Michele Bachmann enters presidential race

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, an outspoken Republican with close ties to the tea party, announced Monday that she is running for president, a candidacy that could further shake up a volatile fight for the GOP nomination.

The first female contender to enter the 2012 race, Bachmann announced her bid during a Republican presidential debate in New Hampshire. The third-term Minnesota congresswoman has been leaning heavily toward a run over the past few months, visiting early primary states, raising money and railing against President Barack Obama.

"We cannot risk giving President Obama four more years to dismantle our nation. We must act now," Bachmann said in a fundraising letter sent within an hour of her entrance. "That's why I've made the decision to get in this race."

She brings high energy, charisma and proven fundraising ability to the race to nominate a Republican challenger to Obama. She also is known for unyielding stances, biting commentary and high-profile gaffes.

Bachmann is attempting the rare leap from the U.S. House to the presidency.

Despite having low seniority and few policy accomplishments, she has risen to prominence in Washington in part by her frequent television appearances and willingness to attack Obama in sharp terms.

Her popularity with tea party activists and her credentials as a social conservative make her a credible threat to other candidates courting conservatives who make up the core of the Republican Party. Her impact may be felt most in Iowa, the first stop in the nomination battle and where Christian evangelicals dominate.

While she hasn't built the broad campaign infrastructure of some GOP rivals, she has gradually patched together a blend of tested and fresh-but-determined advisers. She's also shown an ability to raise money from a network of small-dollar donors, including $13.5 million she put toward the nation's most expensive House race of 2010.

Bachmann spent the bulk of her political career in Minnesota and Washington as a minority party member, reveling in her role as a fierce voice of the opposition. She didn't let up when Republicans gained control of the U.S. House last fall, enhancing her standing through public breaks with party leaders after she was denied a place in caucus leadership.

The camera-friendly congresswoman has irked some party leaders by grabbing at the spotlight, such as the alternate televised response she delivered to Obama's State of the Union speech this winter.

Her willingness to speak her mind — she once accused Obama of running a "gangster government" — has brought her both loyal fans and plenty of critics. In 2009, she called it an "interesting coincidence" that the last swine flu outbreak in the U.S. occurred under a Democratic president, though it actually happened when Republican Gerald Ford was in office.

Since first hinting at a presidential campaign ahead of an Iowa speech in January, she has made sustained trips there and to New Hampshire and South Carolina, all places with an outsized voice in the nominating process. She previously told reporters she would announce her intentions this month in her birthplace of Waterloo, Iowa.

Veteran Republican campaign consultant Ed Rollins confirmed to The Associated Press that he would be Bachmann's campaign manager. He said a formal rollout hasn't been set.

"We are now a campaign committee and we will come out to Iowa sometime in the next couple of weeks," Rollins said.

Other full-fledged candidates include former Govs. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and businessman Herman Cain.

Still a possibility is Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee. Palin assisted Bachmann in her 2010 race. And while the two deny any inherent rivalry, the possibility they may both run in 2012 has already stirred up such talk.

Bachmann, 55, enters as a definite factor in Iowa's caucuses, not just because it is her native state and now neighbor. Despite her status as an elected official, she is attractive to GOP activists looking for a candidate with outsider appeal. She particularly resonates with the conservative coalition that led former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to a 2008 caucus win.

She has vigorously courted evangelical pastors during her early trips to Iowa. Bachmann has also landed the support of up-and-coming GOP players, including state Sen. Kent Sorenson, an ardent social conservative.

Sorenson is lined up to run Bachmann's Iowa campaign. Bachmann has also signed a former top deputy to Huckabee's 2008 Iowa campaign. However, it's not clear whether those hires and Bachmann's popularity with this segment of the caucus electorate would necessarily translate into organizational strength.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's decision to bypass the Iowa GOP's presidential straw poll in Ames gives Bachmann a stronger chance for a breakthrough moment a couple of months out of the gate.

Before politics, Bachmann was an attorney who at one point chased tax cheats for the federal government. A mother of five and foster parent over the years to more than 20 girls, Bachmann dove into public life during a fight over Minnesota school standards. She spent six years in the Minnesota Senate before winning an open seat Congress, where she's been since 2007.

Bachmann's husband, Marcus, runs a Christian-based counseling clinic.

Jose A. Aviles

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The Best-Paid Celebrities Under 30

Fame favors the young. If you doubt that, just take a look at the singers, movie stars, and athletes on our annual list of the best-paid celebrities under 30.

These guys haven't gotten rich through decades of careful, prudent investing, like some of the top members of our Forbes 400. But they have sweated and spent a lot of sleepless nights honing and promoting their talents. That hard work helped these 20 young stars bring in a total of $690 million between May 2010 and May 2011.

The youngest star on our list is Justin Bieber. In his meteoric rise to fame, the 17-year-old crooner skipped the dues-paying drudgery of touring clubs and small venues that many artists go through to work their way up. Instead, at a time when most teens are worrying about who to invite to prom, he's been touring the world and starring in a hit concert documentary. Bieber ranks second on our list with $53 million in earnings over the past 12 months. That money, plus his incredible fame, helped him debut in third place on our annual Celebrity 100 list, which measures wealth and fame.

Bieber is one of seven musicians who make our list. A world tour of arenas can be incredibly lucrative and almost all of our music stars had big tours this year. Lady Gaga, who ranks first on our list, grossed $170 million from 137 shows in 22 countries. Gaga is, of course, no slouch when it comes to music sales. Between May 2010 and May 2011 (before her latest album, Born This Way, dropped) she sold an estimated 15 million albums worldwide. We estimate that over that time Gaga earned $90 million. She ranked first on our Celebrity 100 list this year because of her earnings power and her ability to always attract attention, whether shes wearing a meat dress or arriving on stage in an egg.

Rihanna makes our list of the top earners under 30 in 10th place, although she just failed to make the cut for the Celebrity 100. The singer earned an estimated $29 million between May 2010 and May 2011 thanks to a tour, great album sales, and endorsements with brands like Fuze Drinks and Venus Razors. Shes also becoming increasingly apt at attracting attention. Rihanna is the latest musician to kiss Brittney Spears at an awards show. The two locked lips at the recent Billboard Awards.

Nine of the top-earning young celebrities are athletes. In third place is LeBron James, who brought in $48 million over the 12-month period. James' reputation may have taken a hit when he moved from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat, but it didn't hurt his earning power. His jersey was the NBA's top seller and he has the No. 1 basketball shoe on the market.

Tennis player Roger Federer ranks fourth with $47 million in earnings. He may no longer be No. 1 on the court, with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic passing him in the ATP rankings, but he still commands the most impressive endorsement portfolio in all of sports, with 10 major deals with the likes of Nike, Rolex, and Wilson.

Representing Hollywood are "Twilight" stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, who tie for 15th place with $20 million each. Their earning power should stay strong at least for the next year as the "Twilight" franchise winds down with two "Breaking Dawn" movies.

Jose A. Aviles

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Apple's iCloud aims to 'demote the PC'

The service will let Apple users access their files, email and media from anywhere, on multiple devices. 'We are going to move the … center of your digital life into the cloud,' Steve Jobs says.

Reporting from San Francisco and Los Angeles— Steve Jobs, still gaunt from his battle with a rare form of cancer, interrupted his medical leave to unveil Apple Inc.'s new venture in the cloud.

In what the Apple chief executive described as a major shift in how millions of people would store and organize their music, documents, photos and emails across multiple devices, he showed off an online service that will let Apple users access their digital media from anywhere.

Jobs, who introduced this iCloud service at the opening day of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco on Monday, said people could no longer rely on the personal computer as their digital hub.

"Keeping these devices in sync is driving us crazy," he said. "We have a great solution for this problem. We are going to demote the PC to just be a device. We are going to move the digital hub, the center of your digital life, into the cloud."

Apple, the world's largest distributor of music, is giving consumers access to all the music saved on their hard drives — no matter whether they copied it illegally — for $25 a year, with the music industry's consent. Jobs said that was a first.

Apple is also pushing consumers to store their information in the cloud to capture even more of people's digital lives. It's a bid to keep its dominant position in the smartphone and tablet markets as it faces rising competition from devices powered by Google Inc.'s Android software, analysts say.

And just as it did with the iPhone — a latecomer that went on to revolutionize the smartphone — Apple may ultimately be the company to popularize cloud computing and, in so doing, gain an edge over competitors Google and Amazon.com Inc.

"Apple will set the tone for the way consumers will view what a cloud service should be like in the future," Creative Strategies analyst Tim Bajarin said.

But Apple is jumping into cloud computing at a time when the concept is under rising scrutiny. Last week's hijacking of hundreds of Google's Gmail accounts, including those of senior U.S. government officials, underscored the vulnerability of information stored on the Web.

In Google's case, a user can access to dozens of online services through a single account. Should hackers trick someone into handing over his or her password, they gain access to the person's files, calendar, contacts and any personal information stored or sent through email.

Although Apple's services have a pretty good track record for security, experts say iCloud could further protect sensitive information by offering an additional authentication step such as a security token that pings the user with a new passcode to log in. Google and Facebook offer such a feature.

"If somebody steals your password, they still need to get that code," said Tin Zaw, a security expert based in Los Angeles, "and that code can only be used once."

The latest attacks on cloud computing will not deter consumers and large organizations from using the technology because of the advantages it offers, analysts said.

The iCloud service, which replaces a previous $99-a-year service that let people synchronize their emails, contacts and calendars, also gives users access to documents, apps and photos through a new service, Photo Stream.

Apple is also making it easier for 200 million iTunes users to download and listen to their music collections on any device rather without having to manually upload every song in their libraries. It can do that because it reached deals with the four major record labels and music publishers to license their recordings.

Apple's new technology, iTunes Match, scans a user's hard drive looking for songs and authorizes the user to listen to iTunes' copy of any song it identifies — regardless of whether the user bought the song from iTunes. The only songs the user must spend time uploading are the ones that are not in iTunes' library.

In a dig at Amazon and Google — which have not reached deals with the music industry and require users to upload every song in their libraries to the Web before they can listen to them on multiple devices — Jobs said Apple's service works in minutes, not hours or days.

Apple will split the $24.99 annual fee for the iTunes Match service with record companies and publishers.

Jobs' decision to make what was only his second major public appearance since taking an indefinite medical leave in January signaled the importance he is placing on Apple's move into the cloud. He called the idea, which first emerged at Apple a decade ago, its "next big insight."

James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)" played right before Jobs walked onstage. Jobs, looking thin in his signature black mock turtleneck and blue jeans, was met with a standing ovation as thousands of software developers snapped photos of him with their iPhones and iPads. One yelled "We love you," to which he replied that it "helps."

Jobs did not discuss his health, which he has said is a personal matter. He shared the spotlight with other Apple executives but was animated as he introduced iCloud, walking back and forth onstage, although he descended the stairs from the stage slowly.

"We think this is going to be pretty big," he said.

Jose A. Aviles

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Lenny Dykstra hit with drug, grand theft auto charges

New Yorker magazine once touted former New York Mets star Lenny Dykstra as "baseball's most improbable post-career success story." He transformed himself into a financial guru and ace stock picker, drove a Maybach and bought Wayne Gretzky's palatial estate near the Sherwood Country Club.

But on Monday, Dykstra's well-documented financial collapse took another sharp turn when authorities charged him with nearly two dozen felony counts related to a scheme to obtain luxury cars and possession of cocaine, human growth hormone and Ecstasy.

The charges come a month after Dykstra was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of bankruptcy fraud and obstruction of justice.

Los Angeles County prosecutors said Dykstra, 48, along with his accountant Robert Hymers, 27, and friend Christopher Gavanis, 30, tried to claim credit through a phony business and stolen identity. Beginning in January, the trio tried to lease high-end cars from several area dealerships.

"He has scammed everybody he knows," Deputy Dist. Atty. Alex Karkanen said. "They faked pay stubs. They faked income information for the company. They made it all up on a laser printer at home. And when the dealers asked for a co-signer, they said their financial officer would sign."

The so-called financial officer was actually an unsuspecting customer of the accountant, Karkanen said, adding, "He knew nothing about them using his identity.

At two dealerships, Dykstra and Hymers provided information for the "co-signer," but the leases were not approved. At one of the dealerships, Dykstra, Hymers and Gavanis provided fraudulent information and drove off with 2011 models of a Ford Mustang, Ford Flex and Lincoln MKS, Karkanen said.

Maria Ramirez, head deputy district attorney in charge of the auto fraud unit, said Dykstra's company, Home Free Systems, "doesn't even exist.… He's hardly a financial guru."

They "presented the company like it was making millions of dollars when it was not," Ramirez said.

When police arrested Dykstra April 14 at his Encino home in connection with the car scheme, they served a search warrant and seized cocaine and Ecstasy along with somatropin, a synthetic human growth hormone.

The new felony charges include five counts of attempted grand theft auto, eight counts of filing false financial statements, four counts of identity theft, three counts of grand theft auto and three counts of possession of a controlled substance. In addition, he is charged with one misdemeanor count each of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and unauthorized possession of a syringe.

Dykstra appeared in a San Fernando courtroom Monday afternoon and was remanded to custody, with bail set at $500,000. A bail reduction hearing is scheduled for Friday.

If convicted, Dykstra faces up to 12 years in state prison.

Dykstra is also facing federal charges, including bankruptcy fraud and obstruction of justice, for allegedly sneaking away with more than $400,000 in property that should have gone to his creditors, then lying about it under oath.

The former Mets and Phillies outfielder known to his fans as "Nails" is accused of stealing, hiding and destroying items such as chandeliers, artwork, sconces and personal sports memorabilia from his $18-million Ventura County mansion, according to the federal indictment.

His attorney in the federal case, Mark Werksman, has called the charges payback by the bankruptcy administrator for balking at their plans to sell off assets. Dykstra had filed for bankruptcy in 2009 — a fall from grace for the man CNBC "Mad Money" host Jim Cramer once hired to write a stock-picking column.

Jose A. Aviles

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Rep. Anthony Weiner admits tweeting lewd photo, and more

Reporting from Los Angeles and New York— Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner was a nearly ubiquitous media presence last week, making the rounds of TV news shows to protest his innocence: No, the New York congressman said repeatedly, he did not tweet a sexually suggestive photo of himself from the waist down to a college student. Perhaps his Twitter account had been hacked.

But Monday, in a teary news conference in New York City, Weiner, 46, 'fessed up. He said he had lied repeatedly out of embarrassment and shame. He had indeed sent the photo to the woman in Washington state, and he also had inappropriate online contact with several others over the last three years.

"I did a regrettable thing, and for that I apologize," Weiner said. "I believe what I did demonstrates a deep personal failing."

Weiner, who has long been expected to run for mayor of New York in 2013, said he would not resign, but would let his constituents decide his fate. It was not immediately clear whether congressional Democrats would react as harshly as Republicans did in February when faced with a similar scandal. They pressed New York Rep. Chris Lee to step down after the married congressman sent a cellphone photograph of himself shirtless to a woman he met on Craigslist.

So far, no Democrats have publicly urged Weiner to resign. But House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and other party officials called for an Ethics Committee investigation to determine whether any official resources were used or any other violation of House rules occurred. Weiner, who told reporters that Pelosi had urged him in a phone call to tell the truth and expressed her disappointment in him, said later he welcomed the investigation.

Before Weiner appeared, Andrew Breitbart, whose conservative news websites had broken the story about Weiner's sexually charged tweets, crashed the news conference. Angry that Weiner's supporters had accused him of hacking the congressman's account, Breitbart took over the hotel microphone for about six minutes.

"Quite frankly, I'd like an apology for him being complicit in a blame-the-messenger strategy," Breitbart said. "So I'm here for some vindication."

The surreal theatrics combined familiar elements of contemporary sex scandals with some newfangled twists — a partisan Internet entrepreneur with the goods on a wayward politician who tarnished himself using new technology, a teary confession from the hangdog pol, shouted questions from the gathered journalists. And all of it unfurling in real time — streamed live on the Internet, tweeted by observers or beamed into living rooms on TV.

"This isn't even Shakespearean," said Baruch College professor Doug Muzzio. "It's theater of the absurd. The rule in politics when you do something wrong or stupid is get it out, get it out early because at least you get some credit for getting it out. He kept the story alive, and then after he bleeds for a week, then he decides to come clean. Really bad."

Breitbart, whose site on Monday had posted a photo of Weiner bare-chested obtained from a second woman, said he had another potentially damaging photograph of Weiner but would not release it "to save his family."

ABC News reported that it had an interview with a second woman claiming a "sexually charged electronic relationship" with Weiner. She was identified as a 26-year-old single mother in Texas, apparently the same person from whom Breitbart obtained the photo of Weiner bare-chested. ABC said the woman had provided photos, emails and Facebook messages, and that her interactions with Weiner had begun April 20.

Weiner's voice broke nearly every time he mentioned his wife, Huma Abedin, an assistant to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Former President Clinton officiated at the couple's lavish Long Island wedding July 10.

"My wife is a remarkable woman," said a contrite Weiner, who is often described as brash bordering on arrogant. "She is not responsible for any of this … and I apologize to her, very deeply."

Breitbart, who lives in Los Angeles, was in New York for a media appearance. He learned of Weiner's news conference from his business partner moments after checking into a New York hotel four blocks away, and hurried over.

Minutes after Breitbart strode off, Weiner followed him to the lectern and took blame for sending sexually suggestive photographs and comments to at least six of his female Twitter and Facebook fans. He said he had never had sex with them, nor had he met them in person.

He apologized to Breitbart.

The effect the scandal will have on Weiner's career is hard to predict. The seven-term congressman has repeatedly won reelection in his Brooklyn and Queens district by a wide margin.

Hank Sheinkof, a longtime New York Democratic strategist, said Weiner had ruined his chances to succeed New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. "It's too embarrassing," Sheinkof said. "The requirements for the second-toughest job in America do not include sexting."

Lee Miringoff, director of Marist College's Institute for Public Opinion, agreed that the scandal has probably derailed Weiner's mayoral aspirations — but maybe only temporarily.

"Any time you're in the same paragraph as Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Edwards, Eliot Spitzer … it's not a good gang to be a part of," Miringoff said. But if voters like you, he said, citing President Clinton's travails, they can forgive.

"Voters can draw the line between doing a good job and a character flaw," Miringoff said. "So I think it's very important for him to stress the going-back-to-work notion."

Queens borough President Helen Marshall said she would continue to support Weiner. "I sat beside him for 10 years and I believe that everyone is entitled to one mistake," she said. "I believe that the one woman he has to answer to is his wife."

Jose A. Aviles

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USC Stripped of 2004 National Championship

The USC Trojans are no longer your 2004 college football national champions. The Bowl Championship Series just announced the organization has stripped the University of Southern California of the title after an investigation proved Reggie Bush and his family received improper benefits while he was playing for the Trojans.

The NCAA had already stripped USC of its wins in which Bush participated -- including the 2005 Orange Bowl -- but the BCS was waiting to make a decision on the national championship title because USC had appealed the NCAA ruling.

But the NCAA rejected the appeal -- and today the BCS went ahead with their plans to strip USC of the title ... which means USC's 55-19 victory over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl was all for naught.

Bush won the Heisman Trophy for his 2005 season -- but forfeited the award last year amidst rumors that the NCAA was going to take that away from him too.

And there was much joy in Westwood.

Jose A. Aviles

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Summer of the comic book hero

This is the summer of the comic book hero.

This is the summer that fanboys and movie going fans alike get to be thrilled by the exploits of Thor, X-Men, The Green Lantern, Conan the Barbarian and, yes, Captain America. For filmmakers, this is a true blockbuster summer.

“What you see happening is a grander concept,” says Shirrel Rhoades, Cooke Communications film critic and former Marvel Comics publisher and V.P. of Marvel Entertainment. “They are not making individual movies. They are making movies the same way we make comic books — a series of movies like a series of books.”

Rhoades, who splits his time between Florida and his native North Carolina, recalls the days growing up in Wilkesboro when, as a kid, he would head to the corner store to pick up the latest copy of, say, Spiderman or perhaps Captain America. Those days are long gone, however, supplanted by a bigger comic book publishing industry that caters to specialty shops and, of course, Hollywood.

Comic books cost bucks to print and shops like Elizabeth City’s own Earth 383 must order a prearranged number of books, pay for them and hope they sell them. And sell them they do, only these days the classic comic books go to a group dubbed “fanboys.”

Fanboys, according to Earth 383 owner Duf Franco — he’s very much a fanboy — first came on the scene with Star Trek and Star Wars fandom. These guys — and gals — would make their own costumes and attend conferences. Their loyalty to the stories they love eventually extended into the comic book world and what Rhoades lovingly calls “comic book geeks” were born.

Back in the 1990s comic book shops were popping up everywhere, and did well for a time. Rhoades points out that these businesses have not done so well in recent years, although some are thriving.

Franco’s operation is in its ninth year and while thriving is not exactly how he might coin it, Earth 383 is on stable ground. Franco, who is also an Emergency Medical Technician, says his comic book and gaming shop has been a labor of love, and he never takes a salary and everything he makes on the shop goes back into it.

“As long as it supports itself,” says Franco of the life of Earth 383.

This is a family place, he says, where kids and entire families are welcome to come in, play a variety of games including the popular Magic, a large selection of board games (in-shop play is free) or perhaps peruse a number of comic books and graphic novels — for sale, of course.

This approach to doing business has served him so well that he recently moved from his modest space on Martin Luther King Jr., to the former Fowlers on Water Street, across from City Wine Sellar. It’s a wide-open space that is inviting and provides Franco and his friends with plenty of room to game, read and relax.

And while shops like Earth 383 might not be doing gang busters like they once did, between Franco’s welcoming vibe and the recent onslaught of Marvel Comics films, no one is worried about a lack of interest.

“I think it all happen to fall on the same timeline,” Franco says of this summer’s onslaught of comic book hero movies.

Well, maybe, but not entirely. Rhoades points out that the very thing pushing this surge is money. Marvel Comics, or even D.C. Comics, doesn’t view the business as strictly comic book publishing with a few offshoots like film rights. Rather, this is an intellectual property business, explains Rhoades, and with that comes a lot of opportunities to make money.

So when fanboys get geared up for the release of Captain America on July 22, Marvel doesn’t have a hard time of licensing the release of action figures, games, comic books and even costumes, including that iconic shield. In fact, it won’t have a hard time raking in billions of dollars based on the iconic shield and name.

Inside Earth 383 there’s plenty of proof of what a business comic book heroes have become. There are figurines, T-shirts, of course the books, and other items celebrating the heroic exploits of these sometime-masked crusaders.

Folks like Franco are anxiously awaiting the release of their favorite comic book hero movie and have many of the touchstones of the characters around, such as a red, white and blue shield on the wall of his shop.

“I’m jacked for Captain America,” Franco says.

Yeah, well so are a lot of folks, fanboy or otherwise. Part of the reason for this excitement goes back to Rhoades’ observation that comic book films are being treated just like the original sequential books. Each book is an episodic tale in the lives of these heroes and for Captain America, Marvel wisely turned to the origins of the story, back in World War II when soldier Steve Rogers was the first, and ultimately the only, subject of the U.S. government’s super soldier program. He fought the Nazis.

But regardless of whether or not it is Captain America, or even the least excitable X-Men film (see Rhoades review of this film on this page), one thing all of these releases have in common is CGI, or computer generated imagery.

It is this technology that is making the exploits of these heroes possible, says Rhoades and Franco.

“It’s pure exhilaration,” says Franco of watching his favorite characters in live action.

All those years reading about your favorite character, imagining the description of his or her super abilities are now brought to a sort of virtual reality thanks to CGI and modern filmmaking. You can watch Spidey crawl up a building or swing on a web across Manhattan, or experience mach speed flight with Iron Man.

While not all of this summer’s releases are Marvel Comic characters, there is a bigger game afoot for the likes of Thor and Captain America. Franco and Rhoades have pointed out that fans who stick around for the end of film credits will know that hints have been dropped about the upcoming 2012 release of The Avengers.

The Avengers front man Nick Fury played by Samuel L. Jackson, was introduced in Iron Man 2 when he began recruiting Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) for his team of superheroes. Next summer Fury, Iron Man, Captain America, the Incredible Hulk and more will ban together to fight evil and wow fanboys and moviegoers alike. Until then, there seems to be plenty of activity in the Marvel universe and beyond to keep folks well entertained.

By the way, Rhoades says Marvel has 5,000 characters in its stable, so it goes without saying that Hollywood has plenty of fodder for future fanboys, and plenty more summers in its future.

Jose A. Aviles

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Stephen Harper turns to Facebook for help naming new prime-ministerial cat

It’s the capper to a near purrfect spring after winning his long-sought majority: Prime Minister Stephen Harper has a new pet cat.


The Harpers announced the arrival of the newest, furry member of their family Saturday on the prime minister’s Facebook page — and offered the public the chance to name the grey tabby.


“Happy to have a new Harper at 24,” a statement on the site said. “He’s a grey tabby and needs a name, vote for your favourite.”


Early suggestions from commenters included Majority (or Major), as well as Stanley, in honour of the Vancouver Canucks’ run toward the NHL’s grand prize.


Pictures were posted on Facebook, including one of the kitty mischievously holding a string in its two front paws.


Harper is known as a cat lover. He and wife Laureen have participated in the Ottawa Humane Society’s Foster Program, which provides temporary homes for pets in the community who are not yet ready for adoption.


The naming poll will close Monday.

Jose A. Aviles

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Sunday's Calendar

SUNDAY

C.B. Shiepe

C.B. Shiepe, author of the novel "Cliff Falls," will have a book signing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Martha's Bookstore, 308 1/2 Marine Ave., Balboa Island. For more information, visit http://www.clifffalls.com.

TILL SUNDAY

The Home Entertainment Show

Audio and video equipment demonstrations will be at the Hilton Irvine/Orange County Hotel, 18800 MacArthur Blvd., Irvine. Start times vary each day. One-day passes are $15; three-day passes are $35. For more information, call (702) 242-4545 or visit http://www.theshownewport.com.

'Mansfield Park'

South Coast Repertory's Teen Players present Jane Austen's "Mansfield Park" at the Repertory's Nicholas Studio, with dramatization by Willis Hall. For showtimes and more information, visit http://www.scr.org.

'Emperor's New Clothes'

South Coast Repertory, as part of its Theatre for Young Audiences series, presents a musical version of "The Emperor's New Clothes." Tickets start at $18. For showtimes and more information, visit http://www.scr.org or call (714) 708-5555.

Pacific Symphony

Guest piano soloist Conrad Tao plays with the Pacific Symphony at 8 p.m. through Saturday night and at 3 p.m. Sunday for a "Classical Connections" concert. The program at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall includes "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5. Tickets start at $25. Call (714) 755-5799 for more information or visit http://www.pacificsymphony.org.

TILL WEDNESDAY

'Mass Appeal'

Students will display their work in the Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion at Orange Coast College, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. Admission is free. For more information, visit ocartspavilion.blogspot.com.

TILL JUNE 12

'Three Days of Rain'

South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa presents Richard Greenberg's play "Three Days of Rain." For showtimes and more information, visit http://www.scr.org.

'Burn the Floor'

The Broadway dance extravaganza "Burn the Floor" comes to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts' Segerstrom Hall. Tickets start at $20 for the critically acclaimed show. For showtimes and more information, visit http://www.scfta.org.

Jose A. Aviles

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http://jose-aviles.blogspot.com

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Barça's Lionel Messi hungry for more after winning Champions League

The Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has warned that Pep Guardiola's team are hungrier than ever after confirming their place among history's greatest sides at Wembley on Saturday night. The Catalans 3-1 win over Manchester United earned Guardiola his second Champions League trophy as a manager and his 10th trophy in his first three years as a coach.

Messi, who scored Barça's second with an excellent strike in the second half, has now won the European Cup three times. But the Argentinian, 23, wants to win more. "This team is incredible," he said. "I think today we can't really fully appreciate what we're doing, what we are achieving. We want to keep winning trophies and we can keep going further and further."

But even the modest Messi had to acknowledge the gulf in class. "We were superior against Manchester and deserved the win," he said. "It is another cup for us and I managed to score a goal again. I saw a bit of space there, the goalkeeper came out a bit and luckily it went in. Now we're going on holiday – after taking the cup home to our people – then we will start thinking about what we can achieve next season."

The win means Barça are now one ahead of United in terms of Champions League titles and one behind Liverpool, who have five, though they remain five off the record-holders Real Madrid.

"We're pleased with the win because of how we did it, against Manchester United, one of the greats," Guardiola said. "We have produced something extraordinary, though, and we have four European Cups now, joining Ajax and Bayern Munich."

Guardiola highlighted the progress made since 2009, when he led Barça to an unprecedented treble in his first season in charge. "We played much better than two years ago in Rome [when they beat United 2–0]," he said, "and against a superb team that have also improved."

The Barça forward Ibrahim Afellay, who came on as a substitute at Wembley, is keen for his manager to stay. The Dutch player, who joined from PSV Eindhoven in January and is now a European champion, said: "He [Guardiola] signed a new contract [in February] so we think he is going to stay. We hope he stays because he is the best coach in the world. He was part of the reason I joined. If a coach like that tells you he wants you then you come. But with a club like Barcelona, you don't have to think for one second."

Jose A. Aviles

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http://jose-aviles.blogspot.com

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President Barack Obama heads to Joplin today to offer help in healing

President Barack Obama is pivoting from diplomacy on the world stage to the intimate and delicate domestic task of acting as healer-in-chief to a devastated community.


The president travels to tornado-wrecked Joplin, Mo., today, a day after returning from a six-day European tour of Ireland, England, France and Poland.

After days of focusing on the U.S. relationship with the rest of the world, he'll turn to an even more critical connection: his own, with the American people.

The president will visit with survivors and family members of the worst tornado in decades, a monster storm that tore through Joplin a week ago leaving more than 120 dead and hundreds more injured. A hundred more are unaccounted for, and the damage is massive.

The president will tour destroyed neighborhoods in the city of 50,000 in southwestern Missouri, and speak at a memorial service being held by local clergy and Gov. Jay Nixon for those who lost their lives. He'll offer federal assistance, and his own condolences.

It's a role Obama has had to assume with increasing frequency of late, after the mass shooting in Arizona in January in which Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was injured, when tornadoes struck Tuscaloosa, Ala., last month and more recently when flooding from the Mississippi inundated parts of Memphis, Tenn.

Such moments can help define a president, but habitually even-tempered Obama is more apt to offer handshakes and hugs than tears and deep emotion.

Though times of trouble can erase politics and unite people, a phenomenon Obama has commented on, his task as healer today will be carried out on unfriendly political ground as his re-election campaign approaches. Obama narrowly lost Missouri to Republican John McCain in 2008, but in Jasper County, where Joplin is located, McCain won by a large margin: 66% to 33%.

Jose A. Aviles

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Lashawna Threatt Dies In Fall From Window At Atlanta Hotel

A 30-year-old model died celebrating her birthday and another woman was seriously injured when they plunged from a 10th-story hotel window at a hotel early Saturday morning, investigators said.

Witnesses told police that 30-year-old Lashawna Threatt and second woman were "play wrestling" in a room at the W Midtown Hotel around 3:15 a.m. when they crashed into a window and fell four or five stories onto a slanted glass ceiling above a sunroom.

"They were play wrestling and the next thing you know, they went toward the window and through the window and out they went," said Lt. Paul Guerrucci, commander of the Atlanta Police Department's homicide unit.

Rescuers found Threatt dead on the sunroom roof. The second woman, whom police would not identify, tumbled off that same roof and fell onto an outdoor patio outside the hotel. She was taken to Grady Hospital with multiple broken bones and other injuries and listed in critical condition. Friends say Threatt was the best friend of the injured woman.

"According to the witnesses, there was no arguing during the hours leading up to this, either, so it's really a tragic accident," Guerrucci said.

None of the handful of people in the hotel room have been charged with any crimes. Guerrucci would not comment on whether alcohol could have played a role in the accident. Authorities were waiting on blood tests taken from the victim.

Threatt worked as a model who did liquor promotions and appeared in print ads. She started celebrating her birthday Friday by eating with friends at a restaurant, then went to the hotel room for an after party, said Jomarys Castillo, 24, a friend who attended the dinner but left before the hotel party. Threatt leaves behind a 15-year-old daughter.

"She was extremely charismatic - she could talk to anyone," Castillo said.

Hotel manager Michael O'Donohue referred all questions about the death back to police, citing the ongoing investigation. The hotel remained open Saturday.


"The incident at the W Atlanta early Saturday is very tragic and our thoughts and prayers are with the woman who was injured and the family and friends of the woman who died in the fall," he said in a statement.

Jose A. Aviles

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http://jose-aviles.blogspot.com

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UFC 130 Results!!!

UFC 130 live results: Rampage Jackson vs. Matt Hamill, Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson



Before the event, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker formally announced Strikeforce's July 30 card from Chicago will be headlined by a 220-pound catchweight contest between Dan Henderson and Fedor Emelianenko. Additionally, the five prelim bouts from the show will be broadcast on HDNet in a two hour block, including Gesias Cavalcante vs. Justin Wilcox and K.J. Noons vs. Jorge Masvidal. Future Strikeforce Challengers events starting in July will all take place at the Pearl at the Palms in Las Vegas.

Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Hamill

Jackson is a former UFC light heavyweight champion and has fought many of the world's all time best fighters in Pride and the UFC. Hamill has a wrestling background and notable wins over Keith Jardine, Tito Ortiz and Mark Munoz. A deaf athlete, there is a movie coming out on his life and career. This was originally scheduled to be the semi-main event of this show, but a lightweight title bout between Frank Edgar and Gray Maynard was canceled due to injuries.

Round 1. Hamill lands a leg kick at the start of the fight. Hamill shoots for a takedown but Jackson defends and lands some big punches on Hamill for the effort. Jackson connects with a right hook that sends Hamill back. Hamill backs up Jackson with a pair of straight punches. Hamill moves in for a takedown and nearly gets caught with an uppercut in the process. Hamill goes for another takedown and this time eats a knee. Jackson is doing a good job creating significant disincentives for Hamill to try takedowns. Hamill goes for another takedown and again eats a big knee in response. Jackson gets Hamill against the cage and opens up with some power punches and a vicious knee to the body. Hamill is bleeding from the mouth. 10-9 Jackson.

Round 2. Jackson immediately goes back to work with power punches. Hamill again looks for a takedown but doesn't come close. Hamill tries again for the takedown. He doesn't get it but at least this time he is able to retain a clinch. Hamill keeps looking for the takedown and Jackson hammers him with knees and an uppercut. Hamill starts to go for a takedown but seems to think better of it two feet out and Jackson pushes forward with heavy punches in response. Hamill lands a jab and circles while Jackson pushes the action. Hamill goes for another takedown and receives an uppercut and hook this time in retaliation. Jackson connects with a hard hook but Hamill has a very good chin and appears in no danger. Jackson goes to the body with a pair of punches and then a couple knees to the body. 10-9 Jackson. The result of this fight seems inevitable by this point.

Round 3. Hamill looks for a superman punch at the onset. Hamill looks for the takedown but doesn't come close. Jackson lands a body punch and knee to the body and Hamill pushes him against the cage. Jackson connects with an elbow and hook that may have been his best punch of the fight. Hamill absorbed it without any trouble. He can take a punch. The crowd boos as the pace slows down. Jackson punishes Hamill with another knee to the body. He lands another big knee to the body moments later and opens up with additional punches to close the round. Hamill takes a knee as the round ends and someone throws a drink at the Octagon. Solid but unspectacular win for Jackson. 10-9 Jackson, 30-27 Jackson.

Winner: Quinton Jackson, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). The crowd boos the decision being read, clearly in reaction to not liking the fight as opposed to thinking Hamill won. Jackson says that he injured his hand. Jackson is now in line for a title shot against Jon Jones.

RELATED: UFC 130 photo gallery

Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson

Mir and Nelson are two of the best Las Vegas born and bred MMA fighters. They are former training partners and get along well. Mir comes into this fight with a dense, muscular physique, while Nelson has a big belly as usual.

Round 1. Crowd is mostly filled in now. Mir looks to establish his jab early. Nelson shoots in for a takedown. Mir defends and looks for a takedown of his own. Nelson prevents that and goes back to his attempt. Mir lands some nice knees to the body and then a big one to the head. Nelson connects with a powerful overhand right and looks for the takedown again. Mir goes to town with repeated hard knees to the head but Nelson manages to walk through them and doesn't appear in any trouble. Nelson continues to push Mir against the cage but can't come close to a takedown. Nelson comes back with some punches including a big right hook. Mir uses a tremendous judo throw that floors Nelson. He mounts but Nelson is able to get back up. That was a heck of a round. Big advantage to Mir but the question remains how each man will come out in the second and third as this is unlikely to go to a decision. 10-9 Mir.
Round 2. The crowd applauds loudly as they touch gloves to start the round. Nelson connects with a straight right to begin, and Mir then opens up with punches of his own and pushes Nelson against the cage. Mir gets the takedown. Mir drops some elbows but Nelson stands back up. The crowd reacts big to that. They trade uppercuts up against the cage. Mir takes Nelson back down halfway through the round. Nelson is fully down but he works his way back up. Mir lands a pair of kicks to the body and Nelson answers with an overhand right. Nelson goes for a takedown but Mir easily defends. They clinch as the round wears down. Both men look tired but Nelson looks particularly exhausted. 10-9 Mir.

Round 3. They are moving in slow motion now. Neither man appears to have much left. Mir gets a takedown. Mir looks for a kimura but doesn't come close. Nelson stands back up. Mir drops down and gets another double leg takedown. Nelson scrambles out and they end up back against the cage with 90 seconds left in the fight. Mir takes Nelson back down again. Mir drops some hard elbows. Nelson gets up one more time with 30 seconds left in the fight. Nelson prevents a final takedown as the fight concludes. The fighters hug and put their hands on their knees to regain their breath. 10-9 Mir, 30-27 Mir.

Winner: Frank Mir, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26).

Gleison Tibau vs. Rafaello Oliveira

Tibau is a longtime UFC veteran who has fought many of the top 155 pound fighters. Oliveira has about a third the experience and nowhere near as many big time fights. Both are Brazilians who train in the United States. With time running low on the Facebook portion of the event, neither man gets an entrance.

Round 1. They start off with a lot of boxing, throwing plenty of hooks. Tibau gets a takedown but Oliveira immediately pushes Tibau off and gets back up. Oliveria lands a nice body kick and follows with a pair of punches. Tibau connects with a quality hook and takes Oliveira down. Oliveira gets back up but eats a straight left punch in the process. Close round. 10-9 Tibau.

Round 2. They exchange punches to start the round. Oliveira lands the best punch of the bunch with a looping left. Tibau scores a takedown a minute and a half into the round. Tibau looks for an arm triangle choke from the top but can't get it and Oliveira stands back up. Oliveira then presses Tibau against the cage and tries for a takedown. Tibau reverses and lands a punch that rocks Oliveira. Oliveira goes down, Tibau follows with additional punches, and takes Oliveira's back. Tibau throws punches from that position and then sinks in a rear naked choke for the submission.

Winner: Gleison Tibau, round 2, submission.

Tim Boetsch vs. Kendall Grove

Both Boetsch and Grove are veterans of the UFC. Grove's strengths lie in his striking and jiu jitsu while Boetsch has always relied heavily on his wrestling and power.

Round 1. Boetsch grabs a leg and takes Grove down. He starts throwing down punches from half guard. Boetsch stands back up. Grove lands a straight left/right and Boetsch answers with a hook. Boetsch presses Grove against the cage and takes Grove back down. Boetsch throws some punches and stands back up. They clinch on the feet and exchange knees. 10-9 Boetsch.

Round 2. Grove looks to use his reach advantage with straight punches. Boetsch fires back with a push kick that is one of his most regular weapons. They clinch against the cage and Boetsch uses a nice trip takedown. He lands in side control. Grove eventually gets back up but is taken down again and again ends up in side control. Grove stands back up and Boetsch again looks to take him back down. He secures yet another takedown but this time ends up in Grove's guard. Boetsch stands back up and Grove lands a high kick as the round comes to a close. Grove needs a finish in the third round. 10-9 Boetsch.

Round 3. Boetsch takes Grove back down immediately. Grove stands back up and they end up in the clinch again. Boetsch uses a beautiful judo toss to send Grove back down and throws some knees to the body as Grove gets back up. Grove lands a couple punches but Boetsch again closes the distance. Boetsch appears tired but Grove is down big. Boetsch takes Grove down again but Grove looks for an armbar. He can't get it. Grove gets up but is taken back down yet again. Grove throws up his legs for an armbar but doesn't come close. Grove finally takes Boetsch down with less than a minute but Boetsch grabs Grove's neck and takes top position back. 10-9 Boetsch, 30-27 Boetsch. This has not been an exciting card thus far.

Winner: Tim Boetsch, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

Miguel Torres vs. Demetrious Johnson

Torres, the former WEC bantamweight champion, is considered one of the best 135 pound fighters in the sport. Johnson is an undersized but exceedingly quick fighter with a strong wrestling base.

Round 1. There are still empty seats all over the house as the main card approaches. Johnson lands a pair of leg kicks at the start of the round. They clinch. Torres looks for a takedown. Johnson blocks it. Torres lands a big knee but Johnson takes him down. Torres immediately executes an impressive sweep to secure top position. Torres looks for an arm triangle choke. He gets side control and looks to mount, but Johnson gets him back into half guard. Torres throws some punches from top position. Johnson sweeps and takes top position. Torres looks for a leg lock but can't get it. Johnson ends up on top with a little less than a minute left in the round. Torres again looks for a sweep and then a triangle. After a crazy scramble Johnson ends up back on top. 10-9 Torres.

Round 2. Johnson charges forward with punches. He shoots and takes Torres down. Torres looks for a submission from the bottom and gets back up. Johnson takes him back down. Torres sweeps him but Johnson pushes through and takes top position again. Torres looks for a triangle choke but can't get it. Torres' strength has been a big difference in this fight. He's able to move Johnson around much more effectively even if Johnson has a wrestling edge. Johnson lands a few punches but mostly just concentrates on retaining top position. Johnson opens up a cut by Torres' eye with punches and elbows. Johnson takes side control and keeps pushing as the round concludes. 10-9 Johnson.

Round 3. Johnson lands a hard right hook and takes Torres down again. Torres has a unique grip with his arms around Johnson's shoulder. He lets that go and returns to full guard. These two move very quickly on the ground and don't stay very long in any one position. Johnson works into side control. Another quick scramble ends with Johnson having Torres' back but no hooks in. Johnson throws a few punches and ends up on top in guard. This has been a fun grappling battle. Torres reverses into full mount on Johnson with two minutes remaining. Johnson executes a really smooth reversal using Torres' leg to end up back in guard with Torres on top. Torres grabs a guillotine choke and they fight for position. On the feet, Johnson throws a few big knees and takes Torres down to close the round. Exciting, unique fight. 10-9 Johnson, 29-28 Johnson.

Winner: Demetrious Johnson, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). The crowd boos, but they liked Torres better coming out and it was absolutely a just decision. Johnson was limping badly coming out of the cage.

Brian Stann vs. Jorge Santiago

Stann, the former US Marine hero, is coming off the biggest win of his MMA career over Chris Leben in the semi-main event of UFC 125. Jorge Santiago struggled in UFC competition years ago, but went on a tremendous streak of success outside of UFC and now returns to the UFC a more highly regarded fighter than he ever was previously. Lil Jon and Warren Sapp are sitting next to each other in the front row.

Round 1. USA chants as the round starts. Stann starts with a couple leg kicks. He lands a nice straight right punch. Santiago answers with a body kick. Stann is cut under his eye but it's not in a bad place. Santiago shoots for a takedown but doesn't get it. They trade leg kicks. A hard Stann leg kick is the best shot of the fight thus far. Santiago responds with a head kick. Stann drops Santiago with a left punch and opens up with big punches on the ground. Santiago recovers his senses but Stann keeps dropping down heavy punches. Santiago eats some more big punches before standing up at the close of the round. Arguable 10-8 because Stann was very close to finishing, but the rest of the round was competitive enough to make it 10-9 Stann.

Round 2. Santiago shoots for a takedown but Stann defends successfully. Stann lands a leg kick and then knocks down an off balance Santiago with a leg kick as Santiago moves in. Santiago shoots for another takedown attempt but Stann again protects against it. Stann lands a hard uppercut in the middle of a combination but Santiago stays up. Santiago then answers with a spinning backfist that connects very well on Stann. Stann uses a nice body punch/head punch combination. Santiago runs in with a knee but doesn't land it and falls down in the process. He gets right back up. Santiago hits Stann with a nice straight right punch. They both go for hooks. Stann connects and Santiago drops. Stann keeps throwing down heavy bombs until the referee stops the fight. Impressive win for Stann, who is gaining momentum and connecting with the crowd. UFC still might want to call an audible and go with Stann as the coach opposite Michael Bisping on the next season of the Ultimate Fighter rather than Jason Miller.

Winner: Brian Stann, TKO, round 2.

Thiago Alves vs. Rick Story

Alves is a former UFC welterweight title contender and considered one of the best fighters in his division. His muay thai is among the most feared at 170 pounds. Story is a tough rising fighter with a wrestling background and a five fight winning streak in the UFC.

Round 1. Story shoots for a takedown and gets it 30 seconds into the fight. Alves gets back up immediately. Story throws some knees to the legs, hips and behind of Alves. Alves takes Story down but Story scrambles out and they return to the standing position. Story maintains a close distance and again looks for a takedown. They clinch against the cage. They are separated. Back in the center, Story throws some punches, eats a knee to the body, and clinches again. Story opens up with a series of punches from close distance and again looks for a takedown. They exchange punches and Story lands a nice knee. Alves connects with a hard hook right on the jaw. Most of the fight was fought on Story's terms. Close round but Story very narrowly. 10-9 Story.

Round 2. They exchange to start the round and each man connects on the chin of the other. They are landing a lot more than in many of the previous fights this evening. Story looks for a takedown and gets it for a second but Alves returns immediately to his feet. Story eats a knee as he shoots in for a takedown. Story gets the takedown but Alves stands right back up. Alves then executes a trip takedown of his own. Story looks to sweep and then stands back up. Story keeps pushing for a takedown but doesn't come close. Alves lands a left/right punch combination. Story goes for a takedown. He takes him down but Alves gets right back up. Alves lands a head kick and leg kick at the close of the round. 10-9 Alves. Story kept going for takedowns but Alves actually spent more time on top and landed the better shots. Story's style is winning him no fans tonight.

Round 3. They exchange punches and Alves lands a hard knee and right punch. He follows with a big left hook. Story pushes him against the cage yet again without coming close to a takedown. They exchange punches with Alves again getting the better of it. Story moves in with a pair of punches that land. He pushes Alves against the cage and looks for a takedown. Alves defends. Alves lands a hard right hook but Story takes it with no problems. Story returns to pushing him against the cage. Alves brushes off a takedown attempt again. Alves connects with another hard hook. Story has a great chin. Story pushes Alves against the cage but doesn't come anywhere close to a takedown. Alves hammers Story with another big knee and Story goes for another desperation takedown. Alves brushes off another takedown and they exchange to end the fight. 10-9 Alves. 29-28 Alves. Based on 10 point must, I'm expecting Story to get the decision but Alves was the better fighter and did much more damage.

Winner: Rick Story, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). Crowd boos but it's a perfectly defensible decision based on the scoring system. Nobody's going to be hungry for Story in more high profile fights, however, if he plans to clinch his way to the title.

Stefan Struve vs. Travis Browne

Browne is a knockout puncher with an undefeated record. Struve has a well rounded mix of striking and submissions, and is unusually tall at 6'11".

Round 1. The height of these two is really striking after watching much smaller welterweights. Each man throws some wild kicks to start the fight and Struve pushes Browne against the cage. Nothing happens and they are separated. Browne moves in with big punches that send Struve flying across the cage. Struve shakes the cage bouncing against it. Nothing has connected flush, however. Browne keeps throwing big looping punches while Struve is using an array of strikes. Browne throws Struve to the ground halfway through the round. Struve scrambles up and looks for a D'Arce choke and then an anaconda unsuccessfully. Browne knocks Struve out with a huge superman punch. It makes for an impressive visual with the tall Struve tumbling down.

Winner: Travis Browne, KO, round 1.

Michael McDonald vs. Chris Cariaso

McDonald is the youngest fighter in the UFC and sports a 12-1 record with no unavenged losses. Cariaso won his UFC debut but is the biggest underdog on the UFC 130 card.

Round 1. As Cariaso goes for a head kick, McDonald answers with a straight right punch that knocks Cariaso down. The knockdown was partially because Cariaso was off balance but it connected well. Cariaso shoots for a takedown but McDonald does a great job defending it. McDonald has a huge size and reach advantage that he is utilizing in the standup. Cariaso goes for a takedown but it is easily defended. McDonald drops Cariaso with a right/left combination and moves into his guard on the ground. They stand back up an exchange wild punches that don't connect. Cariaso lands a punch combination that connects well on the chin of McDonald. At the end of the round, McDonald gets a takedown. Cariaso immediately looks for a heel hook and McDonald spins out as the horn sounds to signal the round is over. 10-9 McDonald.

Round 2. Cariaso starts by throwing kicks low and high. McDonald is more concentrated on punches although he is mixing it up as well. Cariaso has trouble maintaining his balance when he throws high kicks and McDonald consistently counters with straight punches down the middle. After a short stoppage for a low blow, they return to action. Cariaso ducks down for a takedown but McDonald defends and then looks to take Cariaso down. McDonald gets a beautiful, ultra-quick takedown with 25 seconds left in the round and ends up in side control, but Cariaso gets up as the round comes to an end. Very close round. 10-9 McDonald.

Round 3. Cariaso catches a McDonald leg kick, lands a counter punch, and takes McDonald down. McDonald looks to sweep but can't do it. Cariaso looks to pass guard but is unsuccessful. He drops down a few hard punches. Cariaso stands back up, avoiding a triangle choke attempt in the process. McDonald gets a takedown. Cariaso grabs an omoplata and looks to crank the middle of McDonald's arm with his legs. McDonald stands back up. They return to kickboxing, but neither man is able to land anything of note for the remainder of the fight. 10-9 Cariaso, 29-28 McDonald.

Winner: Michael McDonald, split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28). The 30-27 score for Cariaso was strange, but it was a close fight.

Cole Escovedo vs. Renan Barao

Escovedo is a 10 year veteran of the sport who recovered from a very severe staph infection that kept him out of action from 2006 to 2009. Barao is a 24-year-old top prospect who rides a 27 fight win streak into this contest.

Round 1. Barao charges forward across the Octagon with strikes that push Escovedo against the cage. He then scoops up and slams Escovedo to the mat. Escovedo ties up Barao with his guard and Barao stands back up. Barao lands a nice hook/leg kick combination and backs Escovedo into the cage with punches. Escovedo pulls guard and takes Barao back down. Neither man is able to accomplish much from the position and the referee stands them back up. On the feet, Escovedo connects with a head kick and a stiff straight punch that sends Barao backwards. Barao proceeds to take Escovedo back down. Escovedo looks for an armbar and then lands an upkick as the round comes to an end. 10-9 Barao.

Round 2. Escovedo connects with a big uppercut and knee on Barao, and Barao immediately takes Escovedo down. The knee was close to landing while Barao had a knee down, but it appeared the knee was not quite down. Barao stands back up and they return to their feet. On the feet, neither man is able to connect well. Barao lands a few leg kicks. Barao then takes Escovedo back down. Escovedo works a butterfly guard and then switches to full guard. Barao hasn't been able to solve Escovedo's guard, but Escovedo can't stop the takedowns. The referee stands the fight back up. Barao takes Escovedo down. Escovedo looks to sweep at the end of the round but time runs out. 10-9 Barao.

Round 3. Escovedo again is able to connect better on the feet and lands a nice knee, but Barao takes him right back down. They stand back up shortly thereafter. Escovedo lands a body kick and Barao answers with leg kicks and a nice spinning back fist that the crowd reacts big to. They open up in the middle stages of the round with aggressive punches and kicks, but each man does a strong job defensively in avoiding the hardest shots. Barao goes for a spinning back kick and running knee. Barao appears to slightly stun Escovedo with a straight right and he gets a big slam to take Escovedo down with a minute and a half left in the fight. Escovedo looks to trap the arm and apply a triangle choke but Barao avoids that and gets back up. Escovedo gets up and starts firing but he is taken back down two more time as the fight comes to an end. 10-9 Barao, 30-27 Barao.

Winner: Renan Barao, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).

Jose A. Aviles

http://avicast.blogspot.com
http://jose-aviles.blogspot.com

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Francis Chan Takes on Hell, Eternity in New Book

Francis Chan, the bestselling author of Crazy Love, will address the topics of hell and eternity in a new book to be released this summer. The former pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, Calif., studied the Bible intensely to find out what it had to say on the topic, which attracted astounding amount of media attention this year because of Rob Bell’s controversial book, Love Wins.

Chan’s third book is entitled Erasing Hell: What God Said About Eternity and the Things We Make Up.

“I’ve been concerned as I’ve been listening to some of the discussions on hell and read some of the things that have been written,” said Chan in the promotional video released on Friday. “The tone in which we use, we've got to be careful here. We have to guard ourselves against a heartlessness.

“Do you understand what we are talking about? We are talking about real people here,” he reminded. “We can’t just have these theological discussions about a doctrine when we are talking about people’s eternal destiny here.”

Bell caused uproar earlier this year with the release of his book, where he casts doubt on the traditional Christian understanding of hell and the fate of non-Christians. In the book, Bell calls the dominant Christian story that only a few Christians will be called to heaven while the rest spends forever in punishment in hell "misguided and toxic." He criticizes churches that singularly preach that those who don't believe in Jesus will go to hell and questions the belief that salvation comes simply through confession, repentance and accepting Jesus.

Jose A. Aviles

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http://jose-aviles.blogspot.com

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Le Chef Cookie Jar

This chubby chef’s got something to hide. . . a whole stash of gourmet goodies! Cute-as-a-button cookie jar is the perfect storage spot for an assortment of treats.

Dolomite. Dishwasher safe. 7" x 6" x 11" high.

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Convicted felon claims he owns 50 percent of Facebook

Yesterday, an appeals court struck down an attempt by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's archnemeses, the Winklevoss twins, to override their 2008 settlement with the company and sue for more money. Then just hours later, a new drama about the origins of the social media giant emerged: A man, who claims to be Zuckerberg's initial funder, presented evidence that he and his lawyers insist prove him to be the rightful owner of at least half of the multibillion dollar company. It's a batch of emails legitimate enough to have the tech world buzzing. Could a sequel to "The Social Network" be in order?

If one were, the latest Zuckerberg adversary would certainly have the potential to be just as captivating, if not moreso, than the twins. The character of Paul Ceglia (shown above), alleged co-owner of Facebook, is emerging as the delightfully shady antithesis of the moneyed, pedigreed, Charles River-rowing Winklevoss twins.

The new, big screen-worthy conflict dates back to 2003, when Ceglia -- a wood pellet salesman at the time -- invested $2,000 in a website Zuckerberg was developing called "the face book." Years passed, a movie was made. Then, just recently, Ceglia came forward with his claim that Zuckerberg had offered him a 50-percent stake in the company in exchange for his investment.

To most observers, the story seemed preposterous. After all, why would Ceglia, an average-Joe type -- who's already been convicted of felony fraud and possession of hallucinogenic mushrooms -- wait so long to make any ownership claims on such a lucrative company? Further, he had been able to produce only a few documents to support his cause, and those he did produce were deemed by many to be of questionable authenticity.



But Ceglia says that the reason he sat on his secret until 2011 was because he thought he'd lost the important documents pertaining to his investment. He claims he found these documents after a dig into long-forgotten files -- when authorities came after him for defrauding some of his wood pellet customers. Facebook has repeatedly and vigorously denied that Ceglia's claims hold any merit whatsoever.

Then yesterday, Ceglia produced a series of his early email exchanges with Zuckerberg that at least got the tech industry talking.

Business Insider's Henry Blodget obtained them and summarized them thusly:


In these purported emails ... Zuckerberg and Ceglia discuss "the face book" project in detail. They discuss how Ceglia will fund the project. They discuss how Ceglia has funded the project (proof of payment). They discuss how Zuckerberg has met some upperclassmen--the Winklevosses, presumably--who are pursuing a similar project, and how Zuckerberg is "stalling" them. They discuss how Zuckerberg has failed to complete the "face book" project on time. They discuss the launch of the face book, which Ceglia agrees looks great.


The emails then include Zuckerberg telling Ceglia that the Facebook site is not doing well. They include Zuckerberg telling Ceglia that the site has seen so little success that Zuckerberg is thinking of shutting it down. And, in the summer of 2004, they include Zuckerberg offering to send Ceglia his $2,000 of funding back--right at the time Zuckerberg had moved to California to continue to develop, incorporate, and raise money for Facebook.


Ceglia contends that most of what Zuckerberg told him after the launch of the site were lies. (Facebook, as we all now know, went gangbusters right from the beginning). And Ceglia contends that, in the summer of 2004, Zuckerberg "misappropriated" the assets of their general partnership and conveyed them to the corporation that became Facebook, Inc.

Blodget goes on to note that Ceglia has retained DLA Piper, a major international law firm specializing in tech industry legal issues, to represent him. It's doubtful that such a firm would take on Ceglia's cause if they didn't believe it had some merit. And by now they've surely had their own team of investigators analyze every document Ceglia has turned over to them for verification of authenticity.

Still, Facebook is standing firm, insisting that Ceglia is little more than a conniving opportunist and a mildly clever oddball.

"This is a fraudulent lawsuit brought by a convicted felon, and we look forward to defending it in court," Orin Snyder, the company's lead attorney, said in a strongly worded statement emailed to The Lookout. "From the outset, we've said that this scam artist's claims are ridiculous and this newest complaint is no better."



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Ceelo Green

Ceelo Green.

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Tickets to the Prince Concert

These are the tickets to the Prince Concert (Welcome 2 America) at Madison Square Garden.

Jose A. Aviles

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Poem: I'm Home

How simple my life is now you are here,
How I cherish each breath,,
How I crave the light and laughter you have brought me.,
I have fallen in love without taking a step,
Fallen into the sweetest of dreams,,
How I hope no one wakes me.,
The simplest gesture wraps itself around my heart,
Where I will hold it forever.

Each time we say goodbye a part of me weeps,
Though I know it is not forever,
To my aching soul it is an eternity.,
I see my happiness shine in your eyes,
Every time you hold my hand my heart skips a beat.
How sweet life is to be yours;
How meaningless life is without you.

They know nothing of the loneliness before you,
Nothing of the empty tears I cried day after day,
How did you do it, I ask myself,
How did you banish the fear, the darkness?,
You have made me see that nothing is that bad,
That I am strong and worthy of happiness,
You have saved me from myself.

Everyday I wake up and smile to myself,
Knowing you are waiting for me,
Knowing you can't wait to see me.
How would I go on if you were not there to hold me up,
To bless me with your love and light?
How I am glad you have found me,
My life is now complete...
I am home.

By :  Kelly Youens

Jose A. Aviles

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Poem: Until my last day

The sun rises above the hillcrest,
As does the joy of my heart;
Rays of warmth and love,
From her I will never depart.

Fresh dew upon the grass,
Young birds chirp in their nests;
I watch her gently sleep,
My love to her I silently profess.

I enjoy the stillness and calm,
Watching as she smiles and dreams;
She brings me to stillness and peace,
Like that of a slow flowing stream.

My heart and soul flow with love,
And I smile as I quietly reflect;
I've been handed a sweet princess,
A sweet princess to love and to protect.

A vow to myself I make,
As she quietly sleeps away;
To love and always cherish her,
Until my last breath... until my last day.

By :  Michael Brieck

Jose A. Aviles

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Poem: To the one I call my Wife

I'll give you my heart;
I'll open it up,
Will you listen to its small still voice?,
For soft and quiet my heart will speak,
To the one I'll call my wife.

Did you hear it dear? Did you listen well?,
Do you understand what it said?,
For deep is the love that it speaks to you,
Deep as the rose is red.

So, take my heart and treat it well,
And forever in this life,,
Come walk with me, your hand in mine,,
The one I'll call my wife.

By :  Melvin D. Sharrar

Jose A. Aviles

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Poem: The Reason I LOVE YOU

If I had a thousand pages,,
I could never name them all,,
The reasons that I love you,,
For the list would be too tall.

I love you for the melody,,
I hear within your voice.,
The way your blue eyes hold me,,
A captive, but by choice.

I love you for your gentle hands,,
That melt away my pain.,
I love you for your loving heart,,
That made mine beat again.

I love you for your loving smile,,
With which my old heart soars.,
These are some of the reasons,,
Every second beat is yours.

By :  Mark Liverance
Sent using AppFlute Love Poems Android App.

Jose A. Aviles

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Poem: You and Me

That morning whisper,
A gentle kiss,
A suspended moment,
Of perfect bliss

That precious feeling,
As eyes first meet,
Bodies entwined,
In sleepy heat

Fingers touching,
Breath as one,
Hearts in rhythm,
We greet the sun

Content, in truth,
Just to be,
Simply enjoying,
You and me

By :  Jamie Vogel

Jose A. Aviles

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Poem: I WISH

I lie on the ground,
and stare into space,
the stars start to move,
into the shape of your face.

I see you there now,
looking down at me,
with that cute little smile,
that I like to see.

You say "close your eyes",
"tell me what you see",
I see only two people,
just you and me.

We're walking the shoreline,
with our feet getting wet,
the horizon turns pink,
as the sun starts to set.

We make love through the night,
on that white sandy shore,
then I hold you while thinking,
I could want nothing more.

Oh I wish I could be,
in that one special place,
as I lie on the ground,
and I stare into space...

By :  Randy Schutte

Jose A. Aviles

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Poem: I LOVE

I love your dark eyes,
And your curly hair,
I love your smile,
And the way that you care.

I love your deep kisses,
I love your soft touch,
I love you, I love you,
I love you so much.

By :  Christin C.

Jose A. Aviles

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My Precious taking a nap

Here is my Precious taking a nap.  She is the cutest Puppy in the whole world.  She drive us nuts but she is a good Puppy.  MY PUPPY.

Jose A. Aviles

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Senate votes to overturn military gay ban

In a landmark for gay rights, the Senate on Saturday voted to let gays serve openly in the military, giving President Barack Obama the chance to fulfill a campaign promise and repeal the 17-year policy known as "don't ask, don't tell."

Obama was expected to sign it next week, although the change wouldn't take immediate effect. The legislation says the president and his top military advisers must certify that lifting the ban won't hurt troops' fighting ability. After that, there's a 60-day waiting period for the military.

"It is time to close this chapter in our history," Obama said in a statement after a test vote cleared the way for final action. "It is time to recognize that sacrifice, valor and integrity are no more defined by sexual orientation than they are by race or gender, religion or creed."

The Senate vote was 65-31. The House had passed an identical version of the bill, 250-175, on Wednesday.

Repeal would mean that, for the first time in American history, gays would be openly accepted by the military and could acknowledge their sexual orientation without fear of being kicked out.

More than 13,500 service members have been dismissed under the 1993 law.

Rounding up a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate was a historic victory for Obama, who made repeal a campaign promise in 2008. It also was a political triumph for congressional Democrats who struggled in the final hours of the postelection session to overcome GOP objections on several legislative priorities before Republicans regain control of the House in January.

"As Barry Goldwater said, 'You don't have to be straight to shoot straight,'" said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., referring to the late GOP senator from Arizona.

Sen. John McCain, Obama's GOP rival in 2008, led the opposition. The Arizona Republican acknowledged he didn't have the votes to stop the bill and he blamed elite liberals with no military experience for pushing their social agenda on troops during wartime.

"They will do what is asked of them," McCain said of service members. "But don't think there won't be a great cost."

In the end, six GOP senators broke with their party on the procedural vote to let the bill move ahead and swung behind repeal after a recent Pentagon study concluded the ban could be lifted without hurting the ability of troops to fight. On the final vote for passage, eight Republicans joined the majority Democrats.

Advocacy groups who lobbied hard for repeal hailed the vote as a significant step forward in gay rights. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network called the issue the "defining civil rights initiative of this decade."

Supporters of repeal filled the visitor seats overlooking the Senate floor, ready to protest had the bill failed.

"This has been a long fought battle, but this failed and discriminatory law will now be history," said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign.

The Pentagon study found that two-thirds of service members didn't think changing the law would have much of an effect. But of those who did predict negative consequences, a majority were assigned to combat arms units. Nearly 60 percent of the Marine Corps and Army combat units, such as infantry and special operations, said in the survey they thought repealing the law would hurt their units' ability to fight.

The Pentagon's uniformed chiefs are divided on whether this resistance might pose serious problems.

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos has said he thinks lifting the ban during wartime could cost lives.

"I don't want to lose any Marines to the distraction," he told reporters this week. "I don't want to have any Marines that I'm visiting at Bethesda (Naval Medical Center) with no legs be the result of any type of distraction."

Adm. Mike Mullen and Marine Gen. James Cartwright, the chairman and vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, respectively, have said the fear of disruption is overblown. They note the Pentagon's finding that 92 percent of troops who believe they have served with a gay person saw no effect on their units' morale or effectiveness. Among Marines in combat roles who said they have served alongside a gay person, 84 percent said there was no impact.

___

Online:

Pentagon study: http://tinyurl.com/23lxc49

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network: http://www.sldn.org/

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Today's Quote

"I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends." - Abraham Lincoln







Jose Aviles

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Today's Quote

"Most people have a harder time letting themselves love than finding someone to love them." - Bill Russell







Jose Aviles

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WikiLeaks claims next target is 'big US bank'

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has claimed a fresh "megaleak" will target a major US bank "early next year," according to an interview published Monday.

Speaking to Forbes magazine, Assange said that he was ready to unleash tens of thousands of documents that could "take down a bank or two."

Comparing the documents to the emails that exposed Enron's dealings amid its collapse, the controversial Australian said an existing "big US bank" was the subject of a pending data dump.

Asked about any future leaks, he said: "Yes. We have one related to a bank coming up, that?s a megaleak. It's not as big a scale as the Iraq material, but it?s either tens or hundreds of thousands of documents depending on how you define it."

The interview was conducted in early November, before Sunday's publication of around a quarter of a million leaked United States embassy cables from WikiLeaks that have caused consternation in Washington and capitals around the world.

Assange said the bank leak would "give a true and representative insight into how banks behave at the executive level in a way that will stimulate investigations and reforms, I presume.

"Usually when you get leaks at this level, it's about one particular case or one particular violation."

Amid the economic crisis a handful of "too big to fail" US banks have come under scrutiny for their dealings, particularly with mortgaged-backed securities that helped fuel the meltdown.

Executives from Goldman Sachs and the now-defunct Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns have been hauled before Congress to explain their bank's actions.

Assange mentioned Goldman Sachs by name in the interview, but did not confirm the Wall Street giant will be the target of the leak.

Goldman has recently agreed a 550 million dollar settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission to settle fraud charges.

Facing allegations of defrauding investors, the storied investment bank admitted it had made a "mistake" and given "incomplete" information to clients.

Assange said that "about 50 percent" of the documents that the nonprofit organization holds relate to the corporate world.

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Paul the predicting octopus dies

Paul the Octopus, the tentacled tipster who fascinated football fans by correctly predicting results at this year’s World Cup, died Tuesday.

Paul had reached octopus old age of 2 1/2 years and died in his tank on Tuesday morning in an aquarium in the western German city of Oberhausen, spokeswoman Ariane Vieregge said.

Paul seemed to be in good shape when he was checked late Monday, but he did not make it through the night. He died of natural causes, Vieregge added.

“We had all naturally grown very fond of him and he will be sorely missed,” Sea Life manager Stefan Porwoll said in a statement.

The aquarium has not yet decided how best to commemorate their most famous resident, he said.

“We may decide to give Paul his own small burial plot within our grounds, and erect a modest permanent shrine,” Porwoll said.

After rising to global prominence during the World Cup in South Africa in June and July, Paul retired from the predictions business after the final between Spain and the Netherlands—the result of which he also forecast correctly—and returned to his prime role of making children happy.

The blogosphere erupted in sympathy for Paul, although some saw him more as a tasty morsel than a departed friend. “Will they cook him Galician-style? I wonder how much a plate of Paul with a beer must cost,” wrote Jordi, alluding to the popularity of octopus as a dish in the northwest Galicia region and much of Spain.

Others were more philosophical on hearing of Paul’s death.

“For the next month I will go to class dressed in mourning, wrapped in a black suit and with my gaze lost in the horizon, as this calamitous event deserves no less,” wrote ‘relojero’ which means watchmaker. Another blogger, Pedro, saw a sinister hand at work. “An autopsy should be carried out, it’s certain some betting office killed him.”

In July, the Sea Life aquarium in Oberhausen said Paul was stepping “back from the official oracle business.

“He won’t give any more oracle predictions—neither in football, nor in politics, lifestyle or economy,” said spokeswoman Tanja Munzig. “Paul will get back to his former job, namely making children laugh.”

Paul correctly tipped the outcome of all seven of Germany’s games. He made his predictions by opening the lid of one of two clear plastic boxes, each containing a mussel and bearing a team flag.

After his World Cup soothsaying skills were revealed, the English-born Paul was appointed as an ambassador to England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup. He had English roots, having been hatched at Weymouth Sea Life Center on England’s south coast in 2008.

Imitators sprang up all over the world, including Mani the Parakeet in Singapore and Lorenzo the Parrot in Hannover, Germany.

The latest was a saltwater crocodile named Dirty Harry, who predicted Spain’s World Cup final win and called the result of Australia’s general election by snatching a chicken carcass dangling beneath a caricature of Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

“El Pulpo Paul” became so popular in Spain that the northwestern Spanish town of O Carballino tried to borrow him and made him an “honorary friend.”

In response to hundreds of requests to bring Paul to Spain, the Madrid Zoo asked Sea Life if it would be willing to make a deal to bring him in as a tribute to the Spanish football team’s victory, either temporarily or for good. But the German aquarium turned down that offer, too.

Paul also had an agent and Paul’s name will live on the Greek island of Zakynthos, where a permanent sea turtle rescue center funded in part by donations generated by the famous octopus is being established. Sphere: Related Content

Today's Quote

"Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character." - Albert Einstein








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Today's Quote

"Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character." - Albert Einstein









Jose Aviles

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Today's Quote

"Friends will keep you sane, Love could fill your heart, A lover can warm your bed, But lonely is the soul without a mate." - David Pratt








Jose Aviles

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Today's Quote

"In love, women are professionals, men are amateurs" - Francois Truffaut








Jose Aviles

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Today's Quote

"Your battles inspired me - not the obvious material battles but those that were fought and won behind your forehead." - James Joyce









Jose Aviles

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Today's Quote

"Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do." - Benjamin Spock








Jose Aviles

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Today's Quote

"I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends." - Abraham Lincoln








Jose Aviles

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Today's Quote

"Most people fail in life because they major in minor things." - Anthony Robbins







Jose Aviles

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Today's Quote

"Life, is not a having and a getting, but a being and a becoming." - Myrna Loy






Jose Aviles

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Daily Quotes 9-10-10

"Find something you love to do and you'll never have to work a day in your life" - Harvey MacKay






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Today's Quote 9-8-10

"We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly" - Sam Keen






Jose Aviles

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Today's Quote 9-7-10

"To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world." - Brandi Snyder







Jose Aviles

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Today's Quote 9-3-10

"To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness." - Robert Muller







Jose Aviles

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Today's Quote 9-2-10

"They invented hugs to let people know you love them without saying anything." - Bil Keane







Jose Aviles

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