Author Archives: Oceanbreeze
Golden Ball in honour of Beckham
Lords of Football introduces Golden Ball in honour of Beckham’s retirement.
33% discount now available on Steam
To mark the retirement of former England captain and international superstar David Beckham, new football video game Lords of Football is adding an update to feature a Golden Ball in replays of successful trademark Beckham free-kicks – a reference to the nickname “Golden Balls” as associated with David Beckham by the British public and tabloid press.
The update is announced as Lords of Football receives a 33% discount on Steam – yet another reason for gamers and football fans alike to get involved in the action.
Beckham made 115 appearances for England and 394 for Manchester United, winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League. He then moved abroad where he conquered La Liga in his final season in Spain and also won the league in France with Paris Saint Gemain along with the MLS championship twice.
The DLC will be active in the June instalment update, coming soon.
Lords of Football is available for PC via www.lordsoffootball.com, Steam, Green Man Gaming, GamersGate and other leading digital vendors.
For further information on Lords of Football and its unique take on the world’s biggest sport, visit the official website at http://www.lordsoffootball.com/ or the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/lordsoffootball
2013 Pokémon National Championships
News Alert: Level 45 Shiny Metagross Pokémon character will be distributed at the 2013 Pokémon Video Game National Championships
Attendees at this year’s Pokémon National Championships will be able to take part in the special distribution of the powerful character Metagross – similar to the one Masters Division player Ray Rizzo used to win the 2012 Pokémon World Championships. The Level 45 Shiny Pokémon also shares the same moves, held item, nature and ability as Ray Rizzo’s Metagross.
The final free to enter European tournaments will take place in the UK (June 1-2) and will determine who will go on to win a travel expenses paid trip to the 2013 Pokémon World Championships in Vancouver, in August. The UK Pokémon TCG tournament is open to players that competed in at least 7 events during the 2013 tournament season.
To compete in the video game tournament players need to bring their Nintendo DS or Nintendo 3DS system, and their copy of Pokémon Black Version, Pokémon White Version, Pokémon Black Version 2, or Pokémon White Version 2, along with their Player ID. To get a Player ID, please visit Pokemon.co.uk or register at the event. To receive the shiny new Metagross players do not need to take part in the tournament but will need to bring along the same equipment.
The VGC and TCG events will be taking place at the following locations with three age restricted divisions:
VGC Dates
Sunday June 2: Video Game Live Event: UK, Birmingham, National Exhibition Center (NEC), Pavilion 1
TCG Dates
Saturday & Sunday, June 1 – 2 TCG Live Event: UK, Birmingham, National Exhibition Center (NEC), Pavilion 1
For more details on tournament rules and registration please visit: www.pokemon.com/uk/play-pokemon/championship-series/video for video game andwww.pokemon.com/uk/play-pokemon/championship-series for TCG.
FIRST OFFICIAL ALIEN RAGE TEASER NOW AVAILABLE
CI Games to reveal logo and showcase game at E3
London, UK – May 17th 2013 - CI Games, a fast growing developer and international publisher of interactive entertainment, today revealed the first official Alien Rage teaser.
The Polish studio will showcase its intense arcade FPS during E3 in Los Angeles in June this year. Alien Rage will be available via digital distribution later this year for PC, PS3 and X360.
Alien Rage (previously known as Alien Fear) is a hardcore sci-fi shooter. It has the DNA of the best classical FPS games together with stunning graphics that will provide long hours of satisfactory gameplay. It also includes a rich arsenal of weapons, various firing modes, 21 types of enemies including 8 bad-ass bosses – Alien Rage is true arcade FPS in a big way!
More information at www.facebook.com/alienragegame and www.cigames.com.
About CI Games: CI Games is an international publisher, developer and distributor of interactive entertainment products with sales in more than 40 countries worldwide. It was established in 2002 and is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange since November 2007.City Interactive has development and publishing offices throughout the world including Poland, United States, Germany, UK & Canada. The consistency of our business model allowed for continued development of the company. Apart from the company’s headquarters in Warsaw, CI Games has opened studios in Rzeszow, Bydgoszcz and Poznan. Its global presence distinguishes CI Games as one of the most dynamically developing company in the industry. Currently, has over 220 team members. In June 2010, the biggest production in the history of CI Games, Sniper: Ghost Warrior”, hit the shelves. The game proved to be a staggering success sales-wise, selling more than 3.000.000 copies worldwide. For more information, visit: http://www.city-interactive.com/
Rugby Challenge 2 at GAME Kingston UK
PRESS RELEASE
Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour Edition to be drop kicked to GAME Kingston for first UK hands-on
Tries before you buy
Listen up rugby fans and listen up gamers! Next week GAME Kingston will be giving you the opportunity to get your hands on the upcoming Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour Edition weeks ahead of its worldwide release.
From 2 – 5pm on Wednesday the 22nd of May, the highly anticipated new rugby title developed by the highly regarded Sidhe (due for worldwide release on 13th June) will be available for all comers to play ahead of release.
Gamers heading to Kingston’s GAME store can expect refined and expanded gameplay, as well as a range of new features including quick taps, quick lineouts, mauls from lineouts, interceptions, contesting ball at the breakdown, removing players from the ruck and number 8 scrum pickups.
“We’re thrilled to host the first ever hands-on of Rugby Challenge 2,” said [Rob McManus, GAME Kingston Store Manager. “It’s a fantastic title that’s aptly timed for the British & Irish Lions tour about to take place in Australia, and we’re proud to bring it to GAME customers before anyone else.”
Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour Edition boasts a variety of modes to play in, single player and multiplayer, as well as over 110 teams and 50 stadia, with official team, competition and special licenses. It will be released for PlayStation®3 and Microsoft Xbox 360® on 13th June.
GAME Kingston can be found in the Bentalls Centre, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 1TP – follow @GAMEKingston for updates.
For more information on Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour Edition, visitwww.rugbychallengegame.com and http://www.game.co.uk/en/rugby-challenge-2-217844
RETURN TO CASTLERAMA: Trailer
Return to Castlerama, which displays stunningly on iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, captures an atmosphere of intrigue and mystery – there’s an underlying feeling of menace behind these beautiful scenes.
The player takes the role of a young man called David, who must overcome zombies, a dragon and other monsters, as well as solving puzzles, riddles, and card games, in his quest to save the village of Castlerama and the surrounding Gorendal Valley, from the curse of the evil Artaserses.
“Return to Castlerama is a multi-sensory experience,” says Michele Böhm. “As an adventure, it has a rich narrative strand, while the action sequences are adrenalin-packed – the player will identify with David and his mission, and be immersed in the rich beauty of the game’s environment.”
The game is the brainchild of fine artist Michele Böhm, who set up the studio Codenrama in Milan, Italy, together with graphic designer Francesco Palenga, in order to create the game, developed using Unreal Engine technology.
Böhm has exhibited throughout Italy and Europe over the last 33 years, and taught in Milan and at the University of Rome. Throughout this professional life he has always been passionate about the potential of bringing computer technology and art together.
Developed using Unreal Engine technology, Return to Castlerama is designed for all iOS devices: iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch (5th generation). As well as the beautifully crafted graphics, it features a mesmerising soundtrack composed by Fernando Fera and Leandro Piccioni.
Return to Castlerama will be available from June 20 in the App Store. You can find out more about the game on the official website, on the Return To Castlerama Facebook page and by following @castleramagame on Twitter.
System 3: Putty Squad’s Comeback
Press release
System 3 reveals Putty Squad’s comeback in new teaser trailer
Teaser trailer unleashes the return of the blue hero Putty, in the fun-filled Putty Squad, coming summer 2013
London, United Kingdom – May 15, 2013: The UK’s most successful independent games publisher, System 3, is proud to announce the return of gaming’s most loved stretchy blue blob this summer, in the revolutionary platform action-adventure, Putty Squad.
The critically acclaimed Putty Squad first made its way on gamers screens on the Amiga in 1992 and now the old-skool hero, Putty, returns to celebrate System 3’s 30th year anniversary. Putty once again takes on a stirring quest to rescue his kidnapped friends in a reinvigorated and reimaged modern platform game.
You can now watch the teaser trailer here:
“Working on such a prestigious title again and to bring it up-to-date, brings back many great memories. Fans of the original are excited to get their hands on the return of the morphing blue blob hero,” stated Mark Cale, CEO of System 3. “Putty Squad will be available on multiple platforms, where gamers can reconnect with their classic hero, discovering Putty unlike before.”
Putty Squad has taken a complete overhaul in graphics to give a modern immersive experience, the gameplay has been finely tuned and downloadable free levels will be available. With Putty you can inflate, morph, stretch, lie flat and absorb. The unlikeliest of heroes has unique powers than any other imaginable.
Games Features:
· One of retro gaming’s most-loved heroes returns
· Critically acclaimed platform-adventure
· Front and Rear Touch Screen used
· Location-based services used for extra content
· Plays even better now than it did originally
Putty Squad will be available in summer 2013 on platforms PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Windows 8, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS.
For more information on Putty Squad, please visit System 3’s official website.
ABC News, What Have You Done?
You got the wrong black man.
Rumors of Surveillance, Muslims Back Out
BY EMILY SPAIN
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg got snubbed at his interracial faith breakfast Friday morning.
The missing guests?
Some of the city’s key Muslim leaders — who hoped to send a message by not dining-in.
The Muslims chose not to attend because of reports that hit the headlines in Augustclaiming the NYPD is eavesdropping on businesses, mosques and taxi drivers. The group’s frustrated because it claims the mayor hasn’t done anything.
The NYPD insists it has done nothing wrong, but some Muslim leaders disagree and didn’t come to the breakfast to stand up for their civil rights. Here’s Nihad Awad from the Council on American-Islamic Relations:
“To be engaged in wholesale ethnic and religious profiling that’s wrong… The mayor when he knew about this he should have condemned it, he should have investigated it. The leaders in the community there communicated with his office and brought him a letter respectfully declining the invitation because it is an opportunity to send a message that this is wrong.”
15 leaders in the Muslim community signed this letter, which says:
“We believe with heartfelt conviction that during times when a community’s rights are being flagrantly violated its leaders cannot in good conscience appear at a public gathering with the government official who is ultimately responsible and smile for the cameras as if all is well, when we know full well that it is not.”
But a writer for the New York Daily News suggests the Muslims’ breakfast boycott was a big mistake, calling the group’s claim a “big misrepresentation.”
“…the NYPD’s counterterrorism unit has done no more than use census data to develop a portrait of Muslim New York and then follow leads, some sent the city’s way from abroad via the CIA, when they demanded investigation. Many a plot has been disrupted by this type of perfectly proper nonintrusive vigiliance [sic]… The next letter from the boycotters ought to be one of polite apology. We won’t hold our breath.”
Mayor Bloomberg continues to defend local authorities work in the city and told CBS New York:
“The city’s police department has worked very hard to bring crime down and prevent terrorism… We’ve done it in a ways that is consistent with making sure that we obey the law and don’t target anybody.”
But a former FBI director told CNN, even if city officials think they did nothing wrong, they still have to address the issue.
“Obviously, it’s a public relations almost nightmare for the city, they have to undo that… Depending how they handle it, depending on what happens in the subsequent investigations now will determine really what kind of relationship they have in the community, but they absolutely need the cooperation of the community.”
The Associated Press reports Mayor Bloomberg did not directly address the boycott at the breakfast, but did say “We have to keep our guard up, but if we don’t work together we won’t have our own freedoms.”
Here Comes the .xxx Porn Domain!
Registration begins for .xxx Internet porn domain
Pornography dealers can start registering on the industry’s own exclusive .xxx web domain on Wednesday following its approval by an international regulatory body earlier this year, the domain operator said.
The Florida-based ICM Registry, which provides the management and supporting infrastructure for the domain name, has touted its benefits for the industry, customers and those who prefer to avoid online adult content.
“.xxx registrations begin with a 50 day Sunrise period that gives businesses both inside and outside of the adult industry an exclusive timeframe to register or exempt themselves,” it said.
“Running concurrently, Sunrise A registers interest from the sponsored adult community, while Sunrise B has been specifically designed for companies outside the adult industry” to protect their intellectual property, it said.
The domain, approved by the California-based Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) earlier this year, will take its place alongside the better-known .com, .gov, .edu and .net.
ICM Registry said the McAfee security firm will scan the domain for malware on a daily basis, making the websites safer for users, and that having pornography sites concentrated in one place will allow people to more easily chose whether to visit them.
The Golden Globes Might Want Gervais Back
Image Source: NBC
BY CHRISTINA MARTIN
You’re watching multisource global video news analysis from Newsy
Will it be three strikes and you’re out for British funnyman Ricky Gervais? The caustic comedian told E! News– the Golden Globes want him back as their headliner for the third year in a row.
“NBC have indeed asked me to consider doing it again. However I think the Hollywood Foreign Press would need an awful lot of persuading. I would love to work with NBC again as they have been nothing but supportive and honorable but I’m not sure a third hosting would be as much fun as the second.”
This is the second time Gervais is claiming the Golden Globes want him back behind the mic–the first time was after the 2011 Golden Globes.
But in February– Gervais told TMZ he was done hosting the Globes.
“Do you think they will? Well, it doesnt really matter, I’m not gonna do it anyway. I said I wasnt gonna do it a second time, but I think two.. I think twice is enough. Did you enjoy yourself? I..yeah I loved it more than last year actually.”
But a writer for Music Rooms says Gervais’ performance last year was just what the Golden Globes needed– despite controversy surrounding some of his more off-putting jokes.
“I still fail to see what the fuss was over Ricky Gervais hosting the Golden Globes. Ricky Gervais is a comedian… Comedians thrive off joking at the expense of others and no other more than celebrities. For me, Gervais’ turn at the Awards were what made the Awards. Who hosted the Golden Globes the year before that? Or the year before that? I couldn’t tell you.”
Next Movie says they aren’t holding their breath for Gervais’ return– not that they’re too broken up about it.
“We doubt Ricky will be back for 2012. But if it works out, the HFPA better send out a press release to all of the nominees telling them to prepare themselves accordingly.”
And a writer for Yidio says Gervais should give a repeat performance.
“Here’s an answer for you, Ricky: you’re going back as the only guy with the balls to stand in front of a bunch of celebrities patting themselves and each other on the back and call them out on it. I say give it another go!”
Neither NBC nor the Hollywood Foreign Press Association commented on Gervais’ claim.
Royal Wedding Satire Banned
When the Royal Family says no funny business, they mean no funny business. The famous household forced the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to cancel a comedy group’s satirical commentary of the Royal Wedding. ABC’s Lateline sat down with one of the members.
Licciardello: “As far as I’m concerned the BBC had very different terms to some of the other feeds. And some of the other feeds that we were examining did not have the comedy restrictions that they are speaking about a couple of days ago… now all of a sudden they seem to have those comedy restrictions.”
Reporter: “No one can use this wedding for any purpose other than very serious reporting. I mean it’s very hard to believe that nobody around the world is going to use this footage for a little bit of comedy, little bit of satire, poke a little bit of fun at it.”
A writer for The Columbia Journalism Review has a bone to pick with the Queen — saying her royal highness is overreacting.
“Is it even possible to take this wedding seriously? A satirical feed, Chaser-style, seems a much more appropriate treatment than the kind of resource-wasting blanket coverage most networks are going with… What trouble can they really cause from a studio some twenty hours by plane away from Westminster Abbey?”
But Christoper Pearson of The Australian disagrees, and is appalled by people’s immature reactions to the the ban.
“She has intellectual property rights and powers over what happens in Westminster Abbey…
Like the Pope, she is sworn to uphold the Church of England and the dignity of its solemnities.”
ABC’s News Breakfast kept things light despite the serious-to-some subject matter with Chaser member Julian Murrow– who proved that ban or no ban, the Chasers won’t let royal pain make them lose their sense of humor.
Murrow: “No I think it’s fine, I’m sure this will blow over.”
Reporter: “So what do you have next, what’s in the offer for you guys?”
Murrow: “We’ve got two or three new series which we’re hoping to get canceled by various networks over the next six months, and we’re pretty confident at this rate, so… not sure at this point.”
Reporter: “Ya, I’ll look forward to those cancelations.”
We Bled & Hurt Silently
It has been half a century since Yury Gagarin became the first man in space, blasting-off into the pages of history. But that pioneering achievement was the result of years of painstaking work.
In top secrecy, a team of dedicated volunteers put the equipment needed through its paces, in the hope of one day propelling man to the stars. John Gridunov, a freelance explorer went through hell on Earth — to put the first man in space. John, an unusual name for a Russian, was a volunteer who tested the equipment needed to reach orbit and it took him to the limits of human endurance. “No one in the world has ever experienced what I did — 19G on the centrifuge. That means my weight increased 19-fold. Blood was oozing through my pores — later I was forbidden to even mention it! Back then everything was a secret,” says John. In 1959, when Gridunov became a test volunteer, no one knew just how humans would be affected by zero gravity, extreme stress or even the sense of endlessness.
Space was the great unknown and too many questions needed answering.
Tech Company Job Requires Nudity
Imagine waking up in the morning, going to work–and undressing. No, you’re not a stripper, but rather…a web coder? The Sydney Morning Herald explains the job would pay about $38,000 a year.
“The ad has been placed on craigslist, a classifieds website. Headed ‘Nude Web Coders Wanted’, it offers part-time or full-time positions and customers ‘who never meet you and will not know you are nude’.”
Of course there have been a few ‘cheeky’ responses. Animated news-makers for Taiwanese-run NMA TV certainly went all the way with this video:
ANCHOR READ OVER: “Boss Chris Taylor said Nude House is hoping to attract more females to ‘balance the numbers’. With seven applicants so far, Taylor said they are working hard to weed out the undesirables.”
Nude House founder Chris Taylor says his company is the only one in the world, as far he knows, to offer naturists proper work. But at least one writer in the blogosphere just doesn’t get it.
“I totally don’t understand the purpose of this, what does having clothes got to do with Coding?”
But Taylor insists he is just trying to provide a comfortable work environment for those looking to free themselves from the confines of clothes. All Headline News quotes the Nude House boss.
“‘Sex does not play a part in naturism – yes one is aware of differences in sex and size and shape and age of everyone, but the concern is on sales and technical ability, not availability.”
Taylor is looking to hire 16-17 workers–and interviews will be held in the nude as well.
How Will France Enforce Impending Burqa Ban?
Freedom of religion versus freedom from religion — that’s the ongoing debate in France now, as a law banning Muslim burqas — or, veiled face coverings — goes into effect Monday.
France is home to Europe’s largest Muslim population. Only around 2,000 women wear the veils–not many considering there’s an estimated four to six million Muslims in France. Neighboring countries also sometimes see the practice as a form of radical Islam. (Video: NBC)
Burqas and niqabs will be banned in public places, like restaurants, schools, and public transportation. So, how will France enforce such a ban? The Telegraph reports — it won’t be by handcuffs:
“Under the new law, women who wear face-covering Muslim veils… face being fined £125 or ordered to follow citizenship classes, or both… Husbands and fathers who force such veils on women and girls risk a year of prison and a £25,000 fine, with both penalties doubled if the victim is a minor.”
The fine, £125, calculates to just over $200 US. And £25,000 — nearly $41,000!
France is a secular country — insistent upon separation of church and state since the early 1900s. Leading up to Monday’s ban, French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s UMP party held a debate on secularism. But all this has media outlets wondering if it’s just a political ploy?
“The enactment of the law and the opening of the secularism debate come a year before French presidential elections, with a survey… showing late last month that Sarkozy doesn’t have enough support to make it through to the second round of the vote.”
The BBC says, maybe — but there COULD BE a real problem with immigrant assimilation into French society:
“Some politicians see it is a vote winner – and that may be true. But as Muslims become more visible, there is a concern that some of them are pushing separate identities. And that could lead to parallel, rather than integrated communities.”
American media — used to the idea of freedom of… well, everything — has struggled to report this story without bias. But in an Op-Ed for the Los Angeles Times, one writer explains how to look at this issue from both sides:
“We may not like their choice. We may find it disturbing and offensive. But it is, in its way, as much a form of free expression as cartoons of Mohammad, which these women, in turn, will find disturbing and offensive. And that’s the deal in a free society: The bur[q]a wearer has to put up with the cartoons; the cartoonist has to put up with the bur[q]as.”
In addition to the ban, the French Interior Minister Claude Guéant says the government wants to reduce the number of immigrants allowed to enter the country legally — for either work, or family reasons.
Mad Men Gets a Trim
Mad Men fans rejoice! The TV show, rumored to be on the chopping block just a few days ago, has now been given the green-light for three more seasons. But MSNBC reports there’s a catch.
“They want to shorten each episode by two minutes and cut the casting budget. AMC insists the show will be back early next year. They said it would be back in ’12. Wiener said I’m not doing a show that’s gutted by a network.”
KVUE spoke with Madmen enthusiasts on the street, who were appalled by the long wait. Seems fans want their Mad Men…and they want them now…but apparently they can’t have them all. Reports say –gasp– the whole cast may not be back.
“The show could lose as many as six characters. Why? Why else? Money. AMC and producers not seeing eye to eye on the show’s budget.”
…but Hollyscoop reports AMC can’t be too worried about money–especially with creator Matt Weiner’s (WEENER – haha) new pay.
“Under the terms of the new deal, Matthew will reportedly receive $30 million in compensation for three years (Wow!), making him one of the highest paid writer-producers in cable television.”
Seattle’s KOMO focuses more on the negotiations–and what it potentially means for the show: late episodes and more ads.
“‘Mad men’ fans can’t be too happy with this news…But you don’t get to see any new episodes until early next year. That’s because of ongoing contract negotiations between creator Matt Weiner and the network. They’re bickering over more product placement and more commercials.”
…but Deadline Hollywood contradicts that report, and says Weiner has put his foot down on product placement.
“In terms of product placement, Weiner said that there will be no changes to the series’ existing policy. He noted that there have been only 3 instances of product placement in Mad Men’s first four seasons. ‘I don’t want the audience to feel they are being sold on the show,’ he said.”
Some fans don’t care about the negotiations– Blog Cliqueclack says Weiner is… well, being a wiener.
“I … don’t want AMC to go … bankrupt as it tries to fund a boutique program that doesn’t garner a tremendous number of viewers… Simon Cowell got an insane amount of money to be on American Idol, but the show was also raking in insane amounts of money for FOX at the time. Can Mad Men really make that claim?”
Mad for Mad Men–or just mad it’s stomping out other entertainment news?
Obese Man Chair
The tragic death of a 43-year-old morbidly obese Ohio man and his unusual circumstance has the media speaking out.
The unnamed man didn’t move from his recliner for two years and when his girlfriend and other roommate found him unconscious, they called authorities to help transport him to the hospital, where he later died. Police had to cut him out of his chair and cut a hole in his house just to get him out. (Video from WTRF)
“They said the man was welded to his chair with urine and feces, that he hadn’t left his chair in two years, that maggots were visible, that one police officer had to throw away his uniform after helping cut the man out of his chair.”
The blogosphere responded with outrage over what is widely seen as an unnecessary death. A Fox News blogger wonders why the man’s two able-bodied housemates didn’t step in.
“When it comes down to it, the people he depended on failed to give him the help that he clearly needed. And that, to me, is the saddest part of the story.”
And blogger for The Stir points a finger at the man’s girlfriend.
“[She] used to feed him his food since he never got up. That’s very kind of you, girlfriend, but how do you let it get to that point? How do you let someone you love get so over-the-top unhealthy and do nothing about it?”
But landlady, Lou Ann Bennett, says the deceased man’s girlfriend had no control in their relationship. Bellaire’s WTRF continuing coverage reports, Bennett tried to help.
“… [S]he once offered to call the authorities about him and his obvious problem with inertia. She says his girlfriend wouldn’t hear of it. ‘She begged me not to. She said please, Lou Ann, don’t do it because if you do, [explicit] Rich is gonna take it out on me.’”
One friend tells Steubenville’s WTOV, help was offered — but the man refused to leave his chair because of arthritic knees.
“… I tried to suggest him going to the hospital and getting his legs checked out, but he wouldn’t do it. He said he didn’t like doctors. So you can’t force somebody to do something that they don’t want to do.”
The man’s roommates and landlord have cleaned the home per requirements by the local police department, but reports indicate no charges have been filed in his death. His body will be cremated at a local funeral home.
Stan Lee and Arnie Make a Comic
“Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of the women. Remember when I promised to kill you last? I lied. …I’ll be back.”
Entertainment Weekly
And he is! The 63-year-old body builder-turned-action-star-turned-governor is set to star as the lead in an animated series called- what else- “The Governator.” The show will combine Ah-nold’s life as a body builder, actor, and governor and will feature a number of sidekicks- one being a computer genius with the clever name of Zeke Muckerburg.
The media seems split over Schwarzenegger’s return to acting. On CNN’s American Morning, hosts congratulate Arnie on his humility in doing the show.
“It’s good he’s embracing it, right?”
“Yeah why not?”
“Instead of trying to pretend he wasn’t the star of Terminator.”
“If there’s one thing he’d done his entire life, it’s embrace who he is.”
And Daily Mail says the humor in the show is apparent, noting that the villains have an… interesting moniker.
“[A]n evil organisation called Gangsters Imposters Racketeers Liars & Irredeemable Ex-cons. … But for anyone worried that this could become a tongue twister, Schwarzenegger is already one step ahead and has abbreviated (and belittled) the ghastly crew’s name to ‘G.I.R.L.I.E Men’.”
Some aren’t taking it so lightly, however. A blogger for the San Francisco Chronicle says, The Governator may have jumped the gun a bit on this.
“Schwarzenegger has just entered the period when, as happens with all former governors, he is about to begin looking better and wiser than people thought of him during his replacement’s honeymoon. But I think it will be a few years before Californians look upon him as a superhero.”
And Dennis Romero, a blogger for LA Weekly, takes criticism further, saying the former governor is getting credit where it isn’t deserved.
“Basing a superhero on a job that was anything but super is just stupid and maybe glib. … [W]e want to laugh it off and give him a pass, fine. But then everyone who takes that seat — Jerry Brown included — is just a comic book character from here on out. We have a better comic-book name for Arnold anyway: The Tool.”
Despite the dispute, Co-creator and comic book legend Stan Lee says he’s excited about the show, suggesting Arnold is still a big name in the entertainment business.
“There are many politicians that could lend themselves to a cartoon, but as far as being a superhero, I’m lucky, there’s only one Arnold Schwarzenegger, and I got him.”
The show will have a comic book accompany it, designed by Lee, and is set to premier in 2012.
Baby Talk Went Viral
It’s just — baby babble. So why have five MILLION people tuned it? The latest viral video to storm YouTube — seems to be more than that. Take a look.
So are twins Sam and Ren arguing? Some say — twins can communicate in ways other babies can’t. It’s called Twintuition. A writer for Michigan’s Monroe News says, after watching this video, she’s a believer.
“I showed the twin argument video to my husband, and we promptly got into an argument. I believe that babies DO have a special language and that this video clearly shows the heated thrust and parry of verbal fencing.”
On Fox News, Dr. Manny Alvarez says no way. He says, twins share the womb, so they’re more familiar with one another. They are mimicking and communicating — but they are NOT talking.
(Alvarez) “Well No. They are communicating in the sense that they are imitating each other. They are recognizing that they have been around for a long-long time, and they will be for a long-long time. So, it’s more natural for them to start mimicking each other, but insofar as they are communicating…
(Anchor) “So they’re not saying, hey look you only have one sock on…”
(Alvarez) “Oh, come on — no.”
But a professor tells ABC News, this kind of babble is the precursor — to real conversation.
“Even before they have words, they know how conversation works. They’re producing syllables emphatically and using them for communication purposes. They’re having a ball.”
Some can’t resist having a bigger laugh — through translation. College Humor decided to make a parody on baby babble — as symptomatic of today’s political discourse.
“Here we go. Those people are much better off. I mean, Dad, you’re with me right? Yeah, go crying to dad… I’m not crying! I’m asking his opinion! You’re telling him his opinion!
New MLK Assassin Documents
Largely unseen photos and documents about James Earl Ray, the man who assassinated Martin Luther King Jr. are set to be released. It’s been 43 years since the civil rights leader’s assassination.
“FBI records, files, pictures that take you back to 1968, when Dr King was killed, and goes into detail about the man who killed him. … There’s additional crime scene photographs, notes that they took, some notes with private investigators that they had hired to run down leads and witnesses and so forth.” (VIDEO FROM WREG)
The information was found in 2007 when a new Shelby County Register in Tennessee was reorganizing the archives. The AP reports the photos were taken to prove that Ray was not being mistreated by police.
The Daily Mail reports what one chunk of Ray’s personal letters suggests about his prison stay.
“Ray seemed to know that police were censoring his letters, saying in one to his brother Jerry just a month before he pleaded guilty: ‘If you have anything to say about the case or anything else don’t write it wait until I see you or visit.’”
Ray died in prison in 1998. CNN says while the documents don’t provide new facts about the case, they are still relevant.
“The archives office says there are no earth shattering revelations but the documents do shed some more light on a dark period.”
Leatherwood: “There’s a wealth of information that’s going to be added to our online exhibit that I think many people will find very very interesting”
And Memphis Commercial Appeal questions who owns of the photos, wondering if they are indeed county property or the property of the photographer.
“[Gil] Michael, who hadn’t seen the pictures since the July 1968 night he shot them, says he wishes county officials had consulted him before making them public. … Still, Michael questions if he isn’t the legal owner of the negatives and wonders what became of them. Although county officials located numbers of prints, they haven’t found the negatives.”
The photos will be officially unveiled next week, in commemoration of the 43rd anniversary of the civil rights leader’s slaying.
Natalie Portman is Under Fire
Natalie Portman thrilled and frightened audiences as the downward spiraling ballerina “Nina” in the Black Swan. She won an Oscar for that performance — but now, critics are asking how much dancing she really did.
“According to published reports, Natalie Portman is insisting she did the majority of her dance sequences in the film. This comes after her ballet double Sarah Lane claims Portman did 5 percent of those scenes and there is an allusion that Portman is some sort of dance prodigy, she says. Portman says that Lane was only used for the most complicated dance sequences.” (WDIV)
But that double — real American Ballet Theater dancer Sarah Lane — was never acknowledged for her dance work. In the film’s credits, she’s simply listed as “hand model,” “stunt double,” and as an extra. The Editor in Chief of Dance Magazine is outraged over Lane’s exclusion:
“Do people really believe that it takes only one year to make a ballerina? … I think there has been a propaganda of omissions in the media that has reinforced that belief.”
But team Portman was quick on the defense. And one member of her camp was particularly incensed by the accusation — that report comes from E! News:
“Natalie’s fiance, Benjamin Millepied is defending amid criticism. Her baby daddy — who pulls double duty as her costar and the film’s choreographer — cleared the air for the haters in the LA Times — quote — ‘There are articles now talking about her dance double… Honestly, 85% of that movie is Natalie. It was so believable, it was fantastic, that beautiful movement quality.’”
Lane remained mostly quiet until now under the instruction of the film’s rep — Fox Searchlight. After learning she was hushed… the Wall Street Journal questions the motives behind Portman’s whole Oscar campaign:
“One charge that Sarah Lane made was that she said — Fox Searchlight said stop giving interviews during the Oscar campaign. Talk AFTER she’s won the Oscar. That would suggest that they thought, that if people knew she wasn’t doing all the dancing — they might not give her credit for this terrific performance, that it might take a little bit away from her.”
For the record — Portman did admit she had some help on the advanced dance moves. FasterTimes says — Lane needs to give it a rest:
“But no one gets rewarded for asking for recognition, or fair pay… Indeed, squeaky-Sarah will almost certainly not be hired to ‘hand-model’ for another big studio film any time soon.”
Finally, Business Insider says — either way — this scandal is good for all parties involved.
Portman already has her Oscar, Lane gets her 15 minutes of fame, and of course, the movie:
“The most unsurprising benefit: all of this chatter throws some spotlight back to the movie, which still lingers in a few theaters and comes out on DVD Tuesday.”
So who do you think deserves the credit in these scenes, Portman or Lane? And since nobody really knows who’s dancing — How about the visual effects editors? After all, they’re the geniuses behind this:
(Video: Youtube)
