Shake Shack shares more than double in stock market debut

NEW YORK Wall Street went wild for burgers Friday.

Shares of Shake Shack, a burger chain that started as a New York City hot dog cart, more than doubled in their first day of trading.

The company raised $105 million in its initial public offering Thursday, selling 5 million shares at $21 per share. It had initially forecast that its shares would fetch $14 to $16 per share from investors, and raised that prediction to $17 to $19 per share on Wednesday as demand grew.

Shake Shack is known for its burgers, milkshakes and crinkle-cut fries. Its journey from a hot dog cart in Manhattan's Madison Square Park to Wall Street started in 2001. Three years later, Union Square Hospitality Group, a company owned by restaurateur Danny Meyer, opened a kiosk in the same park. Restaurants throughout New York City followed, and in 2010, it ventured out of its hometown for the first time with a Miami restaurant.

It now has 63 locations, mostly on the East Coast, with plans for more.

Shares of Shake Shack Inc. rose $24.90, or 118 percent, to close at $45.90 Friday.

Here's what you need to know about the burger joint's sizzling debut:

WHY DID THE STOCK POP?

Shake Shack feeds into investors' growing appetite for restaurants that are quick but also serve food consumers think is healthier or fresher than what a fast-food chain offers.

Americans' tastes have been changing. They are trading fast-food joints, such as McDonald's, for ones that tout their fresh ingredients, such as burrito chain Chipotle. Shake Shack's IPO comes on the same week McDonald's Corp. announced it is replacing CEO Don Thompson with its chief brand officer, Steve Easterbrook. The world's largest burger chain has been struggling with falling sales as it faces completion from smaller rivals, such as Shake Shack and Five Guys.

Shake Shack cooks its burgers to order and promotes its use of natural ingredients, including hormone- and antibiotic-free beef. Long lines are common, and guests are given vibrating pagers that signal when an order is ready.

Investors view these types of restaurants, known as "fast-casual" chains, as a fast-growing sector. Many tend to be regional chains that plan to expand around the country.

Another likely reason for the huge demand: Shake Shack's New York roots.

"There isn't anyone on Wall Street who hasn't tried their burgers and shakes," said Kathleen Smith, principal at Renaissance Capital, an exchange-traded fund manager that focuses on IPOs. "It's a local favorite."

IN GOOD COMPANY

Other restaurant chains that went public over the past year also had huge first-day gains. Burger chain The Habit Restaurants Inc. soared 120 percent in its November debut. Chicken chain El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc. jumped 60 percent in July and Mediterranean-style restaurant chain Zoe's Kitchen Inc. popped 65 percent in its April debut.

SMALL CHAIN, BIG FOLLOWING

Shake Shack's locations are mostly along the East Coast, but its brand has grown beyond that, thanks to social media, TV appearances and some well-known fans. President Barack Obama has dropped by a Shake Shack near the White House. "Saturday Night Live," ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," and other TV shows have featured the burgers. And Shake Shack's fans on social media have swelled. It has 148,000 followers on photo- and video-sharing app Instagram, about 2,000 more than Chipotle.

CEO Randy Garutti said being based in New York helped turn Shake Shack into a global brand. There are now Shake Shacks in London, Istanbul and Moscow.

WHAT'S NEXT

The company wants to use money from the IPO to open more stores. The plan is to eventually have about 450 locations, according to the company's filling with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Ten locations will open this year, Garutti said, including its first in Austin, Texas. Others are coming to Orlando, Florida and Baltimore, he said.

Source: http://www.bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2015/01/shake_shack_shares_more_than_double_in_stock_market_debut

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Hot IPO has Shake Shack looking beyond Danny Meyer

Updated: January 30, 2015 5:33 p.m.

Shake Shack's red-hot IPO and first day of trading last Fridaywith shares opening at $47, up 124%are creating high expectations for the company that started out as a humble burger and hot-dog stand in Madison Square Park 14 years ago.

While most of the focus is on revered restaurateur Danny Meyer, it is Shake Shack's CEO, Randy Garutti, who will lead the company's growth, opening 10 new Shake Shacks a year.

"No company can be perfectly prepared for something like this," said Mr. Garutti. "But we've spent the last year getting ready, and we have a strong, balanced group of leadership."

That group includes Jeff Uttz, the burger chain's chief financial officer, who previously led Yard House's expansion from three locations to 40 and its acquisition by Darden Restaurants; and Peggy Rubenzer, vice president of people resources at Shake Shack, who led P.F. Chang's China Bistro's human resources for a decade.

Mr. Garutti, 39, and a Crain's 40 Under 40 in 2006, has risen through the ranks of Mr. Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group. He has led Shake Shack since its inception.

"We are not coming out to build thousands of restaurants," he said. "Ten a year is an appropriate pace for us."

The first 10 to open in 2015 under the publicly held company already have signed leases, including two in Austin, Texas, one in Boston and the first

Shake Shack in Baltimore as well as one in Lake Success, L.I. Shake Shack's westernmost location opened in Las Vegas in late December.

There are 11 locations in New York City, where Shake Shack will continue to grow. After the first one opened, it took five years for Union Square Hospitality to open its second.

Shake Shack's original purpose was to help raise money for Madison Park. "The biggest surprise is that this IPO even happened," said Mr. Meyer.

Mr. Garutti, who has a 3% stake in the company, said Shake Shack will continue to adhere to Union Square Hospitality's brand of service and corporate culture.

"I'm thrilled that so many of our team members became shareholders," he said, adding that every manager received stock options to participate in the IPO and that hourly workers who'd been with the company for two years also had the opportunity to buy stock last week.

A graduate of Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, Mr. Garutti expects to lead Shake Shack for many more years, he said.

Source: http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20150130/HOSPITALITY_TOURISM/150139977/hot-ipo-has-shake-shack-looking-beyond-danny-meyer

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Melissa Gilbert explains why she had her breast implants removed

Melissa Gilbert couldn't be happier about her decision to have her breast implants removed earlier this month. The actress told ABC News she went from a cup size DD to a B.

Just an average B, not a big B, Gilbert told ABC.

Best known for her role on "Little House on the Prairie," the 50-year-old actress said she first got implants 20-years-ago but before she went for the surgery, she found other ways to enhance her appearance.

It was just an assumption that it was time to wear a padded bra, that an A-cup was not enough. I had to be a B, she said of wearing a padded bra at 16 on "Little House."

Gilbert, who said she was a "late bloomer," later decided to get saline implants, then silicone after noticing a huge difference between her and her "Little House on the Prairie" costar Alison Arngrim.

"There was a huge difference," Gilbert said. "I was wearing, like, you know, Speedo one-piece bathing suits. She was wearing all these sort of sexy bikinis and stuff. I was nowhere near that."

Gilbert said her implants were causing neck and back pain. With her husband's support, she finally made the decision to have them removed.

"My husband has been so supportive and so sweet about this whole process ... He said, Do it, go. Go," she said.

WATCH: Four4Four: Super Bowl 2015 commercials so hot, or so not?

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2015/01/30/melissa-gilbert-explains-why-had-her-breast-implants-removed/

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Rasheed Sulaimon's tumultuous career with Blue Devils ends; Junior still in ...

Junior guard Rasheed Sulaimon is no longer a part of Dukes fourth-ranked mens basketball team.

The school announced that Sulaimon was dismissed from the team in a severely worded release late Thursday afternoon.

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Source: http://www.fayobserver.com/sports/college_sports/rasheed-sulaimon-s-tumultuous-career-with-blue-devils-ends-junior/article_d482d8a4-2bce-5a33-9929-33c2134c4091.html

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'Project Almanac' Review

Even though Project Almanac does not reinvent the found footage format, the movie still manages to tell a gripping (and stylish) time travel story.

When brainy high schoolerDavid Raskin (Jonny Weston) is rejected for a prestigious scholarship that would have allowed him to attend MITscience program, Davids widowedmotherKathy (Amy Landecker)decides to put the family homeup for sale to secure enough money for the top-tier college.While digging through old boxes in the attic in preparation for the sale, David and his younger sister, Christina (Virginia Gardner), discover a mysterious video camera packedamongtheir deceased fathers belongings. Inside the camera is an aged tape of Davids seventh birthday party; however, upon close examination of the video David, along with friendsQuinn (Sam Lerner) andAdam (Allen Evangelista), notice somethingunexplainable aneighteen year-old David (with the same camera) standing in the background of the decade-old footage.

Following thisbizarrerevelation, the palsinvestigate Davids basement for a potential answer- learningthat Davids fatherwas a brilliant inventor who helped developthe worlds first time machine, dubbed Project Almanac. Driven by personal desires (money, popularity) and a thirst for discovery, the friends begin a painstaking process of rebuilding the machine. Yet,upon the devices completion, the young tech-heads, joinedbyDavids new girlfriend Jessie (Sofia Black-DElia), learn the cost of experimentation specifically that even the smallestmisadventure through time can have drastic consequences in the present.

Jonny Weston as David Raskin in Project Almanac

Formerly titledWelcome to Yesterday, Project Almanac was brought to the big screen by Michael Bays Platinum Dunes production house with freshman feature director Dean Israelite sitting at the helm. Nevertheless, in spite of untested talent behind the camera and mostly unknown actors on screen, Project Almanac providesan entertaining time travel adventure with genuinely sharp humor, tight pacing, and quality performances from the main cast. For established fans of mind-bendingtimey whimey stories (e.g., BBCsDoctor Who orShane Carruths cult hitPrimer) Project Almanac doesnt reinvent (or improve upon) the genre wheel. Specifically,in its effort to increase overall popcorn entertainment value, Project Almanaconly has room forstandard (and predictable) science fiction ideas.

The story centers ona number of time travel concepts that havebeen utilizedin prior yearhoppingfilms; yet, Israelite presents each onewith enough flair to differentiatehis version and make Project Almanac an overall enjoyable moviegoing experience. In the same way that Josh Trankfound a freshtwist on the superhero genre inChronicle, Israelites blendof found-footage, time travel theory, quirky comedy, and nuancedcharacter moments,ensures that most viewers will be too invested in the onscreen drama to scoff at any familiar plot beats. Thefilms recycled ideas still provide a poignant foundation forDavids misadventures in time and, most importantly,never violate establishedrules ofthis particular time travel tale.

Sam Lerner, Jonny Weston, Allen Evangelista, and Virginia Gardner in Project Almanac

In addition to a tight script, tried-and-truetime mechanics, and stylish filmmaking, Project Almanac also benefits from a likable cast young actors that capture both the wonder and horror of unchecked scientific discovery.Jonny Weston (Taken 3 and Insurgent) is tasked with a challenging part- as a likable nerd that is forced to make several incredibly difficult (and at times dark) decisions. Weston is a relative newcomer to the Hollywood spotlight, with a prettythin filmography, but the young lead is instrumental in sellingProject Almanacs most entertaining and impactful scenes.

That said, Weston doesnot carry the film alone andIsraelite has assembled a strong lineup of supporting actors. Where many High School-age found footage movies are packed with cliche stereotypes, Project Almanac surrounds Weston with quality performers in rounded, and downright relatable, roles. Lerners Quinnteeters on teenage tropes from time to time, though the character (and the performance) manage to find enough variation to make Quinnone of the more entertaining additions to the story especially asevents begin to go south. Similarly,Evangelistais a solid counter-balance to Weston and Lerner presenting Adam as a slightly less reckless adventurer and, often, the voice of reason intheir group.

Sofia Black-DElia as Jessie in Project Almanac

In a less successfuleffort, female characters likeChristina and Jessie, would bereduced to one-note accomplices formore nuanced male leads but Gardner andBlack-DElia, respectively, ensure that the girls of Project Almanac are just as dynamic and capable as their male counterparts. Certain aspects of the characters still borrow heavily from high school outlines but, by the end, theres no doubt that the ladies of Project Almanac aremore thanundercookedlove interests,they both playpivotalroles inkeyplot decisions as well as the films largerphilosophical (and scientific) quandaries.

That all said, moviegoers who already have reservations aboutthe found-footage format will find that Israelites film suffers fromstandard problems in the genre choppy, first person perspective, suspension of disbelief (that the kidswould actually keep filming in certain situations), and an overall limitedcinematic toolset. Project Almanac is far from an egregious found footage cash grab, since the filmmakers actually manage to utilize the format to enhance certain sequences (along with the overall story); yet, the film isnt likely to win-over skeptics who still feel that found footage is (almost always) a cheap gimmick that hides otherwise inferior visual effects and narrative development.

Ultimately, viewers who are looking for a fun (and at times funny) sci-fi story, should find plenty to enjoy in Israelites latest effort. Hardcore fans of thought-provoking time travel stories might be underwhelmed by the lack of fresh science fiction in Israelites project but, to his credit, the director still explores some pretty heady ideas especially in a film aimed at the casual (young adult) movie market. To that end, even thoughProject Almanac does not reinvent the found footage format, the movie still manages to tell a gripping (and stylish) time travel story.

TRAILER

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Project Almanacruns 106minutes and is Rated PG-13 for some language and sexual content. Now playing in theaters.

Let usknow what you thought of the film in the comment section below.

For anin-depth discussion of the film by the Screen Rant editors check back soon for our Project Almanacepisodeof theSR Underground podcast.

Our Rating:3.5 out of 5(Very Good)

Source: http://screenrant.com/project-almanac-movie-reviews/

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'Criminal Minds' Kills Off Major Character, Ben Savage Guest Stars

ByVirnelli Mercader , Christian Post Contributor

January 30, 2015|12:41 pm

CBS/ Criminal Minds

Ben Savage plays young Gideon on Criminal Minds

On the Jan. 28 episode of "Criminal Minds" fans saw the death of a major character, and though he has not been on the show since season 3, Wednesday night's episode confirmed that Mandy Patinkin, who played Jason Gideon on the show, won't be coming back for future episodes.

Gideon left the BAU at the start of season 3, after a few cases that didn't work out well and resulted in several deaths. Gideon resigned from his position and was replaced by David Rossi, who has been with the team ever since. In the episode, Gideon is found dead in his cabin, and the BAU find similar markings leading back to Gideon's former case. Patinkin did not return to reprise his role, however, the show had some 1971 flashbacks featuring a younger Gideon, played by guest star Ben Savage.

The reason why Patinkin left "Criminal Minds" is very similar to the reason why Gideon left the BAU. In an interview with New York Magazine back in 2012, Patinkin blamed his sudden exit from the show to the violent nature of the episodes.

"The biggest public mistake I ever made was that I chose to do Criminal Minds in the first place," said Patinkin. "I thought it was very different. I never thought that they were going to kill and rape all these women every night, every day, week after week, year after year. It was all very destructive to my soul and personality."

The actor also addressed the crime drama genre, saying, "I'm not making a judgment on the taste [of people who watch crime procedurals], but I'm concerned about the effect it has. Audiences all over the world use this programming as their bedtime story. This isn't what you need to be dreaming about."

With such harsh words for the show, it's clear that Patinkin wouldn't be going back for a guest appearance anytime soon.

Show boss Erica Messer spoke with TVGuide to discuss the episode, and in the interview, Messer said that when Patinkin chose to leave the show eight years ago, they chose the most "honest version" in which his character could leave "Criminal Minds."

"When Mandy left eight years ago, there were a gazillion ways to go. We chose the most honest version, which was to write what was really happening. Sure, for a heartbeat, [killing him off] might've been on the table, but creatively, we didn't ever want to seem like it was punishment, like we were killing a character to punish him. This certainly is not that," said Messer.

"Criminal Minds" airs on Wednesdays at 9/8c on CBS.

Source: http://www.christianpost.com/news/criminal-minds-kills-off-major-character-ben-savage-guest-stars-133342/

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Bad dog! GoDaddy pulls puppy commercial from Super Bowl

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

GoDaddy has a long history of submitting ads to the Super Bowl and having them either withdrawn or rejected for offensive material. Usually their rejected ads involve raunchy humor and scantily clad women. But this time it involves GoDaddy's recently adopted mascot, a puppy named Buddy.

In the spot, Buddy gets tossed from the back of a pickup truck and runs the long distance home through nasty weather, only to be told by his owner that he's been sold online via GoDaddy. (In reality, the company is a domain name registrar, so it sells products like website addresses and server space.)

GoDaddy CEO Blake Irving said in a blog post that the ad ran on TV Tuesday morning, and "shortly after a controversy started to swirl about Buddy, our puppy, being sold online. The responses were emotional and direct. Many people urged us not to run the ad."

GoDaddy was planning to air the ad during the Super Bowl, where air time costs $4.5 million for a 30-second spot. But Irving said that he changed his mind.

"We are pulling the ad from the Super Bowl," he said. "You'll still see us in the Big Game this year, and we hope it makes you laugh."

Related: Sneak preview of Super Bowl ads

Irving tweeted his thanks to @animalrescuers, an SPCA group, for their "candid feedback."

A petition on Change.org garnered 40,000 signatures to kill the commercial.

"As someone who feels incredibly strong about animal rights, I am extremely offended by this commercial," wrote the petitioner, Helena Yurcho.

She said that GoDaddy's commercial was "encouraging purchasing an animal online; the animal could be sold to someone who runs a fighting ring, someone who abuses animals, or to someone who cannot adequately care for the animal."

Buddy has his own Twitter account, but he has not addressed the issue.

First Published: January 28, 2015: 9:10 AM ET

Source: http://money.cnn.com/2015/01/28/media/godaddy-buddy/

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TV ratings: 'Empire' stays hot, 'Criminal Minds' rises Wednesday

"Empire" continued its boffo performance in the Fast National ratings for Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015, scoring its biggest total audience to date and matching last week's 18-49 rating. Although "American Idol" was down some, FOX still easily led the night. Elsewhere Wednesday, "Criminal Minds" and "Stalker" each improved for CBS. "Arrow" was even with last week for The CW, while "The 100" rose a bit. ABC and NBC each aired a full slate of repeats on the eve of February sweeps.

FOX drew 11.15 million viewers and a 6.8 rating/11 share in households in primetime, beating CBS (9.4 million, 5.9/10) by a decent margin. ABC (4.3 million, 2.8/5) finished a fairly distant third. NBC took fourth with 3.9 million viewers and a 2.6/4, and The CW (2.2 million, 1.4/2) trailed.

FOX's 3.6 rating among adults 18-49 more than doubled the 1.7 for second-place CBS. ABC came in third with a 1.2, followed by The CW, 0.8, and NBC, 0.7.

Wednesday hour by hour:

8 p.m.

FOX: "American Idol" (11 million viewers, 6.6/11 households)

CBS: "The Mentalist" (9.05 million viewers, 5.7/9)

ABC: "The Middle" rerun (5.6 million, 3.6/6)/"The Goldbergs" rerun (4.7 million, 3.0/5)

NBC: "The Mysteries of Laura" rerun (4.1 million, 2.8/4)

The CW: "Arrow" (2.9 million, 1.7/3)

18-49 leader: "American Idol" (2.9)

9 p.m.

FOX: "Empire" (11.3 million, 7.0/11)

CBS: "Criminal Minds" (10.6 million, 6.6/10)

ABC: "Modern Family" rerun (5.3 million, 3.4/5)/"Black-ish" rerun (3.9 million, 2.5/4)

NBC: "Law & Order: SVU" rerun (3.6 million, 2.4/4)

The CW: "The 100" (1.6 million, 1.0/2)

18-49 leader: "Empire" (4.3)

10 p.m.

CBS: "Stalker" (8.4 million, 5.4/10)

NBC: "Chicago PD" rerun (4.1 million, 2.7/5)

ABC: "Black-ish" reruns - two episodes (3.2 million, 2.2/4)

18-49 leader: "Stalker" (1.6)

Ratings information includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change. Source: The Nielsen Company.

Source: http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/tv_ratings_january_28_2015_empire_stays_hot_criminal_minds_rises_wednesday-2015-01

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Gov. Baker Declares State Of Emergency, Announces Travel Ban For Blizzard Of ...

BOSTON (CBS/AP) Gov. Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency and announced a statewide travel ban effective at midnight in Massachusetts as a blizzard approached.

The state of emergency went into effect Monday afternoon. The powerful storm is expected to drop more than two feet of snow across the state and make roads impassable.

Baker said only essential emergency and medical personnel should be traveling during the storm.

I cant stress this part enough, Baker said. Please stay off the roads.

The governor also said the MBTA will suspend service on Tuesday. He said he had pre-positioned 500 members of the National Guard to be quickly deployed if needed.

Baker says power outages are anticipated and that it could take several days for all outages to be restored.

A coastal flood warning has been posted for the early morning hours of Tuesday.

The MassachusettsDepartment of Transportation says it is prepared with 4,000 road crews at the ready, along with 250,000 tons of salt and 420,000 gallons of de-icing liquid.

In Boston, Mayor Marty Walsh said schools will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and a snow emergency takes effect at 6 p.m. on Monday.

A storm of this size poses a threat to public safety, Walsh said. Were taking this storm very seriously.

Driving Ban Exceptions

All drivers are encouraged to remain safe and use their best judgment:

• Essential emergency response professionals
• Medical, healthcare and human service workers, including shelter personnel
• Essential public transit and support workers
• Public and private personnel supporting public works and utility operations
• Essential state employees
• Those traveling for essential medical procedures
• Vehicles and personnel delivering essential supplies to healthcare facilities
• Public safety vehicles, sworn and civilian public safety personnel, including those providing services at correctional facilities, and private sector security personnel
• Public works vehicles and public works personnel, including contract personnel supporting public works operations
• Public transportation vehicles and public transportation personnel, including contract personnel supporting public transportation operations
• Government personnel conducting official business
• Utility company vehicles and personnel, including contract personnel supporting utility response and restoration efforts
• Personnel directly supporting storm response operations, including but not limited to emergency shelter personnel
• Healthcare personnel, including home healthcare personnel and personal care assistants
• Personnel delivering or supporting services at healthcare facilities, including those that provide long term care and mental health care, as well as hospitals
• Vehicles and personnel providing critical supplies to healthcare facilities, including those that provide long term care and mental health care, as well as hospitals and other healthcare facilities
• News media
• Private sector snow removal equipment engaged in, or traveling in connection with the removal or clearance of snow and ice from public or private sector facilities
• Patients traveling for the purpose of receiving urgent critical care, and persons traveling with those patients who are necessary to facilitate that urgent critical care
• Travel necessary to maintain critical private sector facilities, services and operations, and to deliver or support critical private sector services and supplies in critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, fuel, financial systems, and the provision of critical commodities
• Travel to support business operations that provide critical services to the public, including gasoline stations, pharmacies, food stores and hardware stores

(TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Source: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/01/26/gov-baker-declares-state-of-emergency-announces-travel-ban-for-blizzard-of-2015/

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Winter Storm Juno: The Most Spectacular Weather Imagery We Saw | The ...

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Winter Storm Juno dumped snow measured in feet over New England and unleashed destructive coastal flooding in parts of coastal Massachusetts.

(JUNO RECAPS: Storm Reports, Photos | Did We Get It Wrong?)

If you're a weather geek, or simply enjoy looking at cool images, Juno provided its fair share of spectacular weather images that made our hearts pump. Scroll down and enjoy.

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Perhaps the best view of all was from the International Space Station (above), as NASA astronaut Terry W. Virts tweeted early in the morning of Jan. 28, 2015.

The city lights of the I-95 Northeast corridor stand out, with Washington D.C. and Baltimore at the lower left and Boston toward the top center of the image. Also note the milkier texture to the city lights of the New York City, Long Island, Hartford, Providence and Boston metro areas, due to a veil of lingering clouds from Juno.

Virts later tweeted another view from just off Cape Cod.

Our friends at the University of Wisconsin's Space Science and Engineering Center's CIMSS Satellite Blog captured this infrared satellite loop from Jan. 26-27, 2015 showing Winter Storm Juno's intensification off the East Coast.

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The image above is a high-resolution visible image from the Suomi NPP polar-orbiting satellite when Winter Storm Juno was still in its organzing stages along the East Coast.

Note the cloud streets extending off the Georgia coast, indicative of cold air streaming offshore behind the cold front. You can also see washboard texture to the clouds over parts of the Southeast U.S. Moist, stable air was forced over the southern Appalachians triggering these wave clouds.

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We showed a similar image from the International Space Station earlier. This one from the Suomi NPP polar orbiter is a wide view of Juno taken during the pre-dawn hours of Jan. 27.

The comma-head appearance is classic and the contrast with the dark land and ocean is breathtaking. Some of those clouds offshore (as well as wrapping into southern New England) were actually producing lightning.

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By the morning of Jan. 27, the central pressure of Winter Storm Juno had dropped to at least 975 millibars, according to analysis from the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center.

The gif at left from earth.nullschool.net illustrated the storm's impressive wind field.

Wind gusts up to 78 mph were clocked on Nantucket, Island.

Blizzard conditions were reported for 14 consecutive hours in Marshfield, Massachusetts.

Blizzard conditions were also satisfieldat Boston's Logan Airport, Worcester, Massachusetts, Providence, Rhode Island, Portland, Maine and Augusta, Maine.

The persistently strong winds triggered major coastal flooding along the Massachusetts shore, from the north shore to Cape Cod and Nantucket Island.

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This image was a model forecast for sustained winds from Juno around sunrise on Jan. 27.

We had to clip part of that image to fit the article, but at that time, the model was forecasting winds near or exceeding 50 knots (darkest red shading) from the mouth of the Bay of Fundy (between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) to a few hundred miles east of the New Jersey shore.

The small patch of blue (lighter winds) almost due south of Cape Cod was where the model forecast the center of Juno to be located at that time.

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In the close-up visible satellite image above, we stare into the center of Juno, denoted by the clear path off Cape Cod.

While intense, some more intense extratropical cyclones off the East Coast of the U.S. can sometimes exhibit eye-like features similar to tropical cyclones.

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While the 30-inch snow total in eastern Long Island was certainly eye-catching, we were most amazed by the gradient in snowfall across the nation's most populous metro area.

Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip is only about 51 miles driving distance to Central Park in New York City. Yet it was a difference of 15 inches of snowfall. Just across the Hudson River, parts of Bergen County, New Jersey picked up only 3-4 inches of snow.

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Air traffic was unusually light over the busy Northeast corridor on Jan. 27, as you can see in the screen grab above from Flightradar24.com. Almost 8,000 flights had been canceledahead of the storm.

This is a cool 3D fly-through of Juno as it was beginning to strengthen off the East Coast during the late afternoon of Jan. 26, 2015, courtesy of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

Essentially, what you're seeing is a satellite that can diagnose precipitation rates. The animation above resembles a radar view of Juno over the ocean. The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission offers the goal of sampling precipitation worldwide, something land-based radar networks cannot do.

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Finally, let's end with a spectacular satellite view of the snow cover from Juno, once again from the Suomi NPP satellite.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Winter Storm Juno Photos

Source: http://www.weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-juno-weather-images

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AAPL earnings will come in well above upper end of company's guidance, say ...

Fortune has done its usual analyst poll ahead of Apple announcing its Q1 earnings tomorrow, and Wall Street is expecting the company to significantly out-perform its earnings guidance of $63.5 to $66.5B.

The consensus among the analysts Fortune polled 20 professionals and 15 amateurs is that Apples total sales for fiscal Q1 2015 will come in at about $68.3 billion, up 21% year over year.

That would be $1.8B above the upper end of the expectations Apple set back in October

Apple also said then that it expected its gross margin to come in between 37.5% and 38.5%, but it has been suggested that the popularity of the iPhone 6 Plus, along with customers upgrading to the middle storage tier after Apple boosted it to 64GB, may have boosted margins.

Fortunesuggests thatanticipated high sales numbers of the iPhone 6 Plus will have played a major role in analyst expectations, with the all-time high in Mac sales forecast predicted by IDC also contributing to high expectations despite declining iPad sales. The consensus expectation is for Apple to announce 66.5M iPhone sales.

Apple stock has climbed in recent days, currently sitting within 6% of its all-time high. Subsequent share movements are likely to reflect any difference between expectation and reality, as well as the companys guidance for the following quarter.

As always, well be bringing you all the numbers tomorrow.

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Source: http://9to5mac.com/2015/01/26/aapl-q1-2015-earnings/

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A look ahead to Day 11 at Australian Open: Serena vs. Madison Keys

Nick McCarvel, USA TODAY Sports 8:39 a.m. EST January 28, 2015

Madison Keys will play Serena Williams in the semifinals of the Australian Open.(Photo: Vincent Thian, AP)

MELBOURNE, Australia Who's your pick: One of the greatest of all time or a teenager competing in her first-ever Grand Slam semifinal?

Regardless of who wins, an American will be in the final at this event for the first time in five years when Serena Williams and 19-year-old Madison Keys meet for the first time.

How will it play out? And who's in that other semi?

We preview Day 11 in Melbourne, which also includes Andy Murray's much-anticipated semifinal.

(2) Maria Sharapova (RUS) vs. (10) Ekaterina Makarova (RUS), 1:30 p.m. local/9:30 p.m. ET ESPN2

Sharapova starts the day on Rod Laver Arena against a countrywoman of her own, fellow Russian Makarova. Makarova is only into her second-ever Grand Slam semifinal, but it's a second in a row, the 26-year-old having made the final four at the US Open in September. The world No. 2 Sharapova has never lost in five meetings with Makarova, who has won just one out of 11 sets they've played. "I'm facing an opponent that wasn't necessarily a favorite coming into this stage," said Sharapova, who's won five majors in her career. "That's always a tricky situation because she's going to come into the match free and almost happy to be in (the semifinals), and that's dangerous. Sharapova has reason to be wary: she's just 9-9 in 18 major semifinals.

(1) Serena Williams (USA) vs. Madison Keys (USA), to follow first semi ESPN2

Only three players have beaten both the Williams sisters during a major, something Keys will attempt to finish on Thursday when she meets Serena for the first time. The teenager is playing in just her 11th major and will try and go toe-to-toe with Williams in the power department, as she did in upset wins over No. 4 seed Petra Kvitova and Venus previously. A bad hip was bothering Keys on Wednesday, while Williams told reporters she is trying to get over a nasty cold. The survivor will make a trip to the Australian Open final.

(6) Andy Murray (GBR) vs. Tomas Berdych (CZE), 7:30 p.m. local/3:30 a.m. ET Thursday ESPN2

The lone men's semifinal on Thursday provides for plenty of drama, as Murray and Berdych meet for the 11th time. It's the first in which they've battled with Berdych under the tutelage of new coach Dani Vallverdu, Murray's former coach and a close friend of the Briton. Berdych leads their head-to-head 6-4 and will be brimming with confidence following his straight-set upset of Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals. Much has been made of what Vallverdu has brought to Berdych's game, and in particular what game plan he'll craft when the Czech plays Murray. But Murray wasn't taking any of the British press' bait: "My goal isn't to beat Dani," he told reporters. "My goal is to beat Berdych." Regardless, it'll be Berdych's big hitting against the consistency and guile of Murray, who is trying to reach his fourth Australian Open final.

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Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/2015/01/28/australian-open-semifinals-serena-williams-maria-sharapova-madison-keys/22455635/

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Tom Delonge dispels rumors that he quit Blink-182

January 27, 2015 - 10:43am

BY MICHAEL FLYNN

Blink-182

Yesterday, Blink-182 released a statement that longtime vocalist and guitarist Tom Delonge would be replaced by Alkaline Trios Matt Skiba for the 2015 Musink Festival. They cited Delonges desire to focus on non-musical projects as the reason for his dropping out of the upcoming festival appearance. The statement reads as follows:

Matt Skiba of the Alkaline Trio will join Blink-182 in replacement of Tom DeLonge at the 8th annual Music and Tattoo festival. We were all set to play this festival and record a new album and Tom kept putting it off without reason. A week before we were scheduled to go into the studio we got an email from his manager explaining that he didnt want to participate in any Blink-182 projects indefinitely, but would rather work on his other non-musical endeavors. Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus plan to honor all Blink-182 commitments including the Musink Festival and are excited to have singer/guitarist Matt Skiba join them for this project. No hard feelings, but the show must go on for our fans. Additionally, Skiba will CONTINUE to make new music and tour with the Alkaline Trio.

While the statement only explicitly states that Delonge has dropped out of a single performance, the internet has erupted with reports that Delonge is out of the band for good. The concern fans have shown is understandable Delonges signature whine is a defining element of Blink-182s sound and his absence would leave a huge void.

Delonge himself has caught wind of these rumors, and has released a statement addressing them:

To all the fans, I never quit the band. I actually was on a phone call about a blink 182 event for New York City at the time all these weird press releases started coming in Apparently those releases were sanctioned from the band. Are we dysfunctional- yes. But, Christ.. #Awkward #BabyBackRibs

Delonges attempt to provide clarity has only created more mystery. Why would the band allow the publication of official press releases about Delonge quitting the band if he hadnt done so? Will this motivate Delonge to play at the Musink Festival after all? Is this the beginning of a bona-fide breakup?

Theres no question that the band is in a dysfunctional state. But Blink-182 has weathered worse storms. The band broke up once before in 2005, only to reunite in 2008 after drummer Travis Barker survived a plane crash. The brotherly bond created from playing music was enough to bring them back together once before, so whos to say it wont happen again?

More on this story as it unfolds.

Source: http://michigandaily.com/blog/filter/tom-delonge-dispels-rumors-he-quit-blink-182

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Emma Watson announces she will play princess Belle in 'Beauty and The Beast ...

Emma Watson will once again be playing a book loving heroine.

Ms. Watson, former 'Harry Potter'actress and United Nations spokeswoman, announced on Facebook today that she will be playing Belle in Disneys new live action version of the animated classic 'Beauty and The Beast.'

I'm finally able to tell you... that I will be playing Belle in Disney's new live-action Beauty and the Beast!, Watson posted on Facebook today. It was such a big part of my growing up, it almost feels surreal that I'll get to dance to 'Be Our Guest' and sing 'Something There.' My six year old self is on the ceiling - heart bursting. Time to start some singing lessons.

This will be Watsons first appearance in a musical. Director Bill Condon has confirmed that the new version will feature songs from the 1991 animated film as well as some additional original music, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Technology, we hope, has finally caught up to that treatment of the story, so I think were all kind of excited to bring that brilliant, amazing score and beautiful story into three dimensions, Condon told Entertainment Weekly.

The script was written by Stephen Chbosky, author and director of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower,'which Watson starred in. Although the studio has not set an official release date, 'Beast'is set to start filming later this year.

Rumors have been floating around that Watson would play Belle for over a year, ever since she ended talks with Kenneth Branagh about starring in his upcoming movie Cinderella, supposedly to commit to the role of Belle.

Following last years hit 'Maleficent,''Beast'is yet another addition to Disney's recent trend of turning classic animated movies into live action films. Coming up, Branagh's highly anticipated 'Cinderella' opens March 13, and an adaptation of 'Jungle Book,'directed byJon Favreau is also in the works.

Apart from taking on the role of full time Disney princess, Watson has recently been spending much of her time speaking about He For She, the gender equality initiative she started last September as part of her role as the UN Women's Goodwill Ambassador.

Yesterday she introduced the new phase of this initiative at Davos: IMPACT 10x10x10, which will fight for long-term positive change for women in universities, corporations, and governments.

Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Movies/2015/0126/Emma-Watson-announces-she-will-play-princess-Belle-in-Beauty-and-The-Beast-video

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Facebook down for everyone

Facebook users are seeing this error message on the social network today

Comments(0)

Update 7.10am: Facebook is back up

PEOPLE in Britain are waking up to find that Facebook is down in the UK this morning.

The social network is often the first website of the day that many people check. But users are being greeted by this screen today:

The reason why Facebook is down is unknown as yet. But somepeople have said on other social networks they have mistakenly assumed the problem was unique to themand reset their routers without realising the social network is unavailable for everyone.

Fansmissing breaking news onour newspapers' Facebook pages are encouraged to give our Twitter channels a try until Facebook resumes operation.

@censomgaz

@cheddarvgazette

@sheptonjournal

@wellsjournal

Source: http://www.cheddarvalleygazette.co.uk/Facebook/story-25927807-detail/story.html

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New Jersey school closings, early dismissals for Monday, Jan. 26

A potentially historic blizzard is set to begin Monday morning in New Jersey, and may not depart until more than two feet of the snow has been dropped in many areas.

With forecasts calling for precipitation and winds to increase in severity as the day progresses, various school districts have already announced their plans to dismiss students early. Please be aware that the list may change depending on the severity of the weather overnight.

LIVE BLOG: Get the latest updates on the blizzard

Here is our working list of the closings we've been notified about. If we missed any, let us know down in the comments and well try to verify and add them to the list. \

Many schools have also begun cancelling sporting events previously scheduled for Monday. You can find a full list by clicking here.

Bergen County

Bergen County Technical Schools - Early dismissal

Edgewater Public Schools Early dismissal, noon

Emerson Public Schools - Half day, all schools

Hillsdale Public Schools - Early dismissal (White School - 12:40 p.m., Smith/Meadowbrook - 1 p.m.)

Lodi Public Schools - Early dismissal (High School - 12:30 p.m., K-8 - 1:05 p.m.)

North Arlington Public Schools - Half day, all schools

Old Tappan School District - Early dismissal, 12:30 p.m.

Oradell Public School - Early dismissal, 12:30 p.m.

Ramapo Indian Hills High School District - Early dismissal, 11:51 a.m.

Ridgefield Public Schools - Early dismissal

Ridgewood Public Schools - Early dismissal

River Dell School District - Early dismissal

Saddle Brook Public Schools - Early dismissal (Elementary schools - 1 p.m., Middle/High schools - 12:25 p.m.)

Burlington County

Bass River Elementary School Early dismissal, 1:15 p.m.

Chesterfield Public Schools - Early dismissal (2 hours early, all schools)

Florence Township Public Schools - Early dismissal

Maple Shade Public Schools - Early dismissal (Check district website)

North Hanover Public Schools - Early dismissal

Pemberton Township Public Schools - Early dismissal

Camden County

Cherry Hill Public Schools - Early dismissal

Voorhees Township Schools - Early dismissal

Cumberland County

Upper Deerfield Public Schools - Early dismissal, 12:45 p.m.

Essex County

Bloomfield Public Schools - Early dismissal

Cedar Grover Public Schools - Early dismissal, 12:30 p.m.

East Orange Public Schools - Half day, all schools

Essex Fells School - Early dismissal, 12:45 p.m.

Fairfield Public Schools - Early dismissal

Glen Ridge Public Schools - Early dismissal

Link Community Charter School, Newark - Early dismissal, 12:45 p.m.

Livingston Public Schools Early dismissal (Elementary schools - 12:15 p.m., Middle schools 12:45 p.m., Livingston High School noon)

Millburn Public Schools - Early dismissal (Middle/High schools - 12:15 p.m., Elementary schools - 12:40 p.m.)

Nutley Public Schools - Half day, all schools

Orange Public Schools - Early dismissal, 12:30 p.m. (Closed Tuesday)

South Orange-Maplewood Schools - Early dismissal (Four-hour schedule)

TEAM Charter School Network, Newark - Early dismissal (2 hours early, all schools)

West Orange Public Schools - Early dismissal

Hudson County

Great Futures Charter High School, Jersey City - Early dismissal, 12:45 p.m.

Jersey City Public Schools - Early dismissal, 12:45 p.m.

Kearny Public Schools - Early dismissal

Hunterdon County

Alexandria Township School District - Early dismissal

Flemington-Raritan School District - Early dismissal

Delaware Township School - Early dismissal

East Amwell School - Early dismissal, 1:40 p.m.

Frenchtown School - Early dismissal

Holland Township School - Early dismissal

Kingwood Township School - Early dismissal, 1 p.m.

Lebanon Borough School - Closed

Milford Public School - Early dismissal, 12: 30 p.m.

Readington Township School District - Early dismissal

Mercer County

See here for an updated list of Mercer County school closings and dismissals.

Middlesex County

Bishop Ahr High School, Edison Early dismissal, noon

East Brunswick Public Schools Early dismissal (check specific school websites)

Edison Public Schools - Early dismissal

Highland Park Public Schools Early dismissal (Irving Primary School and Highland Park Middle School 12:30, Bartle Elementary School 12:30 p.m., Highland Park High School 12:22 p.m.)

Lakeview School, Edison - Early dismissal, 1 p.m.

Middlesex Borough Schools - Early dismissal

Milltown Borough Public Schools Early dismissal, 1 p.m.

Monroe Township Public Schools - Early dismissal

New Brunswick Public Schools - Early dismissal

Old Bridge Township Public Schools - Early dismissal (Elementary - 1:15 p.m., Middle - 12:05 p.m., High - 11:42 a.m.)

Perth Amboy Public Schools - Early dismissal

South Brunswick Public Schools - Early dismissal

South Plainfield Public Schools Early dismissal

South River Public Schools Early dismissal

Spotswood Public Schools - Early dismissal

Woodbridge Township Public Schools - Early dismissal (Check district website)

Monmouth County

See here for an updated list of Monmouth County school closings and dismissals.

Morris County

See here for an updated list of Morris County School closings and dismissals.

Ocean County

See here for an updated list of Ocean County school closings and dismissals.

Passaic County

Clifton Public Schools - Early dismissal

Paterson Public Schools - Early dismissal, 1:10 p.m.

Wayne Public Schools - Early dismissal

Somerset County

See here for an updated list of Somerset County School closings and dismissals.

Sussex County

See here for an updated list of Sussex County School closings and dismissals.

Union County

Berkeley Heights Public Schools - Early dismissal

Cranford Public Schools - Early dismissal

Clark Public Schools - Early dismissal

Elizabeth Public Schools - Early dismissal

Garwood Public Schools - Early dismissal, 12:45 p.m.

Hillside Public Schools - Early dismissal

Kenilworth Public Schools - Early dismissal

Linden Public Schools - Early dismissal

Mother Seton Regional High School - Early dismissal

Mountainside Public Schools - Early dismissal

New Providence Public Schools - Early dismissal

Newmark High School, Scotch Plains - Early dismissal, 12:45 p.m.

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, Summit - Closed

Plainfield Public Schools - Early dismissal

Rahway Public Schools - Early dismissal

Roselle Park Public Schools - Early dismissal

Roselle Catholic High School - Early dismissal

Scotch Plains-Fanwood Schools - Early dismissal

Springfield Public Schools - Early dismissal

Summit Public Schools - Early dismissal

Union Catholic High School - Early dismissal

Union County Vo-Tech Schools - Early dismissal

Union Public Schools - Early dismissal

Westfield Public Schools - Early dismissal

Winfield Schools - Early dismissal, 12:53 p.m.

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Source: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2015/01/blizzard_watch_list_of_nj_school_closings_early_di.html

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Weather NYC: New York mayor Bill be Blasio warns winter storm 'Juno' could be ...

A blizzard warning has been issued for New York and Boston and more than 1,800 flights have been cancelled before a snowflake has touched the ground a good indication of the anticipated severity of the storm.

This could be a storm the likes of which we have never seen before, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference on Sunday. Don't underestimate this storm. Prepare for the worst.

The US east coast is preparing for massive snow storms

New York City could see up to 20 inches of snow from Monday into Tuesday, the weather service predicted. Parts of New England could see two feet or more. High winds could cause "whiteout" conditions, bring down power lines and otherwise aggravate the weather disaster.

It's one thing to get a foot or more of snow, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines told USA Today. You throw in 30 to 40 mile-per-hour winds and it's a recipe for disaster.

The weather service warned of heavy snow and strong wind even blizzard conditions are possible. The weather service labels a snow storm a blizzard when winds reach 35 mph and blowing snow reduces visibility to less than a quarter of a mile.

Boston was expected to get 18 to 24 inches and Philadelphia could get 14 to 18 inches, the weather services said. The area around Washington D.C is not expected to get more than a coating.

This article originally appeared in USA Today

North-east braces for monster stormNYC mayor: Storm could be biggest ever for cityAirlines waive change fees as blizzard looms

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/new-york-winter-storm-juno-blizzard-warnings-issued-as-mayor-tells-people-to-prepare-for-worst-10001941.html

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Watch: Miss Colombia Paulina Vega crowned Miss Universe 2015

"From the minute she walked in the building, people said, 'She's a star,'" Trump said.

Trump added that Colombia was in the running to host next year's pageant, but noted that China was also a strong candidate.

Miss Colombia Paulina Vega (L) is crowned by last year's Miss Universe, Venezuela's Gabriela Isler, at the 63rd Annual Miss Universe Pageant in Miami (Photo: Reuters)

Beauty pageants are big business in Latin America, where girls are groomed for the contests from a young age and where Vega said women take "a lot of pride" in representing their country.

Pageants and performance run in Vega's family. Her grandmother, Elvira Castillo, was Miss Atlntico 1953 (Colombia) and her grandfather is the legendary tenor Gastn Vega.

As Miss Universe, Vega will receive an undisclosed salary, a luxury apartment in New York, a wardrobe, oodles of beauty products, and a one-year scholarship from the New York Film Academy.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/colombia/11369014/Watch-Miss-Colombia-Paulina-Vega-crowned-Miss-Universe-2015.html

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Mandy Moore and Ryan Adams call time on their marriage

24 JANUARY 2015

Mandy Moore and Ryan Adams have split after almost six years of marriage. The Because I Said So actress and her musician husband, who have no children together, announced that they were going their separate ways in a statement released on Friday.

"Mandy Moore and Ryan Adams have mutually decided to end their marriage of almost 6 years," read the statement. "It is a respectful, amicable parting of ways and both Mandy and Ryan are asking for media to respect their privacy at this time."

CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE

Mandy and Ryan have been together since 2008

According to reports, 30-year-old Mandy cited 'irreconcilable differences' when she filed for divorce from 40-year-old Ryan.

In recent photos posted on her Instagram account, Mandy hasn't been wearing her wedding ring but as a sign of their close friendship, the brunette beauty has been collaborating with her Whiskeytown star husband on his new solo album.

The couple first started dating in 2008 and became engaged in February 2009. Just a month later, on 10 March 2009, the pair tied the knot in Savannah, Georgia.

Mandy, who first rose to fame following the release of her 1999 debut single Candy, previously dated American tennis player Andy Roddick.

The New Hampshire-born star was also romantically linked to DJ AM, real name is Adam Goldstein, who tragically passed away 2009 at the age of 36.

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Source: http://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/2015012423035/mandy-moore-ryan-adams-split/

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SAG Awards 2015 red carpet: 'OITNB' is everywhere, Aniston is fashionably late

The red carpet at the 2015 Screen Actors Guild Awards was hot -- thanks to Santa Ana conditions -- and definitely heavy with performers from the big and small screens.

Ensemble nominee "Orange Is the New Black" had a stellar, early turnout Sunday outside the Shrine Auditorium and Exposition Hall, while Jennifer Aniston, nominated for lead role in "Cake," hit the carpet at the last minute holding hands with fiance Justin Theroux of "The Leftovers."

FULL COVERAGE: SAG Awards 2015

Check out the arrivals action in the tweets, pictures and interviews below. Read live updates from the show here.

SAG AWARDS 2015: Top Nominees | Full coverage | Red carpet photos | Presenters | List | Live blog

4:50 p.m.: Patricia Arquette is in no rush

"Boyhood" matriarch Patricia Arquette was waiting in a photo line that grew increasingly long as the opening of the SAG Awards drew near, but the actress didn't mind losing her spot to chat for a bit.

Arquette, who is nominated for her role as a divorced mother of two in Linklater's opus, said she almost wished this weren't the last stop before the Oscars.

"I want the time to go by slow," she said. "I pretend like were still filming and I get to see my boy [Ellar Coltrane] and my girl [Lorelei Linklater] grow and grow.

"I'm like a proud mama, and I just want to take photo upon photo of them all dressed up."

Don't worry, Patricia, this isn't exactly the last stop: "Boyhood" earned five Indie Spirit Award nominations -- including a supporting actress nod for Arquette -- and those winners will be named the day before the Oscars.

Yvonne Villarreal

4:37 p.m.: "OITNB" star pays for her Netflix subscription

No one gets a free Netflix subscription -- not even Danielle Brooks, who plays Taystee on "Orange Is the New Black."

"Girl, bye," she said with a laugh, when asked.

In a form-fitting dark blue dress, she was most excited about seeing the fans on the red carpet.

"They keep me calm," she said, especially when she's trying to make sure a bra strap doesn't show.

This morning she woke up to get a massage, then ate some fruit and "good food" before starting the getting-ready process.

Tonight, her mother is her good luck charm.

Tre'vell Anderson

4:03 p.m.: Julie Lake breaks from "OITNB" look with '20s-style hair and glittery eyes

Who knew getting ready for an awards show was so tedious? "Orange Is the New Black" actress Julie Lake said Sunday outside the Shrine that she'd been up since 9 a.m.

"I was so exhausted," she said, noting that she was out late at a party Saturday night.

If her show wins tonight, expect her to bust out into the running man on the dance floor at the after-party.

Tre'vell Anderson

Jim Parsons of The Big Bang Theory hes a four-time nominee in SAGs male actor in a comedy series category showed off his ensemble before hitting the red carpet.

Along with the rest of the "Orange Is the New Black" cast, Laverne c*x is nominated for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series.

Eric Stonestreet -- Cam on "Modern Family" -- may or may not have had a wardrobe malfunction before hitting the red carpet.

His costar Jesse Tyler Ferguson gets dapper with his husband, lawyer Justin Mikita.

Ferguson also lent a hand accessorizing Julie Bowen's husband, Scott Phillips.

The SAG Awards Instagram account suggests following Matt McGorry of "Orange Is the New Black" and "How to Get Away With Murder," who is sending live updates from the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles.

Uzo Aduba -- Susan "Crazy Eyes" Warren of "Orange Is the New Black" -- is up for the award for a female actor in a comedy series.

A sneak peek of her costar, Laverne c*x's, red carpet gown.

Pedro Pascal, who plays Prince Oberyn Martell (a.k.a. The Viper) in "Game of Thrones," shows that he cleans up well.

SAG AWARDS 2015: Complete list |Nominee reactions | Presenters | Video: Hollywood sessions

Copyright 2015, Los Angeles Times

Source: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-screen-actors-guild-awards-2015-red-carpet-blog-2015-htmlstory.html

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Will Charlotte McKinney Pose n**e After Carl's Jr. Super Bowl Ad?

Charlotte McKinney almost pulled a Kim Kardashian by breaking the internet with her nearly-n**e Super Bowl ad for Carls Jr. However, Charlotte used a different body part to become a web sensation because of her super-sized chest, shes already being dubbed the next Kate Upton.

Now that all the new members of Charlotte McKinneys quickly-expanding fan club have all drooled over her numerous Instagram bikini photos, they likely want to learn a little more about the busty babe. To give McKinney fans some insight into what the Guess model is like, a few websites have started publishing some old McKinney quotes.

Take Just Jared, for example. The site recently published a snippet from one of Charlotte McKinneys interviews with FOX411, and it might start a major model beef. McKinney was asked what she thinks about models like Kendall Jenner and Ireland Baldwin using their famous last names to launch successful modeling careers.

A lot of girls have been working in this industry for years, and struggling and they walk in one day because of their last name, but whatever, if people like them, then let them do it.

Luckily, Charlotte probably wont ever be in the same place as Kendall Jenner. The model told Esquire that shes not trying to score the same kind of jobs that a willowy model like Kendall gets.

Im a curvier bombshell with big b***s. Im not high-fashion. I dont do runway. You wont see me at Fashion Week.

During her FOX411 interview, Charlotte McKinney was also asked about being compared to Kate Upton. Obviously, there are two very big reasons people compare McKinney to Upton, but the actress acted like she was oblivious to them.

Personally, I dont compare myself at all to her. I think were two totally different people but I admire her business aspect of her career, I think shes done an amazing job.

Now Kate and Charlotte also have something else in common: starring in sexy Carls Jr. Super Bowl ads. And judging from McKinneys swimsuit photos on Instagram, she might also follow in Uptons footsteps by scoring her own Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition cover.

As the Inquisitr previously reported, Charlotte McKinneys Super Bowl ad for Carls Jr. isnt really n**e its just cleverly edited to make it look like the model is baring it all. The controversial commercial will only air on the West Coast during the big game, but you can check out the extended directors cut below.

Charlotte claims that she loves going all-natural (as opposed to au naturel) in the Super Bowl ad. But what are McKinneys real thoughts about baring it all?

I believe theres a time and a place for it, the model told FOX411. I dont think Im ready for it. Ive been asked to pose for Playboy and theres this magazine Treats, its n**e. Im away from it for now unless along the line of Vogue or something amazing, but for now no.

Charlotte McKinney might change her mind about posing n**e now that her Carls Jr. ad is getting so much attention shes probably going to field some pretty huge offers to strip down.

[Image credit: Joe Wright via Instagram]

Source: http://www.inquisitr.com/1785745/will-charlotte-mckinney-pose-n**e-after-carls-jr-super-bowl-ad/

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'Mr. Cub' Ernie Banks dies at 83

Story highlights

• Banks started in the Negro Leagues, played for Chicago from 1953-1971
• He was known both as "Mr. Cub" and "Mr. Sunshine" for his positive, warm demeanor

The former Negro League upstart turned Cubs legend turned favorite son of Chicago died Friday in the Illinois city, family attorney Mark Bogen said.

Banks was 83.

Bogen said that Banks' death Friday evening at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital "was not expected." His family has scheduled a new conference for Sunday.

Until then, the condolences and tributes are pouring in.

Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts described Banks as "one of the greatest players of all time."

"Words cannot express how important Ernie Banks will always be to the Chicago Cubs, the city of Chicago and Major League Baseball," Ricketts said. "... He was a pioneer in the major leagues. And more importantly, he was the warmest and most sincere person I've ever known."

"Approachable, ever optimistic and kindhearted, Ernie Banks is and always will be Mr. Cub."

The thing is, Banks wasn't just a great baseball player, but a great champion for his sport and adopted city. The Windy City's mayor, Rahm Emanuel, called him "one of Chicago's greatest ambassadors."

Emanuel said, "He loved this city as much as he loved -- and lived for -- the game of baseball."

And baseball loved him back -- not just for the player he was, but the man he was.

This sentiment was evident on social media, with one man writing, "I've heard a lot of Ernie Banks stories in my life, a lot. But not one of them showed him in a negative way. " One person tweeted that, like the recently departed Stan Musial, Banks was "never too big for fans."

"Mr. Cub will play 2 today," wrote another man. He's with the Angels now and hopefully he'll get a ring."

Farewell to 'Mr. Cub' Ernie Banks, an elegant ambassador and all-time great

From the Negro Leagues to the Major League

That message alluded to the fact that Banks, despite all his stellar play over his career, never earned a World Series ring. In fact, the last time the Cubs won baseball's ultimate prize was 1908.

But you'd never know it from Banks' omnipresent smile.

He became the Chicago franchise's first black player in 1953. That happened three years after the Dallas native started his professional career in the Negro Leagues with the Kansas City Monarchs, then spent two years in the Army.

After the Monarchs sold his contract to the Cubs, Banks jumped straight to the Major Leagues -- hitting .314 in the 10 games he played in that first season.

He became Chicago's starting shortstop the next year, then had his real breakthrough in 1955 when he racked up 117 RBIs. His 44 home runs that season were at the time the most ever for a shortstop. (He hit 47 homers three years later, still a National League record for the position).

Banks kept it up as his career rolled along.

Late umpire Tom Gorman once recalled that in 1957, pitchers Don Drysdale, Bob Purkey, Bob Friend and Jack Sanford knocked down Banks with pitches, according to a story on the Cubs' website.

"And each time he was knocked down," Gorman said, "Banks hit their next pitch out of the park."

The accomplishments piled up through Banks' retirement after the 1971 season: 2,583 hits, 11 National League All-Star selections, two of the league's Most Valuable Player and 512 home runs, including five seasons hitting more than 40 homers.

And in 1977, six years after his last at-bat, Banks was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

'Nice guys finish last' -- except for Banks

It's no wonder, then, that he was voted the "Greatest Cub Ever" in a 1969 Chicago Sun-Times fan poll. After all, he was known both as "Mr. Cub" and "Mr. Sunshine."

Hall-of-Fame manager Leo Durocher, who was known for saying "Nice guys finish last," made an exception for Banks.

"Banks is one nice guy who finished first -- but he had the talent to go with it," Durocher said.

And this from sportswriter Arthur Daley: "He rejoices merely in living, and baseball is a marvelous extra that makes his existence so much more pleasurable."

Bogen, the family lawyer, said that Banks "would go right up to people and ask about their families and how they were doing rather than baseball."

"He wanted to know all about people's lives. Baseball was not the first thing he would talk about," the attorney said. "He cared about people."

His work on and off the field led to his receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in 2013.

Ernie Banks gave Obama Robinson's bat 04:08

PLAY VIDEO

"To have this award passed on to me is certainly a great joy," Banks told CNN's Jake Tapper at the time. "It's something I'll never forget."

The slugger left an impression on President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, too.

In a White House statement Saturday, Obama noted how Banks -- who made $7 a day coming up through the Negro Leagues -- never lost "his cheer, his optimism, and his love of the game."

"He was beloved by baseball fans everywhere," Obama said, "including Michelle, who, when she was a girl, used to sit with her dad and watch him play on TV."

People we've lost in 2015

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/23/us/ernie-banks-obit/

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Box's Stock Surges in Market Debut

Updated Jan. 23, 2015 4:28 p.m. ET

Shares of Box Inc. surged 66% in their market debut on Friday, a sign of strong demand for a software company that has spent the past several months being lambasted for what critics said were its hefty marketing budget and unclear path to profitability.

The stock closed at $23.23, putting its market capitalization at roughly $2.7 billion, about 12% higher than the valuation investors TPG Growth and Coatue Management bought their stakes last July. On Thursday, Box set its IPO price at $14 a share.

While Box executives celebrated from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, venture capitalists and tech entrepreneurs some 2,500 miles away also cheered the news, rethinking their valuations and prepping their own plans for IPOs.

Ive had two board members call me this morning, all excited, said Vineet Jain, chief executive of competing online-storage provider Egnyte Inc. It suddenly makes this category very exciting and puts a big spotlight on it.

Mr. Jain said he hopes to take his Mountain View, Calif., company public midway through 2016, provided he meets his target of becoming profitable a year from now. A long list of other cloud-computing startups, including Cloudera Inc., Hootsuite Media Inc. and DocuSign Inc., are expected to hold IPOs as soon as this year.

Matt McIlwain, managing director at Madrona Venture Group, said the strong demand for Box will encourage startups like Apptio Inc., a Bellevue, Wash., IT-management service now weighing its own IPO.

Thats the kind of company thats sitting there going, OK, what happened to Box will give me the confidence that the public markets are going to support the vision we have, Mr. McIlwain said.

The appetite for cloud-computing stocks dipped last spring, when a sudden market correction hit the valuations of marquee makers of business software, including Salesforce.com Inc. and Workday Inc. In just a few weeks, the average value of the 37 publicly traded companies tracked by Bessemer Venture Partners Cloud Computing Index fell 40%.

The correction occurred soon after Box filed for its IPO. The Los Altos, Calif., company postponed its IPO, and in the ensuing months it sought private-market funding. In that financing, Box agreed it would be required to issue more shares to private-equity firm TPG and hedge fund Coatue if it sold IPO shares below the $20 a share they paid.

Meantime, Box cut its sales and marketing costs to 97 cents for each dollar of revenue it made in the three months ended Oct. 31, from $1.57 a dollar of revenue at its peak.

Chief Executive Aaron Levie , a 30-year-old with a knack for showmanship, also spent time meeting with and educating potential investors on his plan to boost revenue. Box is developing more advanced tools tailored to industries like health care and retail that it can sell to its existing customer base and, over time, justify the high cost it pays to acquire them.

It seems like we have been able to convert some of the haters along the way, Mr. Levie said on Friday.

Boxs bankers, led by Morgan Stanley , Credit Suisse Group and J.P. Morgan , advised the company to bring the offering at an attractive pricethe IPO price was about five times expected 2015 salesand at a slow time of year, when Box didnt have to compete with a hotter name, people familiar with the matter said.

Some potential investors also were reassured when it was disclosed that Coatue agreed to buy more stock in the IPO, the people said.

A broader rebound in investor appetite for cloud-software makers also helped. Bessemers index is now just 8% below its February 2014 peak. Tech IPOs have done better recently with big-data firms Hortonworks Inc. and New Relic Inc. surging in their public debuts in December.

In the horse race between fear and greed, I think growth is back and people are looking for opportunities to invest in the cloud, said Jason Green, general partner at San Mateo, Calif.,-based Emergence Capital Partners.

Corrie Driebusch, Telis Demos and Shira Ovide contributed to this article.

Write to Douglas MacMillan at douglas.macmillan@wsj.com

Source: http://www.wsj.com/articles/box-opens-trading-well-above-ipo-price-of-14-a-share-1422026269

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Melissa Benoist of 'Glee' will play Supergirl

Melissa Benoist is your new Supergirl.

Right. I think she really was the last actor who hasn't worn a cape yet.

The "Whiplash" and "Glee" actress will star as Superman's equally-talented cousin in a new series on CBS. Benoist has also appeared in "The Good Wife," according to the Huffington Post.

Benoist will portray Kara Zor-El, who also happened to escape Krypton's destruction and ended up an orphan on Earth. She also -- stop me if you'd heard this before -- grew up with adoptive parents, who urged her to keep her powers secret. Therefore she wears a disguise that includes glasses. And she also happens to be related to Superman.

I wonder if she gets along with Lex Luthor's cousin.

Melissa Benoist attends the "Glee" premiere screening at the Paramount lot on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Valerie Macon/Invision/AP)

The series will chronicle what happens after a disaster forces Zor-El to use her powers.

Helen Slater played Supergirl in the very forgettable 1984 film of the same name ("Supergirl," not "Forgettable 1984 Film.")

Tony Hicks writes celebrity commentary for the Bay Area News Group. Contact him at Facebook.com/BayAreaNewsGroup.TonyHicks or Twitter.com/tonyhicks67

Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/entertainment/ci_27379918/melissa-benoist-glee-will-play-supergirl

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Marshawn Lynch tweet: 'Embarrassed' to work for' NFL

Marshawn Lynch was fined Thursday for his crotch-grabbing antics, but another finehad him tweeting about his displeasure with the league later that night.

I feel embarrassed to work for a particular organization that fined a teammate of mine for shaking my hand after a touchdown

Shawn Lynch (@MoneyLynch) January 23, 2015

MORE: Best players to never win Super Bowl | Super Bowl XLIX cheerleaders

Lynch is referring to his teammate Chris Matthews, who was fined$11,025. Matthews was one of many players who took part in Lynch's celebration where he shook teammates' hands, but none of the other players were fined.

According to the Seattle Times, Matthews was fined for an "obscene gesture." The NFL must have thought Matthews also grabbed his crotch.

Lynch didn't stop there with his social media criticism of the league. Before he sent out that tweet he retweeted an account that tagged him in a photo poking fun at the NFL.

@nfl @Seahawks @MoneyLynch pic.twitter.com/4EKOE2T3fj

DUNCEFACE (@thedunceface) January 22, 2015

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Thursday the league is keeping a close eye on Lynch. The Seahawks back skipped out on speaking to the media again after the NFC Championship and the league is considering increasing his fines, per Schefter.

Source: http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2015-01-23/marshawn-lynch-embarrassed-nfl-twitter-seahawks-super-bowl-xlix-fine-matthews

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Luke Bryan Announces 2015 Kick the Dust Up Tour

Thereigning CMA Entertainer of the Year is making plans that will, no doubt, lead him back into the running to hold onto that crown come November.

Sidebar Why Country Music Was Drunk All Year in 2014

Luke Bryan unveiled major plans for 2015 during a press conference today at Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The first and biggest announcement was the 2015 Kick the Dust Up Tour, which begins May 8th in Grand Forks, North Dakota. For the first time in his career, the country superstar will do double duty on some of his tour stops, staying for two nights of shows in 13 cities, including Dallas, Chicago and Philadelphia.

"The ability to go into a city and stay two nights is something I could only ever dream of," Bryan says. "It's amazing that we're in this spot, and I can't thank you fans enough for allowing it to go down."

Seven one-night stadium shows are also on tap in St. Paul, Minnesota; Santa Clara, California; Cincinnati, Ohio; Cleveland, Ohio; Denver; Detroit and Bryan's adopted hometown of Nashville, where he will play Vanderbilt University's football stadium. "I wanna bring the I.Q. down for one night there," jokes Bryan, who will be the first-ever country act to play Vanderbilt's stadium, following the likes of the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and U2.

Another first for Bryan's career will be international shows added to his lineup, with stops planned for Norway, Sweden, Ireland, Germany and the U.K. Opening acts for the entire trek will be Randy Houser and Dustin Lynch, with Florida Georgia Line and Thomas Rhett joining the stateside stadium shows. (Clickhere for a full list of cities and dates, along with ticket information and details on how to win a flyaway contest to one of the concerts.)

Two months before Bryan kicks the dust up, he'll perform his seventh annual and last Spring Break shows in Panama City Beach, Florida. The free, two-day event has seen crowds of some 200,000 pack the beach to see the country phenom, who releases a Spring Break-themed EP each year in conjunction with the shows. Set for March 11th and 12th this year, the Luke Bryan Spring Break run will come to an end with a final EP, Spring Break... Checkin' Out, to be released March 10th, along with a deluxe Spring Break CD compilation.

"We're going to end it on a big bang. It's been an amazing run. If you look at how we entered our spring break process, we just wanted to go play music on the beach," says the 38-year-old singer, who quotes Hank Williams Jr.'s "All My Rowdy Friends" as his humorous explanation for ending the run: "The hangovers hurt worse than they used to!"

The new Spring Break music will be followed by Bryan's fifth studio album, for which he says he's recorded four songs so far. The Kick the Dust Up Tour is named after one of those tracks.

In between his beach party and international travels, the Georgia native will once again co-host the ACM Awards with Blake Shelton. The live broadcast is set for April 19th, with nominations to be announced January 27th. It's very likely one of Bryan's four ACM trophies will be on display at a new exhibit opening at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum this May. Running through November, the exhibit will include memorabilia spanning the singer's years from the songwriting son of a peanut farmer to a platinum-selling stadium filler.

And if 2015 still doesn't sound eventful enough for the "Roller Coaster" crooner... "We have other things in store," Bryan teases. "I have crazy ideas for offshoots and new music, so stay tuned."

Source: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/luke-bryan-announces-2015-kick-the-dust-up-tour-20150121

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Maintenance workers accidentally sparked Edgewater fire with blowtorch ...

EDGEWATER Maintenance workers accidentally sparked the blaze that torched an Edgewater apartment complex Wednesday and displaced more than 1,000 people, officials said.

Gov. Chris Christie and local officials on Thursday night confirmed that maintenance workers performing plumbing work with a blowtorch started the fire.

After the fire started in the walls of a first floor apartment, the workers called a supervisor before calling 911, Police Chief William Skidmore said. It took 15 minutes before the call was made, a long time in a fire, he said.

But the delay wasn't criminal, Skidmore said.

"It was an accident," he said. "It was a tragic accident, but that's what it was. It was not a criminal act."

The cause of the fire was determined by an investigation by the Bergen County Proseuctor's Office arson squad.

Chistie, along with county and local officials, revealed these details in a press conference outside the Edgewater Community Center, where the town is providing aid to displaced residents. The governor and his cabinet huddled with Bergen County Executive James Tedesco, Mayor Michael McPartland and local emergency responders before greeting relief workers and victims of the fire.

Gov. Christie and police chief say Edgewater fire accidentalIn a press conference at the Edgewater Community Center, Gov. Chris Christie and William Skidmore, the Edgewater Police Chief, said that the massive fire was accidental but that an investigation into the building codes would be conducted. (Video by John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

He said he wanted to assure victims that the state was working to ensure the "transition" after the fire was as smooth as possible.

"At times like this most people are concerned they'll be forgotten," Christie said. "That's why I'm here, to make sure people know that we won't forget."

Christie said the state would conduct a separate investigation to ensure the building met current fire codes. He also said the state may review current fire codes in the wake of the fire.

Edgewater Fire Chief Tom Jacobson said earlier the lightweight, wooden construction of the Avalon Bay complex allowed the flames to spread so rapidly. In a statement released Thursday afternoon, AvalonBay Communities, owners of the complex, said the building met fire and safety codes.

"The purpose of those codes is not to prevent the building from burning down, but rather to ensure that there is sufficient time and opportunity for all occupants to exit safely in the event of a fire," the company wrote. "We are grateful that everyone at Avalon at Edgewater was able to leave the building and get to safety without serious injury."

A spokesman declined to immediately comment on the results of the arson squad investigation.

Borough schools will be closed again Friday, McPartland said. He urged everyone to stay away from the area as authorities continue to work on the site.

The fire destroyed 240 of the complex's 408units, permanently displacing 500 residents and temporarily forcing another 520 people from nearby homes. Hundreds of emergency personnel membersfrom 35 different towns responded to the fire, which was still smoldering on Thursday.

Almost all of the displaced residents who have not found shelter are staying at local hotels, McPartland said. Many of the displaced received aid at the community center, where representatives various groups, including insurance companies, the state Motor Vehicle Commission, the county, hotels and even rental agents from other apartment buildings were on hand to help victims.

Anyone wishing to donate to the victims of the fire can use fundraising page set up by the borough at http://www.gofundme.com/edgewater-fire. McPartland said this is the only Edgewater-sanctioned fundraiser.

NJ Advance Media Staff Writer Noah Cohen contributed reporting

Kathryn Brenzel may be reached atkbrenzel@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter@katiebrenzel. FindNJ.com on Facebook

Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Source: http://www.nj.com/bergen/index.ssf/2015/01/christie_speaks_about_edgewater_fire.html

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Melissa Benoist cast as Supergirl on CBS

Melissa Benoist attends the premiere of "Whiplash" at Bing Theatre At LACMA on Oct. 6, 2014, in Los Angeles. Jason Kempin/Getty Images

CBS has a "Supergirl."

Actress Melissa Benoist, known for her role as Marley Rose on "Glee," will star in the upcoming series based on the character from DC Comics.

The series will focus on Superman's cousin, Kara Zor-El, who escaped from Krypton amid the planet's destruction years earlier. After arriving on Earth she initially hides her superpowers, but eventually decides to embrace them -- turning her into a hero.

Benoist tweeted about the news on Thursday:

The 26-year-old Colorado native made her film debut in "Tennessee" in 2008 and appears in the Oscar-nominated film "Whiplash." She'll next be seen in "The Longest Ride" with Scott Eastwood and Alan Alda.

2015 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/melissa-benoist-cast-as-supergirl-on-cbs/

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Aaron Rodgers girlfriend Olivia Munn talks up Wisconsin meat market on 'Conan'

Olivia Munn, the actress girlfriend of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, gave "Conan" viewers across the nation a glimpse into the Wisconsin way of living during Conan O'Brien's late-night talk show on TBS Tuesday night.

Up for discussion: The concept of putting meat on hold at the meat market, and living in cold temperatures in Green Bay.

Munn, a Hollywood actress who was born in Oklahoma, was on "Conan" to promote her role in the new Johnny Depp movie "Mortdecai". But she also gave an unexpected boost to the old-fashioned meat market Maplewood Meats in Howard.

She mentioned that she'd recently declined to take part in a business call at 4 p.m. because she had to make it to Maplewood to pick up meat before the market closed.

Maplewood is a family-owned meat processing facility established in 1983. It has an 85-foot meat case and offers specialty sausages, gourmet products, venison and other custom slaughtering and processing for local farmers.

Maplewood plant manager Brad Van Hemelryk, a regular "Conan" watcher, knew that Munn stops in almost weekly during the Packers season to pick up meat, especially steaks. But he still was surprised to hear Munn mention the plant on the show. He said he received lots of compliments Wednesday after Munn mentioned the plant.

"We're getting a lot of nice compliments, just kind of reconfirming the unique shopping experience we offer of you picking it out and we're wrapping it," Van Hemelryk told the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

During the show, Munn also told viewers she loves Green Bay and has become used to the cold temperatures, with a little help from warm jackets and heated car seats.

The actress confessed she didn't know who Rodgers was when she first met him.

"I had no idea," she told O'Brien. "When I met him, I said, 'So, what do you do?' He said, 'Oh, I play football.' I said, 'Cool! What college?'

"He's like, 'Oh, no, I play professional.' I go, 'Cool. What position?' He's like, 'quarterback.' 'Cool.'"

She admitted she was more focused on how hot he was.

"All I saw was that he was, like, really attractive. I didn't really care what he did," she confessed. " 'You're such a big man.' "

You can watch the Jan. 20, 2015, episode of Conan featuring Munn on TBS' website. Munn's section starts about 15 minutes in. Or you can skip a few minutes of commercials and watch the four-minute Munn segment from "Conan" on YouTube.

Source: http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/tvradio/aaron-rodgers-girlfriend-olivia-munn-talks-up-wisconsin-meat-market-on-conan-b99431067z1-289443181.html

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Aaron Rodgers has game; Olivia Munn had no idea who he was

I'm not an NFL quarterback, but I imagine that life goes something like this: Say you're an NFL quarterback, land the gorgeous girl. This goes with decades of beautiful tradition, from Joe Namath to Tom Brady.

I assumed that's how Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers started dating actress Olivia Munn. Or that their agents set it up, or however famous people in Hollywood start dating anyone. But no, Munn says she had no idea who Rodgers was when she first met him, and definitely did not know he was a famous football player.

"I had no idea," Munn said on "Conan" with Conan O'Brien. "When I met him I said, So what do you do? He said, Oh, I play football. I go, Cool, what college? Hes like Oh, I play professional. I say Cool, what position? Hes like, Quarterback. Cool. That was kind of it."

So if it wasn't Rodgers' MVP award or his Super Bowl ring or the great work he does discount double-checking on television ads, why was Munn attracted to Rodgers?

"All I saw is that he was really attractive," Munn said. "I didnt care what he did."

Well done.

Munn also spoke to Conan about enjoying life in Green Bay ("I love it in Green Bay," the famous actress said. "Its really comfortable there.") and things like putting off a conference call to go pick up meat at Maplewood Meats in Green Bay. I'm curious as to what seemed stranger, Munn dropping by the meat market for venison or whatever she was getting, or the looks on the locals' faces when the movie actress stops in.

Munn might be well known but in Northeast Wisconsin, it's her boyfriend who would get all the looks in public. He's in little danger of anyone else there not recognizing him or knowing what he does.

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

• American Football
• Sports & Recreation
• Olivia Munn
• Aaron Rodgers
• Green Bay Packers
• Conan O'Brien

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/aaron-rodgers-has-game--olivia-munn-had-no-idea-who-he-was-222725475.html

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