New Android apps worth downloading: Zagat update, LiveHive, Freak Tower

Find a great restaurant to enjoy this week with the help of Zagat, the trusted restaurant guide app. It just got a big update that adds a revamped user interface, among other handy features. We've also got LiveHive, a productivity app that makes it easy for teams of coworkers to stay coordinated and share files from various sources with one another. Finally, Freak Tower is a management simulation game in which players construct the tallest tower they can, and then defend it from giant monsters.

Zagat update (Free)

What?s it about? Restaurant guide app Zagat brings users information about restaurants in several different cities, providing information about where you should eat, how good the food is, how much it costs and more.

What?s cool? Zagat is a well-known and trusted name in restaurant guides. For years, it was available only in print, but with the rise of mobile apps, you can now get Zagat restaurant information instantly, no matter where you plan to eat. The app includes expert restaurant reviews and ratings, as well as recommendations for where to eat for any occasion, and some powerful search capabilities. Zagat's latest update has reworked the app's user interface with a new look, adds the ability to look at menus before you head out to various restaurants, and provides lots of articles to read as well as rating info.

Who?s it for? Zagat currently supports nine major U.S. cities, so be sure your city is supported if you're looking for reliable ratings on restaurants.

What?s it like? Both Yelp and YP Local Search & Gas are great for getting local ratings on businesses, including restaurants.

What?s it about? LiveHive is a productivity app that helps coworkers stay in sync, providing the ability to team members and managers to see how far along each person is and share documents and files.

What?s cool? LiveHive is all about keeping you and your coworkers informed. The app allows teams to create common workspaces for various projects, allowing one user to share important documents from sources such as Google Docs, while another updates the ?Activity Stream? that lets team members see how far along everything is. LiveHive also includes the ability for managers to choose who can see what in the app, and provides extras like the ability to share info across social networks as well. The app provides three free workspaces for users to manage and share among coworkers.

Who?s it for? LiveHive is great for employees looking to keep members of a team organized.

What?s it like? You might also try Google Docs and Dropbox for coordinating and sharing various files and documents.

What?s it about? Create and manage a tower filled with residents who live and work within the confines of the building in Freak Tower ? but beware of the attacking giant monsters that you'll have to ward off from time to time.

What?s cool? Freak Tower is a simulation title, so it's primarily concerned with building and maintaining the ?tower? part of the title. Players add rooms, install businesses, attract new residents and assign those residents jobs in hopes of earning more money and other resources and further expanding their tower. In addition to managing businesses such as seedy night clubs and used car dealerships, however, you'll also have to help defend your tower from attacking monsters bent on destroying it. Keeping your citizens healthy will result in them helping out in your tower's defense, and you can raise your own monster to stand as a defender against various creatures.

Who?s it for? Players who enjoy simulation titles with a bit of a humorous twist should cehck out Freak Tower.

What?s it like? Check out Tiny Tower and Sky Burger for more management action.

Download the Appolicious Android app

Source: http://www.androidapps.com/tech/articles/13617-new-android-apps-worth-downloading-zagat-update-livehive-freak-tower

vince young vince young evan longoria john edwards conocophillips capitals dan savage

PaperDude VR resurrects Paperboy with Oculus Rift, Kinect, KickR and a bike

One sad aspect of modern tech is that it's all but ruined our dreams of slinging dead trees for comic book money after school. However, gizmos have enabled a killer sequel to the best paperboy simulation ever. Using a smattering of electronics -- and a real bike! -- PaperDude VR is the followup we never knew we wanted. Joining an Oculus Rift VR headset, Microsoft Kinect and Wahoo Fitness KickR into a sweat-drenched union, PaperDude VR creates an almost zen-like experience of tossing newspapers, knocking down road barriers and busting windows.

Nostalgia's a powerful drug, and we'd love a ride to see if chasing the dragon of our youth is as good as we remember. Given developer Globacore's history though, the chances of seeing this outside a specialized kiosk are slim to none. Regardless, we have one niggling question: Do pixelated paperdudes dream of 8-bit dogs?

Filed under: Gaming

Comments

Source: Weird Science

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/31/paperdude-vr-paperboy-oculus-rift-kinect-game/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

iman shumpert mayweather vs cotto shumpert hopkins hopkins dear john derrick rose torn acl

Prepare to Be Shocked!

So ... do the "1 trick" ads really work?

Ad screengrab

You?ve seen them. Peeking out from sidebars, jiggling and wiggling for your attention, popping up where you most expect them: those ?One Weird Trick? ads. These crudely drawn Web advertisements promise easy tricks to reduce your belly fat, learn a new language, and boost your credit score by 217 points. They seem like obvious scams, but part of me has always wanted to follow the link. What, I wonder, makes the tricks so weird? How come only one trick (or sometimes "tip"), never more? Why are the illustrations done by small children using MS Paint? I?ve never pursued these questions, though, because a fear of computer viruses and identity theft has always stayed my hand. One curious click, I imagine, and I could wake up hogtied on an oil tanker headed to Nigeria.

Thankfully, Slate has allowed me to slake my curiosity, and yours. They gave me a loaner laptop, a prepaid debit card, and a quest: to investigate these weird tricks and report back to you. I also contacted a bevy of marketing experts to help me parse what I found. The individual tricks themselves are peculiar, but the larger trick?of why this bizarre and omnipresent marketing strategy works?tells us a lot about what makes us click, buy, and believe.

Newly emboldened, I clicked on my first ad, which promised a cure for diabetes. Specifically, I hoped to ?discover how 1 weird spice reverses diabetes in 30 short days.? The ad showed a picture of cinnamon buns. Could the spice be... cinnamon? Maybe I would find out. The link brought up a video with no pause button or status bar. A kindly voice began: ?Prepare to be shocked.? I prepared myself. As ?Lon? spoke, his words flashed simultaneously on the screen, PowerPoint-style.?As soon as he started, Lon seemed fixated on convincing me to stay until the end. ?This could be the most important video you ever watch,? he promised. ?Watch the entire video, as the end will surprise you!?

Every time Lon seemed about to get to the spicy heart of the matter, he?d go off on a tangent. This video wouldn?t stay on the Internet for long, he said. The cure is for people ?ready to put down the flaky answers.? Indeed, ?if you?re looking for a miracle cure or new age fad, leave this page now.? Lon also took pains to trash the medical establishment. Big Pharma has been lying to you, he said. They profit every time you take their pills, or inject yourself with their needles. But the secret spice Lon discovered can free you of the lies and the needles. You will ?look and feel like you were never sick.? Your doctor will confirm your cure, astounded.

What is Lon up to? ?People tend to think something is important if it?s secret,? says Michael Norton, a marketing professor at Harvard Business School. ?Studies find that we give greater credence to information if we?ve been told it was once ?classified.? Ads like this often purport to be the work of one man, telling you something ?they? don?t want you to know.? The knocks on Big Pharma not only offered a tempting needle-free fantasy; they also had a whiff of secret knowledge, bolstering the ad?s credibility.

It?s doubtful, though, that Lon has much in the way of insider info. He?s an actor hired by Barton Publishing, a firm based in South Dakota that puts out a wide variety of crankish health literature?there?s nary a foodstuff that isn?t the cure to some ailment in one of Barton?s booklets. Most ?one weird trick? ads are hard to trace back to a specific marketing firm with flesh-and-blood employees, but Barton is open about the kind of publishing it does, with pictures and bios of their contributors on its website. (Notably, the first person listed is not a homeopath but a ?split tester.?)

The Barton brain trust seemed surprisingly sincere, which I kept in mind as I turned to my next ad. I clicked to learn ?the REAL reason why Obama is trying to take your guns away.? You?d think health quackery and gun paranoia would have little in common, but soon I was brought to a page with a self-playing, pauseless video and a male voice urging me to watch to the end. Apparently Obama has signed an executive order authorizing him to institute martial law and ?steal your food supply,? but ?Matt? has developed ?a weird but incredibly effective system? to survive the coming storm.

In the interests of journalism, I also checked out the ?1 Weird Secret That Pornstars Use to Get BIG DICKS.? Sure enough, this involved a dude talking at me while words flashed on the screen: ?Stay until the end of this video... it will shock you.? But before he spilled the beans on ?what?s holding you back from the big penis you deserve,? he needed to regale me with tales of his buddy Kyle, who added 2 inches and improved his confidence with the ladies.

Source: http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2013/07/how_one_weird_trick_conquered_the_internet_what_happens_when_you_click_on.html

Oscar Winners 2013 quentin tarantino jessica chastain jessica chastain oscars jane fonda abc

Artist Nadja Verena Marcin Travels to Florida to Recite Nietzsche in Zero Gravity

Some speak their minds in words while others do so in the form of art. But New York based performance artist Nadja Verena Marcin goes above and beyond. Literally.

Two weeks ago, Marcin boarded a tiny 1979 Rockwell Commander airplane above Tampa Bay. Soon after take off, the pilot of the plane, Howard Chipman, let the plane fall towards the ocean. For Marcin and the three others on board, this was all part of the plan.

The goal was to reach zero gravity. As the plane dropped, Marcin floated inside, reciting quotes from German philosopher Nietzsche's "God is dead" text.

It was all to create a stunning piece of performance art that marries art and science, titled Zero Gravity. To Marcin, zero gravity is "a beautiful state of mind. It's thoughts without judgement, it's utopia, it's being inside of longing, dream, and desire."

"In our Western society there is a gap between body and mind that we need to learn how to bridge," said Marcin. Her physical state of floating juxtaposes the intellectual state of her mind as she quotes Nietzsche, and the gap is filled.

"I intend to create consciousness and meaning on a metaphorical level; in other words, a work of art. By confronting the audience with this experience, I want to share it with them as though they are in the state of zero gravity," she explained. The video of Marcin's performance is as close as most of us will ever get to the state of weightlessness. But why quote Nietzsche? Reciting "God is dead" sounds dark, and some might wonder whether the artist believes in Atheism. But that's not quite the story.

Nietzsche wrote the text in 1882, far before humans traveled to space or experienced zero gravity, yet his descriptions, Marcin says, seem to allude to it. "Later he even writes, 'I have come too early. My time is not yet. This tremendous event is still on its way, still wandering; it has not yet reached the ears of me,'" said Marcin. With that, she was struck.

She believes the text -- "What were we doing when we unchained this earth from its sun? Whither is it moving now? Whither are we moving? Away from all suns? Are we not plunging continually? Backward, sideward, forward in any direction? Are we not straying as through an infinite nothing?" -- serves as the perfect metaphor for our time, a time in which we are trying to achieve balance and grasp on to belief. "I wanted to set his words free from being an Atheist statement. I am interested in the deep emotional quality of the text, the respect for life, and the pride that goes along with it. I think the text is meant to awaken those who don't have belief, who are lost, who lack orientation, and who are already dead," said Marcin.

When asked if she was at all concerned with the risks tied to her performance, she said, "I am not afraid once I make an active decision. I am actually more afraid of life, because life is confusing and criminal. It doesn't always wait for your decisions."

To prepare for the stunt, Marcin ran as fast as possible on the treadmill while focusing on the text on a small piece of paper. "I suppose after that nothing is as sickening as that," she said.

Through her artwork, Marcin explores "human behavior, elemental emotions, and physiological reactions through role-play and confrontation works that engage the audience." It's not the first time Marcin's work takes daring to another level. At the Fischer Landau collection in New York, she balanced on a 10-foot high wooden construction as she read from an ?criture automatique, writing done in a subconscious state. "I never rehearsed balancing in that height. It was scary as hell and that tension became part of the experience of the audience who slowly collected in the middle of the street creating a temporary piazza," Marcin said.

Marcin hopes to bring her audience to a new level of consciousness. Besides that, she hopes to get art and astronaut wings out of this utopian experience.

Though Marcin is partnered with 532 Gallery Thomas Jaeckel in New York, the video of her performance will be featured at Coup de Ville 2013 in Sint Niklaas, Belgium. Her Zero Gravity project is sponsored by Aurora Aerospace pilot Howard Chipman and WARP, a non-profit arts organization, and was curated by Stef Van Bellinge.

Follow Cultist on Facebook and Twitter @CultistMiami.

Source: http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/cultist/2013/07/draft-_nadja_verena_marcin_and.php

ipad 3 release date apple store down apple live blog ohio primary cell phone jammer g8 summit netanyahu

In new apps, hand gestures control the action

By Natasha Baker

TORONTO (Reuters) - Like waving a wand, new apps are bringing a bit of magic to computers, enabling users to zoom, pan and control the action with hand gestures.

A new app store called Airspace, launched by San Francisco-based company Leap Motion last week, has 75 apps that are all controlled with the wave of the hand.

"Right now in front of your computer, there's dead space. You're only using your desktop, where your keyboard and mouse rest, and the surface of your monitor," said Michael Zagorsek, vice president of product marketing for Leap Motion.

"We take all that otherwise useless space in between and make it come alive," he added.

All of the gesture apps from Airspace use a small device called the Leap Motion Controller, which costs $79.99. It has sensors that can detect motions and translate them for the apps.

Painter Freestyle, a free app for Windows created by the Canadian software company Corel, mimics how artists work. Lightly moving a finger, or paintbrush, toward the computer produces a light brush stroke, while pushing in harder makes a darker, bolder one.

Google Earth's free apps for Mac and Windows let users pan around the Earth with hand motions and zoom in to explore different regions.

With Unlock, a Windows app, users can password-protect their computers and unlock them simply by waving their hands over the controller. The app, which costs $4.99, works by detecting the unique characteristics of an individual's hand.

The popular game, Cut the Rope, has also released a free app for the controller. But instead of swiping on a touch screen, users swipe through the air to control motion. Gamers playing Sugar Rush can steer midair using their fists.

Thalmic Labs, a Canada-based startup, has developed a wearable device called MYO that uses gestures to control apps for gaming, 3D modeling and remote control of other devices. The company plans to ship MYO, which costs $149, to customers who pre-ordered later this year.

Microsoft's Kinect device, available worldwide, also uses gestures to control games, fitness and entertainment.

Although hand gestures are gaining in popularity, Zagorsek does not think the keyboard or mouse will disappear anytime soon.

"There's nothing wrong with the mouse and keyboard today. They have literally millions of pieces of software making those tools effective," he said.

But he envisions a bigger role for the technology for three-dimensional tasks.

"In the real world, you can mold something like a piece of clay in minutes, but to do it on a computer requires hours of training and hours of work," he explained.

"The idea of being able to reach into your computer and manipulate a digital environment is really powerful," he added.

(Editing by Patricia Reaney and Peter Cooney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/apps-hand-gestures-control-action-090136484.html

lamichael james acl earthquake los angeles unemployment 2012 nfl draft grades young justice d rose

TweetDeck Just Got Worse and Twitter Blames Google

If you?re a heavy TweetDeck user?we are bloggers, and thus ,we are heavy TweetDeck users?you might?ve noticed that notifications got way crappier this week. It turns out, it?s not Twitter?s fault, it?s Google?s. Hmph.

If you use TweetDeck?s Google Chrome extension, you would?ve noticed the change immediately when it switched over because it?s so much worse. Previously, notifications showed the entire tweet styled as a block that you could configure to pop up in your preferred corner of the screen. The new notifications are boring and decidedly less useful strips of text banished to the top right corner. Compare the before and after in this image.

Notwithstanding the content of the sample tweets, you can clearly see that the old style on the left is way more useful. Not only do the notifications on the right not show you an avatar?they don?t even show you the entire tweet. And lets not under-estimate the utility of configuring where they?re popping up?when every other notification is in the top right, it?s nice to be able to put some in another place. Or at least, that?s how I used them.

So yeah, worse. What happened?

Well, it turns out it?s all a result of changes in the Chrome software. I tweeted my discontent at @TweetDeck, and an engineer responded that the old notifications were depreciated in the new version of Chrome.

@mariojoze The old ones were deprecated on the latest version of Chrome. Sorry!

? Ram?n Arg?ello (@monchote) July 27, 2013

For a further explanation, let us turn to the April 15th entry on the Google Chrome Developers page on Google+:

With the release of the M28 developer channel of Chrome, we are officially deprecating HTML-based notifications for Chrome Extensions in favor of the new Rich Notifications Chrome API. Developers that are using HTML notifications should migrate to the newer Rich Notifications API, as support for the existing createHTMLNotification() feature will stop working in a future release of Chrome.

In other words, those richly-styled notifications you used to love? No longer supported. But remember how it was Google?s fault? It?s not Google?s fault! It?s the fault of the monolithic World Wide Web Consortium. From Google+, ibid:

Why the change? When the W3C introduced the web notifications API, they originally specified two flavors: plain text notifications and richer HTML-based ones. The W3C has since removed the HTML option from the spec.

Now, none of this would mater if Twitter was still actively developing its desktop application. Oh wait, it?s killing that too.

Source: http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/07/tweetdeck-just-got-worse-and-twitter-blames-google/

mega millions winner holy thursday chris stewart evo 4g lte marlins new stadium arnold palmer augusta national

Obama Says He?ll Evaluate Pipeline Project Depending on Pollution

[unable to retrieve full-text content]President Obama said that he would evaluate construction of the Keystone XL pipeline on the basis of whether or not it would add significant amounts of carbon to the atmosphere.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/28/us/politics/obama-says-hell-evaluate-pipeline-project-depending-on-pollution.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

flight attendant pau gasol trade michael madsen day light savings day light savings spring forward daylight saving time 2012

How a Hall of Famer took baseball out of Binghamton

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.ithacajournal.com/article/20130727/SPORTS/307270035/1124/

dallas weather nike nfl uniforms ben and jerrys free cone day tornado in dallas texas the island president the maldives harper lee

Pope Francis urges Catholics to shake up dioceses

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) ? Pope Francis has shown the world his rebellious side, urging young Catholics to shake up the church and make a "mess" in their dioceses by going out into the streets to spread the faith. It's a message he put into practice by visiting one of Rio's most violent slums and opening the church's World Youth Day on a rain-soaked Copacabana Beach.

Francis was elected pope on a mandate to reform the church, and in four short months he has started doing just that: He has broken long-held Vatican rules on everything from where he lays his head at night to how saints are made. He has cast off his security detail to get close to his flock, and his first international foray as pope has shown the faithful appreciate the gesture.

He's going further Friday, meeting with a small group of young convicts. He'll also hear confessions from some Catholic youth and then head back to Copacabana beach for a Stations of the Cross procession.

Dubbed the "slum pope" for his work with the poor, Francis received a rapturous welcome in the Varginha shantytown on Thursday, part of a slum area of northern Rio so violent it's known as the Gaza Strip. The 76-year-old Argentine seemed entirely at home, wading into cheering crowds, kissing people young and old and telling them the Catholic Church is on their side.

"No one can remain insensitive to the inequalities that persist in the world!" Francis told a crowd of thousands who braved a cold rain and stood in a muddy soccer field to welcome him. "No amount of peace-building will be able to last, nor will harmony and happiness be attained in a society that ignores, pushes to the margins or excludes a part of itself."

It was a message aimed at reversing the decline in the numbers of Catholics in most of Latin America, with many poor worshippers leaving the church for Pentecostal and evangelical congregations. Those churches have taken up a huge presence in favelas, or shantytowns such as Varginha, attracting souls with nuts-and-bolts advice on how to improve their lives.

The Varginha visit was one of the highlights of Francis' weeklong trip to Brazil, his first as pope and one seemingly tailor-made for the first pontiff from the Americas.

The surprise, though, came during his encounter with Argentine pilgrims, scheduled at the last minute in yet another sign of how this spontaneous pope is shaking up the Vatican's staid and often stuffy protocol.

He told the thousands of youngsters, with an estimated 30,000 Argentines registered, to get out into the streets and spread their faith and make a "mess," saying a church that doesn't go out and preach simply becomes a civic or humanitarian group.

"I want to tell you something. What is it that I expect as a consequence of World Youth Day? I want a mess. We knew that in Rio there would be great disorder, but I want trouble in the dioceses!" he said, speaking off the cuff in his native Spanish. "I want to see the church get closer to the people. I want to get rid of clericalism, the mundane, this closing ourselves off within ourselves, in our parishes, schools or structures. Because these need to get out!"

Apparently realizing the radicalness of his message, he apologized in advance to the bishops at home.

Later Thursday, he traveled in his open-sided car through a huge crowd in the pouring rain to a welcoming ceremony on Copacabana beach. It was his first official event with the hundreds of thousands of young people who have flocked to Rio for World Youth Day. Vatican officials estimated the crowd at 1 million.

Cheering pilgrims from 175 nations lined the beachfront drive to catch a glimpse of the pontiff, with many jogging along with the vehicle behind police barricades. The car stopped several times for Francis to kiss babies ? and take a long sip of his beloved mate, the traditional Argentine tea served in a gourd with a straw, which was handed up to him by someone in the crowd.

After he arrived at the beach-front stage, though, the crowd along the streets melted away, driven home by the pouring rain that brought out vendors selling the plastic ponchos that have adorned cardinals and pilgrims alike during this unseasonably cold, wet week.

In an indication of the havoc wreaked by four days of steady showers, organizers made an almost unheard-of change in the festival's agenda, moving the Saturday vigil and climactic Sunday Mass to Copacabana Beach from a rural area 30 miles (50 kilometers) from the city center. The terrain of the area, Guaratiba, had turned into a vast field of mud, making the overnight camping plans of pilgrims untenable.

The news was welcome to John White, a 57-year-old chaperone from the Albany, New York, diocese who attended the past five World Youth Days and complained that organization in Rio was lacking.

"I'm super relieved. That place is a mud pit and I was concerned about the kid's health and that they might catch hypothermia," he said. "That's great news. I just wish the organizers would have told us."

Francis' visit to the Varginha slum followed in the footsteps of Pope John Paul II, who visited two such favelas during a 1980 trip to Brazil, and Mother Teresa, who visited Varginha itself in 1972. Her Missionaries of Charity order has kept a presence in the shantytown ever since.

Like Mother Teresa, Francis brought his own personal history to the visit: As archbishop of Buenos Aires, then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio frequently preached in the poverty-wracked slums of his native city, putting into action his belief that the Catholic Church must go to the farthest peripheries to preach and not sit back and wait for the most marginalized to come to Sunday Mass.

Francis' open-air car was mobbed on a few occasions as he headed into Varginha's heavily policed, shack-lined streets, but he never seemed in danger. He was showered with gifts as he walked down one of the slum's main drags without an umbrella to shield him from the rain. A well-wisher gave him a paper lei to hang around his neck and he held up another offering ? a scarf from his favorite soccer team, Buenos Aires' San Lorenzo.

"Events like this, with the pope and all the local media, get everyone so excited," said Antonieta de Souza Costa, a 56-year-old vendor and resident of Varginha. "I think this visit is going to bring people back to the Catholic Church."

Addressing Varginha's residents, Francis acknowledged that young people in particular have a sensitivity toward injustice.

"You are often disappointed by facts that speak of corruption on the part of people who put their own interests before the common good," Francis told the crowd. "To you and all, I repeat: Never yield to discouragement, do not lose trust, do not allow your hope to be extinguished."

It was a clear reference to the violent protests that paralyzed parts of the country in recent weeks as Brazilians furious over rampant corruption and inefficiency within the country's political class took to the streets.

Francis blasted what he said was a "culture of selfishness and individualism" that permeates society today, demanding that those with money and power share their wealth and resources to fight hunger and poverty.

"It is certainly necessary to give bread to the hungry ? this is an act of justice. But there is also a deeper hunger, the hunger for a happiness that only God can satisfy," he said.

___

Associated Press writer Bradley Brooks contributed to this report.

___

Nicole Winfield on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pope-francis-urges-catholics-shake-dioceses-060459309.html

All Star Game 2012 directv rashard lewis curacao curacao kourtney kardashian kourtney kardashian

LeBron serves as music curator for 'NBA 2K14' game

ATLANTA (AP) -- LeBron James is taking some of his talents during the offseason to a best-selling basketball video game franchise as a music curator.

2K Sports announced Friday that the two-time NBA champion of the Miami Heat selected 20 songs for the soundtrack of the upcoming "NBA 2K14." The league's four-time MVP is also the cover athlete of the popular video game.

James said in a statement that he is honored to be the first cover athlete to choose songs for the soundtrack. He follows his friend and Grammy-winning rapper Jay-Z, who was the executive producer of the last year's installment that sold more than 4.5 million copies.

"2K is letting me take control of some important elements in NBA 2K14, including this year's soundtrack," James said. "I love that I'm the first NBA 2K cover athlete to choose the soundtrack."

Some of the songs featured on the game's soundtrack are Drake's "Started From The Bottom," Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight," Daft Punk's "Get Lucky," featuring Pharrell Williams and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Can't Hold Us," with Ray Dalton. Other music acts featured are Jay-Z, Coldplay, Robin Thicke, The Black Keys, Eminem, Fly Union, Gorillaz, Imagine Dragons, Jada Kiss, John Legend, Kanye West, Rick Ross, Kendrick Lamar, Nas and Puff Daddy.

James is the first solo cover athlete to cover the game in two years since Michael Jordan. The game is expected to go on sale Oct. 1.

---

Online:

http://2ksports.com/

---

Follow Jonathan Landrum Jr. on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/mrlandrum31

Source: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_PEOPLE_LEBRON_JAMES?SITE=TXCOL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Mermaid Body Found Celeste Holm Stephen Covey klimt breaking bad breaking bad food network star

Family Handyman Magazine $5.99 a Year (7/16 Only) - Saving ...

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

by Melissa on July 16, 2013

This popular magazine is on sale again today and perfect for those that like to take on all kinds of home improvement projects. Order Family Handyman Magazine for $5.99 a year. That is 84% off the cover price.

Just use code: SAVINGCENTS at checkout to get this deal.

About Family Handyman:

Family Handyman Magazine is for people who take an active interest in home improvement, yard and garden care, maintenance and repair, and remodeling. Family Handyman also features information on woodworking, auto maintenance, energy efficiency, and decorating.

This deal is just valid today, 7/16/13, so make sure you grab it before it is gone!

Make Your Own Deal! You can save 20% on almost all other magazines at Discountmags with code: SAVINGCENTS at checkout. Shipping is always FREE. Plus, you never have to worry about future fees because they won?t automatically renew your subscriptions once they expire.

************************************************

Check out Today?s Coupon Round Up and don?t forget to check out the Coupon Database. This site uses affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Tagged as: family handyman, Magazines

Source: http://www.savingcentswithsense.net/2013/07/family-handyman-magazine-5-99-a-year-716-only/

Jessica Korda tour de france erykah badu The Heat White House Down Blackhawks Parade Tim Hardaway Jr

Is HTC Taking on the Galaxy Note With a Rumored 6-Inch One Max?

Just in case you thought there weren't enough monstrous phones on offer, rumor has it that HTC may be planning to roll out a 6-inch, 1080p version of its acclaimed One.

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/1Sh3A5DQMEU/is-htc-taking-on-the-galaxy-note-with-a-rumored-6-inch-785143171

Jenni Rivera Alive Facebook Down bo jackson bo jackson hanukkah justin tv justin tv

This week's North Olympic Peninsula business meetings . . . and ...

This week's North Olympic Peninsula business meetings . . . and other business briefs

ALL OF THESE business meetings are open to the public:

Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce ? Weekly luncheon meetings are held Mondays at noon in the second-floor meeting room of the Red Lion Hotel, 221 N. Lincoln St.

This Monday's meeting (July 15) will feature the three primary candidates for Port of Port Angeles commissioner for District 1: Colleen McAleer, Del DelaBarre and incumbent Paul McHugh.

The two top vote-getters in the all-mail Aug. 6 primary, held only in the Sequim/East End District 1, will advance to the November general election for all of Clallam County to decide.

Luncheon tickets are $15 and can be purchased from the meeting room cashier.

For those not having lunch, there is a $3 participation fee that includes a beverage.

Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce ? Weekly luncheon meetings are held Mondays at noon at the Port Townsend Elks Lodge, 555 ?Otto St.

This Monday's (July 15) speakers are Mike Glenn, Jefferson Healthcare CEO, and Dr. Joe Mattern, chief medical officer, reporting on the Port Townsend-based hospital and the public hospital district.

Lunch at $8 will be catered by Subway, and Monday's meeting sponsor will be the Ajax Cafe.

Forks Chamber of Commerce ? The chamber's Wednesday luncheon meetings are on hiatus for the summer and will resume in September.

North Hood Canal Chamber of Commerce ? The chamber's meetings on the third Monday of the month alternating in Quilcene or Brinnon are on hiatus this month and in August. The chamber will return with a business mixer Sept. 16.

Port Angeles Business Association ? Breakfast meetings are Tuesdays at 7:30 a.m. at Joshua's Restaurant, 113 DelGuzzi Drive, Port Angeles.

This Tuesday's (July 16) speaker will be Shari Ioffrida, manager of the -Clallam County Fair, which this year will be held Aug. 17-18.

There is a $2.16 minimum charge by Joshua's for those who do not order breakfast.

________

Electric car talk on Tuesday
PORT TOWNSEND ? The public can hear from an electric vehicle (EV) pioneer who will discuss the potential for EV tourism on the Olympic Peninsula at this month's Jefferson County Energy Lunch Program.

The talk will be from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday (July 16) at the Port Townsend Community Center, 620 Tyler St.

The talk is free and open to the public.

Speaker Tom Saxton is a board member and chief science officer at Plug In America, a California nonprofit that advocates for electric vehicles.

Saxton and his wife, Cathy, plan to drive their Tesla Roadster to Port Townsend from their home in Sammamish for the presentation.

Energy Lunch programs are held the third Tuesday of every month.

Participants are welcome to bring their lunch and arrive at noon for an informal conversation with energy professionals.

The programs are sponsored by Power Trip Energy Corp., Sunshine Propane, Alaska Power & Telephone Co., the Port of Port Townsend, Frederickson Electric, Port Townsend Paper Corp. and Huber's Inn.

Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/k7sg333.

Free PA tax workshop set for Tuesday
PORT ANGELES ? The local office of the state Department of Revenue is hosting a free workshop for new and small-business owners at the Clallam Transit System Conference Room, 830 W. Lauridsen Blvd., from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday (July 16).

Participants will learn about excise taxes, reporting classifications, deductions, tax incentives, sales tax collection and record-keeping requirements.

Everyone will receive a workbook and reference guide to department rules and regulations.

To register, visit www.dor.wa.gov or phone 360-417-9900.

A schedule of workshops statewide and a streaming video version of the workshop also are available on the website.

Free workshop on Wednesday
PORT ANGELES ? Anytime Fitness of Port Angeles and Kristin Halberg of KIC Coaching have partnered to offer a free workshop, ?Stop Emotional Eating.?

The workshop will be held at Anytime Fitness, 112 DelGuzzi Drive, at 10 a.m. Wednesday (July 17).

It will offer instruction and coaching on ?creating neural habit changes to facilitate weight loss and/or a better relationship with food and eating.?

For more information, visit www.kiccoaching.com or phone Halberg at 425-343-2374.

Open house slated
SEQUIM ? An open house to celebrate the eighth anniversary of The Lodge and Cottages at Sherwood Village will run from ?2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday (July 18).

The event will include music, desserts, apartment and cottage tours, bistro samples, chair massages and prize drawings.

The Lodge's eight original residents also will be honored.

Guests also can visit the facility's in-house shops: The Hair Loft, Lodge Chiropractic and The Nail Salon.

For more information, phone The Lodge at 360-681-3100.

Senior fitness
PORT ANGELES ?Fast Stop Fitness, 902 E. First St., Suite C, is hosting a five-day ?Fluid Interval Training? event for seniors this Monday (July 15) through Friday (July 19).

An open house to start the event will be from ?5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday.

Information on customizing strength, power and cardiovascular workouts will be presented, and attendees can win door prizes.

Free workouts will be available for seniors from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

For more information, phone Laura Dietrich at 360-417-6869 or email info@faststopfitness.com.

PA supermarket manager recognized for workforce

PORT ANGELES ? Finding workers with a strong work ethic can be a challenge, but Port Angeles Safeway manager Mike LaGrange has a knack for finding the right employees.

LaGrange was presented recently with the Clallam County Health & Human Services Business Leadership Advisory Committee Employer of the Quarter award by Kathy Burrer, executive director of Dungeness Courte and a committee member.

The award recognizes employers who demonstrate diversity and inclusion in their hiring practices, particularly in hiring people with disabilities.

The Safeway at 110 E. Third St. has more employees with disabilities receiving supported employment than any other employer in Clallam County, according to county Health & Human Services.

Safeway, LaGrange said, ?actively tries to hire people? who mirror the community.

?This is at all levels, from entry to management,? LaGrange added.

He and his hiring coordinator take ?great joy in mentoring employees to be the best that they can be,? he said.

?I've found that people with disabilities are often a forgotten segment of our population and sometimes passed over.

?So, if you find the right job match for them, many times you will have an employee who is grateful, happier, has better attendance and is dedicated.?

Many customers recognize the value to the community ?to have an inclusive business,? he added.

For more information on connecting employers to those with disabilities, phone Clallam County Health & Human Services Developmental Disability Case Manager Mary Cliffton at 360-417-2407 or email mcliffton@co.clallam.wa.us.

First Federal announces new positions, staffers

PORT ANGELES ? First Federal recently announced the addition of two new staff members and a new role for a long-time employee.

Dawnya Textor has accepted the role of director of retail banking.

Textor will be responsible for expanding the relationship oriented sales and service efforts throughout First Federal branches.

She will direct and oversee the branch managers' implementation of cross-departmental sales and service goals to ensure our customer experience is centered on meeting lending, deposit and non-deposit needs and desires.

Textor also will be an integral part of First Federal's future branch expansion plans.

She began her career with First Federal in 1984 and was most recently a regional manager for First Federal's Sequim-East market.

Jesse Long has accepted the position of branch manager of the Sixth Street branch in Port Angeles.

Since 2004, Long has gained experience in many areas in banking, including marketing, financial planning, business banking, consumer, residential and commercial lending with advanced credit fundamentals.

Long earned a degree in business management at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and was the former Port Angeles branch manager of Union Bank.

Patricia Kelley has accepted the position of business development officer for First Federal's Poulsbo branch/lending center.

Kelley has 28 years of experience in financial planning, business development and customer service.

She is the former Bainbridge Island branch manager of Kitsap Credit Union.

Annie's Flower Farm opens for season
SEQUIM ? Annie's Flower Farm, 303? Dahlia Llama Road, recently opened for the season.

A ?you-pick? flower garden is open daily from ?9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through mid-October.

Customers can choose from more than 100 varieties of flowers and design their own custom bouquet for $8.50.

Annie's Flower Farm will hold a ?grand opening? lavender party from ?10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 20.

Guests are welcome to stop by for free lavender lemonade and cookies.

Music performances will be by Cort Armstrong, Jim Faddis, Donna Rankin, Ron Munro and Getta Rogers.

Annie's Flower Garden has a staff florist who can provide expert arrangements for weddings. It also offers ?do-it-yourself? and combo wedding options.

Community-supported agriculture (CSA) shares are available.

Formerly part of The Cutting Garden, the 1-acre flower operation is now a separate business run by owner Sid ?Annie? Sherwood, who leases the plot from owners Catherine and Tom Mix.

For more information, visit www.anniesflower?farm.com.

Magazine names PNNL staffer a '2013 Influencer'

SEQUIM ? Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Jennifer States has been named a ?2013 Influencer? by Windpower Engineering & Development magazine.

States, who develops and manages PNNL's wind and water power projects, was one of a handful of people the magazine honored for being leaders in the wind power industry.

She works out of PNNL's Marine Sciences Laboratory in Sequim but is currently on a one-year assignment with the Army's Energy Initiative Task Force in Arlington, Va.

To read the article, visit tinyurl.com/StatesArticle.

Hairstylist joins salon
PORT ANGELES ? Stylist Alexandria Lewis has joined the team at Patti's Off Peabody Hair Design, 330 E. First St., Suite 8.

Lewis specializes in haircuts and styles for adults and children, texturizing and shaping, along with foils, perms and waxings.

She is also available for evening appointments if scheduled in advance.

For more information, phone Lewis at 360-457-1131.

Fourth anniversary
PORT ANGELES ? Patti Kuth is celebrating the fourth anniversary of her I Sew 4U?sewing business.

Kuth, whose business motto is ?I'm Sew Happy,? provides hemming, alterations, repairs, zipper replacements, patches and other sewing projects.

She works out of her home near Civic Field in Port Angeles.

For more information, phone Kuth at 360-417-5576 or email isew4u77@gmail.com.

Named as 'super lawyer'
SEATTLE ? Grady B. Martin has been selected as a ?2013 Super Lawyers Rising Star? and will be listed in Super Lawyers and Seattle Met magazines.

Martin is a 1993 Port Angeles High School graduate and the son of Gary and Sheila Martin.

The annual selections are made throughout the U.S. using a multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area.

Martin worked in the Hochberg Law Offices in Edmonds for several years before opening his own practice in north Seattle in 2012.

Cellars goes local
SEQUIM ? Saying it wants to support other North Olympic Peninsula businesses, Wind Rose Cellars is now serving Pane d'Amore breads for its panini, dessert items from That Takes the Cake and select cheeses from Mt. Townsend Creamery.

Wind Rose Cellars, 143 W. Washington St., is open for meals from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. every day.

For more information, phone Wind Rose Cellars at 360-681-0690 or visit www.windrosecellars.com.

Charity conference
PORT ANGELES ? Staff and board members of the United Way of Clallam County will head to Renton on Thursday to attend a one-day United Ways and Collective Impact conference.

Collective impact is an approach designed to create lasting solutions to social problems on a large scale, according to Jody Moss, executive director of the United Way of Clallam County.

?It's all about working together toward a common goal, involving nonprofits, local governments, schools and volunteers,? said Moss, who also serves as board chair of the United Ways of Washington.

Keynote speaker for the conference is Stacey Stewart, U.S. president of United Way Worldwide.

Seminar on estate planning slated
SEQUIM ? Clallam County attorney Ted Ripley will present a free seminar on estate planning, ?Will Your Will Make a Difference?,? on Thursday, July 25, at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Both sessions will be held at the Dungeness River Audubon Center, 2151 W. Hendrickson Road.

Ripley has focused on estate planning for the past 15 years.

He said only a few seats remain for the 4 p.m. session.

To register, contact Sue Chickman at 360-477-4123 or organicallysue@olypen.com.

Website set up for PA Port board hopeful
PORT ANGELES ? Marketing consulting firm Laurel Black Design has created a website for the Port of Port Angeles commissioner candidacy of Colleen McAleer.

The site, www.colleen?forport.com, also links to the campaign's Facebook page, said Laurel Black, owner of the firm.

McAleer, who holds a staff position with the port, is in a three-way primary race with incumbent Port Commissioner Paul McHugh and Del DelaBarre, owner of an event services company.

Their race is voted on only in District 1, mainly in the Sequim-Dungeness Valley, for the Aug. 6 primary. The top two vote-getters advance to a November countywide race.

McAleer's site also was developed by John Gussman of DoubleClick Productions of Sequim.

Lavender program
SEQUIM ? To celebrate its new year-round calendar of events, the Sequim Lavender Farmers Association has created Friends of Lavender, a special membership program for lavender lovers.

The cost of a membership is $35 a year.

Friends of Lavender benefits include:

? 15 percent discount on purchases at all Sequim Lavender Farmers Association member farms throughout the year.

? Two tickets to the Sequim Lavender Farm Faire ($30 value).

? Complimentary Lavender Faire poster ($10 value).

? Annual and periodic newsletters.

To join, sign up at www.sequimlavender.org or at any member farm or phone 360-452-6300.

The Sequim Lavender Farm Faire, presented by the Sequim Lavender Farmers Association, is part of the annual Sequim Lavender Weekend.

Lavender Weekend, which also includes the Sequim Lavender Growers' Lavender Festival, is this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 19-21.

Ferry fare meets
SEATTLE ? The state Transportation Commission is holding five public hearings on proposed increases in ferry fares.

The first three were last week in Vashon Island, Coupeville and aboard the San Juan Islands inter-island ferry.

The remaining two sessions are Monday (July 15) at Bainbridge Island and Tuesday (July 16) at Port Orchard.

The commission plans to make a decision?July 30 in Seattle.

The panel said hikes of 2 to 3 percent are needed to meet revenue targets set by the state Legislature.

Warning for hikers
WENATCHEE ? To avoid confrontations with aggressive mountain goats in Washington, hikers are advised to be careful where they ?go.?

Hikers in the Enchantment area of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness have been reporting close encounters with mountain goats.

Rangers in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest said goats are attracted to hiking trails because they crave salt, found in urine.

Hikers are urged to use toilets and not urinate close to trails.

Olympic National Park officials also have urged hikers not to urinate along trails to avoid goats.

Three years ago, a Port Angeles man, Bob Boardman, 63, was fatally gored by a mountain goat on a trail in Olympic National Park.

Dams evaluated
PORTLAND, Ore. ? The federal agencies responsible for making Columbia Basin hydroelectric dams safer for salmon said they are doing a good job, helping more young fish survive their migration downstream and producing higher returns among threatened and endangered runs.

The Bonneville Power Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation have released a draft evaluation of their efforts since 2008 to implement the improvements laid out ?by the NOAA Fisheries Service.

But conservation groups said that despite spending $600 million a year, the agencies are no closer to getting 13 runs of salmon and steelhead off the threatened and endangered species lists.

Save Our Wild Salmon and Earthjustice said the single most effective measure ? spilling more water over dams rather than running it through turbines ? is not being done enough.

Food stamps
WASHINGTON ? House approval of a scaled-back farm bill is setting up what could be an even bigger fight over food stamps and the role of domestic food aid in the United States.

Food stamps have been a part of farm bills since the 1970s to gain urban Democratic votes for the rural measure. That union has soured as the food aid has exploded in cost and Republicans have taken aim at the program.

Republican House leaders won passage of the smaller farm bill on a party-line vote Thursday by dropping a section of the bill that dealt with food stamps, saying they would deal with that issue separately.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said Republicans will ?act with dispatch? on a food stamp bill.

Arsenic in juice
WASHINGTON ? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is setting a new limit on the level of arsenic allowed in apple juice after more than a year of public pressure from consumer groups worried about the contaminant's effects on children.

Nationwide, apple juice is second only to orange juice in popularity, according to industry groups.

Studies have shown that the juice contains very low levels of arsenic, a cancer-causing agent found in everything from water to soil to pesticides.

The FDA has monitored arsenic in apple juice for decades and has long said the levels are not dangerous to consumers, in particular small children who favor fruit juice.

But now the agency is putting in place a strict standard on how much arsenic is acceptable in apple juice, limiting the amount to the same level currently permitted in drinking water.

Under the new regulation, apple juice containing more than 10 parts per billion could be removed from the market, and companies could face legal action.

Agency officials stressed that the vast majority of juices on the market are already below the threshold.

Airline raises fees
SEATTLE ? Alaska Airlines is raising its fee for checking a suitcase to $25, bringing it in line with most major airlines.

For tickets purchased on or after Oct. 30, the Seattle-based airline will charge passengers $25 each for the first and second checked bags. Additional bags will cost $75.

Alaska currently charges $20 per bag for the first three suitcases.

The airline will keep its baggage service guarantee. If a passenger's bags are not at the baggage claim area within 20 minutes of the plane parking at the gate, Alaska will give them a $20 discount code for use on a future flight or 2,000 bonus frequent flier miles.

The discount will increase to $25 and the miles to 2,500 on Oct. 30.

The time remains the same, according to spokesman Marianne Lindsey.

Delta Air Lines is the only major airline to offer a rebate of baggage fees but only for bags that are delayed 12 hours or more.

Alaska is also increasing the fee to change tickets to $125. Currently, Alaska charges $75 if the change is made online and $100 if the change is made through a call center. Passengers who change tickets 60 or more days from the day of travel will not incur any fee at all.

American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines and US Airways all increased change fees on domestic tickets from $150 to $200 in May.

Alaska Airlines Group Inc. expects the higher fees to result in $50 million of additional revenue each year.

Last modified: July 13. 2013 6:47PM

Source: http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130714/NEWS/130719994/this-weeks-north-olympic-peninsula-business-meetings-and-other

joseph kony 2012 arian foster dennis kucinich apple ipad kony kony 2012 jim irsay

mazz-destruction: areyoutryingtodeduceme: that-spook-from-london: foodtrucker: the invention of...

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://amandab821.tumblr.com/post/55487245735

bruce weber google maps 8 bit mirror mirror texas relays meniscus robyn the colony

Box Office Guru Wrapup: Carell & Sandler Sequels Rule Box Office

Humor was in demand as A-list funnymen Steve Carell and Adam Sandler dominated the box office with their hit sequels Despicable Me 2 and Grown Ups 2, respectively, while the raunchy laughs of The Heat with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy also finished among the top four movies for the frame. The big-budget sci-fi actioner Pacific Rim opened in third and helped lead another weekend when ticket sales were substantially ahead of last year's.

Staying at number one for a second weekend, Despicable Me 2 delivered a solid sophomore frame with an estimated $44.8M dropping only 46%. The toon smash has now amassed a staggering $229.2M and could be on its way to doing $350M or more from North America alone. By next weekend, it will surpass the $251.5M domestic total of its 2010 predecessor.

The Minions continued to win over audiences around the world too. The international marketplace took in a hefty $55.5M from 50 markets boosting the offshore sum to $243.2M and the global tally to $472.4M and rising quickly. By midweek, the worldwide haul will crush the half-billion mark.

Adam Sandler scored another box office hit, this time with his first-ever sequel, as the comedy Grown Ups 2 debuted close behind in second place with an estimated $42.5M. The Sony release averaged a sturdy $12,174 from 3,491 locations with no help from 3D. That edged out the $40.5M debut of its 2010 predecessor which went on to finish with $162M domestically. Grown Ups 2 tied last fall's animated hit Hotel Transylvania for Sander's second biggest opening weekend ever trailing only the $47.6M of 2005's The Longest Yard.

The funnyman's live-action films since the first Grown Ups ranged from disappointing to pathetic at the box office indicating that fans may have tired of his brand of humor. But the sequel opened at the high end of Sandler's usual first weekend range cementing his status as one of the most reliable box office draws in the business. He is well on his way to having his 14th $100M+ domestic grosser over the past 15 years.

Grown Ups 2 - which also brought back Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Salma Hayek - skewed 53% female giving that audience a funny and light alternative to the macho action fare. 54% was under 25. Reviews were among the worst of the year which is usually the case with Sandler's films. They don't win over critics, but they do sell to mainstream moviegoers looking for light-hearted fun that requires no thinking. The CinemaScore grade was a mediocre B.

Opening in third place was the sci-fi actioner Pacific Rim with an estimated $38.3M from 3,275 theaters for a good $11,695 average. That was about even with the $37.1M bow of April's futuristic thriller Oblivion with Tom Cruise. Both were sci-fi action pics not based on known brands which also had 3D and IMAX contributing. Oblivion was star-driven but Pacific had a prime summer slot. District 9 from the summer of 2009 opened to a similar $37.4M.

Ordinarily this would be a very strong opening for an original action film with no major box office stars. However, Pacific Rim carried an enormous budget, reportedly in the $200M range, so it will take a long road to reach break-even. Directed by Guillermo del Toro, Rim tells the story of a time in the near future when humans build humungous robots to do battle with alien monsters on a mission to exterminate Earth's inhabitants.

Reviews were very positive and the CinemaScore grade was an encouraging A- which was the same as for other summer action flicks like Man of Steel, White House Down, and The Heat. This might indicate a good road ahead, although fanboy pics typically draw their main audience upfront. Studio research showed that males made up 61% of the crowd while 53% were over 25. The special effects were a big draw as 19% of the gross came from IMAX screens and 50% overall came from the 3D format. That share represented the highest of any film in that format this summer.

About half of the international marketplace opened Pacific Rim this weekend with $53M collected from 38 markets for a global debut of $91.3M. Most, but not all, markets were impressive led by $9.6M in Korea and $9.3M in Russia. More key markets are to come including France and Germany next weekend and China, which could be a huge one for an IMAX film like this, on July 31.

Enjoying the best hold in the top ten was the Sandra Bullock-Melissa McCarthy comedy hit The Heat which grossed an estimated $14M in its third weekend, off 44%. The Fox release surged to $112.4M becoming the sixth live-action $100M+ domestic grosser for Bullock and third for McCarthy in a major role.

Disney contributed the next two films. The mega-budgeted adventure The Lone Ranger tanked in its second frame with an estimated $11.1M falling a steep 62%. That was especially troubling considering that the opening day did not fall on the first frame's Friday-to-Sunday take. The Johnny Depp misfire should end its domestic run just under the $100M mark. Overseas grosses are not exactly on fire. Only $48M has been collected so far from 33 markets representing a third of the overall foreign marketplace with the worldwide figure at just $119.1M. Additional major territories don't open until August.

Among suppliers, the studio is seeing much better results from Pixar than from Jerry Bruckheimer. The toon sequel Monsters University declined by 46% to an estimated $10.6M in its fourth round pushing the total to $237.8M. The global score has risen to $474.2M on its way to over $600M.

Hunk-led disaster movies followed. Brad Pitt's zombie thriller World War Z fell 49% to an estimated $9.4M while Channing Tatum's White House Down dropped 54% to an estimated $6.2M. Totals are $177.1M for Paramount and $63M for Sony.

Standup concert film Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain followed with an estimated $5M, off 50%, giving Lionsgate $26.4M to date. Rounding out the top ten was the superhero smash Man of Steel which tumbled 58% to an estimated $4.8M putting Warner Bros. at $281M thus far. A final in the $290-295M range should result.

In the limited release scene, The Weinstein Co. attracted sensational business to its Sundance winner Fruitvale Station which bowed in just seven sites to an estimated $377,000 for a scorching $53,857 average. Reviews have been terrific and Oscar buzz is already growing. The Hindi film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag debuted to an estimated $670,000 from 139 theaters for a $4,820 average for distributor Reliance Entertainment. Indie comedy hit The Way, Way Back expanded from 19 to 79 locations and grossed an estimated $1.1M for a solid $14,051 average. With $1.9M to date, Fox Searchlight will expand to nearly 300 theaters on Friday.

The top ten films grossed an estimated $186.7M which was up 25% from last year when Ice Age: Continental Drift opened at number one with $46.6M; but down 25% from 2011 when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 debuted in the top spot with a record $169.2M.

Follow Gitesh on Twitter!

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1927853/news/1927853/

Tony Kanaan Hangover 3 earthquake Bbc News UFC 160 criminal minds London attack

Afghanistan's women wary as Taliban creeps back into political life

Omar Sobhani / Reuters file

Abdul Rahman Hotak gestures as he speaks during an interview in Kabul on July 1, 2013.

By Sohel Uddin, Producer, NBC News

KABUL, Afghanistan -- As American and NATO forces prepare to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of next year, some fear the Afghan government's efforts to bring the Taliban into the political fold may mean a step back in time for the country's women.

After the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom toppled the militant Taliban regime 12 years ago, girls' schools reopened, burqas were no longer compulsory and many women went back to work. So when the Afghan government last week appointed a former Taliban official?as a commissioner on the newly established independent human rights commission, many were shocked.

Abdul Rahman Hotak, nominated for the post by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, was the editor of Taliban newspaper "Afghan Sunrise" and worked for the group's education directorate during its rule ? an alarming choice, some say, for someone tasked with championing the rights of women who were denied so many freedoms under the Taliban.

Hotak also opposes Karzai's proposed Elimination of Violence Against Women law (EVAW), which would make domestic and public violation against women punishable by law. Criticized for being un-Islamic, it has been languishing in Afghanistan's parliament since 2009.

"I want to help the women? I want to try to tell people that they are our mothers, our sisters, our daughters," Hotak told NBC News, claiming that he actually championed women's rights during the Taliban regime and asked them to allow girls to go to school.

He said his ideas and politics were not in line with the Taliban's and that he was compelled to work for them because there was "no other option when there is a government like that."

Shah Marai / AFP - Getty Images file

Shukria Barakzai speaks in Kabul in a photo from 2010.

As for opposing EVAW, he said he believes that if most politicians are not in agreement about a piece of legislation then it must mean it is flawed.

Nonetheless, his appointment does not sit well with some.

"We need the human rights commissioner to be independent and we ask the president to rethink his choice ? It is not a good choice for an ex-Taliban to be in this role," said Shukria Barakzai, a member of parliament who hopes to run for president in next year's election.?

Barakzai, known as "the woman feared by both NATO and the Taliban" for her outspoken views, has been fighting for women's rights for years.

She believes promoting people like Hotak gives the Taliban and other conservative groups a "green light" to strike political deals that would hold women back further ? deals designed to make peace more attractive to Taliban leaders. "They will not join forces but they will benefit from each other," she said.

"All these years it is not only the Taliban who have been problematic for women's rights but equally the government, members of parliament and the legislative committee," Barakzai said.

Just this past May, conservatives in parliament surreptitiously removed a law which stipulated there should be at least 25 percent female representation in the upper house. Female politicians fought to have the law reinstated when they discovered the move. A spokesman at the presidential palace would not comment but said the reinstatement was waiting to be approved by the upper house and the president.

Additionally, in 2012 Karzai endorsed a "code of conduct" law that protects men from being prosecuted for rape within a marriage, and allows husbands to beat their wives under certain circumstances.

Shah Marai / AFP - Getty Images

More than ten years after the beginning of the war, Afghanistan faces external pressure to reform as well as ongoing internal conflicts.

"The government and the Taliban have a shared view when it comes to women," Barakzai said.

However, after facing years of hurdles, Barakzai now welcomes the Taliban in Afghan politics. "I just don't want to see any more violence ? that is why I would rather have the Taliban in parliament. It is the only way to end the killing." She believes if the Taliban were part of the government, they would be forced to follow the law and adopt democracy. They would have to put an end to their violent principles, she says.

"The only difference between the Taliban then and the Taliban now is that they no longer wear turbans, but are dressed in smart suits. However the principles are the same as before," she said. "But we will civilize them."

For some, like student Halima Rashidi, it doesn't matter who is in charge ? the outcome is all that matters.

"I don't think that only people who are in the government right now can change the future of women. A Taliban or mujahedeen can also do that, too. It is not important for me who is running the show but I need protection and my rights, peace and security and a better future."

Related stories:

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663309/s/2e9aec80/l/0Lworldnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A70C130C194391640Eafghanistans0Ewomen0Ewary0Eas0Etaliban0Ecreeps0Eback0Einto0Epolitical0Elife0Dlite/story01.htm

nadal Nina Agdal iOS 7 beta 2 scottie pippen supreme court ellen page Lisa Robin Kelly

Link between quantum physics and game theory found

[unable to retrieve full-text content]A deep link between two seemingly unconnected areas of modern science has been discovered.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/strange_science/~3/0zNq-5a0U9U/130712114611.htm

new jersey devils torn acl derrick rose injury st louis news correspondents dinner i am legend san antonio spurs

NASA's OPALS to beam data from space via laser

[unable to retrieve full-text content]NASA will use the International Space Station to test a new communications technology that could dramatically improve spacecraft communications, enhance commercial missions and strengthen transmission of scientific data.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/X802FWiBUAQ/130711151404.htm

George Jones Farrah Abraham Tape amber heard Google Now Jason Collins White House Correspondents Dinner 2013 NHL playoff schedule

GroupMe, Still Awesome, Now with Emoji That Look Mostly Insane

GroupMe's a lifechanger. You should use it. Today it got emoji (good) that for some insane reason use its logo in place of a human head, and then attach things like beards and devil horns and headphones to it (uhh).

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/8xydTM82RqQ/groupme-still-awesome-now-with-emoji-that-look-mostly-730588640

What Happened In Boston gold price defiance BBC Ny Post Boston Bombing 2013 Regions Bank

Tuberculosis Waits Patiently for Its Comeback [Slide Show]

See Inside

Although the total number of TB cases is falling worldwide, more dangerous strains appear to be proliferating

By Christine Gorman

Ramatullah is an Afghan bus conductor who is being treated for drug-resistant TB. If he stops working, his extended family will have nothing to eat Image: WHO/Riccardo Venturi

Despite steady progress since the year 2000 in reducing the overall spread of tuberculosis around the globe, TB still sickens nearly nine million men, women and children each year, killing at least 1.4 million, mostly in the poorer parts of the world. There is also worrisome evidence that some TB strains may be evolving into an even more dangerous cause of human suffering than most people, including many doctors, realize. Sally Lehrman marshaled the relevant data in her July Scientific American feature article "The Diabolical Genius of an Ancient Scourge."

Unless more is done to stop this unexpected chain of events, Lehrman wrote, " TB rates could one day begin rising again globally, and the disease could become harder to treat and spread more widely among populations that have so far been relatively free of the scourge."

>>View this slide show to learn more about tuberculosis

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/~r/sciam/history-of-science/~3/yptDHlUzrlE/article.cfm

Gena Charmaine Avery dwight howard mariah carey djokovic djokovic josh smith Andre Iguodala