Prime News of the World: November 2014

Sunday, November 30, 2014

'Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever' is the worst Christmas movie ever

Grumpy Cat would hate her movie.Like,hate-hate it.

Lifetimes weirdly meta film,Grumpy Cats Worst Christmas Everwhich comescomplete with Aubrey Plaza appearing onscreen to announce shes voicing the beloved Internet memeis, essentially, the story of one young girls attempt at making friends and saving a mall. Yep;it sounds about as interesting as it is to watch.

With Grumpy Cat narrating the young girls storyand popping in to drive cars and operate paintball gunsthe film focuses on a mall pet store and the two musicians who decide to steal a $1 million dog. Theannoying animals and even more annoying humanspull focusfrom Grumpy Cats grumpy face, justto make desperate jokes that ultimately fall flat. Which makes one wonder: If thisis Grumpy Cats Christmas, why arent we just watching Grumpy Cat walk around for two hours? (Which, by the way, would have been five times more entertaining than the actual film.)

Instead, Grumpy Cats face occasionallypopsup in the corner of the screen to review whats happened in the movieand, ultimately, to teach us a lesson about being grumpy all while making the viewer grumpier with each passingmoment. Oh, and dont forgetwhenGrumpy Cat stops the movie to tell you to tweet along with her. Hereare the hashtags: #worstchristmasever #whyamiwatchingthis

If only the secondhashtag madethis film feel acceptable to watch! Spoiler: It doesnt.

Whenthe action happens all around Grumpy Cat, she says things like, Red herring or plot point? You decide. But perhaps the smartest thing she says all movie is, If youre still watching this, I worry for you.

As for what actually happens in the film? Grumpy Cat and her human counterpart save the day, and there will probably be a sequel. Thats all you need to know. Now, go buy some Grumpy Cat merchandisebecause thats what Grumpy Catasks you to doand never watch this movieagain.

Source: http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/11/29/grumpy-cat-worst-christmas-ever/

Mickey Rourke wins boxing match in Moscow by knockout

Mickey Rourke's return to boxing was a highly expendable affair.

The 62-year-old actor on Friday won an exhibition bout in Russia by knockout, dropping his 29-year-old opponent twice with a pair of suspect-looking punches.

TV footage from the five-bout fight at a Moscow concert hall showed the "Sin City" actor trading a series of limp body blows with former California Golden Gloves champ Elliot Seymour.

Rourke's first knockdown, a puffball right to the younger brawler's ribs, came at 1:34 left in round two.

The second occurred 20 seconds later, after a wild left that sent Seymour to one knee.

Seymour kept his head down as the referee counted him out and then signaled victory for the actor-turned-pugilist.

The Russian fans, however, eagerly lapped up the "Diner' star's thin gruel, hailing Rourke with chants of "Misha!" - a nickname for Mikhail - as he exited the ring.

Seymour, who has a 1-9 record as a pro, barely landed any blows on Rourke, who said he planned to hold another four fights in Russia.

"I've got some things going on in my life so [boxing has] sort of saved me from myself," Rourke told Russian TV. "And for a man like me, it's better to live in fear than go on in shame."

Rourke's latest swing at The Sweet Science comes more than 20 years after he hung up his gloves following a three-year boxing career in the '90s.

Though he went undefeated, with six wins and two draws, Rourke blamed the stint for ruining his leading man looks and prompting him to undergo several rounds of plastic surgery.

The actor reportedly dropped 35 pounds training for the bout and had famed trainer Freddie Roach, who worked with Oscar De La Hoya and Mike Tyson, in his corner.

"I always dreamed of fighting a match in Russia,' said Rourke, whose girlfriend is Russian supermodel Anastassija Makarenko.

His skeletal appearance at a weigh-in earlier this week stunned fans who recalled his hulking physique as washed-up pro wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson in the 2008 film "The Wrestler."

However, the Hollywood heavyweight's flair for showmanship and eye-catching attire remained intact, as he sauntered to the ring in a Stetson hat, gold gloves and red-and-gold trimmed trunks bearing his nickname, "Marielito," along with the phrase "always handsome" in Spanish.

Both Rourke and Seymour were reportedly paid handsomely for the fight, but organizers remained mum on how much.

With News Wire Services

ON A MOBILE DEVICE? WATCH VIDEO HERE

JUMP TO 3:45 TO SEE THE KNOCKDOWNS

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/boxing/mickey-rourke-wins-boxing-match-moscow-knockout-article-1.2027115

Saturday, November 29, 2014

The new Star Wars trailer

It wont be released until about this time next yearDecember 15, 2015but a trailer has been released for Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Returns. The movie will pick up the story of the galaxy far, far away beginning 30 years AFTER Return of the Jedi. It will feature some of the same actors, 30 years older, who starred in that 1983 masterpiece, including Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Harrison Ford as Hans Solo, and Carry Fisher as Leia. The director is J. J. Abrams, which should be promising.

So as a public service for those of you who, like me, are hungry for fun movies (we saw Interstellar yesterday, which was interesting but fell way short of fun), I am posting the Star Wars 7 trailer after the jump.

Source: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/geneveith/2014/11/the-new-star-wars-trailer/

GameStop cashes in on 3DS exploit with $40 used game

Cubic Ninja was a mostly-forgotten 3DS game released in 2011, at least until a hacker figured out a way to use the game to crack the 3DS itself, allowing the use of homebrew applications and emulators. The price of the game has since skyrocketed in the aftermarket, and it looks like GameStop is getting in on the action.

The game is listed at at $19.99 for a new copy, which seems reasonable, but used copies of the game are going for $39.99, but "PoweUp Pro Rewards price" is only $35.99. Games used to crack systems are of course in demand right now, so why shouldn't GameStop cash in? The game was priced at $5 used as recently as Nov. 19, according to forum posts.

This isn't the first time the company has raised the priced on used games that are in high demand. GameStop priced "used" copies of Xenoblade Chronicles at $89.99, labeling it at "vintage" game.

"As always, our pricing for these games is competitive and is based on current market value driven by supply and demand," GameStop's statement explained. "PowerUp Pro members always receive a 10 percent discount and earn PUR points on pre-owned purchases."

Nintendo has pulled the game from the e-shop, meaning physical copies are the only way you can attempt the exploit. This may not last forever, though.

"I've already been talking about this for a couple of months, so it's possible they may have figured out what I've been doing," Jordan Rabet, who found the exploit, told Eurogamer. "It's just a vulnerability in a game to access a vulnerability in the system firmware. All they'd really need to do is patch the firmware, and then the game doesn't even matter."

Source: http://www.polygon.com/2014/11/26/7292621/cubic-ninja-gamestop

South Shore Polar Express

KINGSTON The South Shore Polar Express will ride the rails once again this year. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Plymouth, the popular train ride departs the Kingston MBTA station Saturday, Dec. 13, with readings of the beautiful Christmas story written by Chris Van Allsburg, a visit from Santa and fun for kids of all ages.Tickets are now on sale for this one-hour train ride on double-decker passenger cars from Kingston to Halifax and back on the MBTAs Old Colony Line. There are four ride times available: 11:45 a.m. and 1:45, 4 and 6 p.m. Individual tickets sell for $20 each. Family pack Santas Specials for the 11:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. rides are $65 for a five-pack and $115 for a 10-pack. The 4 and 6 p.m. ride family packs are $75 for a five-pack of tickets and $125 for a 10-pack of tickets. Tickets can be purchased at NorthEast Community Bank, 8 North Park Ave., Plymouth, or online at www.plymouthrotary.com.Kids are encouraged to wear their jammies over their clothes for the train ride. Elves will read the Polar Express story and present gift bags to each child. Santa Claus will also be present on the train to greet children and adults.For more information about tickets, contact Donna Ouellette (Rotary Club past president) of NorthEast Community Bank at 508-746-7400. Proceeds benefit local charities sponsored by the Rotary Club of Plymouth.

Source: http://plymouth.wickedlocal.com/article/20141129/NEWS/141128564/12424/NEWS

Greater Boston Sees Walmart, Ferguson Protests on Black Friday

By Adam Vaccaro

Boston.com Staff

November 28, 2014 3:38 PM

For many, Black Friday represents an opportunity to kickstart the holiday shopping season. For others this year, it was a chance for activism.

Protesters gathered near Massachusetts Walmart stores to demonstrate against what they consider poor treatment by the massive retailer toward its workers. At around noon in Quincy, about 25 protesters stood at the four corners of the intersection outside Granite Crossing, which has a Walmart store. Protesters held signs calling for a $15 hourly wage for store employees, and encouraged drivers to honk in support. (Some did.)

The Massachusetts protests were organized by the labor advocacy group Jobs With Justice. This marked the third year in a row that protesters demonstrated outside of Massachusetts Walmarts.

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Weymouth activist Casey Doyle, who does not work for Jobs With Justice, helped to organize the Quincy protest. Doyle told Boston.com that activists criticisms of Walmartparticularly the wages it pays its workers, and the instability of part-time workcould be applied to most retailers. But, she said, Walmarts size and notoriety make it symbolic of the broader industry. Doyle asked demonstrators and passersby to sign a petition calling for higher wages at Walmart.

Other Walmart protests happened at stores across the U.S., with many in other states organized by the labor group OUR Walmart. That group is backed by the UFCW and has some Walmart employee participation. But in the Bay State, Jobs With Justices Massachusetts executive director Russ Davis said, there were just a few Walmart employees involved in the protests. Were more there to show support, Davis told Boston.com.

A Walmart spokesperson told The Boston Globe that Black Friday protests are not an event that seems to make much difference to customers or associates.

Meanwhile, protesters in cities across the country said they were boycotting Black Friday as a result of a grand jury decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson for killing teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. They instead headed to retail outlets to protest.

In Boston, a group of at least 75 people gathered at the Prudential Center to demonstrate before marching down commerce-heavy Newbury Street, with chants such as No justice, no peace, no racist police, and Black lives matter. The group then marched back toward the Pru on Boylston Street, stopping outside the Apple Store for further demonstrations. A police officer on the scene told Boston.com that the protest was very peaceful.

Source: http://www.boston.com/business/news/2014/11/28/greater-boston-sees-walmart-ferguson-protests-black-friday/u5tjljPHiDwz4257f8ulYM/story.html

Friday, November 28, 2014

49ers CEO apologizes for the team's embarrassing Thanksgiving loss

(Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports)

San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York was utterly disappointed with the way the his team took the field on Thanksgiving night. The teams 19-3 loss puts them in a rather precarious position with the playoffs losing.

It was also just an atrocious game to watch.

San Francisco managed just 164 total yards of offense and didnt even make it out of their half of the field until the middle of the third quarter.

As far as terrible games go, this was one for the ages. York decided to tweet an apology to 49ers fans after the carnage ended.

How did the San Francisco coaching staff feel about Yorks apology? Jim Harbaugh chose to ignore it.

I dont know anything about the tweet. Jim Harbaugh responding to @JedYork They played better as a team than we did

Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) November 28, 2014

Colin Kaepernick, whose most reliable receiver during the game was Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, agreed with York.

Kaepernick agreed with Jed York's unacceptable/apology tweet: "It's not acceptable. We didn't play well. We have much higher standards"

Cam Inman (@CamInman) November 28, 2014

And for those of you who love a good controversy, the local Bay Area media has you covered.

The last time Jed York offered up words like that, Mike Singletary wasn't the head coach much longer. Not saying this is exactly the same

Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) November 28, 2014

Enjoy your weekend, Niners fans.

Colin Kaepernick, Jed York, Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, NFL

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Source: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/11/49ers-ceo-apologizes-for-the-teams-embarrassing-thanksgiving-loss

Thanksgiving trivia: There's a reason turkey (the bird) and Turkey (the ...

Thanksgiving trivia: Theres a reason turkey (the bird) and Turkey (the country) share aname

(CNN) When the guests around your Thanksgiving table are busy stuffing their bellies today, heres one way to break the lull in conversation: dazzle them with some tasty turkey trivia.

Heres 9 to get you started. We bet you theyll eat them up!

1. A tradition is born: TV dinners have Thanksgiving to thank. In 1953, someone at Swanson misjudged the number of frozen turkeys it would sell that Thanksgiving by 26 TONS! Some industrious soul came up with a brilliant plan: Why not slice up the meat and repackage with some trimmings on the side?Thus, the first TV dinner was born!

2. Going shopping?: Not if youre a plumber. Black Friday is the busiest day of the year for them, according to Roto-Rooter, the nations largest plumbing service. After all, someone has to clean up after household guests who overwhelm the system.

3. This land is my land: There are four places in the United States named Turkey. Louisianas Turkey Creek is the most populous, with a whopping 435 residents. Theres also Turkey, Texas; Turkey, North Carolina; and Turkey Creek, Arizona. Oh, lets not forget the two townships in Pennsylvania: the creatively named Upper Turkeyfoot and Lower Turkeyfoot!

4. Leaving a legacy: When Abe Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday, it was thanks to the tireless efforts of a magazine editor named Sarah Josepha Hale. Her other claim to fame? She also wrote the nursery rhyme, Mary Had a Little Lamb.

5. Gobble, gobble?: Not so fast. Only male turkeys, called toms, gobble. Females, called hens, cackle.

6. Bens bird: If Ben Franklin had his way, the turkey would be our national bird. An eagle, he wrote in a letter to his daughter, had bad moral character. A turkey, on the other hand, was a much more respectable bird.

7. Born in the U.S.A.: Thanksgiving is not just an American holiday. Canadians celebrate it too. Except they do it the second Monday in October.

8. Dont blame the bird: You stuffed yourself, and now youre feeling sleepy, very sleepy. But it aint the tryptophan in the turkey. In fact, chickens have more tryptophan. Youre groggy because you overate. And digesting all that grub takes a lot of energy.

9. Talking turkey: Why is it called a turkey? Oh boy, this will take some explainin. Back in the day, the Europeans took a liking to the guinea fowls imported to the continent. Since the birds were imported by Turkish merchants, the English called them turkeys. Later, when the Spaniards came to America, they found a bird that tasted like those guinea fowls. When they were sent to Europe, the English called these birds turkeys as well.

Source: http://fox13now.com/2014/11/27/thanksgiving-trivia-theres-a-reason-turkey-the-bird-and-turkey-the-country-share-a-name/

Top places to eat Thanksgiving dinner in the US

You were expecting something else? At 75 Chestnut in Boston, tradition comes with a side of pilgrim cranberry-orange sauce.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

About 15 million Americans eat out for the biggest meal of the year
Convenience and the chance to enjoy family freed from cooking obligations are reasons most cited
In Chicago, Primehouse's four-course Thanksgiving menu includes pumpkin bisque with crab and crostini
There's a pie buffet at Akasha in Los Angeles

(CNN) -- If a reservation feels like the best thing you could make for Thanksgiving dinner this year, you're not alone.

According to the National Restaurant Association (NRA), 15 million Americans opt to dine out for the biggest meal of the year.

That's not including the additional 4 million takeout customers on Thanksgiving or all the happy soloists giving thanks at places like Taco Bell, Burger King or KFC.

The top stated reason?

Convenience and the chance to enjoy family freed from yellow Playtex handcuffs -- not to mention complex mathematical formulas dictating appropriate turkey cooking time.

But the pleasures of good eating (cooked and served by attentive strangers) are right up there too.

We scoured up high and down low for some of the tastiest looking out-of-home Thanksgiving Day prix fixe feasts across the United States.

These seven will get you started.

Georgia Brown's: Uniting a divided city for 20 years.

Georgia Brown's (Washington, D.C.)

Could Washington, D.C., the civic embodiment of America's differences as a nation, possibly provide an amiable setting for a holiday reputed for its dinner-table discord?

Well, a reassuring cast of Washingtonians will be joining hands and giving thanks together at this Low Country cuisine institution that's hosted one of the heartiest Thanksgiving feasts for the last 20 years just two blocks away from the White House.

Starters include she crab soup, fried green tomatoes or catfish fingers.

Then you can choose from one of five entrees -- including turkey (roasted or fried), crab-stuffed flounder, prime rib, country ham or black-eyed pea cakes for vegetarians.

Soul food sides and cobbler for dessert mean you'll barely be able to waddle out to the car.

Georgia Brown's, 950 15th St., NW Washington; +1 202 393 4499; $45 ($20 children 10 and under)

75 Chestnut: We got your American tradition right here.

75 Chestnut (Boston)

Deep in New England blueblood country, this converted redbrick-townhouse-turned-cozy-local-bistro-where-everyone-knows-your-name doesn't shy away from serving old school American comfort food faves like quahog chowder to its regular Beacon Hill clientele on the fourth Thursday of the month -- or doing something equally creative with a goose.

This year's Thanksgiving meal (between 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.) leans a little more standard, kicking off with harvest pumpkin bisque and reaching a crescendo with roasted turkey and walnut stuffing, giblet gravy and pilgrim cranberry-orange sauce, before concluding with rum raisin pudding with fresh berries and chocolate sauce.

Or just go with the pumpkin pie.

Either way, see you next week for Wine Wednesday.

75 Chestnut, 75 Chestnut St., Beacon Hill, Boston; +1 617 227 2175; $55 (half price, half portions for children 6 to 12, free for children 5 and under)

Akasha (Los Angeles)

Two words: pie buffet.

First, it's OK to feel good about gluttony at this hip Culver City restaurant renaissance leader that specializes in New American comfort food with all the organic, sustainable, locally sourced fixins that'll make you want to stuff your face in Birkenstocks.

Akasha's creative and relatively guilt-free Thanksgiving feast (not to worry, they offer a mac and cheese side dish) features starters like heirloom squash and leek bisque with spiced pumpkin seeds and a fuyu persimmon and pomegranate salad with Humboldt fog goat cheese and hazelnuts.

Herb-roasted turkey comes from a local farm and is accompanied by chestnut and sage stuffing, Yukon gold mashed potatoes and cranberry-lemon chutney.

If that's too irresponsible, you can stick with the herb-roasted king oyster and hen of the woods mushrooms with baby pumpkins and chestnut-and-herb stuffing before closing with a vegan dark chocolate tart.

Akasha, 9543 Culver Blvd., Culver City, California; +1 310 845 1700; 1-7 p.m.; $65 ($35 children 12 and under)

The Skillet (Mountain View, Arkansas)

The most inviting-looking public Thanksgiving event in the heart of Arkansas Mountain Country (because we know you were wondering) will be in full force again this year at Ozark Folk Center State Park -- a living history facility dedicated to preserving the rich natural and cultural heritage of the Ozarks and the scenic town of Mountain View, aka "The Folk Music Capital of the World."

The huge Thanksgiving buffet (11 a.m.-3 p.m.) at the park's restaurant, The Skillet, is a no-nonsense, priced-right assortment of artery-shocking staples -- fried chicken, beef tips, ham steak with grilled pineapple, candied yams and buttered carrots.

If you're not full, you can come back at 7 p.m. for the Gospel Concert, featuring an equally hearty lineup of local musical guests.

The Skillet, 1032 Park Ave., Mountain View, Arkansas; +1 800 264 3655; $15.95 ($8.95 kids 9 and under)

Mohegan Manor (Baldwinsville, New York)

Want to preserve the tradition of carving the turkey while abandoning every other Thanksgiving Day responsibility?

At Mohegan Manor you can prix fixe an entire five-foot round table with up to seven loved ones and your own dedicated 15- to 16-pound tableside turkey.

Stuffing, squash, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy and green bean amandine play backup, while apple and pumpkin pies close out the festivities.

Perhaps best is that anything you don't eat goes home with you, preserving yet another Thanksgiving tradition: Leftovers Month.

Mohegan Manor, 58 Oswego St., Baldwinsville, New York; +1 315 857 0079; noon-2 p.m.; $199 for up to 8 people

Primehouse: Thanksgiving classic.

Primehouse (Chicago)

Renown for its hand-selected, dry aged steak -- the turkey of the Plains -- David Burke's culinary canvas also offers the steak of the forest: turkey!

Specifically, roasted turkey breast and leg confit with giblet gravy, as well as a cider-brined pork chop, pan-seared salmon or the filets and ribeyes that are the restaurant's mtier.

Primehouse's four-course Thanksgiving menu also features pumpkin bisque with crab and crostini, peppered Wagyu carpaccio and family-style side dishes like herb stuffing, mac and cheese and whipped potatoes, on which it has been scientifically proven humans cannot get full.

Polish off the whole thing with pumpkin cheesecake, maple creme brulee or glazed chocolate cake and you'll earn yourself a take-home turkey sandwich for later, which is included.

Primehouse, 616 N. Rush St., Magnificent Mile, Chicago; +1 312 660 6000; $60 ($20 children 12 and under, free for children 5 and under)

Wrigley Mansion: Sonoran dessert.

Wrigley Mansion (Phoenix)

The former winter residence of chewing-gum goliath William Wrigley is now an event space, ghost house and Thanksgiving Day staple, with 360-degree mountainside vistas over greater Phoenix.

Thanksgiving service is served buffet-style, offering breakfast items as well as traditional Thanksgiving fare across three seatings, at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Brunch/dinner features turkey, prime rib and leg of lamb, but also omelets, salads and a cold seafood assortment of oysters, mussels and other shell dwellers.

Mimosas are bottomless and the assortment of sweets is as vast as the Sonoran desert. Sonoran desserts, if you will.

Wrigley Mansion, 2501 E. Telawa Trail, Camelback East, Phoenix; $75 ($37.50 for kids 6 to 12, free for children 5 and under)

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/26/travel/best-thanksgiving-restaurants/

Thursday, November 27, 2014

New Orleans Saints vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: Breaking Down New Orleans' Game ...

For the first time in four weeks, the New Orleans Saints will hit the road this Sunday as they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field.

The Saints dropped all three contests in their recent homestand, and coach Sean Paytons club is reeling as it heads into this tough Week 13 matchup.

New Orleans (4-7) is coming off a 34-27 Monday night defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens. Even though the Saints are struggling, they still sit at the top of the NFC South division, along with the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons presently hold the tiebreaker, however, courtesy of their Week 1 victory over the Saints.

Getting to 5-7 will undoubtedly be difficult for New Orleans, as the Steelers (7-4) pose some steep challenges on both sides of the ball.

As Payton and his coaching staff game-plan, theyre not likely to find many favorable matchups, but the Saints certainly aren't without options. We'll take a look at some of them here.

Defensively, the Saints havent been able to stop anyone from doing anything in recent weeks. They gave up big play after big play to the San Francisco 49ers, Cincinnati Bengalsand the Ravens, all on the Saints home turf.

The going wont be any easier this week, as Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger commandeers a balanced offense that features highly productive running back Le'Veon Bell and explosive wideout Antonio Brown.

Theres no getting around the fact that the New Orleanscornerbacks struggle on a weekly basis, and theres no reason for the Saints to count on them playing well in Pittsburgh. The team's run defense, meanwhile, has been nonexistent over the past three games.

It stands to reason that in order to take some pressure off Drew Brees and the offense, the New Orleans defense must find ways to put Roethlisberger on his back.

New Orleans pass rush hasnt been nearly as effective as it was last season, but the Saints do possess some capable athletes along the defensive front. Against Pittsburgh, they need to find ways to utilize them better.

Stunts, in particular, have been beneficial at times to the Saints front four this season.

Ends Cam Jordan and Akiem Hicks, along with outside linebacker Junior Galette, have demonstrated a knack for making big plays off stunts, such as this one against the Carolina Panthers in Week 9.Here, Galette (black arrow) lines up wide next to Hicks (yellow arrow). Panthers tight end Greg Olsen (blue) is in the backfield next to quarterback Cam Newton.

At the start of the play, both players rush ahead, and the Panthers appear to have them well-accounted for. Galette, however, suddenly plants his outside leg and executes a delayed stunt with Hicks.

Olsen has anticipated Galette to charge hard to the outside, but after the stunt, the Carolina tight end is too far outside to get a body on Hicks, whos already advanced up the field.

This leaves Hicks one-on-one with Panthers left tackle David Foucault, and the explosive 325-pounder then bull-rushes his way to the quarterback for a sack.

The Saints havent utilized stunts like this nearly enough this year. With their hopes for a successful season seemingly slipping away, Sunday would be a great time to run a few more of them.

On the offensive side of the ball, one of the keys to the game for New Orleans will be to revitalize its once-strong ground game.

After three consecutive games with at least 100 yards rushing, Mark Ingram has cooled off as of late. The Saints' featured ball-carrier hasn't reached the 100-yard mark in the past two games combined, and he was nearly swallowed whole by the Ravens' suffocating defensive front last Monday.

Thanks to a dominant run defense, Baltimores pass-rushers were able to pin their ears back and come after Drew Brees with reckless abandon.

The results werent pretty for the Saints, as Brees was dropped for four sacks and was hit eight times. He was under constant duress, and despite his 420 passing yards, he wasnt able to find the end zone enough to keep pace with the Ravens offense. He also tossed a crucial interception that was returned for a touchdown.

Steelers defensive coordinator d**k LeBeau is one of the most accomplished defensive minds in the history of the game. One of his greatest strengths is his ability to adapt his defenses to counter the strengths of opposing offenses while at the same time exploiting their weaknesses. h**l almost certainly be focused on finding ways to pressure Brees and slow down the Saints potent pass offense.

In order to keep the Steelers pass-rushers from turning Brees into chopped liver, New Orleans must be able to establish some semblance of a ground game. Otherwise, a repeat of last Monday is a realistic scenario for the Saints.

Predictability based on personnel has been one of the problems of the New Orleans running game in recent weeks. If the Saints line up in an I formation with Ingram at tailback, its almost a certainty that theyll attempt to ram him through the A- and B-gaps.

The Saints need to flip the script and hit the Steelers with something theyre not expecting.Draws from the shotgun and delayed handoffs from under center are viable options.

Now, this isnt to suggest that the Saints wholly abandon their downhill running game with Ingram. They just need to mix some other elements into their rushing attack and keep the Steelers guessing.

A more well-rounded ground game will help keep Pittsburghs pass-rushers from coming full speed ahead after Brees. With just a little more time in the pocket, h**l be better equipped to do what he does best, which is push the ball down the field and into the end zone. Better pass protection will also serve to decrease the chances of Brees tossing a critical interception.

Sundays contest in Pittsburgh will be far from a walk in the park for Sean Paytons struggling football team. But if the Saints break precedent and shake some things up, they may catch the Steelers off guard and give themselves a chance.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2282102-new-orleans-saints-vs-pittsburgh-steelers-breaking-down-new-orleans-game-plan

Al Sharpton's lies help no person, improve no situation: James Varney

Al Sharpton, who passes as a reputable journalist over at MSNBC, was on the network Tuesday night talking about "undermined credibility." On that he should be considered an expert witness.

Flat-out lies aren't going to improve any situation, but then Sharpton thrives on injury not healing. He can't be dismissed as an easy or ancillary target, either, when MSNBC pays him and gives him a platform, when he isinvited to the White House by the president of the United States, and when he is permitted such a large role by the family of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.

Sharpton was a minor league provocateur when he hit it big with Tawana Brawley in 1987. Brawley was a 15-year-old black woman living outside of New York City who, looking to dodge trouble at home after sneaking out, scrawled racist signs on herself, crawled into a bag and, when discovered, claimed she had been gang raped by white men.

The whole story was obviously a hoax. There are racists in the Northeast as surely as there are racists in the Deep South, but what Brawley claimed was off the charts; it bore no resemblance to the reality of life in that place and time.

Her story should have been denounced at once. Instead, Sharpton and two black attorneys became spokesmen for Brawley. They fanned her story, leveling outrageous accusations against people. Too afraid to be labeled racists, most white people shook their heads; for a long time, the liberal press was complicit with Sharpton's charade.

The entire toxic situation, in other words, was allowed to fester. Rather than cut it short immediately and state forcefully it is not true that white men routinely gang rape black teenage girls, write on them with feces and toss them shocked and dazed into bags, authorities treated Sharpton and his retinue seriously.

A false narrative thus setback race relations. The mood was very tense - I lived in the area at the time - until finally The New York Times summoned the courage to do what it should have done at the beginning - namely, expose Sharpton's and Brawley's claims as complete fabrications.

Sharpton would go on tobloody his hands in a Harlem fire that claimed 8 lives. Most recently, The Times published a front-page story suggesting he is a tax cheat.

He's done real damage, however. The fact he has been allowed to prosper while trafficking in lies has created the environment in which lies are apparently ok if they allegedly illuminate some larger truth.

This is what has happened with Michael Brown. Dorian Johnson, Brown's companion on that regrettable, fateful day fabricated a story about the encounter with police officer Darren Wilson. Brown was supposedly cooperative, his hands in the air in a universal symbol of surrender.

Wilson gunned Brown down in cold blood, according to this version. It was murder.

Johnson's tale was a lie, but it is believed by some and has come to symbolize for some what happened. This is the Sharpton method.

There are violent incidents involving black men and police. That is true. But it is not true, as I heard another woman claim on MSNBC this week, that black men are gunned down by police officers every day. That is the Sharpton method.

Lies help nothing. Lies do not advance a cause. Sharpton has an ongoing history peddling lies about race in the United States and his influence is thus noxious.

White people lie about race, too. American history is studded with examples of such terrible behavior: white people lied about the Scottsboro boys, they lied about Emmett Till.Susan Smith lied after killing her own kids.

Such inglorious history, however, is no justification for Sharpton and others lying about Brawley and Brown. It is impossible for lies to reflect a larger truth. His poisonous tales are no better than those spread by white racists and, like them, he should be denounced and discredited.

James Varney can be reached at jvarney@nola.com

Source: http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2014/11/al_sharptons_lies_help_no_pers.html

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Justice Ginsburg has stent placed in heart

By CNN Staff

updated 11:21 AM EST, Wed November 26, 2014

Washington (CNN) -- Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 81, underwent a heart procedure Wednesday morning to have a stent placed in her right coronary artery.

A blockage was discovered after Ginsburg "experienced discomfort during routine exercise" Tuesday night and was taken to the hospital, according to a release from the Supreme Court.

Ginsburg is resting "comfortably" at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and is expected to be released in the next 48 hours.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Fast Facts

Since being sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice in 1993, Ginsburg has been treated for colon cancer and pancreatic cancer.

She said in an interview this summer she has no plans of retiring soon.

"As long as I can do the job full steam...I think I'll recognize when the time comes that I can't any longer. But now I can," she told Elle magazine.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/26/politics/ginsburg-heart-stent/

The 'Jurassic World' trailer is terrifyingly awesome

Jurassic World doesnt hit theaters until June of 2015, but that shouldnt dampen your excitement in any way, shape, or form.

The story takes place 22 years after the original Jurassic Park, and everything on the island is fine and good and totally safe for a small child to visit alone without his parents. When attendance begins to dip at the park, the corporation in charge tries to create a new attraction and things go horribly wrong again.

Universal Studios dropped the films first trailer on audiences on Tuesday, and while you cant know the soul of a movie in under three minutes, you can be suitably terrified.

For example

Beforechild protagonist Zach is sent to Jurassic World alone, he is ominously told by his mother to run for his life if anything starts chasing him

When this Sea World exhibit turns into your worst nightmare times one billion

When Chris Pratt shows up. OK, Chris Pratt isnt terrifying, but dont pretend that you didnt excitedly exclaim Hey! Thats Chris Pratt! when Chris Pratt appeared. You did. We all did. Its OK.

When Chris Pratt gets chased by the super dinosaur. CHRIS PRATT RUN! You still have to be in Guardians of the Galaxy 2.

When Zach is cornered by the super dinosaur. Zach, you have the worst parents.

Very scary trailer, that will leave audiences suitably intrigued, terrified, and wanting more. There are some concerns. Namely, the idea of a super intelligent, genetically advanced, progressive specimen chasing people on an island sounds a lot like Predator. Well, it is Predator.

That said, its totally unfair to assume anything off of a two minute preview. Pretty much every movie ever made has been compared to another movie. If thats Jurassic Worlds biggest flaw, then its probably going to be awesome.

Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, Trending, Culture

Want more stories like this?

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Source: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/11/jurassic-world-trailer-chris-pratt-jurassic-park-awesome

Protesters torch police car in another tense night in Ferguson

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Despite the violence and looting, people say they are not afraid to come out
Volunteers helped clean up vandalized stores and eateries
Activists also took to streets across the country

Editor's note: Are you there? Please share photos, videos and thoughts with CNN iReport if you can do so safely.

[Breaking news update 12:20 a.m. ET]

St. Louis police have identified a man who was found shot to death and set on fire. Police Chief Jon Belmar told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper that he isn't discounting the possibility that the death was linked to the violence that ravaged Ferguson on Monday night. Deandre Joshua, 20, was found Monday night behind the wheel of a Pontiac in a parking lot, just down the street from Canfield Green Apartments where Michael Brown was killed by Officer Darren Wilson. Joshua had been shot in the head, police said. An accelerant was used to light him on fire, but the fire went out on its own, police said. He had burns to his arm, fingers and both legs.

[Updated 11:30 p.m. ET ]

As midnight approaches, the tension here gets thicker. Everyone fears that just like Monday, things could turn violent at any moment.

Outside the City Hall, crowds flip a police cruiser on its side briefly, broke out its windows, then set it on fire. Police move in quickly to put it out. They use pepper gas and tell the crowd over loudspeakers to disperse.

"Refuse to leave and you will be subject to arrest," the voice says.

"Let's go," some in the crowd shout as they disperse.

National Guardsmen in full riot gear stand in a line at the Ferguson Police Department. In front of them, a row of police officers, also in riot gear. Just one lane of road separates them from hundreds of protesters.

"We are not your enemy," they chanted. "We just want justice."

Despite the building tension, people say they are not afraid to come out and "stand up against injustice."

"I feel people have every right to get violent. It's a form of retaliation," said Shannon White, 20. "People are tired of being treated this way by the system."

Veronica Wintersheidt, 29, and her husband braved cold temperatures to show their solidarity.

"We live in a world of white privilege," she said. "So it's difficult for us to judge."

Cars pass the protesters honking their horns. Every few minutes, the crowd eruptsin chants of "Mike Brown."

At one point, protest organizers attempted to call for four and a half minutes of silence to honor Brown -- his body lay on the street for four and half hours after he was shot . But the crowd was too restless, too worked up to remain quiet.

Earlier in the day, volunteers helped clean up vandalized stores and eateries and board up broken windows and doors.

Some residents carried guns and said volunteers were out protecting houses on the streets off South Florissant Road.

Armed men carrying assault rifles paced the roof of Beauty World, a store that was badly damaged in Monday's protests.

Customers inside Marley's said they were not afraid to be out even as the noise of police sirens and helicopters fill the air. This was, they said, their community, and no one was going to take it away from them.

CNN saw two protesters arrested after they refused to get out of the street. Most others returned to the sidewalk when asked to do so by police.

Avoiding a repeat

Throughout the day, authorities scrambled resources in a bid to prevent a repeat of the violence that erupted in the wake of the grand jury's decision in the Michael Brown shooting.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon ordered additional National Guardsmen to the area, boosting their numbers from 700 to 2,200.

"We are bringing more resources to Ferguson and other parts of the region to prevent a repetition of the lawlessness experienced overnight," the governor said. "We must do better and we will."

Nationwide protests

Demonstrations devolved into chaos late Monday after it was announced that the grand jury had decided not to indict Darren Wilson in the shooting death of 18-year-old Brown. Wilson, a white police officer, shot and killed Brown, a black teenager, on August 9.

In Ferguson, buildings were burned. Stores were looted and shots were fired. Activists also took to streets across the country, with dozens and dozens of protests in several states.

"They have given us no justice! We will give them no peace," protesters chanted as they massed in front of the Underground Atlanta shopping district in Atlanta.

In the New York area, they briefly blocked one of the entrances to the Lincoln Tunnel.

"We are on the side of Michael Brown to fight for what is right," the Rev. Al Sharpton said in front of Brown's family, earlier Tuesday. ".... "We may have lost round one, but the fight is not over."

The vast majority of protests in the weeks after Brown's death have been peaceful. And authorities hope to keep it that way.

"All agree that the violence we saw in the areas of Ferguson last night cannot be repeated," Nixon said.

Complete coverage of what's happening in Ferguson

Moni Basu reported from Ferguson. CNN's Holly Yan, Dana Ford, Greg Botelho, Sara Sidner, Rachel Clarke, Ralph Ellis, Dave Alsup, Steve Almasy, Jason Hanna and Evan Perez contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/25/justice/ferguson-grand-jury-decision/

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

New Orleans Saints Prove on MNF They Lack Mental, Physical Toughness to ...

The stage was set.

The Mercedes-Benz Superdome was packed with typically rowdy fans.

The New Orleans Saints had a nationalMonday Night Footballtelevision audience, and the NFC South division lead there for the taking.

They didn't take it.

The Saints' defensive line was bullied by the Baltimore Ravens' run-blockers; often-overlooked Ravens tailback Justin Forsett had his coming-out party at the Saints' expense. New Orleans' secondary couldn't keep a lid on either of the Ravens' speedy Smiths.

The Saints' offensive line could neither open holes for any of its tailbacks nor protect quarterback Drew Brees.That constant pressure eventually forced Brees off his game, inducing him to throw an awful pick-six that proved to be the margin of victory.

Now 4-7, only the Saints' placement in the historically bad NFC South is keeping their playoff hopes aliveand their clunker under the prime-time lights proved they don't have what it takes to win in the postseason, anyway.

Out of Character

There was no more fitting venue for Week 12s Monday Night Football than the city of New Orleans.

As the teams took the field, the Kansas City Chiefs were reeling from news that star safety Eric Berry would miss the rest of the season with a "possible" cancer diagnosis, via Marissa Payne of The Washington Post, andthe Buffalo Bills were honoring hundreds of displaced western New York families by dominating a make-up game in Detroit.

No city better knows how to contextualize football amidst real-life concerns, or how healingand unitingfootball can be in such times.Unfortunately for Saints fans, the team that took the field bore little resemblance to the championship-caliber, team-first squads that have inhabited the Superdome ever since its rebuilding.

Head coach Sean Payton is rightly praised as one of the brightest offensive minds in the game, and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan single-handedly recast the Saints defense from pushover to predator in 2013.Yet, neither Payton's offense nor Ryan's defense played as a cohesive whole against the Ravens.

With the season nearly three-quarters over, the Saints still have no consistent, logical approach to the running game; tailbacks Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas shared just 16 carries and gained only 46 yards.Outside of a 67-yard end-around by receiver Joe Morgan, and three Brees scrambles, the Saints were entirely one-dimensional.

Brees, as always, was statistically fantastic in that dimension, despite being sacked four times. He completed 77.8 percent of his 45 pass attempts for a whopping 9.3 average yards per attempt and three touchdowns. He completed passes to 10 different Saints, per NFL.com.

The only real blemish on his evening? The fateful pick-six to Will Hill:

"As a competitor," Brees said in his postgame press conference, broadcast on ESPN, "You have to have the mental wherewithal to move past those bad plays."

Instead, Brees' brain freeze handed the Ravens a third-quarter lead they'd never relinquish.

On the following possession, Brees was sacked on back-to-back plays, forcing a quick punt and setting up a Ravens field goal. The Saints then drove down to the Ravens' 15-yard line, but they couldn't get it done in the red zone. Rather than go for it on 4th-and-5, Payton elected to kick the field goal and trust his defense to get a stop.

Instead of answering the bell, his defense threw in the towel.The Ravens drove 80 yards for a score in just six plays. Yet, they somehow drained 3:40 off the clock, giving Brees and the offense 2:53 in which to score 14 points.

It didn't happen.

Out of Their League

Physically, the Saints were dominated.

For four quarters, Brees ran for his life, and his tailbacks ran into a purple wall. On the other side of the ball, the powerful Ravens' offensive line had its way with the Saints' front seven.

With running lanes blown wide-open, Forsett exploded for 182 yards and two touchdowns on just 22 carries. For those not near a calculator, that's a mind-blowing 8.3 average yards per carryand before you suspect an inflated average, his longest run was just 38 yards.

Saints pass-rusher Junior Galette got one sack, but beyond that Joe Flacco was unbothered; he was a clinical 18-of-24 for 243 yards and pivotal in this incredible Steve Smith touchdown:

The Saints secondary has some talented pieces, but no secondary can cover for a toothless pass rush and tissue-paper run-stuffers. Brees is as good as it gets, but he can only score so many points by himselfand he can only play flawlessly for so long.

Payton and Ryan have to find a way to get their units playing Saints football.

Out of Answers?

In Payton's turn at the postgame mic, he refused to identify the fundamental problems with his team, let alone how they'd be addressed.

"That's for this locker room," he told amassed reporters. "We're not going to talk about what changes are going to be made. You guys will be the last to know."

Fair enough, but they have to right the ship quickly. With three of their last five games coming against the entire rest of the NFC South, the Saints have an opportunity to claw their way back into first placeand the postseason.

Yet, the other two remaining games are road matchups against the talented, volatile Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears. The Saints have no margin for error, now; they may have to sweep the division in December to make the playoffs.

In order to do thatand not get demolished by a Seattle or Detroit once they get therePayton and Ryan have to flip the switch now.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2279337-new-orleans-saints-prove-on-mnf-they-lack-mental-physical-toughness-to-contend

Lil Wayne � �Start A Fire� (Feat. Christina Milian)

After a few false starts, Lil Wayne finally seems ready to release his supposedly-final album Tha Carter V, which hes split into two parts like it was a Hunger Games installment. In recent weeks, hes shared tracks like Gotti and Off Day. Last night, he appeared at the American Music Awards, debuting his new single Start A Fire, and the studio version arrived online shortly thereafter. Start A Fire, it turns out, is a moody and muddy love song that for some reason features the not-really-famous-anymore R&B singer Christina Milian. If you were hoping that every new single from Tha Carter V would herald a return to Waynes glory days, you should probably stay far away from this song. Optimism is a beautiful thing. Do what you can to maintain it. But if youre ready to admit that everything is the worst, the song is below.

(via DirectLyrics)

The first installment of Tha Carter V is out 12/9 on Cash Money/Young Money.

Source: http://www.stereogum.com/1720889/lil-wayne-start-a-fire-feat-christina-milian/mp3s/

Who Is Paige VanZant? UFC Fighter Thanks Fans On Twitter

It was her first time in The Octagon, but Paige VanZant won her Ultimate Fighter Championship debut against Kailin Curran (3-0) after she knocked her out in the third round at UFC Fight Night 57Saturday. She took to Twitter over the weekend to thank her fans for their support.

Winner winner!!!! she tweeted. G*d and my fight team got me this win tonight!!:) thank you. She added the hashtags FanZant, UFCAustin and UFC.

The official UFC Twitter page congratulated VanZant on her win. Welcome to the UFC, Paige.

After her victory, VanZant plans to continue mixed martial arts fighting. .........and this is only the beginning!! she wrote.

Its an unlikely career change for the former model, 20, who originally started to fight because she was bored. I started with boxing, and my coaches told me I had a lot of potential (in MMA), and that I should consider making it a career, VanZant told Fox Sports. I was like, Whatever.

The UFC womens straw weight wanted to appear on the reality show, The Ultimate Fighter 20, but wasnt admitted to the cast because of her age. VanZant said it ultimately worked out in her favor that she wasnt allowed on the show.It was bittersweet not being on The Ultimate Fighter, she said, according to Yahoo Sports. I was really fortunate that I was considered for such a great thing. But this ended up being the best thing for me. VanZant added she didnt need the reality show to make a name for herself.

VanZant, who is the youngest womens MMA fighter, received a $50,000 bonus for her Fight of the Night acknowledgement.

Her Twitter fans looked forward to her next fight. Some of their comments have been posted below:

Follow me on Twitter @mariamzzarella

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/who-paige-vanzant-ufc-fighter-thanks-fans-twitter-1728721

Monday, November 24, 2014

Manny Pacquiao says Floyd Mayweather fight must be now or never and 'fans ...

Pacquiao looked on, nodding. The fighter and Philippines congressman, 36 next month, looked in fine form, though he spent the entire fight having to stalk his cagey opponent, whose body language at times resembled a man hunched over trying to steal away with a bag of silver in the dark.

His highlights in the fight were few and fewer. Round five was his finest moment, and even in that round, only one of the judges awarded him it.

Pacquiao, though, was at his most pugnacious, in his 64th fight. He moved to 57-5-2 with the victory. Pacquiao had floored Long Islander Algieri six times during the 12-round contest, to win by an almost ludicrous margin with a unanimous decision, 119-103, 119-103, and 120-102 on the judges' cards.

Algieri, who had come into this bout as an unbeaten WBO light welterweight champion of 20 contests, was hunted down from the beginning of the title fight by the movement and aggression of southpaw Pacquiao, the eight-division world champion.

Algieri, the taller man with the longer reach by 5ins, was stopped from gaining any rhythm and from using his jab, and it became apparent from the opening quarter that the gulf in class between the two fighters was insurmountable.

From the early rounds, it looked as though he was stretched to just survive, as Pacquiao probed, at times frustrated by Algieri's defensive strategy, looking for openings.

Pacquiao knocked the Long Islander down in the second round, and then twice in both the sixth and ninth rounds, and again in the 10th stanza. The ninth round was the most harrowing for the younger man.

The punches which floored the American in the earlier rounds had found him off balance, but in the ninth Pacquiao found Algieri sideways to him and flattened his rival with a huge left hand. Algieri was down again under another barrage. He looked finished. You wondered if Algieri's corner had a towel to hand.

The younger fighter held on gamely to the end but attention now turns to whether Pacquiao-Mayweather can be signed in 2015, in what could create an event that would generate more than a quarter of a billion dollars.

"I'm satisfied with the result," said Pacquiao. "I did my best. I was trying for a knockout but he was fast and keeps moving."

"He's perfected his style," said Algieri. "He's perfected the art of fighting like Manny Pacquiao. He hurt me once when he buzzed me with a left hook. But that was the only time."

Algieri holds a master's degree and an ambition to complete medical school as a cardiovascular specialist when his boxing days are over. He earned US$1.4 million for this contest - to Pacquiao's $20 million US, with Forbes having placed the Filipino's career earnings at $355 million, much of which is given away in charity work.

This week, Algieri's trainer Tim Lane had claimed. that he would destroy Pacquiao by "master boxing". Yet it was Pacquiao who did just that, and his Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach made a point of critiquing it afterwards.

"The master boxer was given a master class by Professor Pacquiao," said Roach. It was that. And more. Algieri was taken back to school.

Now all boxing needs is its two grand masters to indulge in a chess match of Sweet Science, with the winners being the boxers, the television executives, and the fans. No brainer, surely ? If only boxing were that simple.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxing/manny-pacquiao/11249584/Manny-Pacquiao-says-Floyd-Mayweather-fight-must-be-now-or-never-and-fans-deserve-it-in-2015.html

Corita Kent: Artist and nun. What was the message behind the art? (+video)

Google reminded us Thursday to find zeal in the commercial messages that bombard us every day.

Corita Kent, whose life and work inspired Thursday's Google Doodle, drew on popular culture to spread her own spiritually inspired messages in her art.

Also known as Sister Mary Corita, the nun-turned-internationally-renowned-artist, gained popularity for her vibrant serigraphs during the 1960s and 1970s. She ran the art department at Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles, where she was a Sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary until 1968 when she left the Order and moved to Boston.

Her serigraphs are not only famous for striking visual appeal that nods to popular modern symbols and slogans, but for the messages she extracted from them.

"Corita's art reflects her spirituality, her commitment to social justice, her hope for peace, and her delight in the world that takes place all around us," the Corita Art Center website says.

A Los Angeles Times review of her exhibits describedthe activist nun's work as "visually jarring, conceptually astute and socially engaged."

Kent would find inspiration in advertisements at the supermarket, on the street, or in newspapers

"Attracted to the impossible promises and extraordinary satisfactions put forth by ads, Corita casually borrowed their easy-to-read graphics, leaving behind the specific consumer goods they were designed to sell. Her works transform bold logos and catchy visual jingles into joyous, pointed appeals to common human values.

From General Mills, Corita took the general idea of goodness, which the "Big G" was said to stand for. From Wonder bread, she appropriated an abstract sense of wonder, leaving the bland, mass-produced bread behind. Elsewhere, Esso gasoline ads fuel individual desire, unleashing the untapped power within people."

The Los Angeles Times noted that her work often drew on Christian themes and that her words bespoke an "edgy optimism" during "tumultuous times."

The nun's heyday followed the liberalizing of the Catholic Church with Vatican II, and her work reflects this "radical openness," according to the Times: "Dispensing with dogma in favor of forging grass-roots communities based in earthly needs, her works give vivid shape to a sweeping commitment to human responsibility and dignity."

Kent created more than 400 serigraphs in 18 years, according to the Corita Art Center.

Born Frances Elizabeth Kent in Fort Dodge, Iowa, she worked primarily in Los Angeles and Boston.

The Google Doodle appears on the day when Kent (1918-1986) would have turned 96.

Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/2014/1120/Corita-Kent-Artist-and-nun.-What-was-the-message-behind-the-art-video

Former 'Another World' Actress Michelle Hurd: "Bill Cosby Was VERY ...

Michelle Hurd, who played Dana Kramer on NBC daytime soap opera Another World from 1991 to 1997, is the latest actress to speak out about what Bill Cosby did to her in the past. Hurd detailed her experience on The Cosby Show in a Facebook post.LOOK, I wasnt going to say anything, but I cant believe some of the things I've been reading, SO here is MY personal experience:

I did stand-in work on The Cosby show back in the day and YES, Bill Cosby was VERY inappropriate with me. It started innocently, lunch in his dressing room, daily, then onto weird acting exercises were he would move his hands up and down my body, (cant believe I fell for that) I was instructed to NEVER tell anyone what we did together, (he said other actors would become jealous) and then fortunately, I dodged the ultimate bullet with him when he asked me to come to his house, take a shower so we could blow dry my hair and see what it looked like straightened. At that point my own red flags went off and I told him, "No, I'll just come to work tomorrow with my hair straightened".

I then started to take notice and found another actress, a stand-in as well, and we started talking.. A LOT . turns out he was doing the same thing to her, almost by the numbers, BUT, she did go to his house and because I will not name her, and it is her story to tell, all Ill say is she awoke, after being drugged, vomited, and then Cosby told her theres a cab waiting for you outside.

I have ABSOLUTELY no reason to lie or make up this up!

Anyone that knows me, knows that!

Now you have a first hand account of my experience with Mr. Cosby.

Off you go

Hurd's credits include ER, Gossip Girl, 90210, New York Undercover and The Cosby Mysteries.

Prior to performing at his sold-out comedy show Friday in Florida, Bill Cosby explained to a reporter why he hasn't been commenting on the numerous sexual assault allegations against him.

"I know people are tired of me not saying anything, but a guy doesn't have to answer to innuendos," Cosby told Florida Today backstage before his show at the King Center in Melbourne, Fla. "People should fact-check. People shouldn't have to go through that and shouldn't answer to innuendos."

Source: http://www.welovesoaps.net/2014/11/former-another-world-actress-michelle.html

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Corita Kent: Artist and nun. What was the message behind the art?