More than 100,000 people have signed a petition to the White House to deport Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber and revoke his green card

Here we go again. More than 100,000 people have signed a petition to the White House to deport Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber and revoke his green card — meaning he can't come back to the USA.
Chances of this happening: Close to zilch.
But everyone will have fun with it anyway. After all, it's another opportunity to vent outrage, feigned or otherwise, at the increasingly idiotic misbehavior by 19-year-old Bieber, ranging from allegedly egging a neighbor's house in California (a possible felony) to drag racing and DUI in Florida (a possible misdemeanor).
(The Associated Press reported his attorney filed paperwork Wednesday in Miami-Dade County in which Bieber pleaded not guilty to charges of DUI, resisting arrest and driving with an expired license, according to court records.)
The anti-Bieber petition, punctuation mistakes included, reads: "We the people of the United States feel that we are being wrongly represented in the world of pop culture. We would like to see the dangerous, reckless, destructive, and drug abusing, Justin Bieber deported and his green card revoked. He is not only threatening the safety of our people but he is also a terrible influence on our nations youth. We the people would like to remove Justin Bieber from our society."
The petition, created Jan. 23, is on the White House's We the People site, which promises that if at least 100,000 people sign any given petition, no matter how ridiculous, the White House will respond officially. So far, more than 136,000 people (and counting) have signed the Bieber petition but no word yet from the White House.
Just for comparison's sake, a similar "Deport Him!" petition was filed on the We the People site against CNN's British-born Piers Morgan at the end of 2012 because some people were upset about something he said - actually a rant - against guns on his TV show. That petition got 109,000 signatures; Morgan is still here and still on CNN.
But this should be no surprise. Foreigners can't be deported or lose their right to live in the USA merely for expressing their First Amendment rights. They can be deported if convicted of a serious felony but that hasn't happened in Bieber's case, and may not ever.
Even then it's hard, never mind that this almost never happens to rich and famous foreigners from Canada or Britain. And besides all that, it's not in the White House's power, no matter who's president, to just deport people on the strength of a petition no matter how many have signed.
But it certainly gives a glimpse of one aspect of the state of public opinion about Bieber. It doesn't help that a "Don't Deport Bieber" petition has only about 1,500 signatures.
"Stop Justin Bieber from getting deported. He is a human being and he makes mistakes. He does not deserve this," reads the title on that plea, created Jan. 25.
"The media sees the bad side of him. Please. He's saved so many lives. Including mine. A lifesaver, Shouldn't deserve this," it concludes.
Source:http://www.wkyc.com

the Lunar New Year and the Chinese Year of the Horse

It’s the Lunar New Year and the Chinese Year of the Horse. The horse is part of a 12-year-cycle of animals that make up the Chinese zodiac. These interact with the five elements: wood, metal, fire, water, earth. 2014 is the year of the wood horse, taking over from the year of the water snake.
GET READY TO RUMBLE
It will be a fast year full of conflicts according to some astrologers, who see wood as providing fuel for the energetic horse sign. The later part of the year is “yin fire”, increasing the potential for heated clashes even more. Feng shui practitioner Raymond Lo told Reuters: “The upcoming Horse year is also a 'yang wood' year, when people will stick more to their principles and stand firm. So it is hard to negotiate or compromise as there are more tendencies for people to fight for their ideals.”
BAD FOR BUSINESS?
If you have a business involving wood or fire you will do well, according to Canadian Feng Shui expert Paul Ng. This includes lumber companies, agriculture and media companies. Property companies won’t do as well and as the horse is a galloper, the potential is for the prices to gallop downwards over the first six months. However, supported by the fire element in the latter half of the year they may gallop back up, according to Lynn Yap, Singapore’s Feng Shui Queen. Metals and waters will do badly: this will affect metal mining and precious metals as well as fishing. Financial business also have the potential to be unstable. We could have predicted that one though.

WATCH OUT FOR VOLCANOES
Countries in the Southern Hemisphere, like South Australia and South America may experience gunfire as well as volcanoes, because “ the fire energies are so strong” according to Chinese astrologer and Sydney Feng Shui master Lok Tin, who spoke to the Sydney Morning Herald about his predictions for the coming 12 months.
LIE LOW IF YOU’RE A HORSE.
When horse meets horse, the natural Ying-Yang opposition is no longer balanced and thus over the next year horses are due some tense situations and pressure in their personal life. However Foon Chik, of the Feng Shui Society says it is not that simple and meeting your own sign can be a time for self-reflection.
WHAT IF YOU’RE NOT A HORSE?
Well, what animal you are depends on what year you were born in and how the characteristics of this creature interact with the horse.
 
Foon Chik, of the Feng Shui society has compiled her predictions, reproduced here with her permission. You can read them in full here or flick through the gallery below.
Source:http://www.independent.co.uk

Elvira Devinamira dari Jawa Timur dinobatkan menjadi Putri Indonesia 2014

Solopos.com, JAKARTA — Elvira Devinamira dari Jawa Timur dinobatkan menjadi Putri Indonesia 2014 di malam final di Plenary Hall Jakarta Convention Center, Rabu (29/1/2014) malam. Putri Indonesia 2013 Whulandary Herman menyematkan mahkota yang sudah diembannya selama setahun belakangan kepada sang penerus.
Sementara itu, Runner Up II Putri Indonesia diraih finalis asal Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta Estelita Liana dan Runner Up I jatuh pada kontestan asal Sumatra Selatan Elfin Pertiwi. Elvira berhasil mengalahkan 37 finalis Putri Indonesia lain yang mewakili tiap provinsi di Indonesia.
Dari 38 finalis disaring lagi menjadi 10 besar yang meliputi perwakilan dari Sumatra Selatan, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, Jawa Tengah, DKI Jakarta 2, Jawa Timur, Jambi, Papua, DKI Jakarta 5, Gorontalo dan Sumatera Barat. Ke-10 itu dikerucutkan menjadi 5 orang, yaitu Rakhmi Wijiharti dari Jawa Tengah, Noorzabilla Bambang S dari DKI Jakarta 2, Estelita Liana dari Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, Elvira Devinamira Wirayanti dari Jawa Timur dan Elfin Pertiwi dari Sumatera Selatan.
Dari 5 besar, terpilihlah perwakilan dari Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, Jawa Timur dan Sumatera Selatan yang memperebutkan gelar Putri Indonesia 2014 dan mengikuti Miss Universe 2014, Putri Indonesia Lingkungan, dan mewakili ajang Miss International 2014 untuk Runner Up I dan Putri Indonesia Pariwisata dan mewakili ajang Miss Supranational untuk Runner Up II.

Source:http://www.solopos.com

Penjualan pernak-pernik perayaan Imlek berlipat bagi pedagang di Petak Sembilan, Glodok, Jakarta Barat, dengan peningkatan omzet mencapai 300%

Metrotvnews.com, Jakarta: Penjualan pernak-pernik perayaan Imlek seperti kertas angpau, hiasan shio, ataupun lampion membawa rezeki berlipat bagi pedagang di Petak Sembilan, Glodok, Jakarta Barat, dengan peningkatan omzet yang mencapai 300%.

"Pemasukan saya bisa tiga kali lipat. Per harinya saya dapat pemasukan dari transaski jualan sekitar satu juta rupiah dari kertas angpao ini, dan pernak-pernik lainnya," kata pedagang yang datang dari Surabaya, Paijo (35), di Petak Sembilan, Jakarta, Kamis (30/1).

Bahkan, dua minggu menjelang Imlek, omzet penjualan pernak-pernik yang didominasi kertas angpau itu bisa mencapai lebih dari Rp2 juta per hari. Pada hari biasa, pedagang yang akrab dipanggil Jojo itu mengaku menjual obat-obatan herbal, hanya mendapat Rp300 ribu per harinya.

"Saya jual kertas angpaonya dengan harga Rp4.000 per kotak, tapi sekarang karena sudah mau Imlek, harganya diturunin, jadi Rp10 ribu dapat empat," kata Jojo, yang mengambil stok dagangan di Pasar Asemka, Jakarta Barat.

Pedagang pernak-pernik lainnya, Novriyanti mengaku, mampu meraih peningkatan omzet empat kali lipat menjadi Rp4 juta per hari, dibandingkan pemasukan Rp1 juta per hari ketika menjual perkakas rumah tangga pada hari biasa.

Pemasukan Novriyanti yang jauh melebihi Jojo, disebabkan karena wanita berusia 24 tahun itu juga menjual makanan khas Imlek seperti dodol China, yang dia banderol Rp25.000 per kilogram.

Menurut dia, penjualan dodol China juga tak kalah dengan kertas angpao. Per harinya, Novriyanti dapat menjual 50 kilogram dodol China.

"Jika sudah begini, saya bisa terus berjualan pernak-pernik Imlek, sampai semua barang dagangan habis, walaupun hingga hari-hari setelah perayaan Tahun Baru Imlek berakhir," ujarnya.

Menurut Ketua RW 01 Glodok, Tamansari, Jakarta Barat, Ferry Setyawan, jumlah pedagang dan pengunjung yang akan beribadah ke dua vihara besar di Petak Sembilan, akan semakin ramai hingga Kamis malam.

Dia prediksikan, jumlah warga yang beribadah ke dua vihara besar yakni Vihara Dharma Bhakti dan Dharma Jaya akan mencapai 10 ribu orang dan datang dari berbagai daerah di luar Jakarta. (Antara)Source:http://www.metrotvnews.com

FPI tidak akan mencabut gugatan terhadap Asmirandah dan Jonas Rivanno

JAKARTA -- Front Pembela Islam (FPI) menegaskan tidak akan mencabut gugatan terhadap Asmirandah dan Jonas Rivanno. Meskipun pasangan sinetron itu mendatangi kediaman rumah Ketua FPI Depok, Habib Idrus Al Gadhri di Kawasan Kampung Lio Pancoranmas, Depok, Rabu (29/1) malam.

Idrus dengan tegas mengatakan tidak akan mencabut laporan tersebut dan membiarkan kasus tersebut diproses secara hukum. "Kami tetap proses ini secara hukum, agar menjadi pelajaran buat seluruh masyarakat bahwa agama apapun tak dapat dipermainkan," jelas Idrus, Kamis (30/1).

Seperti diketahui, Jonas dan Asmirandah dilaporkan oleh pihak FPI Depok karena diduga telah melakukan penistaan agama terhadap suatu agama. Jonas dan Asmirandah diduga melanggar Pasal 156a KUHP.

Penistaan agama yang dimaksud FPI adalah saat Jonas mengingkari Ke-Islamannya saat menikahi Asmirandah untuk pertama kalinya. Kepada media saat itu, Jonas membantah telah memeluk Islam.

Dalam perkembangannya, Jonas dan Andah mengajukan pembatalan pernikahan. Tapi keduanya kemudian menikah lagi di luar negeri.

Gonjang-ganjing pasangan ini kian membuncah setelah beredar foto Asmirandah dan Jonas yang diduga sedang berada di salah satu Gereja. Asmirandah dikabarkan kini pindah agama. (abu/jpnn)

Source:http://www.jpnn.com

Gempa yang bersumber di Jawa Tengah,getarannya terasa di Jawa Barat.

Gempa yang bersumber di Jawa Tengah, diklaim terasa getarannya hingga beberapa titik di luar provinsi termasuk hingga Jawa Barat.

Badan Meteorologi dan Geofisika menyatakan gempa berkekuatan 6,5 pada Skala Richter itu berasal dari di barat daya Kebumen, Jawa Tengah dengan kedalaman 48 kilometer sekitar pukul 12.14 WIB.

Gempa tidak berpotensi tsunami namun tak urung sempat memicu kepanikan warga yang merasakan goncangannya.

"Tadi lampu goyang semua, begitu pula meja dan perabot agak bergeser tidak tahunya gempa," kata Heru Setiyono yang sedang berjaga di RSUD Kebumen, kepada Dewi Safitri dari BBC.

Setelah sempat berhamburan ke luar gedung, Heru dan kawan-kawan akhirnya masuk kembali dan bekerja seperti biasa.

"DibandingkanKlik (gempa) Jogja (tahun 2006) dulu, ya ini masih kalah jauh kerasnya," tambahnya santai.

'Bikin pusing'

Di Wates yang berjarak sekitar 100km dari Kebumen, guncangan juga terasa cukup kencang.

"Tadi kita langsung pada lari keluar dari kantor, Alhamdulillah tidak ada kerusakan," kata Ajun Komisaris Dua (Pol) Sudibyo yang sedang bertugas jaga di Polres Wates.

Informasi dari sejumlah pembaca BBC Indonesia menyebut gempa turut dirasakan guncangannya di Jogja, Magelang, Solo, Kudus, Brebes, Tegal, selain di Kebumen sendiri.

Ella Akmal Ali Al-hanif menulis di halaman komentar Facebook BBC: "Saya dari Kebumen Lumayan kencang dan bikin pusing kepala".

Sementara Herman Zamani yang berada di Kawasan Monumen Jogja Kembali menulis jamaah shalat Dzuhur di masjid setempat bubar karena gempa.

".. diriku dan jama'ah masjid muqorobin setelah sholat dhuhur dan waktu do'a.. (goyangan getaranya..) para jama'ah pun lomba lari keluar masjid...".

Di luar Jawa Tengah getaran dilaporan dirasakan pula di Cilacap, Pangandaran, Sumedang, Subang dan Bogor di Jawa Barat.

Belum ada laporan kerusakan maupun korban jiwa akibat gempa ini.

Source:

Chelsea are prepared to allow Juan Mata to leave for Manchester United £40m for his services

Juan Mata has found opportunities limited at Chelsea this season, leaving him frustrated in World Cup year. Photograph: Michael Mayhew/Sportsphoto Ltd/Allstar

Chelsea are prepared to allow Juan Mata to leave for Manchester United this week if the champions submit a club record bid of £40m for his services, though the Spain international must also indicate to José Mourinho that he has his heart set upon a move to Old Trafford.
United have yet to make a formal offer for the 25-year-old, who has found first-team opportunities relatively limited at Stamford Bridge this season under the Portuguese, but the London club anticipate that situation changing. A bid of that size for a player who cost £23.5m from Valencia in 2011 would be considered seriously, though Mourinho would still be given the final say as to whether Mata should be released.
There is an instinctive reluctance at Stamford Bridge to lose their player of the season from each of his two full campaigns at the club, sentiment expressed publicly by Mourinho over recent weeks when the manager has been asked about Mata's immediate future. Yet the Spaniard has completed 90 minutes only three times this season, starting 11 league games, and, with the World Cup to come in the summer, his frustration on the sidelines has been acknowledged sympathetically.
Other clubs have expressed tentative interest in the forward, most notably Paris Saint-Germain, with Atlético Madrid going as far as to seek to take him on loan for six months with an option to make the move permanent in the summer. Yet the prospective deal that would be lodged by United would eclipse all-comers with Mata, who would be cup-tied in Europe this term, favourable to the idea, intent as he is to perform regularly for a prestigious club. David Moyes's side languish 14 points from the Premier League summit and six from the Champions League places, but the club retains its mystique.
Whereas in the past the Chelsea hierarchy have had the final say on outgoing transfers regardless of the manager's opinion, the decision now will rest with Mourinho. The Portuguese could yet block any move, though his stance is likely to be shaped by Mata's attitude. The Spaniard, who is contracted until 2016, would not naturally agitate for a transfer but, if he makes clear his desire to move in talks with the management, the club are expected to yield. Mata is due back at Cobham, with the rest of the Chelsea players, on Wednesday after two days off.
A similar policy was adopted over Kevin De Bruyne this month, with Chelsea's instinct to loan the player to Atletico only for Wolfsburg to bid £18m. The Belgian met key members of the club's hierarchy to make clear his desire to join the Bundesliga club, but it was only once he had confirmed as much in face to face talks with Mourinho that his departure was finally sanctioned. While Mata's would constitute a considerably more significant sale, the same principle will apply.
United, who discovered on Tuesday that captain Nemanja Vidic will be banned for three games after losing his appeal against the red card he was shown in the recent 3-1 defeat at Chelsea, remain resolute that Wayne Rooney, a player Chelsea have coveted since last summer, will not move to Stamford Bridge as part of any prospective deal for Mata. Indeed, their interest in the player represents something of a change in policy given their priority had previously been a left-back and a more classic central midfielder rather than a creative player whose desire is to play as a No10, where Rooney, Shinji Kagawa and Adnan Junuzaj can also operate capably.
Yet their interest reflects an urgency to make a marquee signing – it would eclipse the £30.7m spent on Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham Hotspur in 2008 – and signal their intent still to secure Champions League qualification this term after recent toils. His arrival would lay down a marker as the club seeks to rebuild its squad with players of similar quality.
Chelsea had originally hoped to review Mata's situation in the summer, conscious as they are that they will struggle to recruit a player of comparable calibre in the remainder of this window and with challenges ahead on three fronts. Indeed, Juan Mata Sr, who acts as the player's agent, had hoped to broker a deal to Barcelona at the end of the campaign, only for United's interest to emerge and prove enticing.

Source:http://www.theguardian.com

Lunafly dan LC9 gebrak fans Indonesia lewat “Lukie Beat Live in Convert”

RancahPost.com – Lunafly dan LC9 berhasil gebrak fans Indonesia lewat “Lukie Beat Live in Convert” yang digelar di Jungleland, Sentul, Bogor, Minggu (19/1). Hujan yang sempat turun tidak menyurutkan semangat para penonton untuk bertemu idolanya.
Fans dibuat histeris mendengar Lunafly menyanyikan “Jodoh Pasti Bertemu” milik Afgan. Band besutan Nega Network ini juga mengcover “Mirror” dari Justin Timberlake dan “As Long As You Love Me” milik Backstreet Boys.
Fans balas memberikan kejutan dengan memberikan video ucapan selamat untuk Yun yang berulang tahun 14 Januari lalu. Ia terlihat terharu dan menitikkan air mata melihat video ini. Tidak hanya itu, fans juga memberikan kue di atas panggung.
Lunafly pun mengaku senang bisa bertemu dengan fans Indonesia. Sam Carter juga meminta maaf tidak bisa datang saat fansigning karena sakit.
“Aku sangat senang hari ini. Datang lagi ya ke konser kami nanti,” ujar Teo. “Aku tidak bisa datang ke acara fansigning. Tapi aku senang karena acaranya berlangsung lancar,” kata Sam.
Acara berlangsung meriah meski sempat molor dan baru dimulai pukul 19:30 WIB karena cuaca buruk. Tak kurang selama 3 jam Lunafly dan LC9 menghibur para penonton.
Source:http://www.rancahpost.com

Fachri Albar dan model Renata kusmanto akan menikah tahun ini?

Liputan6.com, Jakarta : Ada kabar yang menyebutkan kalau Fachri Albar dan model Renata kusmanto akan menikah tahun ini. Hal itu bisa menjadi kenyataan, mengingat akhir-akhir ini Fachri mulai terbuka seputar sosok Renata kepada sang ayah, Ahmad Albar.

"Kami saling mengisi. Artinya saya kasih dia masukan. Apa saja, pekerjaan ataupun hubungan. Dia sangat terbuka," kata Ahmad Albar di kawasan Tebet, Jakarta Selatan, Senin (20/1/2014).

Dari sharing itu, Iyek, sapaan Ahmad Albar, melihat kalau hubungan putranya dengan Renata cukup serius. Ia pun berharap keduanya akan menikah di tahu ini.

"Artinya Renanta saya lihat kelihatannya cukup serius dengan Fachri. Fachri juga selalu membicarakan keseriusan dia," ujar Iyek.

"Tapi itu kembali ke Fachri ya, kita nggak bisa paksakan. Ya mudah-mudahan dapat jodoh yang langgeng. Kalau nggak jodoh mau bilang apa. Mereka berdua yang tahu," kata Iyek. (fei) Source:http://showbiz.liputan6.com

Newcomer Daisy Shah, Salman Khan's leading lady in forthcoming film "Jai Ho"

Newcomer Daisy Shah, who is making her debut as Salman Khan's leading lady in forthcoming film "Jai Ho", describes her co-star as an "emotional person", who is often misunderstood as being "impulsive".

A still from the movie. - RNA Research & Archives

Newcomer Daisy Shah, who is making her debut as Salman Khan's leading lady in forthcoming film "Jai Ho", describes her co-star as an "emotional person", who is often misunderstood as being impulsive.
"He is a very wonderful human being and people think that he is very impulsive, and that he gets very angry. I would say that it's not his anger, but his love, which he wants to express because he is a very emotional person," the 28-year-old told reporters Saturday at a function here.
Daisy was a background dancer until Salman spotted her.
Source:http://www.dnaindia.com

Actress Natalie Dormer shaved half her head for her upcoming role of Cressida in 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay.'

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

LOVING HER NEW LOOK: The 31-year-old actress shines on the red carpet with her edgy hair.

If the first rule of the red carpet is to stand out, then "Game of Thrones" Natalie Dormer did it perfectly at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
The actress debuted a buzz cut that even Miley Cyrus would think twice about.

C Flanigan/Getty Images

The 'Hunger Games' actress says she was willing to shave her whole head, but decided a half-shaved head fit her character better.

PHOTOS: SAG AWARDS 2014: BEST AND WORST DRESSED
Known for her flowing brunette locks, the 31-year-old actress showed up at the awards with a half-shaved head.

Helen Sloan/HBO

Natalie Dormer plays Margaery Tyrell to Jack Gleeson's Joffrey Baratheon in Game of Thrones. No worries though, Dormer wears a wig for the part.

The new 'do, she told USA Today, is for her role as Cressida in the upcoming "Hunger Games" films.
RELATED: 'AMERICAN HUSTLE' TAKES SAG'S TOP HONOR

Matt Sayles/Matt Sayles/Invision/AP

Natalie Dormer plays up her punk look with an ear cuff and black chainmail detail on her gown.

"I was ready to do the whole head but we decided it was more stylistic — more Capitol — just to do half the head," she said.
Making the look even edgier Saturday night, she wore an earring accessory, covering most the lobe with metal.

Mark Davis/WireImage

Actress Natalie Dormer shaved half her head for her upcoming role of Cressida in 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay.'

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/natalie-dormer-head-half-shaved-sag-awards-article-1.1584494#ixzz2qz9Yos4L

a new trailer for “300: Rise of an Empire.”

Lena Headey’s Queen Gorgo seeks vengeance for the events of “300″ in a new trailer for “300: Rise of an Empire.”
Directed by TV commercial ace Noam Murro and produced by Zack Snyder, “Rise of an Empire” is not a sequel or a prequel but a free-standing tale set in the same world and taking place before, during and after the events of “300.”
The story is based on Frank Miller’s “Xerxes” (“300″ was based on Miller’s landmark graphic novel of the same name) and the historical Battle of Artemisium, a naval engagement concurrent with “300′s” battle at Thermopylae.
“If you took ‘300’ and you zoomed out, that’s what this movie is all about,” Murro said at Comic-Con International in San Diego last summer. “It takes place at about the same time as ‘300.’ It’s just bigger and it gives a whole bigger scale and scope as to what happened historically.”
The trailer, released Wednesday, shows Headey’s queen at what appears to be her husband’s (“300′s” Leonidas, played by Gerard Butler) funeral pyre, accompanied by new hero Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton).
“Leonidas and the brave 300 are dead,” the tearful Gorgo says. “Have I not given enough for dream of a united Greece, Themistocles? A king. A husband.”
“Avenge him,” Themistocles replies, setting the scene for the events of “Rise of an Empire.”
The film once again pits the Greeks against the Persians, led by god-king Xerxes, the nefarious 9-foot-tall antagonist played by Rodrigo Santoro, and Artemisia I of Caria, a Persian naval commander played by Eva Green (“Casino Royale”). Artemisia is portrayed as a blood-thirsty warrior, eager for conquest.
“The ecstasy of steel and flesh, sweat and muscle and rage,” she says in the trailer. “War.”
And the Greeks seem to fear her, too.
“She has sold her soul to death himself,” Themistocles warns. “She’s going to bring all of hell with her.”
“She’s the toughest character I’ve ever played,” Green said at Comic-Con. “It’s always been a fantasy for me to play a character who’s a woman with swords. She’s so ballsy, she’s so brave, independent, she’s fearless, ruthless. I call her kind of a ruthless Joan of Arc.”

Eva Green in “300: Rise of an Empire.” (Legendary Pictures / Warner Bros.)

The trailer shows brutal and bloody action scenes, set to Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,”as Artemisia and Themistocles wage naval warfare.
The film also stars Jack O’Connell as Calisto, Hans Matheson as Aesyklos, Callan Mulvey as Scyllias, David Wenham as Dilios, Andrew Tiernan as Ephialtes, Igal Naor as King Darius and Andrew Pleavin as Daxos.
Producer Snyder, of course, is the director of “Man of Steel,” his first major hit since “300.” In between came “Watchmen,”  “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole” and “Sucker Punch.” Snyder is also directing the upcoming untitled Batman/Superman film.
“300″ was a box-office hit, despite controversy surrounding the portrayal of Xerxes and his Persian army as an effete villain and a savage horde; the Iranian Academy of the Arts filed a formal complaint through the United Nations, denouncing the film’s take on Iran’s history.
“Empire” is slated to hit theaters March 7. Click through the gallery above for scenes from the first “300.”
– Noelene Clark | @NoeleneClark | Google+
Source:http://herocomplex.latimes.com

Violinist Vanessa Mae is set to ski for Thailand at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics

Violinist Vanessa Mae is set to ski for Thailand at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, which start next month.

Mae, a keen skier since childhood, has been competing as Vanessa Vanakorn using her father's surname.
She raced four times in Slovenia at the weekend in a last-ditch bid to meet the qualifying standard.

Manager Giles Holland, speaking on behalf of Mae, told the BBC: "It would appear that she's done it. She's done it by a whisker, but she's done it."

Skiing's world governing body FIS has confirmed the eligibility of Vanessa Mae to compete at Sochi 2014.
"Vanessa Mae has unofficially qualified for the Olympic Games, " added Marko Rudolf, a Slovenian masters skier with links to the committee that organised the races.
Under current Olympic qualification rules, countries with no skier ranked in the world's top 500 may send one man and one woman to the Games - to compete in slalom and giant slalom - if those athletes meet a second set of criteria.
Thailand has no skiers ranked in the world's top 500 for any Alpine discipline. To meet the second criteria, Mae had to produce an average of 140 points or fewer over five recognised races.
Athletes earn points on an inverse scale based on their performance, so the fewer points an athlete has, the better they are.
In 1990, the International Olympic Committee brought in what became known as the 'Eddie the Eagle Rule', which requires Olympic hopefuls to place in the top 30%, or the top-50 of competitors, whichever is less, in international events.
The British Olympic Association has much stricter selection criteria and will only put forward athletes who achieved a top-30 place in the FIS World Cup standings during the qualification period, or they must meet other strict specifications.

Mae's bid went down to the wire. Results on the official website of FIS  show she dipped under the 140-mark average thanks to strong results in a series of four back-to-back giant slalom races in Slovenia on Saturday and Sunday.
The 5ft 3in 35-year-old even raced in a national junior championships, in which she was more than 14 years older than any other entrant, as time ran out.
In the latest rankings, Mae is 3,166 in the world in giant slalom.
Mae has long harboured an ambition to compete at the Winter Olympics.
She announced her bid to qualify for Sochi 2014 as early as mid-2010, telling the Daily Telegraph:  "It has been my dream and I am hoping people will accept I just want to give it my best.
"I am taking a plunge. I am British, but realistically there is no way I could represent my own country.
"Because my natural father is Thai, they have accepted me."
BBC presenter Graham Bell, who competed for Great Britain at five Winter Olympics, understands the logic of someone of Mae's standard being able to compete but believes the BOA is right to have its own stringent qualification rules.
"We should never lower our qualifying criteria," he said.
"The BOA have produced incredible teams in the summer Games over the last few years and we're sending the strongest team that we've had for a long time to the Winter Olympics.
"It's about getting representation for countries that aren't considered Winter Sports nations. They don't want the Winter Olympics to become too European and North American dominated.
"It's difficult to compare the standard but 17-year-olds in their first year of competition would be disappointed if they didn't score less than 140."


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Season 9 premiere of Keeping Up With the Kardashians

Social media

If you caught the first part of the Season 9 premiere of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, you quickly realized it held no surprises for viewers. We already knew that Khloé Kardashian and Lamar Odom were headed for splitsville and that Bruce Jenner and Kris Jenner decided to separate. We already knew that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were building an obscene, offensive mansion and we already knew that Scott Disick remains an immature d-bag.

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How did we know all of these things? Primarily through the Kardashians' ongoing love affair with social media. This family rarely has an unfiltered thought, and if they aren't sharing their life through Twitter, then the media figure it out through their relentless pursuit of the Kardashian clan.

Overuse of the word "like"

Listening to like, the Kardashians talk, like, makes us want to like, light our hair on like, fire. Have you ever seen a group of people abuse the word through such indiscriminate use of it? It's like, the most annoying thing ever. On Part 1 of Sunday night's premiere, Rob Kardashian and his sister Khloé are trying to have a serious conversation about Rob's decision to move out of Khloé's house because of the troubles she and her husband Odom are having — but they use the word "like" so much that it's hard to focus on the emotional aspect of the discussion. The same thing happens when Kourtney and Khloé are driving back from Dash and Khloé is having a breakdown about her troubled marriage. We wanted to feel bad for her, but we were so focused on how many times she used the word "like" that we got distracted. It's like, enough already.

Boring

The story line within this family has become stale, and it's hard to pinpoint exactly why. The two youngest daughters, Kylie and Kendall, just come across as clueless, overindulged girls from Beverly Hills, California. The behaviors of the others have become predictable. We know Disick is usually going to say or do something that makes us all mentally beg Kourtney to dump his a**, we know that one or all of the girls are going to get miffed at their mother before the show is over and that Kris is just going to take it until her princesses get over it.

Top 10 mind-numbing quotes from Kanye West interview >>

Remember that hilarious Chandler quote from Friends where he quips, "Oh, I think this is the episode of Three's Company where there's some kind of misunderstanding?" That's kind of what's happened to KUWTK. "Oh, this is the episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians where they overuse the word "like," Kim's biggest problem in life is the side effects of her popularity and wealth, and all the siblings and/or Kris bicker and get into some sort of disagreement."

They can't compete

KUWTK is a show that is going to start to have competition issues. It's going to fall victim to something bigger and better that comes along, which on Sunday night (in some time zones) was the NFC championship game. Even die-hard fans of the show likely had someone in the family who was more interested in the game than the premiere — Americans love their sports, after all. Now we live in a world where we can record our favorite programs when such situations come about, but if you're watching one show and recording another, then by default the recorded show is less important than the one you decided to watch in real time, commercials and all.

Too much of a good thing

That cliché "too much of a good thing" is alive and well when we are discussing the Kardashians. Whatever intrigue we attached to becoming voyeurs of the Kardashian family may have diminished because of oversaturation. The Kardashians have wormed their way to the top of the pop culture heap, and Americans are growing weary, particularly because this family is more infamous than they are famous. Their popularity grew in part because of the morbid fascination of their notoriety being born out of an O.J. Simpson trial, a sex tape and a hunger for fame.

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian: The N-word debate >>

Some argue that Kim's relationship with West draws fans to the show, but from where we're sitting, it feels like for every fan that West has, he has five "haters." We're not convinced West is an asset when it comes to the family's popularity, and his ongoing rants and altercations may end up costing the family more than helping them in the long run.
It's too soon to tell what the future holds for KUWTK's ratings. Part 2 of the Season 9 premiere airs Monday night on E!.
Source:http://www.sheknows.com

"Lupita Nyong'o" Leonardo DiCaprio give the Kenyan actress a kiss on the red carpet at the Producers' Guild Awards

She's been the toast of the awards season so far, picking up prize after prize for her role in 12 Years A Slave.
And on Sunday night, Lupita Nyong'o got yet another seal of approval as Hollywood heavyweight Leonardo DiCaprio stopped to give the Kenyan actress a kiss on the red carpet at the Producers' Guild Awards.
As Lupita was posing for pictures, The Wolf Of Wall Street star Leonardo strolled past her - and couldn't resist stopping to heap praise on the stunning star.

The ultimate seal of approval! Lupita Nyong'o got a kiss from Leonardo DiCaprio on the red carpet at the Producers Guild Of America Awards on Sunday night

Cuddling up: Lupita looked understandably thrilled by the attention from the Hollywood heartthrob

Leo was seen chatting to Lupita before pulling her in towards him to give her a kiss on each cheek.
The 31-year-old actress has been pulling out all the stops to impress with her outfits during awards season, and Sunday night was certainly no different.
Lupita looked incredible in a mocha-coloured asymmetric dress which clung to her toned figure in all the right places as the photographers snapped away.

Source:http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Ayu Dewi, terharu dengar cerita Ayu Ting Ting

Metrotvnews.com, Jakarta:  Ayu Dewi, terharu dengar cerita Ayu Ting Ting saat hadir untuk menceritakan kisah hidupnya di acara yang dipandu Ayu Dewi bersama Nycta Gina, Buka-Bukaan di Studio 1 RCTI, Kebon Jeruk, Jakarta Barat, Senin (20/1).

Di sela-sela acara tersebut, Ayu Ting Ting mengucapkan permohonan maaf kepada kedua orang tuanya karena telah mengecewakannya dengan berbagai pemberitaan yang beredar di media. Dalam kesempatan itu pula, Ayu Ting Ting berterima kasih kepada kedua orang tuanya karena selalu menemani dan mendukungnya dalam keadaan apapun.

"Terima kasih Bapak sama Ibu, cuma kalian yang aku punya, mohon maaf aku selalu menyakiti dan mengecewakan kalian," terang Ayu Ting Ting.

Saat itu pula terlihat Ayu Dewi, sahabat Ayu Ting Ting terlihat menitikkan air matanya dan segera mengelapnya dengan tisu.

"Aku terharu banget dengan kisah Ayu Ting Ting. Siapa yang gak sedih mendengar sahabat kita, mengalami masalah yang luar biasa berat, tapi dia tetep bisa kuat dan tegar," ungkap Ayu Dewi kepada pers usai on air acara Buka-Bukaan.

Ayu Dewi mengatakan, dirinya mengetahui apa saja yang dilewati Ayu Ting Ting, namun sebagai sahabat, ia juga tengah memberikan saran kepada Ayu Ting Ting.

"Kita sering ngobrol, dan aku gak pernah tanya-tanya kepo gitu, aku juga gak mau terlalu terlibat dalam urusan pribadi dia. Aku lebih sering kasih masukan cara mengurus anak dan kasih makanan untuk anak aja sih," tutur Ayu Dewi.

Editor: Retno HemawatiSource:http://www.metrotvnews.com

Fahadh Fazil and Nazriya Nazim have announced their decision to enter the wedlock

Alappuzha (Kerala): Breaking hearts of their fans, Mollywood sensations Fahadh Fazil and Nazriya Nazim have announced their decision to enter the wedlock.

Fahad, son of director-producer Fazil, reportedly fell in love with the young actor while shooting for their upcoming film ‘L for Love’, directed by Anjali Menon.
30-year-old, told reporters in Alapuzha that the marriage would take place in August this year but that the date was yet to be fixed. He said both families knew each other well and were happy with the alliance.
The two are currently shooting in Bangalore for 'L for Love'.

The official Facebook pages of both actors announced Monday morning that they got engaged. Fahadh posted a picture of Nazriya and wrote: “Got engaged with Nazriya Nazim”.

Nazriya uploaded a picture of Fahadh saying “Friends.. I have got engaged with Fahadh Faasil. Thanks for all your wishes.”

Sources said that the marriage will take place in August this year.

Fahadh, who made his debut in 2002 with the unsuccessful Kaiyethum Doorath, which was directed by his father, surprised all in his return in 2009 and since then delivered hit after hit.
The talented youngster won many awards too in his second innings and acted in critically acclaimed films such as Akam, Chaappa Kurishu, 22 Female Kottayam, Diamond Necklace, Annayum Rasoolum and Amen.

Latest reports say that he will be seen in renowned director Maniratnam’s next film along with Telugu star Mahesh Babu. Fahadh was earlier linked to actor Andrea Jeremiah.

Nazriya, on the other hand, debuted as a child artist in 2006 with the Mammootty film Palunku, directed by Blessy. She went onto become and a popular TV anchor and movie offers came searching for her soon after.

She is known for lead roles in Neram (Tamil and Malayalam), Raja Rani (Tamil) and Naiyaandi (Tamil).  She has number of upcoming movies lined up with young heroes both in Malayalam and TamilSource:http://www.deccanchronicle.com

"Monica Spear" Miss Venezuela and her British-born partner

Caracas:  Gunmen shot dead a former Miss Venezuela and her British-born partner in front of their five-year-old daughter, who was wounded in an attack that dismayed the crime-plagued nation, authorities said on Tuesday.

Monica Spear, a 29-year-old soap opera star, and Thomas Henry Berry, 39, were killed in what appears to have been a botched robbery after their car broke down on a highway in northwestern Venezuela late on Monday, police and prosecutors said.

Their daughter, Maya Berry Spear, was wounded in the right leg but was stable after receiving medical treatment in a crime that put a harsh spotlight on Venezuela's soaring murder rate.

Five people have been detained and were interrogated in connection with the killings, Interior Minister Miguel Rodriguez said after a televised meeting with President Nicolas Maduro, who vowed to use an "iron hand" to crack down on crime.

The family was on a scenic highway when their car hit a blunt object that had been placed on the road, forcing them to pull over, said forensic police director Jose Gregorio Sierralta. There are suggestions that the object was strategically placed as part of a planned armed robbery.

Spear waved down a tow truck, which stopped to help on the road between Puerto Cabello and Valencia in the state of Carabobo, Sierralta said.

But as the two truck workers operated the crane, five armed men emerged on the road.

The truck's operators fled to a police station about 1.5 kilometers (one mile) away while the mother, father and child locked themselves in their car in a desperate attempt to shield themselves from the killers.

But "the criminals fired multiple shots at the vehicle" before fleeing without stealing anything, Sierralta said.

Investigators impounded the couple's car and took testimony from the two tow truck operators.

Spear, who was a quarter-finalist in the 2005 Miss Universe contest, appeared in the Miami-based Telemundo series "Pasion Prohibida" ("Forbidden Passion") and "Flor Salvaje" ("Savage Flower").

The dark-haired actress, who lived in the United States, was on holiday in her native Venezuela at the time of her death. She had posted videos of the countryside and herself horse riding on Instagram in the last couple of days.

Her husband was born in Britain but has Venezuelan citizenship.

"This is a massacre," said Maduro, who vowed to curb the country's runaway violence during his presidential campaign last year.

"This violence is a sickness that we have," he said from the Miraflores presidential palace.

Maduro called mayors and governors to an urgent meeting on Wednesday to coordinate action against crime.

"I take my responsibility to the maximum," the socialist leader said, warning the killers that "whoever wants to kill will see an iron hand."

Venezuela has one of the world's highest murder rates, with 79 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2013, according to the non-profit Venezuelan Observatory of Violence.

The interior ministry, however, gave a lower murder rate of 39 homicides per 100,000.

Opposition leader Henrique Capriles, who refused to concede defeat to Maduro in presidential elections last year, reacted to the killings by calling on his rival to put aside "deep differences and unite against the lack of security, as one bloc."

The beauty queen's killing shocked fellow artists in Venezuela, a country which is passionate about soap operas and the Miss Universe contenders it regularly produces.

Actress Gaby Espino, who lives in Miami, said she would never return to her home country.

"This is the day-to-day life in our country. We have all left Venezuela, fleeing in fear, terrified because this is the reality of our country. And today it happened to Monica," Espino told the Telemundo network.

"I love my country, but I won't set another foot in Venezuela," she said.

Venezuelan telenovela director Leonardo Padron said he was "absolutely saddened, horrified, speechless, over the murder of my dear Monica Spear! My God!"

Telemundo, a leading Spanish-language network in the United States, said in a statement that it was "deeply shocked and saddened by the horrible crime that hit our dear actress Monica Spear and her family."

Jencarlos Canela, Spear's American co-star and love interest in "Pasion Prohibida," expressed grief on Twitter, writing: "I am speechless. I will miss you my friend @MonicaSpear."

Addressing Spear's daughter, he added: "My pretty, beautiful Maya, I love you. You are not alone!" 

Source:http://www.ndtv.com

Mónica Spear, a 29-year-old former Miss Venezuela who lived in Orlando

Mónica Spear, a 29-year-old former Miss Venezuela who lived in Orlando and retains close ties to the area, was gunned down along with her ex-husband while vacationing in the South American country.
Spear and her ex-husband, Henry Berry, 39, died late Monday in an attempted robbery on the highway between Puerto Cabello and Valencia in central Venezuela.
Spear, who graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2004 with a bachelor of arts degree in theater, was also a well-known soap-opera actress.
"It is the deepest pain, the deepest pain. It is unbelievable," her father, Rafael, told the Orlando Sentinel at his east Orange County home on Tuesday as 10 members of the extended family waited to fly by private jet to the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. "This is a great loss for us. She was very charismatic, a very good daughter, a very good mother and she loved Venezuela."
Spear's 5-year-old daughter, Maya, survived the attack late Monday, with a bullet wound in her leg. She underwent surgery Tuesday morning, according to the family.

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Pictures: Orange County Jail Mug Shots

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"Mónica was very special," her aunt, Petra Spear, said. "And we loved her as [much as] she loved Venezuela."
Spear, who won the Miss Venezuela title in 2004 and was fourth runner-up for Miss Universe in 2005, was a nationally recognized star with homes in Venezuela and Miami. At the time of the attack, she and Berry were driving back to Caracas with Maya after vacationing in the tropical grassland plains of southwest Venezuela, her family said.
Video of the crime scene showed Spear's car had been hit repeatedly by the killers' gunfire — a common occurrence on roads after dark in one of the world's most violent nations. Venezuela's homicide rate in 2012 was reported at 73 per 100,000 inhabitants, among the highest in the world. That was about 22,000 killings, according to figures quoted on a U.S. Department of State travel advisory.
President Nicolas Maduro has said defeating violent crime is his No. 1 priority.
In an interview with The Huffington Post several months ago, Spear said she decided to leave Venezuela and move with her daughter to Miami because of the violence in her country.
Marytza Sanz, president of the Orlando-based Latino Leadership, is a close friend of the Spear family.
"Actually, I do remember when our organization was located on Herndon Avenue, Mónica, who just got the title of Miss Venezuela, visited us and shared some time with all of us,'' Sanz said.
"She loved her country. She could have stayed here in the states, but she wanted her daughter to spend time and learn about Venezuela. You can easily (fall) in love with Venezuela through Mónica. She was an outstanding daughter, sister, mother. It is extremely frustrating to see what happened."
Telemundo Networks, for whom Spear starred, described the impact of her death as devastating.
"Mónica was not only a great actress, as she proved it as part of the cast of the telenovelas Flor Salvaje and Pasión Prohibida, but also a great person, very enthusiastic, with an extraordinary drive and determination,'' the network said in a statement. "We extend our condolences to her family and wish a quick recovery to her daughter."
UCF said in an October 2004 profile that Spear crammed two years of classes into one so she could graduate in time to compete in the Miss Venezuela pageant. Fluent in Spanish, English and French, Spear enrolled at UCF in fall 2003 after receiving her associate's degree the previous May from what was then Seminole Community College, where she graduated with honors.
Originally a chemical engineering major, Spear switched to theater after a lengthy talk about the future with her dad, a project engineer at Siemens Westinghouse.
"I told her she had to decide what she wanted to do to be happy for the rest of her life," Rafael Spear said. "When my children were young I wouldn't let them watch telenovelas and then she began acting in soap operas and I began watching all of hers."
Three of Spear's four siblings, Carolina, Javier and Ricardo, also graduated from UCF.
The Spear family moved to the U.S. in 2000. Rafael Spear took a job in Orlando after his wife Ingrid retired from an oil company in Venezuela. The Miss Venezuela pageant was the first beauty pageant their daughter entered.
"All the young girls want to be Miss Venezuela. It is an honor unlike anything in the U.S.," her father said. "The whole country is really upset because of the circumstances of her death. And jointly express their condolences to us."

Source:http://www.orlandosentinel.com

Secrets of the Living Dolls on Channel 4 was about the world of “female masking”

It was Epiphany last night, and here’s my revelation: there’s nowt so queer as folk, and they are an endless source of semi-prurient psychosexual documentaries. But it doesn’t mean we want or have to watch them.

Secrets of the Living Dolls on Channel 4 was about the world of “female masking” – men who dress in rubber second skins from head to toe in order to look like life-sized female dolls.

We started in Orange County, California, naturally. Robert, a 70 year-old, showed off his new “femskin”. He had been adding his own hair clippings to make the vagina more realistic. When he looked in the mirror at “Sherry”, he felt he had taken possession of a more beautiful woman than he could otherwise hope to date. “It’s very difficult to date when you have this to come home to. Crazy, huh?” Yes.

^{Robert as Sherry (Channel 4)}

Barbie Ramos, matriarch of the Florida family manufacturer which has cornered the market in the rubber skins and face masks for this community, was shown having an internet video call with “Sophie” in the UK. Meanwhile in Essex, Joel the bartender was revealing his alter ego “Jessie” to Phil and Claire, his closest friends. Phil looked traumatised and Claire was choking back tears.

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