31 May 2011

Arlington National Cemetery may honor 13 rabbis

The 13 Jewish military chaplains who died in the line of duty are one step closer to getting a memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

The House of Representatives recently unanimously passed a bill clearing the way to erect a memorial to rabbis who lost their lives in service to their country.

This means chaplains like Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, a native New Yorker, will be honored. Goode was one of four chaplains who gave their life jackets and their lives to save other soldiers during the sinking of the USAT Dorchester during World War II.

The monument would stand about 7 feet tall and a bronze plaque mounted on a granite slab would list the names of the 13 chaplains.

The Star of David and a Jewish proverb — "I ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders" — would be inscribed.

The House bill, sponsored by Rep. Anthony Weiner, who represents parts of Brooklyn and Queens, was supported by local Reps. Nan Hayworth, R—Mount Kisco, and Maurice Hinchey, D-Hurley.

Rabbi Larry Freedman at Newburgh's Reform Jewish congregation, Temple Beth Jacob, urged passage of the bill.

Freedman, who is also a chaplain at Stewart Air National Guard Base, recently went to Kuwait for Passover. "(It) was a spiritual uplift in the desert," he said.

The bill now goes onto the Senate, where it is sponsored by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

OSU doesn't have to pay Tressel anything

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The resignation of coach Jim Tressel on Monday means Ohio State does not have to pay him another penny of his estimated $3.5 million annual salary.

According to the contract, which runs through the 2014 season, Tressel "shall not be entitled to receive any further compensation or benefits under this agreement" if he resigns.

Ohio State spokesman Jim Lynch said Monday that he was unaware of whether a buyout or severance package was part of Tressel's resignation.

An addendum to the contract does permit Tressel, if he resigns for any reason, to become an associate athletic director at a salary of $150,000 per year. Section 5.3f does stipulate that Ohio State can void that portion of the agreement.

Jim Tressel Resigns: 5 Reasons Ohio State Needs to Hire Rich Rodriguez as Coach

ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 21: Head coach Jim Tressel of the Ohio State Buckeyes shakes hands after a 21-10 victory with head coach Rich Rodriguez of the Michigan Wolverines on November 21, 2009 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  (Photo by Gregory 
Jim Tressel is out as coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, it was announced on Monday.

And while I admit to a significant amount of schadenfreude in seeing the rival of my beloved Michigan Wolverines struggling through NCAA violations, suspensions, rumors of sanctions and the like, I also admit to a significant amount of respect for the man with the sweater vest—at least before all of the latest information came out in recent months.
All of that said, though, Ohio State must find a new coach.

And while former Tressel assistant Luke Fickell will seemingly be the head man in Columbus for at least the 2011 season, I have the perfect man for the Buckeyes: Rich Rodriguez.

Here are five reasons why RichRod would be perfect for Ohio State.

29 May 2011

Indianapolis 500 Preview: Warm day dawns for 100th anniversary race


Indydawn
After a week of rain, cold and tornado warnings in central Indiana, there were partly sunny skies and warmer conditions Sunday morning at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 100th-anniversary edition of the Indianapolis 500.

Indeed, temperatures were expected to reach the high 80ks and the chance of rain was listed at only 10% for the race, which many observers said was shaping up to be one of the more compelling Indy 500s in recent years.

Though Canadian Alex Tagliani is on the pole, with a qualifying speed of 227.472 mph, many of the top drivers in the Izod IndyCar Series are starting deep in the 33-car field. That's likely to spark lots of passing in the 200-lap race as those drivers charge to the front.

Defending race winner and reigning IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti is starting ninth. Helio Castroneves, looking to become only the fourth driver in history to win the race four times, is starting 16th.
Simona De Silvestro, the young Swiss driver who burned her hand in a crash at practice but returned to qualifying anyway, starts 23rd. And the popular Danica Patrick starts 25th.

The race starts at noon EDT, and look for in-race updates at latimes.com/sports.

-- Jim Peltz in Indianapolis

28 May 2011

Poet, musician Gil Scott-Heron dies

Hip Hop pioneer Gil Scott-Heron is dead at 62

Gil Scott-Heron, dubbed the "godfather of rap" for his mix of poetry and music, died Friday in New York, his publicist at XL Recordings said. He was 62.

It was not immediately known what killed Scott-Heron, who was best known for the 1970 song "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," a politically and socially charged song that examined the African American condition in America at the time. The song was banned by some radio stations.

Scott-Heron died at 4 p.m. at a New York hospital, said Lisa Gottheil, his publicist at XL Recordings.

Scott-Heron defined the genre, long-time friend and former bandmate Charlie Saunders told CNN. Saunders worked on Scott-Heron's 1970 debut album "Small Talk At 125th & Lenox."

Saunders, a percussionist, said the last time he saw Scott-Heron was about two years ago when he needed a place to stay.

"He came by our house to get himself together. He spent 4 to 5 days and then moved on," Saunders said.

Much of Scott-Heron's poetry and music reflected his struggles with drugs and alcohol.

Born in 1949, Scott-Heron first gained fame for his poetry and spoken word performances in the late 1960s. By the mid-1970s, he had published two books of poetry and recorded four albums, including "Small Talk At 125th & Lenox."

His early albums, "Pieces of a Man" and "Winter in America," have been credited with influencing other musical genres, such as hip hop. But it was the song "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" that put Scott-Heron on the musical map.

His music has been sampled by everyone from Kanye West, who sampled "Comment #1" for his 2010 song "Who Will Save America," to Common's sample of "No Knock" on his 2008 hit "Universal Mind Control."

After a 13-year hiatus from making music, Scott-Heron put out a new album last year called "I'm New Here."

In a 2008 interview with New York magazine, Scott-Heron revealed he had contracted HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, after years of batting drug and alcohol addictions. In 2001 and 2007, he was jailed on drug charges.

27 May 2011

Tom Jones, Tim McGraw, the Kiss and More Highlights from the Idol Finale

Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery

Mark Davis/FOX/PictureGroup
It was an American Idol finale for the record books: Steven Tyler sang "Dream On," Jennifer Lopez and husband Marc Anthony shared a dance and a kiss on stage, country legends Tim McGraw and Carrie Underwood wowed, James Durbin got his happy metal ending with Judas Priest, Tom Jones showed the men of the top 13 how it's done and Haley Reinhart even sang a snazzy version of "Steppin' Out with My Baby" with Tony Bennett.

But the night belonged to Scotty McCreery, who took home the Idol crown.

"It was just a moment I will never forget," said McCreery, 17, of his win. "This was all about me being able to accomplish my dreams. I'm an American Idol. That was a huge dream. It's time for me to start my career. The real work begins."

Runner-up Lauren Alaina, who says she knew McCreery was going to win, had nothing but kind words for her fellow finalist. "It was God's plan for Scotty to get first," said Alaina, 16. "No matter what, that was the way it is supposed to be."

Though her voice was giving her trouble on the night of her final performances, the singer says it didn't affect the votes. "My voice had nothing to do with it. Things happen for a reason."

And what was the reason behind the smooch the two shared on stage?

"She stays true to her word," McCreery said with a chuckle. "She told me she was going to do that. It's all fun and games."

Though McCreery says they two aren't dating, he couldn't stop boasting about Alaina. "She's a sweetheart," he said. "She's just so amazing. It's a special relationship we have."

The season 10 finalists even plan to duet. "We've talked about it for a while," McCreery said. "I think we sound great together so I think that would be a wise choice."

Next, McCreery plans to get in the studio and record a great country album as soon as he can. "It's my duty," he said. "I owe it my fans."

But first he's looking forward to a little downtime. "I just want to chill on the couch," he said, "and watch Sports Center."

25 May 2011

UPDATED tornados on Twitter: Best photos from Tuesday night’s storm in Dallas-Fort Worth

If you're not on Twitter or don't use it regularly, Tuesday night's storms in North Texas should have been enough to change your mind. While the local news stations had pretty good weather coverage, the best real-life, up-to-the-minute information was found on Twitter. (Plus, Twitter wasn't interrupted with kickbacks to Dancing With the Stars.)

The key was to follow the right people on Twitter -- the citizen journalists and actual journalists who shared information quickly and (we hope) accurately.

Here are our favorite photos taken Tuesday:

@jeremiahjw: "I snapped this pic of the storm clouds earlier." It was taken at about 5 p.m. in Quinlan, Texas.
@jeremiahjw: "I snapped this pic of the storm clouds earlier." It was taken at about 5 p.m. in Quinlan, Texas.
@themark23 says: "East Dallas hail. Pelting my car."
 @themark23 says: "East Dallas hail. Pelting my car."
@theneer: "Dudes, this totally happened. Funnel cloud whipped by close enough for a crazy shot but far away enough that my roomie shot this" in Denton.
@theneer: "Dudes, this totally happened. Funnel cloud whipped by close enough for a crazy shot but far away enough that my roomie shot this" in Denton.
@brianvinson: "Is Denton clear? Check out the pic I took at 8:05."
@brianvinson: "Is Denton clear? Check out the pic I took at 8:05."
@the33news: "THIS is what began attacking my car -- and that is the least scary thing right now. #tornado"
@the33news: "THIS is what began attacking my car -- and that is the least scary thing right now. #tornado"
@MattGrubs: "In Dallas, please get inside. Here's a pic of Flower Mound funnel..."
@MattGrubs: "In Dallas, please get inside. Here's a pic of Flower Mound funnel..."
@DrewOlsonMKE49: "Scary scene at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington...."
@DrewOlsonMKE49: "Scary scene at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington...."
@thudson: "Massive tree snapped onto a large SUV in Uptown Dallas" at 10:08 p.m.
@thudson: "Massive tree snapped onto a large SUV in Uptown Dallas" at 10:08 p.m.
Stay tuned for Round 2.


UPDATE: Twitter also had very quick information for tornado warnings and watches. Check out some of the most notable tweets in a matter of about 100 minutes -- during the worst part of the storm:
    @kdfw: "Golfball size hail falling out at people at the ballpark for the Rangers game" at 8:51 p.m. @oncor: "As storms make their way through N. TX, please stay safe! If you see downed power lines, call 911 and report pwr outages at 888-313-4747" at 8:51 p.m. @dallas_news: "National Weather Service has canceled Tornado Warning for Collin County as storm has somewhat weakened" at 8:53 p.m. @cbs11news: "Baseball sized hail reports in downtown Fort Worth." at 9:01 p.m. @nickulo: "Hiding in the Saucer's cooler from the tornado. Totally not stealing beer. @FlyingSaucerLak yfrog.com/h7e1szrj" at 9:12 p.m. @the33news: "Ballpark in Arlington is putting fans through dugout to stadium -- not even safe under awnings" at 9:17 p.m. @CheEdenBell: "Dallas Love Field basement, about as fun as rabies. http://twitpic.com/525ko8" at 9:29 p.m. @aandro: "Fans are returning to their seats at Rangers Ballpark. Only in Texas. 15 minutes after hail hit the park" at 9:33 p.m. @walkabledfw: "Downtown Dallas tornado sirens going off for first time tonight" at 9:46 p.m. @nbcdfw: "Funnel cloud sighted in southern Dallas county near Lancaster. Storm is moving East. Take shelter" at 9:51 p.m. @jbatsell: "Flight to Heathrow canceled. Hail damage to our plane" at 9:53 p.m. @dartmedia: "TRE is resuming its normal schedule. DART Rail will experience delays throughout the evening due to local power outages" at 9:54 p.m. @NBCDFWWeather: "New t-storm Warning for Hood, Johnson, Somervell, and Tarrant counties till 11 PM. Golfball hail and 60 mph winds" at 10:11 p.m. @NBCDFWWeather: "Tornado Warning for Dallas has been canceled as storm is moving out but a new Severe t-storm warning is about to be issued" at 10:15 p.m. @cbs11news: "Getting reports of 70 mph winds in Plano. Please take cover now in a center room without windows, folks" at 10:27 p.m. @kdfw: "once this last line moves through we should be done with the severe weather" at 10:44 p.m. @RangerBlake: "Tarp coming off. First pitch at 11:20 pm. #rangersweather" at 10:45 p.m. by Sarah Blaskovich

18 May 2011

2011 NBA Mock Draft: Every Selection for All 30 Teams, What Will Jazz Do?



110920637_crop_340x234  2011 NBA Mock Draft: Every Selection for All 30 Teams, What Will Jazz Do?
The Utah Jazz weren't expecting to come out of the draft lottery with a top three selection, but now that they have one, the team has a very legitimate chance to improve their roster in a big way with an impact selection.

Assuming that Irving and Kanter are the top two picks in the draft, it should be a no-brainer that the Jazz make Derrick Williams the pick. They need to desperately move on from the Andrei Kirilenko era after he's been a disappointment in recent seasons, and Williams would provide an imposing front line alongside Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson.


If the team decides to move in a different direction, they could draft a European talent like Donatas Motiejunas and develop him overseas in the case of an impending lockout.

Jonas Valanciunas is another logical target for the club, as well as the uber-talented Jan Vesely.

The Jazz have a history of surprising everyone with their lottery choices, and this season may not be much different.


17 May 2011

A conversation with Girl Talk


Photo by Andrew Strasser“Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” blasts through the speakers. Ludacris raps, “Move, bitch, get out the way.” Cali Swag District begs, “Teach me how to Dougie.” MIA shows up to boast, “No one on the corner has swagger like us.” Eventually, Joey Ramone appears to sing, “Blitzkrieg Bop.”
So goes a typical mashup by Girl Talk, the stage name for Pittsburgh-based producer Gregg Gillis, who over the course of five albums has built a sizable following for his wholesale sampling of pop and classic-rock hits. His most-recent album, All Day, was released this past November and can be downloaded for free on his Web site, Illegal-art.net. All Day samples a seemingly endless number of artists, including the aforementioned acts but also Arcade Fire, Black Eyed Peas, Gloria Estefan, Fugazi, Bruce Springsteen and Van Halen. Although Gillis has divided the album into individual tracks, he prefers that it be heard as he intended — as one continuous, 71-minute composition that sounds less like the work of some hip-hop mixmaster and more like the effort of an FM radio DJ with a serious case of ADD and a penchant for playing several records at once.
Gillis first performed as Girl Talk when he was 18 and studying biomedical engineering at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He has since graduated from clicking a laptop at house parties to playing theaters and festivals, where he has been known to shower audiences with balloons and confetti while he dances shirtless before large LED screens.
Gillis will appear this Thursday and Friday at the Fillmore Miami Beach, where he says concertgoers can expect two different sets, rolls of toilet paper flying over them and the opportunity to dance onstage. City Link recently spoke with Gillis while he enjoyed a rare day off at his home in Pittsburgh.
How has your tour been so far?
I’ve kind of been on the road for about four years straight, so it just doesn’t really stop for me. It just kind of comes in waves.

Is that hard on you?
Yeah, a little bit. I schedule it so I can be home enough to have relationships with people and see friends and family and everything like that. At the same time, I do like getting out there, and it’s something where there’s always a demand for more shows. … I mean, with always having shows up on the horizon and coming up quickly, it motivates me to keep working.

You are playing two nights in Miami. What will you do to make the shows different?
Everything with the show these days — it’s really grown. For years, it was just me and the laptop, but now, I bring a bunch of friends out. And on a particular tour, we’ll have an LED wall, and I have friends who kind of build custom props and use confetti and balloons and things like that for the show. So for each of the nights, there will be some distinct viewpoints and there will be some overlap. Because it’s like, I’ll put out an album every two years and I’m working constantly on that. Typically, it takes me two years to make 60 minutes of music. So it’s not a very easy process for me just to throw together a new live show that’s going to be distinctively different than other ones. But I do have a lot of material … so I like to have some overlap but different interpretations.

Are the people you bring on tour your longtime friends?
Now, there are some longtime friends, like, two friends who will come out with me on tour and basically be handling more of the physical props, like the balloons and confetti and things I mentioned like that. They are people I’ve known for over 10 years and they kind of do things where — you know, I really like interacting with the crowd and getting in there and bringing people onstage. But still, when I perform live, I have to trigger all the music onstage in real time. So that is something where I have to be on the computer almost the entire time. So I bring friends along to interact with the crowd in ways I wish I could. They’re able to just get out there the whole time and interact with that front row or jump in the crowd and throw stuff on them.

How do you prep your laptop for the shows?
I cover them in Saran Wrap every night because I sweat a small pool up there. And when I invite people onstage, you know there’s always a chance that someone’s going to throw a drink or knock the table over or whatever, and I’ve seen all of that. Every level of fluid from beer to vomit has graced my computer. … I’ve gone through a bunch [of computers] and I would say probably have broken at least one laptop per year for the time I’ve been doing this.

Would the teenage Gregg Gillis have listened to Girl Talk?
Um, probably not. When I was like 15, I was really into abrasive, experimental electronic music. Stuff that would be considered avant-garde. But also back then, I was a fan of pop, and I always kind of listened to hip-hop. But I was pretty dedicated to either the extreme underground or the extreme pop. You know, right now, Girl Talk kind of fits somewhere in between there.

Can you just sit down with friends and listen to music, or are you always looking for that next sample?
I feel like I get in and out of the mode of hunting for a sample. Some days, I’ll work on music and I might have some ideas in mind of stuff I want to get into. I might feel like looking for a sample, or if I feel like I don’t have enough early ’80s synth-pop in my set, I’ll look through my record collection, turn on my radio or go on YouTube and actually hunt it down — not really listen to music but skip through a bunch of things and actually look for samples. Whereas if it’s Friday night and I’m just hanging out with friends, and they’re listening to their iPod, I can kind of turn it off a bit. Especially because I do like to work within the Top 40 spectrum, and a lot of times when I’m hanging out with people, we are listening to stuff that doesn’t fit into it.

How do the artists you sample respond to your work? After 11 years of mixing copyrighted music and not having any legal problems, do you still fear being sued?
Thus far, everything’s been positive. You know, most people I’ve heard from, I’ve met a couple people in person, and a lot of stuff I’ve read is just other people interviewing other artists about my album. It’s all been positive. Some of those artists are even promoting it — putting it on their Twitter, on their home page. I think a lot of the artists don’t really see anything that I’m doing as competition, and it’s not taking sales away from them. I think they see it as something that can open up their music to another audience. Along with that, I think a lot of managers and people from labels see it like that, as well. And in the past years, some of those people are reaching out as well and giving me tracks or sending me CDs, saying, “Check out this a cappella.” “Here’s the instrumental for this album.” Thus far, we’ve had no issues.

Girl Talk will perform 9 p.m. Thursday, May 19 and 9 p.m. Friday, May 20 at the Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave. Tickets cost $31. Call 305-938-2505 or visit Livenation.com.
Contact Ashley McCredie at amccredie@sun-sentinel.com.

 


Cali Swag District’s M-Bone Killed In Drive-By Shooting



This cold Monday just got even colder. Sources are reporting that Cali Swag District member M-Bone was killed last night in his hometown of Inglewood CA. The “Teach Me How To Doggie” rapper, whose real name is Montae Talbert, was the victim of an apparent drive-by shooting. He was 22 years old. According to TMZ, M-Bone was standing by his car outside of a liquor store when shots were fired. Detectives are still investigating a motive, but they suspect the act was random. M-Bone was taken a to a local hospital, but pronounced dead on arrival.

Cali Swag District leader C-Smoove tweeted this morning “Ma life changed drastically in the blink of an eye. RIP M-Bone.” We send our thoughts and warm wishes out to his friends and family. Check out the video that made them famous below, and do the Dougie one more time for M-Bone.

12 May 2011

"The Pride" a 50-year journey of self-discovery

It's a remarkable play that can take a small, human story that's been told before and not only tell it in an original way but transform it into a cathartic and hopeful reminder of how the seismology of the world has shifted over the past 50 years.

Paragon Theatre's "The Pride" sounds like a variation on that cheesy 1982 movie, "Making Love," when Kate Jackson discovers her perfect husband has fallen in love with another man. But British playwright Alexi Kaye Campbell's "The Pride" is so much more than a coming-out story. Without waving any pride flags, it's an alternatingly elegant and brutal chronicle of the collective gay journey from repression and even criminality to freedom and self-acceptance — for everyone involved.

Campbell does it by adopting a daring and perhaps unprecedented playwriting structure. In her story, married Phillip confronts his long-repressed attraction for other men when he meets the dashing Oliver, his wife's best male friend. The ensuing story covers just 19 months. But while the play begins in 1958, it ends in 2008.
How? Campbell not only presents her 10 scenes in a juggled order, she alternates the year and societal context in which each one plays out, making this not just the story of three people but of millions over the past five decades.
It starts as a very polite, very British 1958 parlor comedy (almost). Sylvia (Barbra Andrews) not only introduces her buttoned-up husband Phillip (Jarrad Holbrook) to her handsome, Coward-esque young employer, Oliver (Jake Walker), she very much wants for them to "get along" as friends. Of course, they become much more than that.

The next scene fast-forwards to Phillip moving out — on Oliver. They haven't aged, but it's now 2008. Turns out Oliver's lifelong sexual addiction, combined with the cumulative damage of Phillip's lifetime of self-denial, will not make their ride a smooth one.

One of the most remarkable characters ever put to page is Sylvia, who finds a way to apply the upheaval in her own life toward her own liberation, while remaining fiercely loyal to all the men she loves.

Skillfully jutting back and forth in time lets us know early on how these three vastly different metamorphoses will end, while infusing an unpredictable and discombobulating energy into the storytelling.

It's an epic play, and Paragon director Taylor Gonda has elicited indelible, honest performances to go with it. That starts with an unnervingly natural Walker, who wears the deeply flawed but eminently understandable Oliver like a second skin. Walker is utterly convincing in a nuanced, breakout performance opposite a wholly immersed Holbrook as the tortured latent whose fight

Paragon Theatre's "The Pride" examines the collateral damage caused by denying self-truths through the relationship shared by Oliver (Jake Walker, left) and Phillip (Jarrad Holbrook). (Provided by Erin Tyler Photography )
 
against his natural self leads him to a harrowing homosexuality aversion clinic. There are clues in the script that suggest these two actors are physically mismatched for one another, but the total commitment to their nuanced performances is undeniable.

While these are colossal transformations, it is Andrews' part in all this that elevates the play to another level and opens its arms to a wider audience. Her Sylvia calls herself a cliche, an oblivious, cuckolded wife, but this woman of unshakable decency is anything but. And while her path may be unusual, her destination will be knowable to all women.

Life has tossed her a cruel hand, as both spurned wife to one man and best friend to his lover. Andrews delivers a heartbreaking portrayal of a wife who deep down knows everything, all along, and is just waiting for someone to let her in — and thus let her out.

David Cates plays all the support characters, providing both comic relief as a Nazi callboy, and a chilling reality check as the 1958 aversion therapist determined to vomit the gay out of Phillip. These are all brave performances by actors in total command and utter free-fall at once.

The play is prone to repetition and, at nearly three hours, it goes on far longer than it needs to. But its simple message extends far beyond the parameters of sexual preference: It takes real courage for anyone to be happy. The worst possible deception is the refusal to acknowledge the stirrings of your own heart.


Randy Jackson Catches Heat After Haley Reinhart Drama on “American Idol” Wednesday

When “American Idol” topics have generated vast online buzz following the weekly performance shows, they have almost always concerned the contestants and their song selections.

This time, however, the most-buzzed about subject is judge Randy Jackson, who caught heat for a variety of developments on Wednesday’s intriguing Final Four performance show. As of 10:30PM, Jackson leads the Google Trends chart as the most popular search term online.

Notably fueling online buzz for Jackson is the fact that contestant James Durbin performed Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’”, making multiple mentions of the fact that Jackson used to play bass for the band. While discussing the performance, Jackson said that Journey, along with fellow judge Steven Tyler’s band Aerosmith, ranks as one of the greatest American rock bands of all time. He also said that lead singer Steve Perry, like Steven Tyler, is one of the all-time great rock vocalists. Journey had climbed to number two on the Trends chart.

(Update: In a very rapid change, Jackson and Journey appeared to be off the Trends chart by 11:10PM)
But the buzz was not all for Randy Jackson and James Durbin bonding over the influential Journey song. Another element of interest in Jackson comes from his heated exchanges with Haley Reinhart, who was the only contestant to receive negative feedback after the first round of songs Wednesday.
Reinhart’s take on “Earth Song” garnered criticism from both Jennifer Lopez and Jackson, with Lopez focusing on the ill-advised song selection and Jackson bringing attention to things like Reinhart’s “screaming” throughout the song. The interaction between Jackson and Reinhart escalated, with the two (along with J-Lo, at times) entering into something of a brief, heated, back-and-forth discussion about the performance and song selection.

Later, when asked by Ryan Seacrest who won the first round, Jackson said that it was a tie between Durbin, Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina, delivering a biting blow to Reinhart, the only other singer left in the competition.

Though Reinhart is perceived to have the smallest overall fanbase of the remaining contestants, she is very popular with critics and online commenters, and there was a big degree of outcry over what Haley fans felt was biased judging in that first round.

As with last week, however, the first round criticism built into something positive for round two–all three judges gave Haley a standing ovation for her “I Who Have Nothing.”
Headline Planet’s full review of Wednesday’s performances is due Thursday.

American Idol Top 4: Going A Little Gaga

Oh baby, there are only four more Idols left ... which means, only a couple more weeks of hearing Jennifer Lopez, Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler tell everyone they're "in it to win it" and that the song is like listening to their concert. Seriously, guys, not everyone'se song is absolutely perfect. Give some sort of critique! Tonight, they only one to which they said anything other than "YOU ARE AMAZING" was one of the best performances of the night. *eyeroll*

Tonight the theme was songs by songwriting duo Leiber & Stoller with mentor Lady Gaga (the "theme weeks" have been sort of weak and random this year), but before that lovely drama we had to suffer through the songs that inspire our Idols. Gag.

James sang one of the best sing-loudly-in-the-car songs ever - Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." First of all, could you get a dorkier song? Maybe it's just my general dislike for '80s rock, but that song is just sort of silly. James sang it well, but it was a basic, standard rock song - no different than listening to your super talented friend sing the song while you play Rock Band on a Saturday night. Randy said that it was a song with the "highest degree of difficulty," but considering how easy it is for me to sound good while singing it in the car, I think Randy is full of crap.

Haley sang Michael Jackson's "Earth Song," and it was great. Like, give me goosebumps great. She really inserted a lot of passion into the song with her finally-contained growl. Haley has that wonderful bluesy quality to her voice - a bit of an Adele feel, which I love. It was a bit of her own invention, and not just a karaoke version of Jackson's song. She just really got into it and performed the heck out of the song. So, of course, the judges hated it. The one really original song in the group of inspirational songs, and J.Lo. and Randy didn't like it. (Steven Tyler, to his credit, told J.Lo. and Randy they were wrong and that she "nailed it. Which she did.") Apparently the judges want boring mediocrity this year, because Haley's version of "Earth Song" was a wonderful, fresh take on a bit of a dated song, and she was the only one who did that in the "inspirations" round. Thankfully, Haley defended herself and shot horrible looks at the judges - and rightly so. If looks could kill, they'd be on the phone begging for Simon Cowell to come back.

Scotty sang "Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?" by Alan Jackson and, once again, he sang it really, really, really well. The man is a born country singer. But it was really standard, basically like listening to Alan Jackson sing it. It was your super talented friend singing karaoke in a bar. WHY do the judges keep praising that kind of thing? It's not Karaoke Idol ... the singers need to be doing more than just parroting their favorite singers.

Lauren sang "Do It Anyway" by Martina McBride, and it was definitely "just OK." She has a lovely country voice, but this song was just terribly "blah." Karaoke rendition for sure. And it wasn't even your super talented friend singing karaoke - it was your slightly less talented friend who has a nice voice but isn't really great at staying on pitch all the time. And she needs to fire her stylist, because her mullet dress was unflattering and her hair was greasy, stringy and trashy-looking.

OK, after the excruiating "inspiration" round, it was time for some fun! And, thankfully, Our Lady of Gaga stepped it up. She brought the crazy, but also gave the Idols some truly excellent advice that made three out of the four Idols perform incredibly well.

First up was Haley, singing "I Who Have Nothing." She was singing it well, but Gaga told her "go psycho" during the song and make it more theatrical. Umm, yes please. It was FANTASTIC. The judges, being egomaniacs, of course took credit for Haley's crazy eyes during the song, but I think she actually just completely committed to the character of a sad, lonely woman in love. That's because Haley has hit her stride and is really becoming a true performer and an artist instead of just a parrot. I said it last week, and I stand by it ... give Haley the Idol crown NOW! She definitely deserves it.

Next, Scotty sang "Young Blood" by the Coasters. Gaga told him to "make love to the microphone," which caused Scotty to have a mini-spazz attack over ... the fact that she was acting like Gaga? I thought she was pretty tame, but he looked like a frightened bunny the whole time he was in the room with Her Gaganess. Anyway, his performance was also spazztastic, but, really, in a good way. This song was SO MUCH younger than his general feel, and I loved to see Scotty strutting around having fun while he sang. He sounded good, too, but the feel was what I really liked about it. More silly, fun songs, Scotty!

Then, Lauren sang Elvis' "Trouble." She inexplicably was concerned about singing the line "Because I'm evil," but Gaga convinced her that's she's just playing a part and nobody really believes that she's evil. However, whoever dressed Lauren in that horrendous "Dynasty"-esque outfit is, in fact, evil. She looked dowdy and awkward and weird, and I absolutely hated her styling. (In fact, the long dress she was wearing when she was working with Gaga was rather hideous, too.) After I finally tore my attention away from the sequined monstrosity she was wearing, I heard that poor Lauren also wasn't singing terribly well. I liked the arrangement, but she was out of tune and uncomfortable with the song, and she had a lot of problems getting her words out when she was singing fast. Not good, Lauren. Sorry, dawg.

Finally, the show ended with James singing a wicked rock version of "Love Potion No. 9." Gaga convinced James to put his body into it, and even came up behind him and started moving his hips for him. (I would have loved to have seen what Scotty would have done if Gaga would have done something like that.) It was great to end the show with a creative arrangement of a song that really showcased what the singer is good at. James got slightly screamy at points - he doesn't have the command of falsetto that Adam Lambert has - but, hey, it's rock music. A little screaming is OK! It was a great end to a show with a lot of ups and downs.

So, who goes home? Well, if there's any justice in the world, it will be poor Lauren. She has a great, sweet little country voice but she absolutely cannot go outside the box and tonight was just a completely off night for the poor little sweetheart. I think she'll do fine when she gets out in the music world, but there is just no way that she deserves to be in the competition over Haley, James and Scotty.

10 May 2011

Newt Gingrich announces his presidential announcement

Newt Gingrich is going to formally announce his candidacy for president on Wednesday via Facebook and Twitter, according to an apparently informal announcement he made today via professional journalists. (And a Facebook post announcing his future announcement.) Announcing things is so complicated, these days.

After his official announcement, which has already been announced, the former House speaker will give an interview to Fox's Sean Hannity. And on Friday he will give a speech, at the Georgia Republican Party Convention. Then he will be an official candidate for president, instead of just a guy who is on TV all the time, kinda-sorta running for maybe-president.

Gingrich also already announced that he was maybe eventually going to announce something back in March. (Everyone briefly thought this was going to be a proper announcement, at the time, but it was not.)

Announcing your official candidacy on social media is a great way to help your grass-roots supporters feel personally involved in your campaign, unless of course it is just a half-assed, perfunctory social media "announcement" preceded by leaks to the press and followed by a major appearance on national television. Then you are simply making a transparent bid for media attention.

Now various people in the press will treat Gingrich like a "serious," "proper" candidate, even though he has about as much of a chance of actually winning the nomination -- let alone the presidency -- as Gary Johnson, who is an "unserious" candidate. (Because, like Ron Paul, he loves heroin.)

Newt Gingrich Announces Presidential Run on Facebook & Twitter

Former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich has announced that he will be seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. president in 2012. Gingrich’s plans were made public via Facebook and Twitter Monday, where he also asked supporters to tune into his Fox News interview with Sean Hannity on Wednesday night.

Gingrich made his announcement on the aforementioned social networks late Monday morning, with both his tweet and Facebook post going out at about the same time. “I have been humbled by all the encouragement you have given me to run. Thank you for your support,” Gingrich’s Facebook post says, before asking the public to watch Hannity at 9 p.m. Wednesday. “I will be on to talk about my run for President of the United States.”

As the Associated Press reports, Gingrich’s bid isn’t much of a surprise. The former speaker spent months raising money and assembling a campaign team, while quietly opening campaign headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. He’s supposed to address the Georgia Republican Party Convention on Friday in Macon, Georgia — aides are saying this will be his first speech as a candidate.

Gingrich’s decision to enter the race marks a bit of a comeback for the politician, who became House speaker in 1994 — the first time Republicans had control of the House since 1954. But in November 1998, after facing ethics inquiries, Gingrich announced his decision to step down and leave Congress. Since that time, he has continued speaking about topics such as healthcare and foreign policy, while also producing documentaries and writing a book: Rediscovering God in America.

The former speaker isn’t the only political candidate to announce his run via social media. Last month, Mitt Romney — former Massachusetts governor — announced his 2012 presidential bid via a YouTube video. Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty also announced his bid via Facebook in March. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama’s team is also pushing his reelection campaign via various digital initiatives.

09 May 2011

Casey Anthony to Face a Jury of Her Peers Almost 3 Years After Daughter Caylee Disappeared

images3 Casey Anthony to Face a Jury of Her Peers Almost 3 Years After Daughter Caylee Disappeared
Casey Anthony

It’s the worst nightmare of every parent: a precious baby goes missing. Well, you would think it would be the worst thing that could happen to a parent.

How do you explain, then, mom Casey Anthony, and why she waited a month in the summer of 2008 to report to authorities that her daughter Caylee, just a toddler at the time, went missing, and even then it was Casey’s mother who alerted police?

Following the discovery of Caylee’s dead body just blocks from the family’s home, Casey was charged with murder shortly thereafter. Jury selection in her trial gets underway today and she is potentially facing the death penalty.


Jury selection will commence in Clearwater, Fla., not Anthony’s hometown of Orlando. A concern was raised that an unbiased jury so close to where the alleged crime was committed could not be found.

“I can’t find my granddaughter. There’s something wrong. I found my daughter’s car today and it smelled like there’s been a dead body in the damn car,” said Casey Anthony’s mom, Cindy, told police when she reported Caylee missing by calling 911.

Casey lied to authorities while they searched for Caylee, telling them she had investigated the disappearance of her daughter herself and she had apparently gone with a babysitter who could not be found. But instead of looking for her daughter, photos surfaced of her partying shortly after her daughter went missing. It has also been reported by ABC News that Casey showed little emotion in jailhouse conversations with family and friends.

The trial is set to begin May 16, and if she’s found guilty, Casey would face the penalty phase of legal journey immediately after.

Casey’s lawyers plan to argue she was not read her rights properly and that statements she made about the babysitter should be inadmissible.

Here’s hoping that justice is served in Caylee’s memory.

Casey Anthony no bin Laden, former lawyer says

Casey Anthony dancing with an unidentified person. Photos of Casey Anthony partying during the time when she says her daughter was missing, prosecutors say, will be instrumental in their case.
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Casey Anthony dancing with an unidentified person. Photos of Casey Anthony partying during the time when she says her daughter was missing, prosecutors say, will be instrumental in their case.

The highly-anticipated trial of Casey Anthony is moving forward, three years after her daughter, 2-year-old Caylee Anthony, went missing in Orlando, Fla.

But because the casel has received so much attention, jury selection has been moved from Orlando where the trial will be held. Jurors are now being selected in Pinellas County, in Clearwater, Fla.




CBS News correspondent Kelly Cobiella reports that attorneys for the defense and prosecution have just five days to find twelve jurors and eight alternates.

Can impartial jurors be found on a case that's been thrust into national focus?

On "The Early Show" former Casey Anthony defense attorney Linda Kenney Baden said finding jurors is going to be "very, very difficult."

"Anyone you talk to on the street has an opinion on this case," she said. "And because it's been saturated with news media, especially in this day and age of social media, Twitter, Facebook, etc. it's going to be a very tough job."

Kenney Baden, a longtime attorney of Anthony's, left her defense team in October. She cited financial limitations in continuing to represent her. The New York-based attorney said she had incurred travel costs in Florida and elsewhere, but said, due to restrictions by the Justice Administration Commission, she could not be paid for these costs as an out-of-state attorney.

Kenney Baden told co-anchor Chris Wragge it's unrealistic to find jurors in the short five-day span they've been given.

"Usually, a death penalty case takes two-and-a-half-to-three weeks to select a jury," she said. "You want to make sure you take the time, because jury selection is the most important part of the case. If you don't take the time and get a good jury for both sides, neither side can get a fair trial."

The jurors, Cobiella pointed out, will have to give up two months of their lives sequestered in Orlando to decide whether Casey Anthony is guilty of killing her daughter and, if so, whether she should be put to death.

Kenney Baden said the problem with the jury today is sequestering them.

She said, "We haven't had a jury since (the) O.J. (Simpson murder trial) that's been sequestered for that long a period of time. And to try to take people away from their lives for two months, they're going to feel like they're in prison. The jurors are going to feel like they're subject to some type of problems. That is another problem. The people that can be sequestered for two months. Think about it. You can't have normal, real lives."

The trial is slated to begin May 17. The defense is already promising a "bombshell" on Day One.

Due to attorney-client privilege, Kenney Baden couldn't discuss the case in detail, but said she doesn't think the death penalty should be the punishment, should Casey Anthony be convicted.


"Do we see her as Osama bin Laden?" she asked. "We execute people like that. We execute people like Ted Bundy. This should not be a death penalty case. The amount of money going into this case when we have so many issues and so many real crimes out there against people that are brutal -- not that if she's not found guilty, it's not considered a brutal crime. But the death penalty is for the worst of the worst, and this is not it."

However, Kenney Baden did say the defense's biggest hurdle is the 31 days Casey waited to tell anyone her daughter was missing.

"No doubt about it," Kenney Baden said. "... Thirty one days is going to be the hardest part of this defense. That has to be explained."

Cobiella reported when 2-year-old Caylee Anthony disappeared in the summer of 2008, it was Casey's mother, Cindy Anthony, who finally called police.

At that time, Cindy Anthony told the 911 operator, "There's something wrong, I found my daughter's car today, and it smells like there's been a dead body in the damn car."

While a desperate search was launched for the little girl, Casey was taken into custody.

The 22-year-old insisted she had left her daughter with a nanny. But police have never been able to confirm that story.

In a prison call, Cindy Anthony said to her daughter, "Your gut tells you she's close or she's hiding."

Casey Anthony replied, "She's not far. ... I know in my heart she's not far."

Caylee wasn't far. Six months after she vanished, her skeletal remains were found less than a mile from her home.

In the following months, the district attorney has been building a case against Casey. Prosecutors say they have forensic evidence of hair found in the trunk of her car that they say came from the child's dead body. They also have circumstantial evidence - pictures of Casey, partying with friends while her daughter was missing. In a recent interview with CBS' "48 Hours Mystery," prosecutors said this is where the case will be won.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi told CBS News, "The photographs, I believe, are what's going to get her. The photographs of her out dancing, partying all night long. That is the most compelling evidence of all."

But Kenney Baden said, "We don't convict people on pictures. We don't convict people on 'she didn't act right' evidence."

There is no DNA evidence tying Casey to the field where Caylee's body was found, Cobiella points out, no confession and no evidence of how Caylee was killed. The coroner's report ruled her death a "homicide by undetermined means."

Casey's attorneys say she's not guilty.

"No cause of death as indicated," Kenney Baden said. "How can you say this is a brutal, heinous murder, if you don't even know how this child died?"

Cobiella added Casey Anthony's parents, Cindy and George, insist Casey is innocent. They're both defense witnesses. The judge made the unusual move of allowing them to sit in on the entire trial even before they've testified.

So can this be a fair trial?

Kenney Baden says that's the judge's responsibility.

She said, "The judge has to make sure that he gets good jurors, that no one is infected, that people don't intimidate these jurors, especially when it goes back to Orlando. I have a great belief in the jury system, but it's going to be difficult. ... I think this is a very, very firm judge. I do think that he has to lighten up on making sure he takes the time getting a jury and not impose these deadlines that are ridiculous."

04 May 2011

Glee-Ful Highlights From Episode "Rumours"

The title of this week's episode of Glee may refer to the Fleetwood Mac album that inspires the songs, but it also perfectly sums up the theme of the night. McKinley overdoses on the gossip this week, thanks to Brittany's new web talk show and Sue's revival of the school newspaper. Not only are the New Directions involved in the mudslinging — they're at the forefront of all of the hearsay.



Some of the rumors turn out to be true, while others are just made up, but in the end the whole club learns a lesson in how easy the truth can be manipulated to hurt others. Since all of the back-and-forth is reminiscent of the turmoil Fleetwood Mac went through while making their album Rumours, the club pays homage to the band by only using songs from that record. Let's talk about what worked and what didn't when you read more.
  • First thing's first: we must discuss the wonder that is Fondue For Two. Showcasing Brittany's new talk show is a brilliant way to open the episode; I loved every second from Mercedes's criticism of the melted cheese to Lord Tubbington's Atkins diet.
  • Brittany's gossip show is only a precursor to a much bigger animal: Sue decides to bring back the school newspaper, The Muckracker, as part of her latest evil scheme to get Will out of McKinley and create chaos for the glee club. She sets her minions out to dig up (or make up) dirt, and it's only a matter of time before Santana is flagged as a lesbian and Quinn is accused of cheating on Finn with Sam.
  • When Artie confronts Brittany about the Santana rumor, Brittany deflects it by saying that her relationship with Santana doesn't count as cheating. Artie's pretty cute about his paranoia, saying that he can't compete with someone who can give Brittany more . . . until he gets so frustrated that he calls Brittany stupid for defending Santana. Poor Brittany takes off in tears, but it kicks off my favorite number of the evening: Artie sings "Never Going Back Again" while the rest of the guys follow with guitars. Not only does Artie sound great, but it's a creative and different performance (especially since Will and April's "Dreams" is kind of a snooze fest).
  • Speaking of April, Kristin Chenoweth is back yet again this week, and I have to say that she doesn't add much to the episode. Thankfully she's not at the epicenter, but the woes of her Broadway show just didn't do it for me. She serves as the catalyst to try to get Will out of McKinley by enticing him with dreams of performing on a big stage. Though Emma encourages Will to get out and follow his dreams, Will chooses the group that "saved him" over the bright lights of Broadway. I'm still a bit confused about why April would be in cahoots with Terri though, since clearly both women still carry a torch for Will.
  • Finn and Quinn's relationship suffers most from the tangled web of lies: given Quinn's track record, he can't help but believe that she could be hooking up with Sam, so he and Rachel stake out a motel (not sure where that tip came from) where they find Sam and . . . Kurt. Before the gay rumor even lifts off ground, though, they spot Quinn parting with Sam at the same location later that week. Finn and Quinn can barely keep it together (their "I Don't Want to Know" duet is entertaining but awkward). Meanwhile, Rachel uses the entire situation to try and manipulate her way back into Finn's heart. He may have offered a huge grin in response to Rachel's love song, but it looks like next week Rachel will feel the wrath of Quinn.
  • Santana pulls out a love ballad of her own, dedicated solely to Brittany after she breaks up with Artie. It's a sweet moment, but the sentiment doesn't last very long. Though Santana agrees to openly accept Brittany's invitation to prom on Fondue for Two, she leaves Brittany in the lurch. To add salt to the wound, Santana confirms word that she and Karofsky are "soul mates." Ouch. Do you want to see Brittany and Santana go public or would you rather Brittany and Artie get back together?
  • In the midst of all the cat fighting and finger-pointing, Sam's big secret is revealed: he's actually been living in the motel with his family because his father lost his job; Kurt and Quinn were just helping them get by. In typical New Directions fashion, Rachel and Finn are quick to apologize and do whatever they can to help. Poor Sam is so touched when they return the guitar he pawned that he starts crying. The frown is turned upside down though, for the episode's big finale of "Don't Stop."
Were you touched by the sweetness of this week's episode? Do you think Sam should have given Rachel's dating proposal more thought? And what are your expectations for next week's big prom event? Weigh in!

02 May 2011

Around Boston, relief and joy the news of the death of bin Laden

When word got out about Osama bin Laden Boston was killed by a military attack from the United States, parents of 11.9 victims expressed relief, while hundreds - some say a thousand or more - students took to the lush sidewalks of the city with American flags and noisemakers.

"I waited for 10 days this year," said Dorothy Grodberg, 77, whose 41-year-old daughter Lisa Fenn Gordon Stein, a Needham mother of two young children, died in the first aircraft crashed into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.

"I am pleased that we have. My only regret is not having to life," he said in a telephone interview from his home in Jamaica Plain.

Added her husband, Robert, 79, "All human life is important, but end its ability to promote terrorism is very, very important."

Christie Coombs, 50, of Abington, whose husband Jeff was killed on American Airlines Flight 11, also expressed relief, but stressed that the loss was still acute.

"Tonight, the news does not change anything for us," he said. "We're still awake in the morning without my husband and my children are still without a father. The rest of 11,09 families remains an empty plate on the table, "he said.

Despite its original sense of relief, Coombs said he planned a retaliation from supporters of bin Laden. "When will you begin to punish his supporters?" She said. "It was very powerful people."

Normal Sunday activities around the city to a standstill when the news of the terrorist leader had died began to flee, online and on television news.

When the news broke, hundreds of students gathered in Kenmore Square, near Boston University, and police have blocked traffic in the region.

By Sarah, 19, a freshman at BU in New York, said: "This is not a party that is dead, we finally have a victory," he said, down Commonwealth Avenue in Kenmore Square Sunday night.

Boston College students were seen up and down the campus sidewalks waving American flags, shouting and blowing horns vuvuzela relic of the World Cup.

On the seventh floor of a dormitory Emerson College on Boylston Street, the students - most of whom barely in high school when the U.S. was attacked on Sept. 11 - gathered around the nearest television.

Morgan St. John, a senior, said she and some friends were studying for final exams when he heard via Twitter that the president address the nation. "We turned on the news and suddenly the room was flooded with people."

Sophomore Shanae Burch said that the Council of fear. "I'm really overwhelmed right now. I want to know what that means, "said sophomore." I'm glad it happened because it's really a big statement. "

Junior Samantha Russo said she feels the conflict, but also fear. "But it's a little crazy with me. I love people who know what you think [Osama], which is crazy."

The Boylston Street, where shouts of "freedom" to hear a small group of revelers dispersed, Juan Orozco Allston, a cook of 33 years who moved to the United States from Colombia in 2001, said she had fear of violent struggles that terrorists would not have ended with the death of bin Laden.

"It's very, good to hear that the husband," said Orozco. "But also, you know you on your toes, because there are people behind him. You have to stay."

Brandeis junior Hyder Kazmi, who is Muslim, said he was pleased with the way it deals with communications and Obama are urging Americans to Bin Laden distinct actions of Muslims love peace.

"I know your type of ticket to the Muslim community and that it is out of his way of saying that Osama was Muslims fighting and killing of Muslims has been greatly appreciated," he said.

Kazmi said he is concerned about increasing anti-Muslim rhetoric in recent months. However, the less said the president's words deleted some of their fears. "I am proud to be American and proud to be recognized as an American."