What’s President Obama’s reaction to the death of pop superstar Michael Jackson? White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was asked about it this afternoon.
“I talked to him about it this morning,” Gibbs said. “He said to me that obviously Michael Jackson was a spectacular performer and a music icon and I think everybody remembers hearing his songs and watching him moonwalk on television during Motown’s 25th anniversary.”
“But the president also said aspects of his life were sad and tragic,” Gibbs continued. “His condolences went out to the Jackson family and to fans that mourned his loss.”
Why no statement?
“Because I just said it,” Gibbs said.
Michael Jackson's death took the world by surprise Thursday (June 25), when he died suddenly from a heart attack. Fans all across the world couldn't believe it, and neither could countless celebrities on Twitter, who tweeted in disbelief.
Here's a few of their initial reactions:
Cassie - There are no words.... Sending all of my love and prayers out to the Jackson family.
Dawn Richard (Danity Kane) - omg! u guys say a prayer..mj is gone..i wont believe it!
MC Hammer - I have no words.. I loved Michael Jackson.. RIP.. I will be mourning my friend , brother, mentor and inspiration.. He gave me and my family hope. I would never have been me without him.
Ice-T - Rest In Peace Mike. People can say what they want but you were 100% original. WE will always love , miss & remember your GREATNESS. "Ice T"
Alyssa Milano - Remember the first time you saw him moonwalk? RIP Michael Jackson.
Lil Jon - RIP M J!!
Nicki Minaj - Oh no! Plz tell me its a joke!!!! Please! Not michael jackson!!!! No!!!! Dead???!!!!
Tyrese - I can't believe I'm about to write this Michael Jackson May God Bless your SOUL WE LOVE YOU FOREVER REST IN PEACE I'm sad this is horrible
Ashton Kutcher - Mike Jackson passed away today from a heart attack. That's what tmz said. Wow. Pray for his kids
Tila Tequila - My heart is broken! We have lost a true icon of our time, he will forever be with us! Please have a moment of silence and pray for MJ
Ben Baller (jeweler) - im literally sick, im gonna vomit and then eat it. im just happy to have worked & met the legend smh sad
Lauren London - Michael Jackson?!. It feels like someone called me and told me a family member passed away. Since I could remember...there was always MJ. There are no words.....my prayers to the Jackson Family
Khloe Kardashian - This can't be true! Michael Jackson Passed away???
Kim Kardashian - Wow I am truly in shock that Michael Jackson has passed away! I love u Jackson family, my prayers are with the whole family!
Travis Barker - Michael Jackson R.I.P. I'm speechless, WTF?
Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers) - My thoughts and prayers go out to Michael Jackson and his family. He is a legend. King of Pop.
Baron Davis (Los Angeles Clippers) - RIP Mike Jackson
Xzibit - DAMNIT! they just put the big yellow banner up "breaking news" on CNN. the King of Pop has passed away. MJ we love you. U were Genius.
Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic) - i am very shocked about mj. i have every song he ever put out. i am shocked and sad.
Kanye West was rolling deep at the Los Angeles Film Festival tonight, surprising the audience with the premier of a short film by Spike Jonze called We Were Once A Fairytale.
In the film, Kanye plays himself drunk at a club acting belligerent and boastful, telling starstruck club-goers that the song playing in the club is his. He wanders into a side room where he encounters a beautiful woman. They start having sex and then he passes out on her leopard print dress. When he comes to, he finds himself in the VIP room with his pants down – he was hallucinating and fucking the pillow. The realization startles him and he rushes to the bathroom where he vomits what look like rose petals.
Then it gets weird.
Kanye finds a bowie knife in the bathroom and cuts into his stomach, spilling a torrent of more petals. He digs in the knife deeper and then with his hand rips out a small furry rodent, like a demon, only its quite cute. When Kanye realizes it’s connected to him with an umbilical cord, he pulls it hard, ripping it out of him for good. He then puts the demon on the sink and hands him a tiny bowie knife to fit the critter’s scale who then uses it to commit hari kari.
The short, written and directed by Spike Jonze, walks the fine line between self aggrandizement and self mockery that runs through all of Kanye’s endeavors. But the filmmaking is on point, with cinematography and sound design that authentically renders that feeling of being really disoriented in a nightclub. One doesn’t need to love Kanye to love the film, but the Jonze short takes what people love and hate about Kanye’s persona and then pushes it into a new, trippy realm. And in case you’re wondering, the answer is no, Kanye still can’t act. The film features the song “See you in my Nightmares” from 808s and Heartbreaks, remixed and pretty severely tweaked by Spike Jonze’s brother and N.A.S.A.‘s Squeak E. Clean (Sam Spiegel).
MTV News reported back in March:
Last week, news began to trickle out that West and director Jonze — who teamed up last year for the eye-popping (and brain-warping) “Flashing Lights” video — were working together once again, this time on a video for West’s “See You in My Nightmares.” Intrigued, MTV News decided to follow up, reaching out to reps for both parties for comment on the collaboration.
“They’ve teamed up again, but this time, it’s for a short film,” Vincent Landay, Jonze’s producing partner, told MTV News. “It’s not necessarily [a video for ‘Nightmares’], but the song is featured in it. We’re still editing it right now, it’s probably going to run between 10–15 minutes. ... Essentially, we’ve been editing it whenever we had time — it’ll be a couple of weeks on and then a couple of weeks off. ... Nobody’s making any money on it, so it’s sort of like, ‘Hey, let’s get in there and edit on night and weekends.’ ”
Landay — who has produced the majority of Jonze’s ventures, including his upcoming “Where the Wild Things Are” movie — went on to add that the film was shot at the end of January over the course of two days in Los Angeles, and that there’s no set date for its release. And while he wasn’t about to reveal all the details about the project, Landay did say that it’s a decidedly Jonze-ian event.
“I’d rather not say what that plot is, but it’s based on an idea Spike had,” Landay explained. “It came to him, and he called Kanye and said, ‘I think you’d be great in this. We showed Kanye a very early rough cut, and he said, ‘It’s very Spike Jonze.’ ... I don’t know when or where it will debut. We did it for fun, so maybe it would be good if someone would give us an actual deadline for it.”
According to Spike Jonze’s team, the film was completed less than 24 hours before tonight’s screening.
In an effort to reduce luxury-tax implications, the Lakers have agreed to trade their first-round pick in tonight's NBA draft to the New York Knicks.The Lakers will receive a 2011 second-round pick and $3 million from the Knicks. The Lakers declined to comment.By trading their pick, the 29th overall, the Lakers would not have any guaranteed contracts coming out of the amateur draft, a savings of $830,000 next season and $893,000 in 2010-11, according to the NBA rookie scale for the 29th pick.
The Lakers will still hold the 42nd and 59th selections, both of which are in the second round and are non-guaranteed contracts. Only first-round players get guaranteed money for at least two years.
The Lakers are trying to decrease the luxury-tax hit for a team that has already committed $74 million to eight players next season. By trading their pick, they would also have slightly more money to re-sign forwards Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom, who become unrestricted free agents July 1.
The Lakers' cost-control plan also calls for carrying only 13 players next season, two under the league maximum. The team hasn't that small a roster since also carrying 13 in 2002-03.
Future Olympian?
Ariza accepted an invitation to play in a USA Basketball mini-camp next month in Las Vegas.
Ariza is one of 25 players who will take part in the July 22-25 mini-camp, the first of several steps toward determining the make-up of the U.S. team at the 2012 Olympics.
Ariza, who turns 24 next week, will be joined in Las Vegas by Kevin Durant, Brandon Roy, Danny Granger, Andre Iguodala, Derrick Rose, Rudy Gay, Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook and Blake Griffin, among others.
Entering the 2010 model year, the BMW 1 Series as the guarantee for the broad-scale impact of BMW EfficientDynamics and as the epitome of Sheer Driving Pleasure in the compact segment is gaining even greater significance.
Two additional, extra-economical low-emission engine variants are enhancing the model range of the BMW 1 Series Coupé as of September 2009: In the guise of the BMW 120i Coupé and the BMW 118d Coupé there will then be two further models with the EU5 emission rating.
Following the successful launch of the new entry-level three-door and five-door models, the BMW 116i and the BMW 116d, in spring 2009, the BMW 1 Series is once again proving its value as the pacemaker for efficient mobility combined with outstanding driving pleasure in the compact class. Other new models as of September 2009 are the Lifestyle and Sport Editions of the BMW 1 Series three- and five-door.
While the experts don't believe the 2009 NBA Draft class is up to the quality of past years, that doesn't mean teams in need of immediate help are out of luck.Especially those teams needing point guards.
"I just don't think there are a lot of truly great players in the draft, but there are a lot of good pieces that you can get," says ESPN analyst Jay Bilas. "I can't remember a draft where you look at a kid and say, 'He could go between 10 and 22.' We've got that this year."
Says New Jersey Nets president Rod Thorn: "Most of the players have some questions about them. Even the ones that are going to go really high, there are some questions… more so than in a normal year."
Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin will be the No. 1 pick. Behind him are no great players, but a lot of solid ones.
"This is one of the strongest point guard classes I've seen," says Washington Wizards general manager Ernie Grunfeld. "Half the lottery picks could be point guards."
Do you want someone with Pete Maravich-like passing flash? Then Spaniard Ricky Rubio is your man. Want a great leader and competitor and not worried about size? Then you'll love Jonny Flynn. Want a linebacker who can bull into the lane and has a huge upside? Tyreke Evans fits the bill. Want a pure shooter with NBA bloodlines? Stephen Curry is lights out.
The list goes on. Brandon Jennings, Ty Lawson, Jeff Teague, Nick Calathes, Darren Collison and Jack McClinton are all projected to go in the first round of Hoopsworld.com's mock draft.
"Any one of 11 point guards could go in the top 35 picks," says ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla.
Curry is one of the most interesting players in this draft. In a recent chat that took place before the Wizards traded the No. 5 pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves, TNT's David Aldridge said, "Whoever gets to that 5th pick is going to take Curry."
And yes, the Wolves need guards after trading Randy Foye and Mike Miller to the Wizards.
ESPN analyst Jalen Rose wonders, however, if Curry could be a defensive liability.
"Versatility, that's what I look for in players now," Rose says. "Who are the one-dimensional players? Look at last year's top guards, Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook. I can't see smaller players like Stephen Curry guarding them. Rose and Westbrook are point guards contesting shots at the rim."
But there is no mistaking Curry's offensive talents and his outstanding character. Or missing the fact that his father, Dell Curry, played in the NBA for 16 years.
Other guards could blossom into good players. Of Tyreke Evans, Fraschilla says: "He could end up being the best player in this draft five years from now."
And Collison, he says, "is probably going to play in the league for 10 years. .. I was never a big fan of his. But when you watch him more and more, he's a great defender, makes open shots and can run a halfcourt offense."
Even the best point guard in the class, Rubio, has detractors. He's only 18, and at 6-3, 180, he has the same size issues as Curry. Plus his jump shot, at this point, is suspect.
"We all feel it is a weak draft," Fraschilla says. "So that guys taken in the 20's and 30's could end up being very good players."
Apple Inc on Monday announced that it has sold more than one million units of iPhone 3GS in the first three days after the new smart phone went on sale. The iPhone 3GS hit stores in the United States and seven other countries last Friday.
The new model is twice as fast as iPhone 3G, the previous generation of Apple's popular iPhone. It also boasts new features including auto focus camera, video recording and voice control.
"Customers are voting and the iPhone is winning," Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive officer (CEO), said in a statement.
"With over 50,000 applications available from Apple's revolutionary App Store, iPhone momentum is stronger than ever," he added.
The comment by Jobs, who has been on medical leave since January, came two days after the news about his recovery from a liver transplant surgery, making some analysts speculate whether it is a signal that the Apple CEO is ready to be back.
The Wall Street Journal on Saturday reported that Jobs received a liver transplant in the U.S. state of Tennessee about two months ago and has been recovering well.
In January this year, Jobs announced that he would be taking a medical leave until the end of June to treat an undisclosed medical condition.
Okay, settle down gossipmongers, Microsoft says all this talk about an upgraded Xbox 360 is not only wrong, it's missing the point. There won't be an upgraded Xbox 360 next year, and in fact, we're only halfway through the current console cycle. What's more,
Project Natal, the company's no-controller 3D motion and voice recognition technology is being designed for the existing Xbox 360, not an imaginary "performance-upgraded" one.
In an official statement released to the media, a Microsoft spokesperson wrote
As the Xbox team stated at E3 two weeks ago, we are not even halfway through the current console generation lifecycle and believe Xbox 360 will be the entertainment center in the home for long into the next decade. Project Natal will be an important part of this platform, but we have not confirmed a launch date at this time.
And while games blog Kotaku makes assumptions I wouldn't about the Ballmer quote in the introductory paragraph to this article, the piece is worth scanning for the following quote, from Xbox Live Director of Product Management, Aaron Greenberg:
There will be no new console.
You can't get any less ambiguous than that, and unless you're into torturing semantics, that's book shut, case closed, speculation over.
But what about Natal? Will there be a version of the Xbox 360 with Natal integrated? Maybe, maybe not. Greenberg says they've looked into it, but that's all he's saying. What Steve Ballmer said yesterday doesn't help--it's simply too ambiguous to cite evidentially. Anyone claiming otherwise needs to rethink how this medium works.
What we know:
Natal will be sold as a standalone peripheral.
Natal will work with, and is being designed explicitly for, existing Xbox 360s.
Microsoft has no plans to alter or retool its existing platform circuitry. Aside from conventional manufacturing enhancements like thermal and spatial improvements--all invisible to consumers--the company plans to sell the same Xbox 360 it's been selling since late 2005 through Natal's launch in...whenever.
What we don't know:
We don't know when Natal will launch, though we can speculate about a general 2010 timeframe given the fact that Ballmer pegged 2010 as Natal's shelf date. Also: Sony has stated its PlayStation Motion Control peripheral will ship in 2010, so there's the competitive market incentive to consider as well.
We don't know whether Microsoft will release Natal integrated into a remodeled Xbox 360. Again, Ballmer didn't claim they would--his comments as reported by TG Daily are simply too ambiguous. Best not to waste time speculating. Besides, if you already own an Xbox 360, you'd be mad to buy a second Natal-integrated one, right?
We don't know whether Microsoft plans to release something like an "Xbox 360 slim" or some other type of cosmetic retooling. Is it conceivable they'll launch a newer, smaller, quieter, thermally cooler model in tandem with Natal? Sure, bearing in mind all that adds up to is a physical makeover, not a performance boost.
Name: Maria Vaz
Age: 24
My Hood: Brooklyn, NY
I was discovered... At a photo shoot where I was actually the makeup artist on set hired to do the faces for Morena Entertainment models, which is the agency that I am currently signed with. My agent said to me that my face needed to be "on the scene" instead of "behind the scenes" and the rest is history. Talk about playing two sides of the fence.
My first VIBE shoot…Was VIBE's May 2009 fashion feature, "Drop It Like It's Hot." It was a fun shoot, I loved the shoes, the bags, and the accessories. Oh my goodness, I was like a kid in a candy store! It was a set filled with creative and professional people.
For fun I like... So many different things, from roller coasters to horror movies, traveling, modeling, acting, to just simply hanging with my girls.
Think you know? You have no idea... My family is from Jamaica, no one ever gets my nationality right.
My hidden talent... Is my artistic side. I love creating looks in different ways that make people look and feel beautiful.
Four artists I bump on my iPod...
1. Rick Ross
2. Drake
3. The-Dream
4. Lady Gaga
Celebrities I'd love to shoot with for VIBE…Denzel Washington, David Beckham, and Kanye West
Photographers I would love to shoot with... I would like the opportunity to one day to shoot with Michael David Adams, David Leslie Anthony, and Nicolaas de Bruin.
One look at the syrupy-sweet-skinned cutie, Morena Entertainment model Mia Milano, and it’ll immediately register why she was handpicked for videos like Nelly’s “One & Only” and Rick Ross’s “Magnificent.” Each title describes the New Jersey doll, who is wifey material made of Spanish and Asian splendor. Hats off to both Pimp Juice and the Boss for understanding that, whether you’re stressed trying to reenergize your career or prevent one of hip-hop’s most powerful from obliterating it, Mia is the perfect
tension reliever.
Nelly drops an R&B video, and you’re the only feature. Then you’re in Ross’s video as John Legend’s leading lady. You got a thing for singers?
[Laughs] Funny thing is, I was cast [for “Magnificent”] about 11:30 the night before and told I was selected based on Nelly’s video. I found it to be weird, considering I didn’t even [audition] for the video.
What was your favorite scene from Ricky’s video?
My favorite would have to be watching the horses with John Legend as he is singing. He has a phenomenal voice. I played John Legend’s girlfriend in the video, which was a bit awkward, considering his real girlfriend was there. But business is business!
So do you have a thing for Nelly?
I remember watching Nelly’s video “Ride Wit Me” and saying to myself, “Oh my God, he’s fine! That should be me in that video!” [Laughs] I told my mother, “One day I’m going to be that girl in the video.” She laughed it off like, “Sure, Mia.” So when I received notice that he personally chose me,
I made sure she was the first to know.
So do you have a “one and only”?
Unfortunately, I don’t. I do have a crush, but it’s hard dating in this industry. You’re stereotyped by the actions of others. When you have to prove what you’re not, it takes away from who you are. So, in other words, I am single!
In their debut week, hip-pop act the Black Eyed Peas hijack the top spot on the Billbaord 200 sales charts.Although it is no surprise that the group grabbed the no. 1 spot, BEP was one of the artists this week to surpass sales expectations. According to the Nielsen SoundScan the Peas’s latest album, E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) managed to sell 304,100 discs this week as opposed to the projected 215-250K by HitsDailyDouble.
Falling one spot to no. 3 is Eminem. The Detroit superstar hit the platinum mark this sale cycle after four weeks on the charts. Fans copped 87, 500 more copies of the disc this week, making the album’s overall sales number stand at 1,049,100.
Just making it into the Top 10 this week is Brooklyn phenom Mos Def. The rapper/actor’s fourth solo studio effort, The Ecstatic, also exceeded projections pushing 39,000 copies out of the stores. Earlier in the week HitsDailyDouble pegged Mos at the 30K mark.
Former Pretty Ricky singer Pleasure P landed one spot below Mos in his debut week. The album, Introduction of Marcus Cooper, sold 38, 800 copies.
Also premiering on the charts this sales cycle is Yonkers crew D-Block’s E1 compilation disc No Security. The CD just made it into the Top 40, selling 11, 900 discs.
Eminem continues to give fans a sneak peek of his new "Beautiful" video. Yesterday Eminem took to his Twitter account to post "Ok... here is another photo from "Beautiful". The old train station... that place is unreal" along with a new picture from the video itself.
As we reported yesterday, Eminem let fans know about the next single from his "Relapse" album posting a picture along with the message "We filmed the "Beautiful" video in The D last week, Look for it soon" on his twitter account.
The California Supreme Court has declined to delay a June 22 preliminary hearing for singer Chris Brown, 19, who's charged with two felonies in an alleged attack on singer Rihanna, 21, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Brown's attorneys had asked the state high court to postpone the hearing to assess if a Superior Court judge had justifiably rejected the defense's request for access to internal police files. Brown's lawyer, Mark Geragos, told the L.A. Times that the records may have something to do with the leak of a photo of a bloodied Rihanna to TMZ.com. Judge Patricia Schnegg said that Geragos and team were only entitled to access to those files for the trial, not for the preliminary hearing. Brown could face close to five years in prison if convicted.
Tired of watching his team flail away at the plate, manager Lou Piniella is ready to "make some tough decisions" after a 4-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. That means a makeover is in order for his lineup. Or least a tweak or two.
Hear that, Alfonso Soriano?
"He has to do something because we're doing nothing offensively," he said.
Piniella has some sympathy from Milton Bradley. He'd prefer more hits and runs.
"I feel for Lou because he's doing all he can do," Bradley said. "All he can do is write the lineup. ... He shouldn't have to go through what he's going through."
At the moment, that would be frustration. A heavy dose of it.
The Cubs are batting .244 this season and have been particularly bad of late. How bad?
They've scored zero or one run in 10 of the last 26 games while falling from 21-14 to 30-31. They've stranded 67 runners over the last eight games, including two on Wednesday, and are 14 for 75 (.187) with runners in scoring position over that span.
These are the the two-time defending NL Central champions?
"They've got a good ballclub," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "All respect for St. Louis, Milwaukee, all those teams, the Cubs are going to be in the pennant race. People in Chicago, relax. Quit panicking. Worry about something else. Worry about the family, kids going back to school and having good grades. Don't worry about the Cubs. They'll be fine."
Well, their general manager and manager are concerned. So are the players. And no one can really explain it.
General manager Jim Hendry fired hitting coach Gerald Perry on Sunday and now, Piniella is targeting his lineup, although he didn't specify what changes might be coming. Dropping the struggling Soriano from the top of the order could be an option, although he's not the only underachiever. The lineup is filled with players who have successful track records, which makes this even more perplexing.
"For the most part, they are proven hitters," Piniella said.
They're just not, um, hitting.
"We've got a lot of good hitters," Soriano said. "I don't know what's going on. I don't know if there's a lot of pressure in this clubhouse or what, but what I see is not fun."
Bradley, their main offseason acquisition, is batting .234 but appears to be coming around. He has raised his average more than 100 points over the last 30 games, but NL Rookie of the Year Geovany Soto appears stuck, while Kosuke Fukudome is in another big slide. Soto is batting .217, and Fukudome is at .266 after a 3-for-36 skid that's bringing back memories of his freefall last season.
Then, there's Soriano.
Despite a less-than-steady glove and a rather low on-base percentage (.296) for a leadoff hitter, he can carry the team when he's hot. This season, he's been as cold as a Chicago winter.
Soriano has just 14 hits in his last 99 at-bats after going 0 for 4 Wednesday and is batting just .225. Piniella even lifted Soriano in the top of the ninth with a double switch, something he's been reluctant to do in the past.
Injuries have slowed Soriano during his 2{ seasons in Chicago, the most recent being a sore left knee, but he insisted he's fine. He doesn't want any rest, something Piniella said he might get a few weeks ago.
If Piniella decides to drop him in the order, Soriano said that's fine.
"I don't like days off," Soriano said. "If he dropped me in the lineup, that's part of the game. He's the manager and he knows what he has to do."
He needs to find an answer. So do his players
A small consumer electronics maker in Melbourne, which specialises in undercutting the big brands, has become the first in Australia to announce plans to launch a mobile phone based on Google's Android platform.
Ruslan Kogan, 25 - who has been selling cut-priced Kogan-branded TV sets, GPS systems, DVD players and other gadgets over the internet from his base in Elsternwick for the past 2½ years - says he will sell the phone from December 15 for $199.
Google has made the Android software open-source, meaning virtually anyone can build phones based around the platform without obtaining permission from Google.
So far the Google phones have been launched only in the US, but Australians can already buy them on eBay for about $1000.
Motorola and Asus are reportedly working on their own models but neither has announced plans to launch in Australia.
Kogan said his Google phone would look similar to the iPhone in that it would be a touch-screen device with no built-in keyboard. He said it would include WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and a trackball to aid in navigation.
"We've got a few designs that we can easily choose from. We know the components that's going to go into the phone," he said.
"It's a matter of loading the Android system on to the phone, configuring it, making sure it works very well and then the manufacturing of the few thousands phones that we need to launch it is just a matter of a day or two."
He said his private company, Kogan Technologies, turned over about $8 million last year and was on track to increase this to between $15 million and $20 million this year.
Kogan said his secret was a lack of overheads because he ordered his products directly from the factories in China, which built the gadgets exactly to his specifications.
The business is entirely online-based and Kogan has shunned retailers in favour of a direct-to-consumer model, enabling him to offer lower prices than other manufacturers.
The streamlined model has also allowed Kogan to bring products to market more quickly - he claims he was the first in Australia to sell digital photo frames about three years ago.
Kogan said he had 10 employees, including five who worked full-time, and all warehousing was outsourced. He hires university students to provide around-the-clock support from their computers at home.
Kogan, who recently expanded to New Zealand and is planning to move into Britain and the US, rejected suggestions that his low prices - $1449 for a 42-inch LCD TV with high definition tuner - meant his products contained cheap, low quality parts.
Reviewers have praised his products for their low prices but some have said that picture quality is not as good as in some of the bigger brands, which have teams of engineers tweaking and tuning the products for optimal performance.
But he counters that his products are not all about price and that quality is still a consideration. He tries to strike a balance between price and quality.
"Our 42-inch [LCD TV] range uses an LG panel, it's got a Samsung tuner board in it - whatever the best value-for-money solution in that size is, I'll have the factory make that up."
Before the start of the first round and the second round of the NBA playoffs, two of some resident NBA experts had their insights on the postseason. Now, with the conference finals about to get under way, we once again tap Scoop Jackson and Jemele Hill to answer our most pressing questions.
Question: Cleveland went 8-0 in the first two rounds. Denver is outscoring its opponents by an average of 16.0 points per game, the best mark ever through 10 playoff games. Which team is playing better right now?
Scoop Jackson: That's a helluva question. I guess the best way to tackle it is to ask, "If Denver and Cleveland were playing in the Finals right now, who would win?" I think Cleveland has looked better, but against worse teams. I think Denver, from that standpoint, has been more impressive. Even though Josh Howard was banged up, I'm not sure having Howard at 100 percent would have made much of a difference in the Denver-Dallas series. And here's my thing: LeBron and Co. have been making life very difficult for teams, especially on the defensive end, but could they shut the Nuggets down? Could they limit what the Nuggets do offensively? These Nuggets already beat one team by 58 points -- on the road! -- and put up 69 points on Dallas in a half, in a close-out game! The Cavs faced a decent offense in Atlanta, and they are going to face a good one (albeit an inconsistent one) in Orlando. But the speed with which the Nuggets have been scoring -- I don't know -- if I'm Cavs coach Mike Brown, how do I prepare my team for that? So I'll say this: Cleveland may be playing better ball right now, but I'm more impressed with Denver.
Jemele Hill: This is like asking a man to choose between Megan Fox and Mila Kunis. We're splitting hairs here. But ultimately, I'm a little more impressed with Denver, because the Nuggets' success and dominance is a complete surprise. In fact, I'll take this opportunity to apologize for thinking Chris Paul would dominate Chauncey Billups in the Denver-New Orleans series. But the bottom line is, Denver has beaten and dominated much better teams than Cleveland. The Cavs beat the Sisters of the Poor and No Game University. Dallas would have taken a game from Cleveland if those two had faced each other in a series, and the hobbled Hornets were still better than both the Hawks and the Pistons. We're just seeing a lot of things from Denver we didn't expect to see.
Question: The Lakers were 65-17 during the regular season, a record matched by a Magic Johnson-led Lakers team just once (65-17 in 1987). Does this Lakers team have a chance to go down as one of the best Lakers teams ever?
Scoop Jackson:Jemele, you going to do the Whitney Houston imitation, or should I? Hell to the naw! Top to bottom this may be one of the most "talented" Lakers squads, but labeling them one of the "best" would be wrong. "Best" to me coincides with dominance. And as good as these Lakers can be, they have not shown any character traits of a team that can dominate another team or a series. The great, great Lakers teams -- the ones we still talk about -- did more than just find a way to get it done. They made statements. What statements have these Lakers made? Even their leader called them "bipolar" at times. TNT's Kenny Smith made the strongest statement about this team the other day, when he said they "don't deserve to win a championship." I won't go that far, but I ain't mad at him for saying it out loud.
Jemele Hill:Let's not drink from the cup of crazy. Even if this Lakers team wins a championship, it won't be a definitive squad, like the one with Magic, Kareem, Worthy, Byron Scott and Michael Cooper. This Lakers team, although very good, isn't overloaded with Hall of Famers like some of those previous Lakers teams.
Question: Orlando can beat Cleveland because …
Scoop Jackson: … LeBron James could get hurt, and just maybe Jameer Nelson will have the most miraculous recovery in the history of modern medicine. Those things aside, I really can't see the Magic getting past the Cavs. The Cavs are too focused -- they are playing like they are on a mission, but not looking past any one game or any one opponent. The Magic, much like the Lakers, seem too inconsistent to really believe in or fall in love with. But here's the deal: If the Magic can find a way to get LeBron in foul trouble in one of the games in Cleveland that isn't Game 7 -- reducing his minutes and his intensity on the court, making him play passively because he doesn't want to pick up fouls -- while at the same time shooting over 50 percent from downtown in that same game … then and only then will they have a chance. I'm just not sure God is feeling the Magic like that, though.
Jemele Hill: … the Magic have figured out some of the Cavs' key weaknesses. I know the regular season is punted once the playoffs begin, but certain trends have become obvious. The Cavs are not an overwhelming offensive team. Their defense fuels a lot of their offense. LeBron James and Mo Williams will get theirs, of course. But Bron still is prone to overdribbling and settling for fadeaway jumpers. Zydrunas Ilgauskas can't do anything to stop Dwight Howard on defense, and the Cavaliers better hope Z can use his jumper on offense to pull Howard out of the paint. Rafer Alston averaged 18 points and 6 assists against the Cavaliers in the regular season. As ridiculous as this may sound -- especially with the way the Cavs have been shredding teams -- the Cavs are a much easier matchup for the Magic than the Celtics or Sixers. I'm not ready to nosedive off the limb and call the upset, but I fully expect this series to go the distance.
Question: Denver can beat L.A. because …
Scoop Jackson: … they might prove to be a more focused and driven team in the end. Plus, the Andrew Bynum mystery is still hanging over these playoffs. I'd like to know what's really goin' on. A lot of the Lakers' Finals hopes and championship dreams hinged upon his return -- the Lakers having him this time around, as opposed to not having him in the playoffs last year. But what's goin' on? Timing and conditioning are one thing, and not having any playoff experience and trying to get acclimated to the level of play is another -- but when your coach says it's something "mental" and benches you twice during the playoffs, something's not right. And whatever that problem/issue is could be the difference in the Lakers getting past the Nuggets, or getting in the way of their own dreams.
Jemele Hill: … the Nuggets believe they can win. I know that sounds corny, but the Nuggets are as confident as the Lakers are overconfident. The Nuggets just get better and better the deeper they go, and you can see their thirst for a championship developing rapidly. Beyond that, the Nuggets have some matchup advantages, and their toughness could bother the Lakers. Pau Gasol didn't respond well last year when Kendrick Perkins and the rest of the Celtics were up in his chest. What's he going to do with Nene, Kenyon Martin and Chris "Birdman" Andersen? Dahntay Jones has become a poor man's version of James Posey in these playoffs. He completely took Chris Paul out of the Denver-New Orleans series. He may not do that to Kobe Bryant, but he could possibly slow him down.
Question: Dwight Howard's postgame press conference sweaters. Discuss.
Scoop Jackson: Trying to be fly is an art form that even the best of us screw up sometimes. Now, establishing a theme is never good. The one thing you never want to do when it comes to flyness is become predictable. And Dwight has made the urban couture faux pas of turning his off-the-court wear into a uniform. After every game we know what he's going to rock, we just don't know what color. He needs to mix it up, and not wear the V-necks for every game! Some of them have been hot. The BBQ brown joint with the argyle pattern down the sleeves was nice. but he wore a black version of it about a week earlier. The dark cream one he had on with the salmon-colored shirt under it and the patterned necktie after Game 3? Smooth. But that white one, with the red and blue stripes? Goodness gracious, dude. And the canary-yellow one that set this whole conversation off? I was cool with that one, but the gray elbow patches messed it all up. Look, there's a fine line between style and fashion. The trick is to know the difference, and to know when to stop.
Jemele Hill: I'm just not sure why he's wearing the sweaters. It's almost 90 degrees in Orlando right now! Is this just some kind of mind game with the opponent? Is he sending the message that, despite 1,000 percent humidity, Superman has complete control of his body temperature at all times? Is he trying to one-up Aaron Brooks' valet parking blazer? It's positively baffling.
Nike, the sportswear giant, is to cut 1,750 jobs, equal to around 5 per cent of its global workforce, in an attempt to reduce costs.The job cuts represent the largest headcount reduction in the company’s history and are worse than the 4 per cent plan forecast by the group when it started its staff review in February.
Mark Parker, president and chief executive of NIke, said the decision had been both difficult and challenging as it affected colleagues, team mates and friends but that the company’s new structure would sharp its consumer focus and drive growth.
“We remain a growth company and we know these changes have created a stronger organisation that will enable us to invest in our most significant opportunities,” he said.
The group, which employees about 35,000 staff globally, said those axed, including about 500 jobs at Nike’s world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, will receive a robust and enhanced severance and that it expects to complete the majority of the layoffs in the coming weeks.
The cuts come as the company, famous for its “swoosh” logo, halts production at factories in China and Vietnam, trims marketing spend and reorganises its global business to cope with the downturn as sales fall and margins come under pressure.
Earlier this month, Adidas, Nike's German rival, issued a profits warning, blaming the global recession for a shock 97 per cent plunge in its quarterly pre-tax profits to just €5 million.
Top 5 Point guards, shooting guards,small forwards, power forwards & centers
Top 5 Point Guards
1. Chris Paul
2. Deron Williams
3. Chauncey Billups
4. Gilbert Arenas
5. Steve Nash
Top 5 Shooting Guards
1. Kobe Bryant
2. Dwyane Wade
3. Tracy McGrady
4. Vince Carter
5. Manu Ginobli
Top 5 Small Forwards
1. LeBron James
2. Carmelo Anthony
3. Paul Pierce
4. Caron Butler
5. Andre Iguodala
Top 5 Power Forwards
1. Kevin Garnett
2. Chris Bosh
3. Dirk Nowitski
4. Carlos Boozer
5. Pau Gasol
Eminem recent Marvel comic cover on XXL June issue on stands May 5, two weeks before Eminem’s fifth solo album, “Relapse” releases on May 19, 2009…
This special collector’s edition of XXL will feature Eminem posing as Marvel Comics’ notorious vigilante The Punisher. The magazine also includes an exclusive collaboration between XXL, Shady and Marvel Comics: a special edition Punisher comic book entitled Eminem/Punisher: Kill You starring Eminem and created by Marvel Comics. Part 2 of the comic will be made available on www.marvel.com/eminem starting May 5, 2009.
Marvel archive
Game shows have typically not made very good video games over the years, mostly because the excitement of watching real people competing for real prizes has always been absent. That is, until now, as Xbox Live is set to launch the video game world’s first live game show based on the TV show “1 vs 100.”
At a media gathering Tuesday, Microsoft gave Canadian video game journalists the world’s first peek at this ambitious new venture, after introducing the show’s real-life host, Chris Cashman, via a video link from Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Wash.
In the game, Xbox players represented by their customized avatars play a trivia game that involves one lucky contestant, or “the One,” who is chosen at random from all players and pits his or her knowledge up against 100 other contestants, who are also known as “the Mob.” The goal of the One is to outlast all 100 members of the Mob by answering the increasingly difficult questions correctly without fail, with 10,000 Microsoft Points going to anyone who manages such a feat. The Microsoft Points are used to purchase Xbox Live Arcade Games, as well as TV shows and movies.
Those chosen to compete as a member of the Mob, meanwhile, are eligible to win a free Xbox Live Arcade game if they manage to keep themselves in the game long enough to be one of the final 40 Mob members. Players not selected to participate in the live game are still encouraged to play along as part of “the Crowd,” and depending on how well they answer the questions, they too can be eligible for real-life prizes. Microsoft officials don’t want to make any pronouncements on what the expected participation levels will be, but said that the game could easily handle up in the neighbourhood of 100,000 people playing at once.
The game is free to download for Xbox Live Gold members in Canada and the U.S., and each Friday and Saturday night for 13 weeks beginning May 8, there will be a live hosted game lasting two hours. There were hints that there could be special “themed” shows that would involve specialized questions and different virtual TV studio “sets,” such as a night revolving around the 2010 Olympics, for example.
It’s a brand new concept for the world of video games, let alone the worlds of television and game shows, and it’s the first venture in Microsoft’s “Primetime Channel,” which was first talked about at least year’s E3 Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles. No other titles have been announced, but if this debut game goes well, it’s easy to see how the Saturday nights of many Canadians will no longer be spent with Hockey Night in Canada, but in a virtual room full of avatars, looking to win prizes.
Faced with a 30 year sentence in Federal prison, Dontae can no longer hold on to the envisions of the outside life he left behind, including family. As hard as it may get, he is determined to do the time and not let the time do him. Offered a get out of jail free card, will he continue to favor his pride?
Can he remain strong enough throughout the rest of his bid before the mental stress and anguish begin taking its toll? Q’Tee vowed to love, honor, and cherish for better or worse until death do us part. With her husband, Dontae serving a lengthy sentence, she won’t stop at nothing to help free him. By any means necessary! After re-acquainting herself with an old fling, Marco, she becomes sidetracked momentarily by paths of lust, lies, and unbridled affection. Gradually, her world turns upside down. Surprisingly, Q’Tee soon will discover Marco is the ideal player that changes the game. Will Q’Tee’s love outweigh Dontae’s pride? FIND OUT WHO IS PLAYIN’ FOR KEEPS!
Having been raped, beaten, humiliated, mistreated, brainwashed, dogged out, and completely degraded… How much does a person have to take to say, Enough is Enough? Like so many other women alike, Shawn finds herself desperate for
love, simply replacing its real meaning for stupidity. Apparently, she is blinded by the repetitive dilemma that continues to plague her life. When will she wake up and take the blindfold off her eyes to see things clearer before it’s too late? “Pain Freak” illustrates the roller coaster ride women allow themselves to take for the pursuit of love and happiness. In return, all that appears to be good, eventually doesn’t turn out to be what it seems.
Chris Brown turned 20 years old on Tuesday, May 5 and he has decided to celebrate his birthday alongside his family in Virginia. A source reported that the R&B singer recently held a small birthday celebration and invited some of his friends and family in Virginia.
Last month, Chris Brown pleaded not guilty to two charges addressed to him after allegedly beating his Barbadian girlfriend Rihanna on February 8. At that time, his lawyer Mark Geragos told the judge that “more discovery was needed” in the case. The “Kiss, Kiss” singer was charged with felony battery and making criminal threats to the 21-year-old songstress just hours before their scheduled performance at 2009 Grammy Awards.
Most recently, Chris was reported spending quality time together with the “Umbrella” singer. “Chris was spending time with Rihanna,” a source previously told Radar Online of the couple. Soon after that, they reportedly rekindled their love just before Rihanna headed to her hometown in Barbados.
Eminem’s highly anticipated comeback disc Relapse leaked onto the net today (May 7), two weeks before its official release date.
Earlier today there was a full on onslaught of Eminem material that hit the net including snippets of tracks and a clip from his “Crack A Bottle” music video. On “Insane,” one track that leaked separately this afternoon the reclusive rapper graphically jokes about getting molested by his step dad.
“My step father said that I sucked in the bed,” he spit, “till one night he snuck in and said/ we’re going out back I want my dick sucked in the shed/cant we just play with Teddy Rucksbin instead/ after I fuck you in the butt, get some head/ bust a nut, get some rest/ the next day my mother said I don’t know wassup with this kid/ the bastard wont even eat nothing he’s fed/ he just hung himself in the bedroom, he’s dead/ Debbie don’t let that motherfucker get you upset/ let me go in there put a fucking cigarette to his neck / I bet you he’s faking it/ I bet you he just probably wants to see how upset she could get.” [Listen Here]
On Monday (May 4), a song planned for release on iTunes the following day came out early. “Old Times Sake,” featuring Dr. Dre, has the “dynamic duo” rhyming about smoking weed.
Beyonce chose to top off an Elie Saab dress and Ruthie Davis heels with this stunning trench. We couldn’t find the exact coat, but came close with this $1,498 Ruffle Hem Trench by Jillian Lewis:
Beyonce is wearing a pair of Toni Maticevski Sequined Embroidered Heels from his Fall/Winter 2009 collection…
…They retail for $900 and are available by special order only through Beckley in LA.
Yup! Taraji wore an Emanuel Ungaro dress accented with a peep toe version of these Azzedine Alaia booties:
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