched Project Fi as an invitation-only Early Access program to make sure we could deliver the best quality of service to our first customers,” said Project Fi product manager Simon Arscott in a blog post. “Today, we’re excited to be exiting our invitation-only mode and opening up Project Fi so that people across the U.S. can now sign up for service without having to wait in-line for an invite.”

The only catch is that Project Fi still only works with Google’s Nexus devices (the Nexus 6, 6P, and 5X). Conveniently, Google is now discounting the Nexus 5X to $199 to let more people get on Project Fi. The company also currently works with Sprint  S 3.93%  and T-Mobile  TMUS 0.42%  to offer dual coverage, switching between the carrier and Project Fi to offer the best coverage at any moment.

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Source : fortune.com

Zendaya cast in ‘Spider-Man’ reboot

Zendaya has been caught in the web of Sony's "Spider-Man" reboot.

The Disney Channel actress pasted her screen-tests opposite star Tom Holland, who plays the titular superhero and his alter ego Peter Parker to land a role in the franchise, Variety is reporting.

The top-secret part is not believed to have a lot of screen time in the movie that hits theaters July 28, 2017, but will grow in future sequels.
She won't be playing a new version of Peter Parker's famous love interests — Mary Jane Watson, played by Kristen Dunst in the "Spider-Man" trilogy, or Gwen Stacy, played by Emma Stone in the "Amazing Spider-Man." films.

Deadline reported that Zendaya, 20, will be playing a character named Michelle, possibly based on Parker's former roommate from the comics named Michelle Gonzalez.
The casting of Zendaya, who was famous to a generation of kids for her show, "Shake It Up!" and to her parents for her run on "Dancing With the Stars," fits with Marvel and Sony's plan to return the superhero to his comic roots as a teenager.

Spider-Man is at the center of a blockbuster deal between Marvel and Sony. To comic fans' delight, the character will be rebooted with the more popular Marvel shared cinematic universe in this summer's "Captain America: Civil War."
Sony, however, still maintains rights to the standalone "Spider-Man" films, though Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige will be a co-producer on the first flick with former Sony president Amy Pascal.

Directed by Jon Watts, the movie also will star Marisa Tomei as Aunt May.


Source : nydailynews.com

Jimmy Carter says he doesn’t need cancer treatment anymore

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said on Sunday that he will no longer need treatment for melanoma, a type of skin cancer that had spread to his liver and brain, a spokeswoman said.

The 91-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner will continue to be observed by doctors, but will not need treatment with a promising immunotherapy drug that helps the body’s immune system target cancer cells, said Deanna Congileo, spokeswoman for his nonprofit public policy center, the Carter Center.
Congileo told Reuters in an email that if doctors find that the former president’s cancer returns, he will resume treatment at Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute, where he received radiation and immunotherapy treatment from August 2015 through February, 2016. Doctors also surgically removed a portion of his liver where melanoma lesions were present.
The former president shared his news at a Sunday school class he teaches in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, Congileo said.

Carter started treatment in August for melanoma that had spread from his liver to his brain. In December, he said he was cancer-free but that he would continue to receive treatment.

At the time, Carter said he would continue to receive regular doses of pembrolizumab, a new treatment that is part of a promising class of drugs that harness the body’s immune system to fight cancer. The immunotherapy is manufactured by Merck & Co under the brand name Keytruda.

While about 30 percent of patients treated with the drug experience significant shrinkage of their cancer, only approximately 5 percent experience complete remission, said Dr. Marc Ernstoff, director of the melanoma program at the Cleveland Clinic’s Taussig Cancer Institute in Ohio who is familiar with the drug but has not been involved with Carter’s care.
Carter, a Democrat, was elected president in 1976, and served only one term. He helped negotiate the 1978 Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt.

But his presidency was clouded by economic problems and the Iranian hostage crisis, and Carter lost his 1980 re-election bid to Republican Ronald Reagan.

He has since won worldwide acclaim as a humanitarian and advocate for democracy, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002


Source : nypost.com

After ‘Downton Abbey,’ stars move on to lawbreaking roles

Michelle Dockery's new role as a sleazy ex-con on "Good Behavior," is a far cry from her coolly elegant Lady Mary on "Downton Abbey."

What’s happening to certain “Downton Abbey” stars is downright criminal.

Joanne Froggatt, the TV drama’s vulnerable Anna Bates, is morphing into a 19th-century serial killer in PBS’ “Dark Angel.” Michelle Dockery, who plays coolly elegant Lady Mary, is a sleazy American ex-convict in TNT’s “Good Behavior.” And Kevin Doyle, the good-hearted Mr. Molesley, is a bad-hearted police detective in Netflix’s “Happy Valley.”

The end of “Downton Abbey” on PBS’ “Masterpiece” tonight after six seasons means new career paths for its stars, with both the upstairs and downstairs crew embracing change-of-pace roles — although devoted viewers may want to enshrine them forever as their beloved characters.

“Anybody who’s watched and loved ‘Downton’ is going to remember these characters for the rest of their lives,” said executive producer Gareth Neame. But cast members “can’t put a pin in their career and say that’s it.”

Joanne Froggatt will portray a 19th century serial killer on PBS’ “Dark Angel.”

British actors are especially keen on variety and like “to move away from things they’ve been previously successful with,” Neame said.

Froggatt said change is part of acting’s allure.

“After playing a role that you’ve loved playing for years, there is a certain part of you that goes, ‘I fancy doing something a bit different,’ ” she said.

“After playing a role that you’ve loved playing for years, there is a certain part of you that goes, ‘I fancy doing something a bit different,’ ” she said.

That’s the path taken by Dan Stevens, who’s avoided lord-of-the-manor roles since playing Matthew Crawley in the drama’s first three seasons. Among his upcoming projects: the films “Beauty and the Beast” and sci-fi drama “Colossal,” and “Legion,” a Marvel Comics-based TV pilot for FX.

After the “Downton Abbey” finale, here’s where to find its former gentry and servants:

• Hugh Bonneville (Lord Grantham): Possibly the actor staying closest to his “Downton” pedigree, he plays Lord Louis Mountbatten in the Indian independence movie “Viceroy’s House.”

• Laura Carmichael (Lady Edith): Takes on a sibling role again in the 1940s history-based romance, “A United Kingdom,” introducing her sister to her future husband, an African prince.

• Brendan Coyle (John Bates): Plays English politician Augustine Birrell in the historical Irish film drama “The Rising.” Also in the romantic movie “Me Before You,” based on the novel by Jojo Moyes.

• Elizabeth McGovern (Lady Cora): Writing and recording her fourth album with the band Sadie and the Hotheads. In April, starting rehearsals at the National Theatre in London for “Sunset at the Villa Thalia.”

• Lilly James (Lady Rose): Takes on a classic part, Elizabeth Bennet, in an adaptation of the non-classic parody of Jane Austen’s novel, “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.” In “The Kaiser’s Last Kiss,” a German soldier falls in love with James’ Jewish Dutchwoman.

• Allen Leech (Tom Branson): In the film “Hunter’s Prayer,” based on Kevin Wignall’s novel “For the Dogs,” Leech plays the former boss of a hired assassin whose assignment goes awry.

• Penelope Wilton (Isobel Crawley): As lonely wife Pauline in the upcoming British TV series “Brief Encounters,” set in the 1980s, Wilton is one of four women whose lives are changed when they start selling exotic lingerie at house parties.



Source : chicago.suntimes.com

Sharapova set to make 'major announcement'

Russia's Maria Sharapova reacts as she watches compatriot Ekaterina Makarova play against Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands during their Fed Cup World Group tennis match in Moscow, February 6, 2016

Former tennis world number one Maria Sharapova will be holding a news conference in Los Angeles on Monday to make "a major announcement", though no other details were given by her manager on Sunday.

Sharapova's management company, IMG, declined to tell Reuters via email what topic had prompted the news conference but added: "It will be very big news."

Monday's announcement will come just four days after Sharapova said she was withdrawing from this month's BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells in California due to a persistent arm injury.

The five-times grand slam champion has been troubled by her left forearm since the start of the year when she pulled out of an Australian Open warm-up tournament in Brisbane.

Sharapova lost to Serena Williams in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in January and has not competed since then.

The 28-year-old Russian has suffered from assorted injuries over the past decade, and required shoulder surgery in 2008 that led to her being sidelined for nine months.

Sharapova also missed the second half of the 2013 season because of a shoulder injury.

Currently ranked seventh, Sharapova claimed her most recent grand slam crown at the 2014 French Open and has won 35 career titles on the WTA Tour.

She has numerous business interests off the court, including a very successful apparel collection.



Source : reuters.com

Beyonce performed at Blue Ivy's school and blew everyone away

Beyonce stopped by a fundraiser for her daughter Blue Ivy's school on Saturday to perform a medley of some of her biggest hits.

Several videos of the surprise appearance have surfaced online, and show the pop princess performing tracks like 'Crazy in Love', 'XO', 'Single Ladies' and a cover of Whitney Houston’s 'I Will Always Love You'.


Beyonce was performing for the parents at the Center for Early Education in Los Angeles in what was benefit event for the school.

It's safe to say that Blue Ivy is going to be walking into school like an absolute boss on Monday morning.



Source : tv3.ie

New Illinois AD fires football coach Bill Cubit in stunning move

Illinois head coach Bill Cubit was fired Saturday. (Bradley Leeb | The Associated Press)

Urbana, Ill. — New Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman has fired first-year football coach Bill Cubit, saying the program needs a new coach to work toward long-term success.

Whitman says in a news release Saturday he appreciated Cubit's work as interim coach last season after the firing of Tim Beckman.

Cubit told The Associated Press on Saturday he was stunned by the news. He was hired as the permanent head coach in November and received a two-year contract. Cubit says Whitman didn't provide a specific reason for the decision.

The Illini finished 5-7 last season under Cubit. He took over when Beckman was fired a week before the season began amid allegations of player mistreatment.

Whitman was hired as AD last month to replace the fired Mike Thomas.


Source : syracuse.com