Teen sends a video message to pal and collaborator for 'MTV First: Sean Kingston.'By Jocelyn Vena, with additional reporting by Matt Elias
Justin Bieber
Photo: MTV News
On Tuesday night (August 2), Sean Kingston sat down with MTV News to talk about a Memorial Day weekend jet-ski accident that landed him in the hospital for more than a month. In the weeks since his release, he's been working to get his life and career back on track, all of which he opened up about during "MTV First: Sean Kingston."
He's been getting support from his pals, like teen superstar Justin Bieber, who made his way down to Miami earlier this month to visit Kingston. The two have collaborated on several tracks, including "Eenie Meenie," and toured together last year.
The 17-year-old shared this message with us in an interview that aired during the special: "I just want to say what's up, Sean? I'm glad you're doing well. I had fun hanging out with you in Miami, and there's plenty more memories to come."
Bieber was spotted in Kingston's hometown, where the two buddies kicked back. "We were just hanging out at his house, kicking it, driving around Miami and whatnot," Bieber explained of the trip. "It was a lot of fun. I got to relax and take time off."
During his trip, Bieber got a chance to see how well the "Beautiful Girls" singer has been doing in the months since the crash, which led Kingston to make the decision to lose a significant amount of weight. "His spirits are a lot higher," he said. "He still has to have people around him to make sure he's doing all right, but his spirits are high, and he's doing well."
Share your well-wishes for Sean in the comments below.
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Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Leighton Meester And Ed Westwick Film Promo Shots For ?Gossip Girl?
‘Gossip Girl‘ co-stars Ed Westwick and Leighton Meester spent their day at a photoshoot on the Upper West Side.� They looked like they were having some fun.� I would hope they all get along pretty well considering how many years … Continue reading →
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Wine-derful
Judges completed the first day of tasting the finest vintages the wine world has to offer at the 70th Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. Stepping into the Millard Sheets Center for the Arts, where judging is taking place, the aroma is musky, flowery, fruity, nutty. Pretty powerful! Judges gather around round tables comparing [...]
FORGET ME NEVER FORT LAUDERDALE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOUNTAIN OF LOVE
Michael Jackson - The Way You Make Me Feel
The Way You Make Me Feel
Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic
Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic
Which Harry Potter Movie Is the Best?
Last week you talked about what the best Harry Potter book was. What about movies? I think the latest one was the best.
?B.C., Dearborn, Missouri
You speak of Harry...
?B.C., Dearborn, Missouri
You speak of Harry...
Ashlee Simpson Hits The Arrivals Gate At LAX
Although she may have left her New York love behind, songstress turned actress Ashlee Simpson was all smiles when she arrived at LAX yesterday afternoon. The blonde mommy-of-one to Bronx, was recently spotted in NYC on the arm of Boardwalk … Continue reading →
"Glee" Embraces Being 3-D
Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Lea Michele and the rest of the "Glee" cast dish on their 3-D film and tour! Plus, hear how they handle fame.
Monday, August 8, 2011
'Celeb Rehab' Star -- WEED Should Be Legal
Filed under: Eric Roberts, Politix
One year after Eric Roberts completed a stint in "Celebrity Rehab" for weed "dependency," the actor is back on the pro-pot bandwagon ... releasing a new video in the hopes of legalizing the green stuff.Back before he sought treatment last year, Eric's wife Eliza explained how the actor "quit drugs and alcohol in 1995" but still had an "interest in weed."At the time, Eliza said, "He uses marijuana as a medication. He has a prescription ... however, a dependency is a dependency and he doesn't want to be dependent on it anymore."Now, in a new video for TellDC.com, Eric is making the argument that if booze is legal, weed should be too ... saying, "Alcohol has destroyed whole civilizations whereas pot has only made a few hippies happy."He adds, "Pot remains illegal because no one has figured out how to make it profitable for the government yet ... it's political, not protective."So we gotta ask ...
Permalink
One year after Eric Roberts completed a stint in "Celebrity Rehab" for weed "dependency," the actor is back on the pro-pot bandwagon ... releasing a new video in the hopes of legalizing the green stuff.Back before he sought treatment last year, Eric's wife Eliza explained how the actor "quit drugs and alcohol in 1995" but still had an "interest in weed."At the time, Eliza said, "He uses marijuana as a medication. He has a prescription ... however, a dependency is a dependency and he doesn't want to be dependent on it anymore."Now, in a new video for TellDC.com, Eric is making the argument that if booze is legal, weed should be too ... saying, "Alcohol has destroyed whole civilizations whereas pot has only made a few hippies happy."He adds, "Pot remains illegal because no one has figured out how to make it profitable for the government yet ... it's political, not protective."So we gotta ask ...
Permalink
WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN WHEN THE SWALLOWS COME BACK TO CAPISTRANO WHERE COULD I GO BUT TO THE LORD
Justin Bieber Vintage Video: His First Meeting With Usher
Justin Timberlake also wanted to sign Bieber, 'Never Say Never' star said in 2009.By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber
Photo: Brian Phares/MTV News
Just as the world was learning who Justin Bieber was, MTV News caught up with the shaggy-haired singer in September 2009. He was gearing up to release his debut album, My World, and plotting his pop-world domination. In the year and a half since that interview, Bieber has done the nearly impossible, launching himself into the pop mega-sphere.
In the chat, Bieber recalled how he and his manager, Scooter Braun, met and eventually got big names interested in signing the teen.
"My manager found me on YouTube. He flew me out to Atlanta for the first time — I'd never actually been on a plane before. He flew me to Atlanta where i was going to the studio to meet some people," he recalled.
"And Usher happened to roll up in his Range Rover. I ran up to him, and I was like, 'Usher, I love your songs. Want me to sing you one?' The politest possible way he could say no, he did. ... I took the hint. I didn't get to sing for him: He had to run into a studio session."
But later, Usher was beckoning the teen back to the ATL. "He actually watched my videos — after my manager got to talking to him — and was like, 'I should have let this kid sing,' and flew me back to Atlanta where I got to sing for him in a proper setting. A week later, I had a meeting with Justin Timberlake, who also wanted to sign me, so they both kind of wanted me."
As the story goes, Bieber went with Usher, and the two never looked back.
"As far as Usher being my mentor, he's definitely given me words of wisdom. I hear it from everybody, but definitely to hear it from Usher is great, just to stay humble and grounded is very important," he explained.
"There's a lot of people, especially young stars, that have gone down the wrong path, and I definitely plan to stay humble and stay grounded and keep my family first, because that stuff really is important in life."
On Friday, Justin Bieber's 3-D documentary, "Never Say Never," opens. The film takes a look at how the teen star worked to hit it big. MTV News has been chatting with him along the way, from the time he first burst on the scene in 2009 until now, as he embarks on a huge 2011 that will include a tour and more new music.
Related Videos
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Justin Bieber
Photo: Brian Phares/MTV News
Just as the world was learning who Justin Bieber was, MTV News caught up with the shaggy-haired singer in September 2009. He was gearing up to release his debut album, My World, and plotting his pop-world domination. In the year and a half since that interview, Bieber has done the nearly impossible, launching himself into the pop mega-sphere.
In the chat, Bieber recalled how he and his manager, Scooter Braun, met and eventually got big names interested in signing the teen.
"My manager found me on YouTube. He flew me out to Atlanta for the first time — I'd never actually been on a plane before. He flew me to Atlanta where i was going to the studio to meet some people," he recalled.
"And Usher happened to roll up in his Range Rover. I ran up to him, and I was like, 'Usher, I love your songs. Want me to sing you one?' The politest possible way he could say no, he did. ... I took the hint. I didn't get to sing for him: He had to run into a studio session."
But later, Usher was beckoning the teen back to the ATL. "He actually watched my videos — after my manager got to talking to him — and was like, 'I should have let this kid sing,' and flew me back to Atlanta where I got to sing for him in a proper setting. A week later, I had a meeting with Justin Timberlake, who also wanted to sign me, so they both kind of wanted me."
As the story goes, Bieber went with Usher, and the two never looked back.
"As far as Usher being my mentor, he's definitely given me words of wisdom. I hear it from everybody, but definitely to hear it from Usher is great, just to stay humble and grounded is very important," he explained.
"There's a lot of people, especially young stars, that have gone down the wrong path, and I definitely plan to stay humble and stay grounded and keep my family first, because that stuff really is important in life."
On Friday, Justin Bieber's 3-D documentary, "Never Say Never," opens. The film takes a look at how the teen star worked to hit it big. MTV News has been chatting with him along the way, from the time he first burst on the scene in 2009 until now, as he embarks on a huge 2011 that will include a tour and more new music.
Related Videos
Discovering Justin Bieber
MTV Rough Cut: Justin Bieber
Related Photos
Photos From Justin Bieber's Interview With Sway
Related Artists
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Usher
Photos | MTV Buzzworthy Blog: Pop Star Brides
MTV Buzzworthy Blog: Pop Star Brides
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Beyoncé
Madonna
Christina Aguilera
Katy Perry
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THERE S NO PLACE LIKE HOME THERE S NO TOMORROW THEY REMIND ME TOO MUCH OF YOU
Sundance Institute to Partner With Hulu, Amazon, iTunes, YouTube and Netflix
Jay A. Fernandez The Artist Services program would help provide exposure to the work of independent filmmakers that have gone through Sundance programs.read more
YOUR LOVE S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING YOUR TIME HASN T COME YET BABY YOU RE A HEARTBREAKER
Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga Support Berry Family After Tragic Accident
Uncle of orphaned, injured Texas children calls outreach 'amazing.'By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
On July 3, the Berry family suffered an incredible tragedy. Parents Joshua and Robin Berry were killed in a car crash, while brothers Peter, 9, and Aaron, 8, were paralyzed, possibly for life, and remain hospitalized. Their younger sister, Willa, 6, was also injured, but suffered only broken bones. In the weeks since the crash in Texas, celebrities have been doing their part to help raise money for the care of the three young children.
Using the power of social media, everyone from Justin Bieber and Britney Spears to Lady Gaga and Usher have asked their fans to "Show Your Hearts" with donations at showyourhearts.org and via text message (texting BERRY to 85944 donates $10). Their call to arms has meant the world to Matt Berry, the kids' uncle.
"My wife had this family member in the Justin Bieber camp, and when the accident happened ... they reached out to us and asked how they could help," he told MTV News on Thursday. "So, it's been pretty much organic from their reaching out. Right after the accident, he was asking for their names and praying with his mom for the kids. It's not something we expected would happen, obviously.
"So, my understanding is that he wanted to do something to help, and the best way they could help was to create awareness," he continued. "They have a lot of friends and contacts. And then, of course, once their campaigns started going, it looked like a lot of people joined it because I think everyone had some sort of feeling of empathy."
The family is still mending: Peter and Aaron's "lifelong conditions" have been amplified by the loss of their parents; meanwhile Willa is still trying to come to terms with the incident.
Matt Berry said of all the public support they've received has "definitely helped." "Anything that goes to help the kids in their predicament [helps]. I don't know how long it will continue. I'm not someone who likes to be in the public eye, so it's a little bit awkward, but it's amazing.
"It's a little bit overwhelming," he added, but he said that right now, the family is taking it "day by day" as they deal with the aftermath of such a tremendously tragic turn of events.
"If it was up to us, we'd pray that they were able to stand up in a couple of weeks and walk out of the hospital, but the likelihood of that happening is low," he said, adding that the boys are readying for rehab to try to heal in any small way. "There's been a lot of people supporting us, and that's huge. The ultimate dream is if in their lifetime, there's enough momentum to figure something out and fix spinal-cord injuries. We've got two of them that need something special."
Show your support at showyourhearts.org and the Berry Children's Trust Facebook page.
Related Artists
Justin Bieber
Lady Gaga
Justin Bieber
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
On July 3, the Berry family suffered an incredible tragedy. Parents Joshua and Robin Berry were killed in a car crash, while brothers Peter, 9, and Aaron, 8, were paralyzed, possibly for life, and remain hospitalized. Their younger sister, Willa, 6, was also injured, but suffered only broken bones. In the weeks since the crash in Texas, celebrities have been doing their part to help raise money for the care of the three young children.
Using the power of social media, everyone from Justin Bieber and Britney Spears to Lady Gaga and Usher have asked their fans to "Show Your Hearts" with donations at showyourhearts.org and via text message (texting BERRY to 85944 donates $10). Their call to arms has meant the world to Matt Berry, the kids' uncle.
"My wife had this family member in the Justin Bieber camp, and when the accident happened ... they reached out to us and asked how they could help," he told MTV News on Thursday. "So, it's been pretty much organic from their reaching out. Right after the accident, he was asking for their names and praying with his mom for the kids. It's not something we expected would happen, obviously.
"So, my understanding is that he wanted to do something to help, and the best way they could help was to create awareness," he continued. "They have a lot of friends and contacts. And then, of course, once their campaigns started going, it looked like a lot of people joined it because I think everyone had some sort of feeling of empathy."
The family is still mending: Peter and Aaron's "lifelong conditions" have been amplified by the loss of their parents; meanwhile Willa is still trying to come to terms with the incident.
Matt Berry said of all the public support they've received has "definitely helped." "Anything that goes to help the kids in their predicament [helps]. I don't know how long it will continue. I'm not someone who likes to be in the public eye, so it's a little bit awkward, but it's amazing.
"It's a little bit overwhelming," he added, but he said that right now, the family is taking it "day by day" as they deal with the aftermath of such a tremendously tragic turn of events.
"If it was up to us, we'd pray that they were able to stand up in a couple of weeks and walk out of the hospital, but the likelihood of that happening is low," he said, adding that the boys are readying for rehab to try to heal in any small way. "There's been a lot of people supporting us, and that's huge. The ultimate dream is if in their lifetime, there's enough momentum to figure something out and fix spinal-cord injuries. We've got two of them that need something special."
Show your support at showyourhearts.org and the Berry Children's Trust Facebook page.
Related Artists
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Lady Gaga
Cool Climate Chilean Reds: A Pinot Noir Value Play?
Wines of Chile hosted an online tasting this past Wednesday night offering bloggers across the US a chance to taste through Chilean Pinot Noirs and Syrahs. The event was moderated by Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer in New York with Chilean winemakers appearing via a live video stream.
The Pinot Noirs were impressive, especially considering their price points. A question I had on my mind coming into the tasting is which iconic Pinot Noir producing regions Chilean Pinot Noir most closely aligns with? The answer from the winemakers was that Pinot Noir is still a relatively new variety in Chile and they're exploring what works best. I think I have an idea based on the four we tasted - check out the conclusions below for more on that.
The Syrah we tasted were smoky, with higher levels of acidity than you'd find in Australia Shiraz for example. Priced between $13 and $29 I thought each was flavorful and had substantial tannins.
Here are my thoughts on the wines:
Pinot Noirs
2009 Valdivieso Reserve Pinot Noir
14.5% alc
$16.99
There's an aroma in this wine that reminds me of fresh residential carpeting. Really unique. But once you get past that it's pretty clean, round and enjoyable. Light in body but brings legitimate flavor. Nice slightly sweet spice. Dances lightly on the palate.
85/100 WWP: Good
2009 Vina Casablanca Nimbus Estate Pinot Noir
14.0% alc
$19.99
Aromatically perfumy. Ample fruit. A little smoke. Nicely balanced. Great velvety mouth feel.
87/100 WWP: Very Good
2009 Veramonte Ritual Pinot Noir
14% alc
$19.99
Nice long finish. I like this wine a lot but it's surprisingly "grippy" for a Pinot Noir which differentiates it from most Pinot Noir made in the US. A great overall package for less than $20.
88/100 WWP: Very Good
2008 Cono Sur Ocio Pinot Noir
14% alc
$65
Though Cono Sur makes a very good entry-level Pinot Noir you can find for under $15. Only 50 cases of this high-end $65 bottling were imported to the US. That scarcity is unfortunate because this wine is gorgeous. What stands out about it is its purity - not a single off note anywhere in the bottle. Great wine.
92/100 WWP: Outstanding
Syrahs
2009 Tamaya Syrah Reserva
97% Syrah 3% Viognier
13.5% alc
$16.99
A very unique nose. Black pepper to the point it almost made me sneeze. A little volatile acidity perhaps? A little rough going on the palate. Kind of hard to switch gears from the Pinot Noirs to this.
82/100 WWP: Good
2006 Loma Large Syrah
14.5% alc
$29
Major smokeyness on this wine. Have you ever been to Disneyland? It reminds me of the smell you get when the Disneyland Railroad goes through the tunnels. You know - the part with the Grand Canyon and the dinos and all that? Beyond that there's substantial acidity and tannins. Definitely one to pair with food.
84/100 WWP: Good
2009 Undurraga T.H. Syrah
13.5% alc
$24.99
The "Terroir Hunter". Friendly, fresh, fruity nose compared to the two previoius Syrah. A serious wine. Good dose of acidity. Tannins are present but the wine is smooth. Very nice.
87/100 WWP: Very Good
2009 Hacienda Araucano Reserva Syrah
14.5% alc
$13
Pretty nose that wouldn't be out of place in a Napa Syrah. Warmer and richer than the prior three Syrah on the palate, but with substantial chewy tannins. Most similar of the bunch to what I'd expect from a Napa Syrah. Nice value at $13.
86/100 WWP: Very Good
Conclusion and Recommendations
The story of the night for me was the quality of these Pinot Noir especially given most of them cost less than $20. The Cono Sur Ocio was beautiful but at $65 with only 50 cases imported it will be hard to find - and pricey. The style of these more affordable Pinot Noir reminds me of a clean Sonoma Coast style with higher acidity and more robust tannins.
The Veramonte Ritual, from the Quintessa portfolio, is one to check out given its wide availability. Shop for it on Wine-Searcher.com here.
As a group I wasn't blown away by the Syrah. It's been said it is easier to get rid of a case of pneumonia than a case of Syrah so I wonder: What will differentiate Chilean Syrah on US retailer shelves?
My thanks to the folks from Wines of Chile and the winemakers for sharing these wines and their time with us. Samples for review.
Question of the Day: What do you think of cool climate Chilean Reds? Anything value plays you'd like to share?
The Pinot Noirs were impressive, especially considering their price points. A question I had on my mind coming into the tasting is which iconic Pinot Noir producing regions Chilean Pinot Noir most closely aligns with? The answer from the winemakers was that Pinot Noir is still a relatively new variety in Chile and they're exploring what works best. I think I have an idea based on the four we tasted - check out the conclusions below for more on that.
The Syrah we tasted were smoky, with higher levels of acidity than you'd find in Australia Shiraz for example. Priced between $13 and $29 I thought each was flavorful and had substantial tannins.
Here are my thoughts on the wines:
Pinot Noirs
2009 Valdivieso Reserve Pinot Noir
14.5% alc
$16.99
There's an aroma in this wine that reminds me of fresh residential carpeting. Really unique. But once you get past that it's pretty clean, round and enjoyable. Light in body but brings legitimate flavor. Nice slightly sweet spice. Dances lightly on the palate.
85/100 WWP: Good
2009 Vina Casablanca Nimbus Estate Pinot Noir
14.0% alc
$19.99
Aromatically perfumy. Ample fruit. A little smoke. Nicely balanced. Great velvety mouth feel.
87/100 WWP: Very Good
2009 Veramonte Ritual Pinot Noir
14% alc
$19.99
Nice long finish. I like this wine a lot but it's surprisingly "grippy" for a Pinot Noir which differentiates it from most Pinot Noir made in the US. A great overall package for less than $20.
88/100 WWP: Very Good
2008 Cono Sur Ocio Pinot Noir
14% alc
$65
Though Cono Sur makes a very good entry-level Pinot Noir you can find for under $15. Only 50 cases of this high-end $65 bottling were imported to the US. That scarcity is unfortunate because this wine is gorgeous. What stands out about it is its purity - not a single off note anywhere in the bottle. Great wine.
92/100 WWP: Outstanding
Syrahs
2009 Tamaya Syrah Reserva
97% Syrah 3% Viognier
13.5% alc
$16.99
A very unique nose. Black pepper to the point it almost made me sneeze. A little volatile acidity perhaps? A little rough going on the palate. Kind of hard to switch gears from the Pinot Noirs to this.
82/100 WWP: Good
2006 Loma Large Syrah
14.5% alc
$29
Major smokeyness on this wine. Have you ever been to Disneyland? It reminds me of the smell you get when the Disneyland Railroad goes through the tunnels. You know - the part with the Grand Canyon and the dinos and all that? Beyond that there's substantial acidity and tannins. Definitely one to pair with food.
84/100 WWP: Good
2009 Undurraga T.H. Syrah
13.5% alc
$24.99
The "Terroir Hunter". Friendly, fresh, fruity nose compared to the two previoius Syrah. A serious wine. Good dose of acidity. Tannins are present but the wine is smooth. Very nice.
87/100 WWP: Very Good
2009 Hacienda Araucano Reserva Syrah
14.5% alc
$13
Pretty nose that wouldn't be out of place in a Napa Syrah. Warmer and richer than the prior three Syrah on the palate, but with substantial chewy tannins. Most similar of the bunch to what I'd expect from a Napa Syrah. Nice value at $13.
86/100 WWP: Very Good
Conclusion and Recommendations
The story of the night for me was the quality of these Pinot Noir especially given most of them cost less than $20. The Cono Sur Ocio was beautiful but at $65 with only 50 cases imported it will be hard to find - and pricey. The style of these more affordable Pinot Noir reminds me of a clean Sonoma Coast style with higher acidity and more robust tannins.
The Veramonte Ritual, from the Quintessa portfolio, is one to check out given its wide availability. Shop for it on Wine-Searcher.com here.
As a group I wasn't blown away by the Syrah. It's been said it is easier to get rid of a case of pneumonia than a case of Syrah so I wonder: What will differentiate Chilean Syrah on US retailer shelves?
My thanks to the folks from Wines of Chile and the winemakers for sharing these wines and their time with us. Samples for review.
Question of the Day: What do you think of cool climate Chilean Reds? Anything value plays you'd like to share?
Sunday, August 7, 2011
The State of Wholesaler Liquor Domination
When a relatively small group of businesses control an entire industry, something is broken. Yesterday the Specialty Wine Retailers Association (for whom I act as Executive Director) released a study entitled, "Toward Liquor Domination". The study details the more than...
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'Transformers' Beats 'Harry Potter' at Japanese Box Office
Gavin J. Blair Released in Japan as "Transformer Darkside Moon," the Paramount release pulled in 572 million yen ($7.38 million) over the weekend, over 83% of that coming from higher-priced 3D tickets, just topping the boy wizard?s 535 million yen ($6.9 million).
read more
read more
iJustine's Top Web Video Picks
The viral sensation selects the hottest and most wild Internet videos of the week! See a planking protest, adorable animals and more.
Photos | Lady Gaga's 'Judas' Video: Decoded
Lady Gaga's 'Judas' Video: Decoded
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Spotted: Kendra Wilkinson and Hank Swing into Action
Kendra Wilkinson focuses on her adorable son Hank IV during a mommy-and-me playdate in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Quick East Texas wine Detour
I will have more later about the wines. But today was a special birthday for my best friend and loving wife. So her little wish was a quick trip to Brenham, Texas to Visit Saddlehorn Winery and Pleasant Hill Winery. Our first stop was Pleasant Hill Winery The cool thing was we ran into another […]
The President Reveals What Malia Obama's First Car Will Be
"It's only a matter of time until Malia gets her learner's permit so I'm hoping to see one of those models that gets a top speed of 15 miles an hour and the ejector seat any time boys are in the car. So, hopefully you guys have some of those in the pipeline."
—President Obama joked in a speech to the auto industry that 13-year-old Malia Obama will be getting her learner's permit in a few years, so they'd better get cracking on a daddy-approved vehicle. Hey, lots of parents would like this idea, actually. Hmm, has he stumbled upon a way to save the auto industry? [Essence]
—President Obama joked in a speech to the auto industry that 13-year-old Malia Obama will be getting her learner's permit in a few years, so they'd better get cracking on a daddy-approved vehicle. Hey, lots of parents would like this idea, actually. Hmm, has he stumbled upon a way to save the auto industry? [Essence]
Saturday, August 6, 2011
True Blood Recap: Sookie Attracts Abtastic Men!
Yeah, there was a little women's soccer game this Sunday?better luck next time, USA?but more importantly there was True Blood!
Human or otherwise, we're officially in...
Human or otherwise, we're officially in...
Home of Amy Winehouse to House New Foundation
Amy Winehouse's parents, Mitch and Janis, plan to convert her London home to become the headquarters of the new Amy Winehouse Foundation. The charity organization will help children in need, say reports. The 10-room, $4 million home in Camden, North London, where Amy was found dead July 23, will house the group, whose mission statement is set to be announced September 14, which would've been Winehouse's 28th birthday. "The foundation is going to help thousands of people. That is Amy's legacy," Mitch Winehouse, always her biggest supporter, Tweeted Wednesday. The Amy Winehouse Foundation will be funded in part by proceeds from the star's last recording, a duet with Tony Bennett of the pop classic "Body and Soul," that will be available on Bennett's upcoming album, Duets II. The cause of Winehouse's death is still being determined.
I UNDERSTAND JUST HOW YOU FEEL I WANT TO BE FREE I WANT YOU I NEED YOU I LOVE YOU
Winemaking and the XX Chromosome
Do women winemakers bring anything to the act of making wine that ellude male winemakers? This is the question that struck me as I looked at a fascinating new website highlighted in an article at Wines & Vines Magazine. The...
Can TV soccer kick second-class status?
Sports News: Ratings rise, coverage grows, but U.S. league is key -- Last month's Women's World Cup illustrated just how quickly soccer can catapult itself into cultural relevance in the United States.
IF EVERYDAY WAS LIKE CHRISTMAS IF I CAN DREAM IF I GET HOME ON CHRISTMAS DAY
Branding Tip: Gravatar
A big part of branding is consistency: making sure that when you leave comments and links around �the web, you do it in a way that creates a trail of similar information. When we consult new wineries who want to get online, we tell them to make a special folder that they keep on their [...]
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Wine Politics video from the New School
If you have 51 minutes that you just don’t know what to do with, you can now check out a video of a talk I gave at the New School recently. Andy Smith, editor of the Oxford Companion to American Food & Drink among many other book projects, had assigned my book to his class, [...]
Sherwood Schwartz: 5 Things to Know
Rebecca Ford The late writer-producer didn?t move to Los Angeles for show business, but found success with ?Gilligan?s Island? and ?The Brady Bunch.?read more
Britney Spears - Hold It Against Me
Hold It Against Me
Artist: Britney Spears
Label: Jive, Zomba Label Group
Director: Jonas Akerlund
Artist: Britney Spears
Label: Jive, Zomba Label Group
Director: Jonas Akerlund
Ted Danson moves to 'CSI'
TV News: CBS taps thesp for veteran drama -- Ted Danson is heading back to CBS, signing on for a series regular role on ''CSI.''
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
The Post-Recessionary Wine Market is Here
Wine, or at least the high end of the wine market, finds itself in a post-recessionary phase. This is the only message one could take from the ShipCompliant/Wines & Vines presentation given yesterday at the ShipCompliant Direct Shipping Seminar and...
Sherwood Schwartz, ?Gilligan?s Island? & ?The Brady Bunch? Creator, Dies at 94
Sherwood Schwartz, the creator of both Gilligan’s Island and The Brady Bunch, has died at the age of 94. OK! NEWS: ADRIANNE CURRY & CHRISTOPHER KNIGHT SPLIT ON ANNIVERSARY! According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sherwood passed away on Tuesday in L.A. after a long career as a television producer. He is best known for creating [...]
'Harry Potter' Star Daniel Radcliffe Describes Final Film As 'Heartbreaking'
'It wasn't a sense of nostalgia and emotion caused by my own personal relationship with the films, I was a wreck because of the film itself,' actor says at NYC premiere.By Terri Schwartz, with reporting by Josh Horowitz
Daniel Radcliffe at the U.S. premiere of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/ Getty Images
NEW YORK — The "Harry Potter" film series celebrated its last U.S. premiere Monday night after a decade on the big screen, but leading man Daniel Radcliffe said that not all the tears he shed that night would be sad.
"It's a celebration," the "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" star explained. "It's 10 years of wonderful stories and storytelling, and it's a celebration of 10 years work for us, so yeah we're celebrating tonight, not mourning."
Radcliffe, who was "sweating like a pig in labor" on the hot July evening in NYC, will spend the next couple of weeks saying goodbye to the franchise that made him a star as he promotes the final installment, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," which hits theaters Friday. It will be an emotional journey for the stars and crew, as well as the fans who have been watching the movies since "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" opened in 2001, and who now have to accept that the "Potter" series has finally reached its end.
Despite the fact that he has spent literally half his life in front of the camera filming the "Harry Potter" flicks, Radcliffe told MTV News on the red carpet that he still found himself emotionally affected by watching "Deathly Hallows: Part 2." However, he seemed a bit surprised by the parts of the movie that left him in tears.
"What I was impressed by was that it wasn't a sense of nostalgia and emotion caused by my own personal relationship with the films, I was a wreck because of the film itself," Radcliffe said. "You've got to have a heart of stone to not find part of it — especially Alan Rickman's performance — heartbreaking, so yeah, I've done my fair share of crying already."
With "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" doing well on Broadway and his next flick, "The Woman in Black," already wrapped, Radcliffe seems like he is trying to branch out as much as possible in his post-"Potter" life. Still, the 21-year-old actor said that he's not willing to rule out returning to a film franchise just yet.
"I think that we proved in doing 'Potter' that you can bring integrity and perpetual growth to a franchise. It doesn't have to be a law of diminishing returns after the first film comes out," Radcliffe explained. "Providing a script is good enough. I would absolutely do another, but it's not something I'm looking for in the next couple of years, certainly."
Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Daniel Radcliffe at the U.S. premiere of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/ Getty Images
NEW YORK — The "Harry Potter" film series celebrated its last U.S. premiere Monday night after a decade on the big screen, but leading man Daniel Radcliffe said that not all the tears he shed that night would be sad.
"It's a celebration," the "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" star explained. "It's 10 years of wonderful stories and storytelling, and it's a celebration of 10 years work for us, so yeah we're celebrating tonight, not mourning."
Radcliffe, who was "sweating like a pig in labor" on the hot July evening in NYC, will spend the next couple of weeks saying goodbye to the franchise that made him a star as he promotes the final installment, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," which hits theaters Friday. It will be an emotional journey for the stars and crew, as well as the fans who have been watching the movies since "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" opened in 2001, and who now have to accept that the "Potter" series has finally reached its end.
Despite the fact that he has spent literally half his life in front of the camera filming the "Harry Potter" flicks, Radcliffe told MTV News on the red carpet that he still found himself emotionally affected by watching "Deathly Hallows: Part 2." However, he seemed a bit surprised by the parts of the movie that left him in tears.
"What I was impressed by was that it wasn't a sense of nostalgia and emotion caused by my own personal relationship with the films, I was a wreck because of the film itself," Radcliffe said. "You've got to have a heart of stone to not find part of it — especially Alan Rickman's performance — heartbreaking, so yeah, I've done my fair share of crying already."
With "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" doing well on Broadway and his next flick, "The Woman in Black," already wrapped, Radcliffe seems like he is trying to branch out as much as possible in his post-"Potter" life. Still, the 21-year-old actor said that he's not willing to rule out returning to a film franchise just yet.
"I think that we proved in doing 'Potter' that you can bring integrity and perpetual growth to a franchise. It doesn't have to be a law of diminishing returns after the first film comes out," Radcliffe explained. "Providing a script is good enough. I would absolutely do another, but it's not something I'm looking for in the next couple of years, certainly."
Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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A communication tool for the wine trade
I’ve been given the chance to test a new tool that could be of interest to those in the wine business, the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer. The idea is to road test it in my daily work and family life and see how I get on, and the timing is very good, because we will [...]
Photos | Michael Jackson's 'Michael' Cover Decoded
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A Very Pregnant Jessica Alba Gets All Pretty for New Baby
Leave it to Jessica Alba to make a pregnant belly look glamorous.
The actress brought her�baby bump�to the nail salon yesterday for some serious R&R. With no hubby or...
The actress brought her�baby bump�to the nail salon yesterday for some serious R&R. With no hubby or...
Miranda Lambert to Be Featured on Vh1's 'Behind the Music'
Sophie Schillaci The country star tells THR that the special will take a ?really honest? look at her relationship with Blake Shelton.read more
THE WONDER OF YOU THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF CHRISTMAS THERE AIN T NOTHING LIKE A SONG
Monday, July 11, 2011
Comic-Con 2011: Preview 'Lost Girl's' Give-Away (Exclusive)
Lesley Goldberg The limited edition prequel comic book will be distributed to during its July 22 panel.read more
Justin Bieber's Grammy Performance Will Be 'A Crossover,' Usher Says
The 'O.M.G.' singer looks forward to sharing the stage with his protégé on Sunday night.By James Montgomery
Usher
Photo: Amanda Edwards/ Getty Images
HOLLYWOOD — At Sunday's 53rd Grammy Awards, Usher will be pulling double duty as both a nominee and a performer. Of course, given the massive year he just completed — with the success of his smash single "O.M.G." and as a mentor to rising phenom Justin Bieber — Ush's Grammy plans seem rather fitting.
Especially since he'll be performing with Bieber (and Bieber's pal Jaden Smith), a move that's just as much about celebrating Usher's successes as it is the successes of his young protégé.
"Having been through [the Grammys] so many times, you couldn't want for anything more than for your young protégé to have the opportunity to have one, so, in support of him having his moment, I wanted to be here," Usher told MTV News on Thursday, hours before his performance at the (Belvedere) RED launch party in Hollywood. "And also to be there to perform, to kind of tell the story of how we came together. This music business has definitely been good to both of us, and this year we have a lot to be happy for."
And just how will the dynamic duo tell that story? Well, Usher wasn't about to reveal all the details, but he did say that he's hoping their performance will show another side of Bieber ... a side most tend to overlook.
"The performance will be fun," Usher explained. "We want to get up there and just do what we do. Be comfortable, and have a great time. ... This is kind of a crossover for Justin. Having performed on so many different stages, this is the way that I wanted him to be seen and an opportunity to show the industry — a lot of the industry, that didn't believe [in him] — some of his other talents. He's going to play acoustically, and also, we'll get down a little bit."
And though Ush is up for a pair of Grammy awards on Sunday — Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best Contemporary R&B Album for Raymond v. Raymond — he's most looking forward to sharing the stage with Bieber and giving fans a look at where the young artist will be heading next.
"I'm very proud, man. I definitely saw it from the beginning, but thanks to the team that we have around us, it was made to happen. And that story has only just begun," Usher said. "The story of Justin Bieber doesn't stop with screaming girls; we need screaming fans all around the world ... a cultural experience that's much more than just fanfare. And that's what this is. That's what the Grammys will be; that's what my next phase for Justin is. This is the way I found him: I found him with a guitar in his hand, so I want him to be seen that way."
Don't miss "Snooki & Sway: Live From the Grammys," a red-carpet live stream kicking off Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And stick with us all Grammy night for coverage of the red carpet, the show, the afterparties and beyond!
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Usher
Photo: Amanda Edwards/ Getty Images
HOLLYWOOD — At Sunday's 53rd Grammy Awards, Usher will be pulling double duty as both a nominee and a performer. Of course, given the massive year he just completed — with the success of his smash single "O.M.G." and as a mentor to rising phenom Justin Bieber — Ush's Grammy plans seem rather fitting.
Especially since he'll be performing with Bieber (and Bieber's pal Jaden Smith), a move that's just as much about celebrating Usher's successes as it is the successes of his young protégé.
"Having been through [the Grammys] so many times, you couldn't want for anything more than for your young protégé to have the opportunity to have one, so, in support of him having his moment, I wanted to be here," Usher told MTV News on Thursday, hours before his performance at the (Belvedere) RED launch party in Hollywood. "And also to be there to perform, to kind of tell the story of how we came together. This music business has definitely been good to both of us, and this year we have a lot to be happy for."
And just how will the dynamic duo tell that story? Well, Usher wasn't about to reveal all the details, but he did say that he's hoping their performance will show another side of Bieber ... a side most tend to overlook.
"The performance will be fun," Usher explained. "We want to get up there and just do what we do. Be comfortable, and have a great time. ... This is kind of a crossover for Justin. Having performed on so many different stages, this is the way that I wanted him to be seen and an opportunity to show the industry — a lot of the industry, that didn't believe [in him] — some of his other talents. He's going to play acoustically, and also, we'll get down a little bit."
And though Ush is up for a pair of Grammy awards on Sunday — Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best Contemporary R&B Album for Raymond v. Raymond — he's most looking forward to sharing the stage with Bieber and giving fans a look at where the young artist will be heading next.
"I'm very proud, man. I definitely saw it from the beginning, but thanks to the team that we have around us, it was made to happen. And that story has only just begun," Usher said. "The story of Justin Bieber doesn't stop with screaming girls; we need screaming fans all around the world ... a cultural experience that's much more than just fanfare. And that's what this is. That's what the Grammys will be; that's what my next phase for Justin is. This is the way I found him: I found him with a guitar in his hand, so I want him to be seen that way."
Don't miss "Snooki & Sway: Live From the Grammys," a red-carpet live stream kicking off Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And stick with us all Grammy night for coverage of the red carpet, the show, the afterparties and beyond!
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MAMA DON T DANCE MAMA LIKED THE ROSES MANSION OVER THE HILLTOP
Watch 'Harry Potter' World Cup Winner Announced Live On Monday
MTV News is streaming live from the New York premiere of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2,' Monday at 4:30 p.m. ET.By Terri Schwartz
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"
Photo: Warner Bros.
The clock is ticking for the characters competing in the "Harry Potter" World Cup and the fans who love them. What was once a field of 64 is already down to eight, and on Monday, July 11, the winner will be declared live during MTV News' live stream from the red carpet of the "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" New York City premiere.
MTV News' Josh Horowitz will be manning the carpet, chatting with fan favorites Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Alan Rickman, Tom Felton, Matthew Lewis, Helen McCroy and director David Yates among others. Fans can submit their questions for the stars via MTV.com or Twitter (tweet @MTVNews using the hashtag #AskPotter) starting now and throughout the live stream, which kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET on MTV.com.
Over 5 million votes have been cast so far, and there are still three more rounds of voting to go. The Elite Eight were announced on Wednesday morning (July 6): Harry Potter vs. Severus Snape, Hermione Granger vs. Remus Lupin, Ron Weasley vs. Rubeus Hagrid and Draco Malfoy vs. Sirius Black. Voting for this round will continue through Thursday at midnight, when the Final Four will be announced.
See the full bracket and vote!
World Cup voting for the Final Four continues through midnight on Sunday, and then the final two favorite "Harry Potter" characters battle it out during the championship round until the winner is announced live. With five out of the Elite Eight actors attending the premiere, there's a good chance we'll be able to chat with the stars about how far their characters made it in the World Cup.
Matthew Lewis, James and Oliver Phelps and Fiona Shaw already rallied fans to vote for their characters, though Neville Longbottom, the Weasley twins and Aunt Petunia have unfortunately fallen from the World Cup ranks.
Now it's up to the fans to decide who the ultimate "Harry Potter" character is in the "Harry Potter" World Cup. Voting continues over at MTV Movies Blog and you can also get the debate going on Twitter with the hashtag #mtvpottercup
We're streaming live from the red carpet at the New York premiere of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" on Monday, July 11, at 4:30 p.m. ET. Visit MTV.com to watch interviews with the stars and see the winner of the "Harry Potter" World Cup announced live. Tweet your questions for the cast @MTVNews using the hashtag #AskPotter.
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Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"
Photo: Warner Bros.
The clock is ticking for the characters competing in the "Harry Potter" World Cup and the fans who love them. What was once a field of 64 is already down to eight, and on Monday, July 11, the winner will be declared live during MTV News' live stream from the red carpet of the "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" New York City premiere.
MTV News' Josh Horowitz will be manning the carpet, chatting with fan favorites Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Alan Rickman, Tom Felton, Matthew Lewis, Helen McCroy and director David Yates among others. Fans can submit their questions for the stars via MTV.com or Twitter (tweet @MTVNews using the hashtag #AskPotter) starting now and throughout the live stream, which kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET on MTV.com.
Over 5 million votes have been cast so far, and there are still three more rounds of voting to go. The Elite Eight were announced on Wednesday morning (July 6): Harry Potter vs. Severus Snape, Hermione Granger vs. Remus Lupin, Ron Weasley vs. Rubeus Hagrid and Draco Malfoy vs. Sirius Black. Voting for this round will continue through Thursday at midnight, when the Final Four will be announced.
See the full bracket and vote!
World Cup voting for the Final Four continues through midnight on Sunday, and then the final two favorite "Harry Potter" characters battle it out during the championship round until the winner is announced live. With five out of the Elite Eight actors attending the premiere, there's a good chance we'll be able to chat with the stars about how far their characters made it in the World Cup.
Matthew Lewis, James and Oliver Phelps and Fiona Shaw already rallied fans to vote for their characters, though Neville Longbottom, the Weasley twins and Aunt Petunia have unfortunately fallen from the World Cup ranks.
Now it's up to the fans to decide who the ultimate "Harry Potter" character is in the "Harry Potter" World Cup. Voting continues over at MTV Movies Blog and you can also get the debate going on Twitter with the hashtag #mtvpottercup
We're streaming live from the red carpet at the New York premiere of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" on Monday, July 11, at 4:30 p.m. ET. Visit MTV.com to watch interviews with the stars and see the winner of the "Harry Potter" World Cup announced live. Tweet your questions for the cast @MTVNews using the hashtag #AskPotter.
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"Robot Chicken: Star Wars" Gag Reel
See Seth Green, Breckin Meyer and the rest of the crew behind "Robot Chicken: Star Wars" get silly behind the scenes.
Justin Bieber Launches 'Someday' Fragrance
Fans have been lined up at Macy's Herald Square for days waiting for a sniff and a chance to meet the Biebs on Thursday. By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber (file)
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
Justin Bieber released his fragrance, Someday, this week and he launched an all-out promo campaign for the occasion.
The Biebs hit New York City, dropping by "The Late Show With David Letterman" on Wednesday night, and then popping up on the "Today" show Thursday morning (June 23). He then sat down with the ladies of "The View."
On "Letterman," the pop star delivered the "top 10" list, revealing little-known personal facts. So, what did fans learn about Bieber? "I served eight months in prison for siphoning gas," he shared.
He also joked, "I begged my publicist to get me out of this."
But most important, he revealed, "It's a hair piece."
During his "Today" show appearance, he sprayed fans with Someday and signed autographs. "I'm more interested in how females smell than males, which is why I decided to do it for all the girls, and 100 percent of the proceeds go to charity," he shared. "We did a couple [charities], like, Pencils [of] Promise," he added about the educational organization. "They're doing this campaign called Schools 4 All, so I'm just really excited."
Bieber also described his inspiration for the scent as "different girls and stuff."
After his appearance on "The View," Bieber will head to Macy's Herald Square on 34th street, where some of his fans have lined up days in advance, waiting for a chance to see the Biebs. "These are pretty extreme fans," Macy's spokesperson Robin Reibel said about the mass of teenage girls gathered at the famed department store. "A lot of these girls camped out in tents last night."
Bieber will meet with the first 350 fans lucky enough to make the cut (and who purchase Someday) on Thursday. For $135, fans will get sprays in 3.4 and 1 oz. bottles, a 6.7 oz. body lotion, 5 oz. hair mist and a photo with the teen star. The fragrance has been touted as "energy with a state-of-mind that inspires. It is a personal gift straight from his heart, giving fans a chance to get one step closer to Justin. It's a fragrance he can't get enough of and can't stay away from, making those who wear it irresistible."
Will you buy Justin's fragrance? Tell us in the comments!
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Justin Bieber (file)
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
Justin Bieber released his fragrance, Someday, this week and he launched an all-out promo campaign for the occasion.
The Biebs hit New York City, dropping by "The Late Show With David Letterman" on Wednesday night, and then popping up on the "Today" show Thursday morning (June 23). He then sat down with the ladies of "The View."
On "Letterman," the pop star delivered the "top 10" list, revealing little-known personal facts. So, what did fans learn about Bieber? "I served eight months in prison for siphoning gas," he shared.
He also joked, "I begged my publicist to get me out of this."
But most important, he revealed, "It's a hair piece."
During his "Today" show appearance, he sprayed fans with Someday and signed autographs. "I'm more interested in how females smell than males, which is why I decided to do it for all the girls, and 100 percent of the proceeds go to charity," he shared. "We did a couple [charities], like, Pencils [of] Promise," he added about the educational organization. "They're doing this campaign called Schools 4 All, so I'm just really excited."
Bieber also described his inspiration for the scent as "different girls and stuff."
After his appearance on "The View," Bieber will head to Macy's Herald Square on 34th street, where some of his fans have lined up days in advance, waiting for a chance to see the Biebs. "These are pretty extreme fans," Macy's spokesperson Robin Reibel said about the mass of teenage girls gathered at the famed department store. "A lot of these girls camped out in tents last night."
Bieber will meet with the first 350 fans lucky enough to make the cut (and who purchase Someday) on Thursday. For $135, fans will get sprays in 3.4 and 1 oz. bottles, a 6.7 oz. body lotion, 5 oz. hair mist and a photo with the teen star. The fragrance has been touted as "energy with a state-of-mind that inspires. It is a personal gift straight from his heart, giving fans a chance to get one step closer to Justin. It's a fragrance he can't get enough of and can't stay away from, making those who wear it irresistible."
Will you buy Justin's fragrance? Tell us in the comments!
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Michael Jackson's Legacy, Two Years Later, By the Numbers
Legendary singer's impact continues to blossom in the two years since his death; MTV News breaks down the figures.By Gil Kaufman
Michael Jackson
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
Like Elvis, Bob Marley, Notorious B.I.G. and Frank Sinatra before him, Michael Jackson's influence has continued, and grown, since his untimely death on June 25, 2009.
On the second anniversary of the King of Pop's passing, MTV News took a look at the enduring appeal of MJ's music, videos and imagery, which continue to fascinate and attract fans across the globe thanks to a series of posthumous albums, a movie, video games and two upcoming Cirque du Soleil live shows.
Where Were You Two Years Ago When You Heard the News? Tell Us on Facebook
$72 million: According to Box Office Mojo, Jackson's posthumous concert film, "This Is It," has grossed more than $72 million to date domestically and $189 million in foreign markets for a worldwide take over more than $261 million. It ranks as the #2 music documentary of all-time behind Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never." The film has also generated nearly $45 million in DVD sales in the U.S.
16: In May, Jackson lodged his first #1 on the Billboard magazine Dance/ Club Play Songs chart in 16 years with the latest single from his posthumous Michael album, "Hollywood Tonight."
2: Number of posthumous albums that have been released since Michael's death in June 2009. Last year's Michael has sold just over 510,000 copies to date, while the This Is It collection has moved nearly 1 million copies to date in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.
15,000: The number of videos submitted by fans since March for the crowdsourced video for "Behind the Mask." After they were edited down by a five-person team over two months, the resulting clip used submissions from more than 1,600 participants from 103 countries.
3 million: The amount of copies sold of the Ubisoft "Michael Jackson: The Experience" video game worldwide.
$57 million: The reported cost of Cirque du Soleil's traveling MJ show, "The Immortal World Tour, which is slated to kick off on October 2.
$1 billion: That gaudy figure is the reported amount the Jackson estate had generated by last June on the first anniversary of the singer's death. According to Billboard, the revenue was generated by a combination of music sales ($429 million), film/TV revenue ($392 million), music publishing ($130 million), licensing ($35 million) and a $31 million recording contract. (A spokesperson for Jackson's estate declined to provide updated figures for this story.)
$310 million: The amount of gross earnings reported by the executors of the estate in a December 2010 court filing detailing the progress made in paying off the $400 million in debt run up by the spendthrift singer during his lifetime.
16.1 million: MJ was always a big singles artist. Yes, Thriller is one of the best-selling albums of all time, but even in death, fans can't resist cherry-picking some of Michael's best songs. That explains why he's sold more than 16 million digital tracks since June 28, 2009, the first sales week following his passing, according to Nielsen SoundScan. To put that in perspective, from the time Nielsen began counting digital tracks in 2004 until the week before Jackson's death, the singer had sold just over 8.1 million digital tracks, a figure that has doubled in just the past two years.
2013: The projected launch for a second, non-touring Cirque show celebrating Jackson. The yet-untitled show is slated to open in the spring of 2013 at a new theater being built at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
$25 million to $50 million: That's how much Jackson's estate takes in on an annual basis thanks to his stake in the half-million-song Sony/ATV catalog, which includes titles by Elvis, Lady Gaga, Eminem, Beyoncé and Bob Dylan.
Share your memories of Michael Jackson in the comments.
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Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
Like Elvis, Bob Marley, Notorious B.I.G. and Frank Sinatra before him, Michael Jackson's influence has continued, and grown, since his untimely death on June 25, 2009.
On the second anniversary of the King of Pop's passing, MTV News took a look at the enduring appeal of MJ's music, videos and imagery, which continue to fascinate and attract fans across the globe thanks to a series of posthumous albums, a movie, video games and two upcoming Cirque du Soleil live shows.
Where Were You Two Years Ago When You Heard the News? Tell Us on Facebook
$72 million: According to Box Office Mojo, Jackson's posthumous concert film, "This Is It," has grossed more than $72 million to date domestically and $189 million in foreign markets for a worldwide take over more than $261 million. It ranks as the #2 music documentary of all-time behind Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never." The film has also generated nearly $45 million in DVD sales in the U.S.
16: In May, Jackson lodged his first #1 on the Billboard magazine Dance/ Club Play Songs chart in 16 years with the latest single from his posthumous Michael album, "Hollywood Tonight."
2: Number of posthumous albums that have been released since Michael's death in June 2009. Last year's Michael has sold just over 510,000 copies to date, while the This Is It collection has moved nearly 1 million copies to date in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.
15,000: The number of videos submitted by fans since March for the crowdsourced video for "Behind the Mask." After they were edited down by a five-person team over two months, the resulting clip used submissions from more than 1,600 participants from 103 countries.
3 million: The amount of copies sold of the Ubisoft "Michael Jackson: The Experience" video game worldwide.
$57 million: The reported cost of Cirque du Soleil's traveling MJ show, "The Immortal World Tour, which is slated to kick off on October 2.
$1 billion: That gaudy figure is the reported amount the Jackson estate had generated by last June on the first anniversary of the singer's death. According to Billboard, the revenue was generated by a combination of music sales ($429 million), film/TV revenue ($392 million), music publishing ($130 million), licensing ($35 million) and a $31 million recording contract. (A spokesperson for Jackson's estate declined to provide updated figures for this story.)
$310 million: The amount of gross earnings reported by the executors of the estate in a December 2010 court filing detailing the progress made in paying off the $400 million in debt run up by the spendthrift singer during his lifetime.
16.1 million: MJ was always a big singles artist. Yes, Thriller is one of the best-selling albums of all time, but even in death, fans can't resist cherry-picking some of Michael's best songs. That explains why he's sold more than 16 million digital tracks since June 28, 2009, the first sales week following his passing, according to Nielsen SoundScan. To put that in perspective, from the time Nielsen began counting digital tracks in 2004 until the week before Jackson's death, the singer had sold just over 8.1 million digital tracks, a figure that has doubled in just the past two years.
2013: The projected launch for a second, non-touring Cirque show celebrating Jackson. The yet-untitled show is slated to open in the spring of 2013 at a new theater being built at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
$25 million to $50 million: That's how much Jackson's estate takes in on an annual basis thanks to his stake in the half-million-song Sony/ATV catalog, which includes titles by Elvis, Lady Gaga, Eminem, Beyoncé and Bob Dylan.
Share your memories of Michael Jackson in the comments.
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IS IT SO STRANGE ISLAND OF LOVE KAUAI IT AIN T NO BIG THING BUT IT S GROWING
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Proud Pop David Beckham Announces Baby Girl's Name!
Ready to find out Posh Spice Jr.'s official name?
Following the birth of his and Victoria Beckham's daughter Sunday, David Beckham hit Facebook to share the name of his first...
Following the birth of his and Victoria Beckham's daughter Sunday, David Beckham hit Facebook to share the name of his first...
Ashlee Simpson And Pete Wentz Enjoy Some Family Time With Bronx
It looks like Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz are able to keep things�friendly for the sake of their son, Bronx. Good for them! They were spotted here with some friends. Earlier in the day the family reportedly attended a child’s … Continue reading →
IT IS NO SECRET WHAT GOD CAN DO IT KEEPS RIGHT ON A HURTIN IT WON T BE LONG
Pete Wentz Goes Bike Shopping With Bronx
Pete Wentz took his super cute son Bronx shopping with him to The Bike Connection today in Sherman Oaks.� Pete picked up a new helmet for Bronx and a bike trailer – looks like someone likes to do some biking.� … Continue reading →
Friday High
Friday HighJennifer Aniston Doesn’t Care About What You Think?–Girls Talkin Smack Ray Romano is Always in a Crisis–Tonic Gossip Journalist to Write Tell-All Book on Lady [...]Friday High Stupid Celebrities Gossip
Stupid Celebrities Gossip News
Stupid Celebrities Gossip News
elvis presley wallpapers elvis presley information elvis presley autopsy
Black Eyed Peas, Usher, Slash Light Up Super Bowl XLV Halftime Show
Foursome is joined by special guests and tons of lights for smash-hit medley. By Mawuse Ziegbe
Black Eyed Peas perform during the Super Bowl XLV halftime show
Photo: Getty Images
The Black Eyed Peas promised a party at the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday (February 6), and the pop supernovas definitely delivered, with a performance teeming with lights, dancers and surprise appearances from celebrity pals.
Following a Chatter.com commercial that showed animated versions of the Peas showing off their social-media skills, the group kicked things off with their 2009 smash "I Gotta Feeling," descending from the ceiling on illuminated platforms onto a stage surrounded by a cluster of dancers clad in white bodysuits. The foursome led the team of fist-pumping troops in "Tron"-like getups, with Taboo sporting an outfit covered in flashing lights, will.i.am rocking a shiny hairpiece, Apl.de.ap wearing huge bright studs and Fergie vamping it up in bling-laden shoulder pads.
When the speaker-busting bass of "Boom Boom Pow" dropped, the dancers dispersed across the field to create arrow-shaped formations as the glow-in-the-dark lights on their suits illuminated the stadium. Then rumored surprise guest Slash of Guns N' Roses rose from below the stage for a "Sweet Child O' Mine" duet with Fergie. The GNR great rocked a finger-searing solo in a studded version of his signature black top hat as more angular platforms and dancers moved across the gridiron. The platforms were bearing scores of marching-band musicians who blasted their horns and pounded away on their drums as the Peas went into "Pump It" and blue lights splashed across the production.
Quick streams of fog heralded the arrival of the Peas' second surprise guest, Usher, who swooped in on a long chain to bust out his will.i.am-assisted joint "OMG." Rocking a sparkly collar on an otherwise all-white ensemble, the R&B hitmaker cranked out several counts of energetic choreography, enlivening moves from his "OMG" video and at one point jumping over Will and landing in a split.
A spray of pyro ushered in the collective's breakout 2003 hit "Where Is the Love?" as the oddly shaped platforms spelled out the word "Love" in bright-red letters. The team of dancers, which appeared to have multiplied to over 100, formed hearts across the field as will updated the lyrics of the smash with lines like, "Obama, let's get these educated."
Then the group jumped ahead to their most recent single, 2010's "The Time (Dirty Bit)," as several back up hoofers rocking cubed helmets joined the Peas onstage and dancers lined up along the gridiron to simultaneously bust out the Running Man, a move which drew cheers from the crowd.
The platinum-selling Peas wrapped up the performance with a reprise of "I Gotta Feeling," as the quartet triumphantly signed off amid of blitz of fog, firepower and flashing lights.
Ripping the halftime show was clearly a touching moment for will, who tweeted beforehand, "Me and apl started the peas when we were 16 yesterday we were dreamin now were livin it. Wow. I'm not crying out of sadness or nervousness its joy and pride and memories and the journey."
And once the crew left the stage, the frontman was not only proud, but pumped. "That was so freakin sick," he wrote. "Wow...!!!"
What did you think of the Black Eyed Peas' Super Bowl performance? Let us know in the comments!
Related Photos
Black Eyed Peas, Usher, Slash Perform During Super Bowl XLV Halftime Show
Related Artists
Black Eyed Peas
Usher
Black Eyed Peas perform during the Super Bowl XLV halftime show
Photo: Getty Images
The Black Eyed Peas promised a party at the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday (February 6), and the pop supernovas definitely delivered, with a performance teeming with lights, dancers and surprise appearances from celebrity pals.
Following a Chatter.com commercial that showed animated versions of the Peas showing off their social-media skills, the group kicked things off with their 2009 smash "I Gotta Feeling," descending from the ceiling on illuminated platforms onto a stage surrounded by a cluster of dancers clad in white bodysuits. The foursome led the team of fist-pumping troops in "Tron"-like getups, with Taboo sporting an outfit covered in flashing lights, will.i.am rocking a shiny hairpiece, Apl.de.ap wearing huge bright studs and Fergie vamping it up in bling-laden shoulder pads.
When the speaker-busting bass of "Boom Boom Pow" dropped, the dancers dispersed across the field to create arrow-shaped formations as the glow-in-the-dark lights on their suits illuminated the stadium. Then rumored surprise guest Slash of Guns N' Roses rose from below the stage for a "Sweet Child O' Mine" duet with Fergie. The GNR great rocked a finger-searing solo in a studded version of his signature black top hat as more angular platforms and dancers moved across the gridiron. The platforms were bearing scores of marching-band musicians who blasted their horns and pounded away on their drums as the Peas went into "Pump It" and blue lights splashed across the production.
Quick streams of fog heralded the arrival of the Peas' second surprise guest, Usher, who swooped in on a long chain to bust out his will.i.am-assisted joint "OMG." Rocking a sparkly collar on an otherwise all-white ensemble, the R&B hitmaker cranked out several counts of energetic choreography, enlivening moves from his "OMG" video and at one point jumping over Will and landing in a split.
A spray of pyro ushered in the collective's breakout 2003 hit "Where Is the Love?" as the oddly shaped platforms spelled out the word "Love" in bright-red letters. The team of dancers, which appeared to have multiplied to over 100, formed hearts across the field as will updated the lyrics of the smash with lines like, "Obama, let's get these educated."
Then the group jumped ahead to their most recent single, 2010's "The Time (Dirty Bit)," as several back up hoofers rocking cubed helmets joined the Peas onstage and dancers lined up along the gridiron to simultaneously bust out the Running Man, a move which drew cheers from the crowd.
The platinum-selling Peas wrapped up the performance with a reprise of "I Gotta Feeling," as the quartet triumphantly signed off amid of blitz of fog, firepower and flashing lights.
Ripping the halftime show was clearly a touching moment for will, who tweeted beforehand, "Me and apl started the peas when we were 16 yesterday we were dreamin now were livin it. Wow. I'm not crying out of sadness or nervousness its joy and pride and memories and the journey."
And once the crew left the stage, the frontman was not only proud, but pumped. "That was so freakin sick," he wrote. "Wow...!!!"
What did you think of the Black Eyed Peas' Super Bowl performance? Let us know in the comments!
Related Photos
Black Eyed Peas, Usher, Slash Perform During Super Bowl XLV Halftime Show
Related Artists
Black Eyed Peas
Usher
William vs. Harry: Which Polo-Playin' Prince Is Hotter?
Like brother, like brother.
They may be an ocean apart, but today both Prince William and Prince Harry hit the polo fields...
PHOTOS: Wills & Kate Take...
They may be an ocean apart, but today both Prince William and Prince Harry hit the polo fields...
PHOTOS: Wills & Kate Take...
NOW AND THEN THERE S A FOOL SUCH AS I A HOUSE THAT HAS EVERYTHING A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW
Kosta Browne, Sea Smoke...Is Rhys Vineyards the Next Cult California Pinot Noir?
A few weeks ago I asked friends on Twitter this question:
Complete this sequence of CA Pinot Noir high-flyers: Kosta Browne, Sea Smoke, ______________.
I got some great answers: Williams Selyem, Sojourn, Roar, Donum Estate, Papapietro Perry, Adrian Fog. But since Twitter is character limited I wasn't able to completely describe the context of the question.
To me, Kosta Browne and Sea Smoke aren't just highly-sought California Pinot Noir producers with reputations for making full-flavored wines. They're textbook examples of shrewd marketing resulting in loyal customers willing to pay a premium for their wines in good times and bad.
Kosta Browne began producing wine in 1997 and their first publicly released vintage was 2000. If you look at Wine Spectator's highest rated domestic Pinot Noirs of all time their wines dominate the list. Although detractors bemoan their prices getting out of hand, the steady climb from $48 in 2000 to $72 for their 2008 single vineyard releases isn't hard to justify in my mind. They're based in Sebastopol, in Sonoma County, and produce wines from other people's vineyards. I enjoyed their 2006 Russian River Valley (92/100) and Sonoma County (93/100) bottlings each purchased at retail for around $60.
Sea Smoke's story is more site-focused yet pinning them down can feel elusive. Unlike Kosta Browne, they don't buy any of their grapes and their Sea Smoke vineyards are planted to capacity creating a famously popular waiting line for their wines known as "The List". Located in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA in Santa Barbara County, their positioning couldn't have been better aligned with the release of Sideways. Their three Pinot Noir bottlings range between $40 and $80. I saw a bottle of Sea Smoke Ten on a restaurant list for $245 recently. They also produce a One Barrel Pinot Noir (23 cases) that sells for $150. I loved their 2004 Southing Pinot Noir (95), their 2008 Southing (93), and their 2006 Sea Smoke Ten Pinot Noir (93).
These wines have an appeal that goes beyond what's in the bottle and beyond the label. There's an elusive quality about them. Perhaps contrived but you see it in brands like Scarecrow. Where is Scarecrow? What is Scarecrow? "It's not a place - it's a state of mind."
Opening wines like these announces to wine geeks it's a special occasion. When you're having a hard time getting your hands on a bottle you're tempted to pay a premium at retail or at a restaurant for a chance to try them. So adding a brand to this list isn't to be taken lightly.
And before I go much further gushing on about how much I adore these brands I want to acknowledge: One man's ceiling is another man's floor. Just like going to Best Buy and looking at stereo gear - the best things they have there aren't even up for consideration for a true stereophile. Same with wine. Hard core domestic Pinot Noir hounds are off looking at micro-production brands I've never even heard of.
And that's great. I'm not there yet and what I'm talking about here is a broad awareness in the wine community of brands that through hard work, quality production, savvy positioning, and a little luck obtain favored producer status that lasts a long time. The idea here is to catch one of these brands on the way up - when prices start around $30.
Until a couple months ago I had no familiarity with Rhys (rhymes with "piece"). A friend had an allocation and asked me if I'd like to try some. Then I read this. It's a love letter to Rhys Vineyards from highly esteemed Slate wine writer Mike Steinberger on par with the ode David Pogue wrote for the Canon S95 in the New York Times. It's impactful to me when a journalist writes such a striking endorsement for a specific brand.
Still, I read Steinberger's piece with skepticism. It goes on and on about terroir and praises the low alcohol levels of Rhys' Pinots - was I going to like these wines? Or was I going to have to squint and struggle to see the charm of these pieces of art?
My first taste of their wines came in the form of their Alesia label - the 2008 Alesia Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Other than the cork and a brief mention on the back label you wouldn't otherwise know it was produced by Rhys (it says "Produced & Bottled by Alesia Wines, San Carlos, CA") - they reserve that designation for wines produced from their own grapes.
Their focus is very much on site and letting the grapes speak for themselves rather than the winemaker guiding the style in a particular direction. That being the case it's understandable they'd want to distance their flagship wines from those produced from purchased grapes. In fact, 2008 is the last vintage they're producing Alesia Pinot Noir.
Though this wine was produced from grapes grown in the Sonoma Coast AVA (a more common area for Pinot Noir production) Rhys' own vineyard are in the Santa Cruz Mountain AVA.
I've heard the Alesia wines provide a reliable window into the Rhys style. As in: If you like Alesia wines you'll love Rhys wines. The alcohol level clocks in at a reasonable 13.9% (some of their Pinots are less than 13% alcohol) so it feels like a good will attempt to ween the high alcohol by volume crowd from their (our?) 15%+ expectations.
Here are my notes:
2008 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
13.9% Alcohol
$35 Release Price
My expectations were running high as I tried this wine for the first time - which could have set me up for a big disappointment. Fortunately, based on everything I've read about Rhys Pinots this wine absolutely delivered what it promised to be: A balanced, site-driven wine that points a light in a new direction for California Pinot Noir.
There's a laser-beam focus to the presence of this wine and a fresh, vibrant personality that's utterly appealing. Ample acidity reveals itself first as a slight pucker then later as a subtle citric quality. This mixed in with classic Pinot Noir markings of strawberries, a little earth, and perhaps slightly more substantial (if ultra-fine) tannins than I've seen in rounder new world Pinots. There's a wet river rock aspect that wouldn't be out of place in a red Burgundy.
Overall, a beautiful expression of Pinot Noir.
92/100 WWP: Outstanding
(and I could easily add a couple bonus points for the back story and overall experience)
So I'm not saying Rhys is producing Pinot Noirs that are stylistically similar to Kosta Browne and Sea Smoke. Not at all. I'm suggesting you might want to jump on their mailing list if you're interested in catching a rising star. And check out the articles on their press page for more information.
Further Reading:
Five questions with Victor Gallegos of Sea Smoke
Syrah: The Steroids of the Pinot World
Question of the Day: Who are some California Pinot Noir producers you'd put one this level? I'd love to discover more producers to check out from your suggestions.
Complete this sequence of CA Pinot Noir high-flyers: Kosta Browne, Sea Smoke, ______________.
I got some great answers: Williams Selyem, Sojourn, Roar, Donum Estate, Papapietro Perry, Adrian Fog. But since Twitter is character limited I wasn't able to completely describe the context of the question.
To me, Kosta Browne and Sea Smoke aren't just highly-sought California Pinot Noir producers with reputations for making full-flavored wines. They're textbook examples of shrewd marketing resulting in loyal customers willing to pay a premium for their wines in good times and bad.
Kosta Browne began producing wine in 1997 and their first publicly released vintage was 2000. If you look at Wine Spectator's highest rated domestic Pinot Noirs of all time their wines dominate the list. Although detractors bemoan their prices getting out of hand, the steady climb from $48 in 2000 to $72 for their 2008 single vineyard releases isn't hard to justify in my mind. They're based in Sebastopol, in Sonoma County, and produce wines from other people's vineyards. I enjoyed their 2006 Russian River Valley (92/100) and Sonoma County (93/100) bottlings each purchased at retail for around $60.
Sea Smoke's story is more site-focused yet pinning them down can feel elusive. Unlike Kosta Browne, they don't buy any of their grapes and their Sea Smoke vineyards are planted to capacity creating a famously popular waiting line for their wines known as "The List". Located in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA in Santa Barbara County, their positioning couldn't have been better aligned with the release of Sideways. Their three Pinot Noir bottlings range between $40 and $80. I saw a bottle of Sea Smoke Ten on a restaurant list for $245 recently. They also produce a One Barrel Pinot Noir (23 cases) that sells for $150. I loved their 2004 Southing Pinot Noir (95), their 2008 Southing (93), and their 2006 Sea Smoke Ten Pinot Noir (93).
These wines have an appeal that goes beyond what's in the bottle and beyond the label. There's an elusive quality about them. Perhaps contrived but you see it in brands like Scarecrow. Where is Scarecrow? What is Scarecrow? "It's not a place - it's a state of mind."
Opening wines like these announces to wine geeks it's a special occasion. When you're having a hard time getting your hands on a bottle you're tempted to pay a premium at retail or at a restaurant for a chance to try them. So adding a brand to this list isn't to be taken lightly.
And before I go much further gushing on about how much I adore these brands I want to acknowledge: One man's ceiling is another man's floor. Just like going to Best Buy and looking at stereo gear - the best things they have there aren't even up for consideration for a true stereophile. Same with wine. Hard core domestic Pinot Noir hounds are off looking at micro-production brands I've never even heard of.
And that's great. I'm not there yet and what I'm talking about here is a broad awareness in the wine community of brands that through hard work, quality production, savvy positioning, and a little luck obtain favored producer status that lasts a long time. The idea here is to catch one of these brands on the way up - when prices start around $30.
Until a couple months ago I had no familiarity with Rhys (rhymes with "piece"). A friend had an allocation and asked me if I'd like to try some. Then I read this. It's a love letter to Rhys Vineyards from highly esteemed Slate wine writer Mike Steinberger on par with the ode David Pogue wrote for the Canon S95 in the New York Times. It's impactful to me when a journalist writes such a striking endorsement for a specific brand.
Still, I read Steinberger's piece with skepticism. It goes on and on about terroir and praises the low alcohol levels of Rhys' Pinots - was I going to like these wines? Or was I going to have to squint and struggle to see the charm of these pieces of art?
My first taste of their wines came in the form of their Alesia label - the 2008 Alesia Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Other than the cork and a brief mention on the back label you wouldn't otherwise know it was produced by Rhys (it says "Produced & Bottled by Alesia Wines, San Carlos, CA") - they reserve that designation for wines produced from their own grapes.
Their focus is very much on site and letting the grapes speak for themselves rather than the winemaker guiding the style in a particular direction. That being the case it's understandable they'd want to distance their flagship wines from those produced from purchased grapes. In fact, 2008 is the last vintage they're producing Alesia Pinot Noir.
Though this wine was produced from grapes grown in the Sonoma Coast AVA (a more common area for Pinot Noir production) Rhys' own vineyard are in the Santa Cruz Mountain AVA.
I've heard the Alesia wines provide a reliable window into the Rhys style. As in: If you like Alesia wines you'll love Rhys wines. The alcohol level clocks in at a reasonable 13.9% (some of their Pinots are less than 13% alcohol) so it feels like a good will attempt to ween the high alcohol by volume crowd from their (our?) 15%+ expectations.
Here are my notes:
2008 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
13.9% Alcohol
$35 Release Price
My expectations were running high as I tried this wine for the first time - which could have set me up for a big disappointment. Fortunately, based on everything I've read about Rhys Pinots this wine absolutely delivered what it promised to be: A balanced, site-driven wine that points a light in a new direction for California Pinot Noir.
There's a laser-beam focus to the presence of this wine and a fresh, vibrant personality that's utterly appealing. Ample acidity reveals itself first as a slight pucker then later as a subtle citric quality. This mixed in with classic Pinot Noir markings of strawberries, a little earth, and perhaps slightly more substantial (if ultra-fine) tannins than I've seen in rounder new world Pinots. There's a wet river rock aspect that wouldn't be out of place in a red Burgundy.
Overall, a beautiful expression of Pinot Noir.
92/100 WWP: Outstanding
(and I could easily add a couple bonus points for the back story and overall experience)
So I'm not saying Rhys is producing Pinot Noirs that are stylistically similar to Kosta Browne and Sea Smoke. Not at all. I'm suggesting you might want to jump on their mailing list if you're interested in catching a rising star. And check out the articles on their press page for more information.
Further Reading:
Five questions with Victor Gallegos of Sea Smoke
Syrah: The Steroids of the Pinot World
Question of the Day: Who are some California Pinot Noir producers you'd put one this level? I'd love to discover more producers to check out from your suggestions.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Deal Alert: $35 for $70 from Wine.com
Quick one for you today:
Eversave is offering $70 worth of wine from Wine.com for $35
Note that as with previous offers they've run, the voucher cannot be applied towards shipping nor tax. On the positive side of things, wine.com can ship to Massachusetts -and- we don't have tax on alcohol here.
To amortize the cost of shipping across more purchases I bought their Steward Ship program last year. It's kind of like Amazon Prime where you pay once for all your shipping for the year. They ran a special on it for $25 last year and the shipping can be extended to gifts as well.
Hit the comments below to share some tips on the best deals they have right now. I went for 2 bottles of the 2008 Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir for $34.99/btl. More on that wine in this California v. Oregon Pinot Noir showdown.
Offer ends Friday June 17th, 2011.
Eversave is offering $70 worth of wine from Wine.com for $35
Note that as with previous offers they've run, the voucher cannot be applied towards shipping nor tax. On the positive side of things, wine.com can ship to Massachusetts -and- we don't have tax on alcohol here.
To amortize the cost of shipping across more purchases I bought their Steward Ship program last year. It's kind of like Amazon Prime where you pay once for all your shipping for the year. They ran a special on it for $25 last year and the shipping can be extended to gifts as well.
Hit the comments below to share some tips on the best deals they have right now. I went for 2 bottles of the 2008 Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir for $34.99/btl. More on that wine in this California v. Oregon Pinot Noir showdown.
Offer ends Friday June 17th, 2011.
Mary J. Blige Dishes On Her 'Crazy' Led Zeppelin Covers
'I've listened to their music since I was a child,' says the R&B diva, who recorded 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Whole Lotta Love.'By James Montgomery, with reporting by Larry Carroll
Mary J. Blige
Photo: MTV News
You wouldn't peg Mary J Blige as the black-light-and-tapestry sort, but, as has become readily apparent in recent weeks, she absolutely loves Led Zeppelin.
In early February, reports began circulating that Blige had re-recorded Zeppelin's classic "Stairway to Heaven," working with Travis Barker, "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson and guitarist Steve Vai on the track, which is slated to appear on the international reissue of her Stronger With Each Tear album, due Monday.
But after she had recorded "Stairway," Blige continued to get the Led out, covering another Zeppelin classic — the thunderous "Whole Lotta Love" — for the album too. And when MTV News caught up with her on the Essence Black Women in Hollywood red carpet, she told us all about channeling her inner Robert Plant for the tracks, a process that came much easier than you'd probably imagine.
"I did Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Whole Lotta Love' — it's crazy," she said. "I am a Led Zeppelin fan. I'm not going to say I've been to their concerts, but I've listened to their music since I was a child, and it's always moved me, especially 'Stairway to Heaven,' and 'Whole Lotta Love' is just fun."
Blige also said she recorded another new song — a "club record" called "I Can't Wait" — for the re-release. And while it's only slated to hit shelves outside the U.S., she hopes her fans will get a chance to hear all the new songs pretty soon.
"I want y'all to hear it," she laughed.
Related Artists
Mary J. Blige
Led Zeppelin
Travis Barker
Mary J. Blige
Photo: MTV News
You wouldn't peg Mary J Blige as the black-light-and-tapestry sort, but, as has become readily apparent in recent weeks, she absolutely loves Led Zeppelin.
In early February, reports began circulating that Blige had re-recorded Zeppelin's classic "Stairway to Heaven," working with Travis Barker, "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson and guitarist Steve Vai on the track, which is slated to appear on the international reissue of her Stronger With Each Tear album, due Monday.
But after she had recorded "Stairway," Blige continued to get the Led out, covering another Zeppelin classic — the thunderous "Whole Lotta Love" — for the album too. And when MTV News caught up with her on the Essence Black Women in Hollywood red carpet, she told us all about channeling her inner Robert Plant for the tracks, a process that came much easier than you'd probably imagine.
"I did Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Whole Lotta Love' — it's crazy," she said. "I am a Led Zeppelin fan. I'm not going to say I've been to their concerts, but I've listened to their music since I was a child, and it's always moved me, especially 'Stairway to Heaven,' and 'Whole Lotta Love' is just fun."
Blige also said she recorded another new song — a "club record" called "I Can't Wait" — for the re-release. And while it's only slated to hit shelves outside the U.S., she hopes her fans will get a chance to hear all the new songs pretty soon.
"I want y'all to hear it," she laughed.
Related Artists
Mary J. Blige
Led Zeppelin
Travis Barker
Photos | MTV Buzzworthy Blog: Zombie Pop Stars
MTV Buzzworthy Blog: Zombie Pop Stars
Related Artists
Ke$ha
Lady Gaga
Justin Bieber
Katy Perry
Kanye West
Related Artists
Ke$ha
Lady Gaga
Justin Bieber
Katy Perry
Kanye West
Indian Director Mani Kaul Dies at 66
Nyay Bhushan Arthouse helmer Mani Kaul was one of the pioneers of the Indian new wave.read more
Davis Bynum, Pinot Noir 2008
Davis Bynum is a�venerable name in California Pinot Noir having made their reputation back when Joseph Swan was still with us. Founded in 1973, Davis Bynum was the first to produce a single-vineyard Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley; from the now legendary�Rochioli Vineyard. And this heritage lives on even after the sale to [...]Davis Bynum, Pinot Noir 2008 originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Justin Bieber Won't 'Limit' Himself On Next Album
'I just want to make music,' he tells MTV News.By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ Getty Images
It's been a minute since Justin Bieber released new music, and it sounds like the waiting game continues for Beliebers. The singer is currently in the planning and recording stages for his next record and has not set any deadlines for himself. At the moment, Bieber said, he's still creating.
"I want to work a lot with myself," he told MTV News about any plans to expand his collaboration résumé, after working with artists like Chris Brown, Kanye West, Ludacris and Rascal Flatts. "And [I want to] write a lot myself. I will be working with a lot of other producers and stuff like that, but I'm just writing a lot, writing on tour."
So what is Bieber focusing on in this new batch of songs? "[I'm] writing about how I feel and producing. I've been producing on my laptop and on my computer," he said. "I've been really into it and, hopefully, this next album will be huge."
It may be a while until new stuff comes out, but it's not like fans don't already have plenty of Bieber music to listen to in the meantime. Only a couple of years into his career, Bieber has already managed to release the chart-topping albums My World, My World 2.0, Never Say Never — The Remixes and My Worlds Acoustic. He's also dabbled in a number of genres, like pop, hip-hop, R&B and, yes, even country. With so many interests in so many different sounds and so much to draw from, Bieber said he's not boxing himself in on his next release.
"I've done a lot on my acoustic guitar, so it's gonna have that vibe," he explained. "I'm not gonna really limit myself. I think music is music, and genre — I mean, I know there's country music, there's rock music, but my music is different. My voice is not meant for any style. I just want to make music."
Are you excited for Bieber's next album? Tell us in the comments!
Related Artists
Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ Getty Images
It's been a minute since Justin Bieber released new music, and it sounds like the waiting game continues for Beliebers. The singer is currently in the planning and recording stages for his next record and has not set any deadlines for himself. At the moment, Bieber said, he's still creating.
"I want to work a lot with myself," he told MTV News about any plans to expand his collaboration résumé, after working with artists like Chris Brown, Kanye West, Ludacris and Rascal Flatts. "And [I want to] write a lot myself. I will be working with a lot of other producers and stuff like that, but I'm just writing a lot, writing on tour."
So what is Bieber focusing on in this new batch of songs? "[I'm] writing about how I feel and producing. I've been producing on my laptop and on my computer," he said. "I've been really into it and, hopefully, this next album will be huge."
It may be a while until new stuff comes out, but it's not like fans don't already have plenty of Bieber music to listen to in the meantime. Only a couple of years into his career, Bieber has already managed to release the chart-topping albums My World, My World 2.0, Never Say Never — The Remixes and My Worlds Acoustic. He's also dabbled in a number of genres, like pop, hip-hop, R&B and, yes, even country. With so many interests in so many different sounds and so much to draw from, Bieber said he's not boxing himself in on his next release.
"I've done a lot on my acoustic guitar, so it's gonna have that vibe," he explained. "I'm not gonna really limit myself. I think music is music, and genre — I mean, I know there's country music, there's rock music, but my music is different. My voice is not meant for any style. I just want to make music."
Are you excited for Bieber's next album? Tell us in the comments!
Related Artists
Justin Bieber
Auslogics Disk Defrag 3.2 gets smarter, faster
Auslogics Disk Defrag has been part of my system maintenance toolkit for quite some time. With the release of version 3.2, it's now even better at tidying up and optimizing your system's hard disk drives. In addition to a cleaner, easier-to-use interface, Disk Defrag 3.2 offers improved single file and folder defragging, better processing of multiple disks, a simplified scheduling screen, and more informative tool tips. Auslogics has also fine-tuned the program's defragmentation and file consolidation algorithms.
For laptop users, there's a new option to lock the program if your system is running on battery power -- so scheduled operations don't kick in and drain your power source at an inopportune moment. If you happen to have an SSD installed in your PC, you can head to the Disk Defrag options and exclude it from scanning (many think that defragmenting an SSD is a very bad idea).
Auslogics Disk Defrag is a free download and works with most versions of Windows.Auslogics Disk Defrag 3.2 gets smarter, faster originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
For laptop users, there's a new option to lock the program if your system is running on battery power -- so scheduled operations don't kick in and drain your power source at an inopportune moment. If you happen to have an SSD installed in your PC, you can head to the Disk Defrag options and exclude it from scanning (many think that defragmenting an SSD is a very bad idea).
Auslogics Disk Defrag is a free download and works with most versions of Windows.Auslogics Disk Defrag 3.2 gets smarter, faster originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Toyota pulls Cydia theme and ads to appease Apple
In news that will no doubt shake the very bedrock of your belief system, Apple has asked Toyota to remove its Scion theme and its advertising from ModMyi, a Cydia repository. The Scion theme has been available for weeks, but after it received a ton of press in the last couple of days, Apple finally lashed out.
It's not like we should be surprised, considering Apple has claimed in the past that jailbreaking is illegal -- but at the same time, did the Cupertino cronies hear about the ruling that made circumventing DRM, and thus jailbreaking, legal? Anyway, whether Toyota was supporting illegal, legal, or deliciously gray and ambiguous, activity, it doesn't matter: Apple asked Toyota to remove the theme, and Toyota graciously bent over and capitulated.
This story raises a much more interesting topic, though: this is the first time a multinational company has publicly acknowledged and embraced the jailbreak community. Considering jailbreaking is technically legal, and Cydia's creator, Jay Freeman, estimates that up to 9% of OS devices are jailbroken, it simply makes good, commercial sense to target jailbreakers with ads. Toyota was simply trying to make some money, for shame!
As long as Apple continues to throw around its increasingly-expansive mass, the legality of jailbreaking will continue to be inconsequential. It will be interesting to see if another big company dares embrace the jailbreak community after this, too.Toyota pulls Cydia theme and ads to appease Apple originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 05:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
It's not like we should be surprised, considering Apple has claimed in the past that jailbreaking is illegal -- but at the same time, did the Cupertino cronies hear about the ruling that made circumventing DRM, and thus jailbreaking, legal? Anyway, whether Toyota was supporting illegal, legal, or deliciously gray and ambiguous, activity, it doesn't matter: Apple asked Toyota to remove the theme, and Toyota graciously bent over and capitulated.
This story raises a much more interesting topic, though: this is the first time a multinational company has publicly acknowledged and embraced the jailbreak community. Considering jailbreaking is technically legal, and Cydia's creator, Jay Freeman, estimates that up to 9% of OS devices are jailbroken, it simply makes good, commercial sense to target jailbreakers with ads. Toyota was simply trying to make some money, for shame!
As long as Apple continues to throw around its increasingly-expansive mass, the legality of jailbreaking will continue to be inconsequential. It will be interesting to see if another big company dares embrace the jailbreak community after this, too.Toyota pulls Cydia theme and ads to appease Apple originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 05:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Are Romance Novels Responsible For Real-Life Sexual Problems?
I've long held romantic comedies, TV shows, and romance novels responsible for real-life romantic problems. No man will actually make you feel like a woman with his passionate embraces and burning loins, then cook you a four-course dinner before he rushes off to perform heart surgery on orphans.
Well, apparently that is not the only problem romance novels cause. It turns out wishful hoping for a romp in bed akin to Dr. Trent Blackjack, Esq.'s throbbing member is influencing real-life sexual problems for some women, according to a report in The Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care. Psychologist Susan Quilliam, who wrote the report, claims romance novels glorify "unprotected sex, unwanted pregnancies, unrealistic sexual expectations and relationship breakdowns" and said the fantasies are negative for women. The UK's Guardian didn't give us specific examples, but perhaps they were just being British about it.
Well, apparently that is not the only problem romance novels cause. It turns out wishful hoping for a romp in bed akin to Dr. Trent Blackjack, Esq.'s throbbing member is influencing real-life sexual problems for some women, according to a report in The Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care. Psychologist Susan Quilliam, who wrote the report, claims romance novels glorify "unprotected sex, unwanted pregnancies, unrealistic sexual expectations and relationship breakdowns" and said the fantasies are negative for women. The UK's Guardian didn't give us specific examples, but perhaps they were just being British about it.
The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET!
Engadget founder Peter Rojas had such a blast on the last episode of The Engadget Show that he's taken up Tim and Brian's offer to lend his voice to this week's podcast. We'll be talking more about the unfulfilled promise of the HP TouchPad and maybe setting up a Facebook / Skype meetup, since the Google+ thing went so well. Actually, probably not on that second thing...
Update: It's over! But, we'll have the full recording up tomorrow!Continue reading The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET!The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Update: It's over! But, we'll have the full recording up tomorrow!Continue reading The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET!The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Friday, July 8, 2011
Dell Peju tablet leaked, docking station and all (video)
Well, well -- what have we here? If you'll recall, we heard that Dell was scheming to one-up its own Streak line with a so-called Peju introduction sometime in 2011. Looks like we're drawing ever closer. Dell Peju Insider unsurprisingly has a boatload of internal documents showcasing the newfangled device, and if the specifications actually stick, we're looking at quite the performer. It'll purportedly ship with a 10.1-inch panel, front and rear-facing cameras, a slab of Gorilla Glass across the front and a homegrown docking station that provides a trio of USB ports, a gigabit Ethernet jack, HDMI output and audio port. We aren't so certain it'll ship with a Core i5 and Windows 8 compatibility, but those who'd rather throw caution to the wind can dive in just after the break.Continue reading Dell Peju tablet leaked, docking station and all (video)Dell Peju tablet leaked, docking station and all (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Dell Peju Insider | Email this | Comments
Deal of the Day ? Dell Vostro 330 23? 1080p WLED All-in-One Core i3 PC
Today?s LogicBUY deal is the 23? Dell Vostro 330 All-in-One PC for $699.� Features:� Core i3-380M 2.53GHz Dual-core processor, 4GB memory, 500GB hard drive, DVD burner, 7-in-1 card reader, 2MP webcam, HD audio, and more. Normally $799, this Vostro 330 is now $699 with free shipping. This deal expires July 12, 2011 or sooner. Check [...]
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Adapter Puts Nikon and Canon Lenses on iPhone
Pretty much the only thing stopping me from buying an iPhone to use as my next camera is the fact that I can’t shoot photos with a shallow depth-of-field, which throws the background into a distraction-free blur while keeping your subject pin sharp. The ridiculously impractical iPhone SLR Mount probably won’t change my mind, but [...]
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Man's Titanium Nose Saves Him from Shooting Spree [Video]
Yesterday's awful Michigan shooting spree left seven people dead. Robert Poore wasn't one of them—despite being shot directly in the face. Why? The bullet hit his artificial nose and bounced off. More »
Daily Crunch: Landscape Portrait Edition
Meet The Robostir, A Robotic Soup Stirrer Must-Have For Minecraft Fans: Grass Block Mousepad Review: ThinkGeek iCADE iPad Arcade Game Bowers & Wilkins Announce The Tiny PM1 Audiophile-Class Compact Loudspeaker Do Not Swallow: Olympus Releases Tiny E-PL Promotional Cameras
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Daily Crunch: Graffito Edition
For iPhone 4: Super-Cute Hello Kitty Cases From Japan Warn Friends And Foes With These Nine Aperture Science Test Chamber Labels ?Light Scythe? Is A Monster LED Strip For Long Exposure Art Mouse Up And Roll Out With This Transformers-Themed Razer Gear Tag Heuer?s Android Powered Link Smart Phone
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S?sh Makes Social Actually Social By Giving You Things To Do In Your City
Back in March, as we reported on Offline Labs' initial funding, we also offered up a quick glimpse of their first project, codenamed Project Drag?n. Now the project, actually called S?sh,�is ready to be fully be revealed.
The basic idea behind S?sh is a simple one: "find and share interesting things to do," co-founder�Rishi Mandal says. "Life's too short to be bored," he continues noting that when most people do things, they tend to do the same things over and over again ? go to the movies, go to the same�restaurants, etc.
The basic idea behind S?sh is a simple one: "find and share interesting things to do," co-founder�Rishi Mandal says. "Life's too short to be bored," he continues noting that when most people do things, they tend to do the same things over and over again ? go to the movies, go to the same�restaurants, etc.
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AVG launches LiveKive cloud sync and backup tool
A while back, we told you about AVG's new LiveKive service, a new cloud synchronization and backup tool which appears to have been named after a vat in which mash is made during the brewing process. But enough about AVG's odd choice of monikers -- LiveKive has launched and is now ready to accept your files into the AVG cloud.
LiveKive takes aim at services like Dropbox and SugarSync, though at the moment it's lagging behind in terms of features. As it stands, LiveKive is only compatible with Windows and OS X. There are no mobile clients yet, though with AVG's strong presence on Android we wouldn't be surprised to see an app arrive in the near future.
The company is offering a heck of a deal right now, however. If you sign up for a paid account during the launch phase, you can score unlimited storage for $80 for a whole year. You can't even score 50GB per year at that price from Dropbox, so if cost and space are more important to you than cross-platform availability, LiveKive might be worth checking out.
If you're not interested in ponying up any cash at the moment, you can still get a 5GB account free of charge. Just head on over, and create a LiveKive account.AVG launches LiveKive cloud sync and backup tool originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 10:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
LiveKive takes aim at services like Dropbox and SugarSync, though at the moment it's lagging behind in terms of features. As it stands, LiveKive is only compatible with Windows and OS X. There are no mobile clients yet, though with AVG's strong presence on Android we wouldn't be surprised to see an app arrive in the near future.
The company is offering a heck of a deal right now, however. If you sign up for a paid account during the launch phase, you can score unlimited storage for $80 for a whole year. You can't even score 50GB per year at that price from Dropbox, so if cost and space are more important to you than cross-platform availability, LiveKive might be worth checking out.
If you're not interested in ponying up any cash at the moment, you can still get a 5GB account free of charge. Just head on over, and create a LiveKive account.AVG launches LiveKive cloud sync and backup tool originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 10:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Lenovo IdeaPad K1's videos pair easy listening with helpful how-to's (video)
Know what really sells a Honeycomb-based tablet? No, not its 10.1-inch display, Tegra 2 processor, nor those 32GBs of storage space -- it's the background music, man. Someone in Lenovo's marketing department must have an iTunes library chock full o'department store-worthy Lite FM jams, because that schmaltzy muzak is all over its dozen-plus IdeaPad K1 how-to videos. We're kind of disappointed the company couldn't get Lisa Stansfield for a voice-over cameo, but hey -- who says we're living in a perfect universe? Prospective IdeaPad owners should check the source, where they'll be treated to such instructional, chart-topping gems like "Getting to know your Tablet," or our personal favorite "Adding and Removing Shortcuts." All kidding aside, we still don't have a firm date on this tablet's launch, but with its FCC presence cleared expect to see it sooner rather than later.Continue reading Lenovo IdeaPad K1's videos pair easy listening with helpful how-to's (video)Lenovo IdeaPad K1's videos pair easy listening with helpful how-to's (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 21:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Netbook News | Lenovo | Email this | Comments
Google demands veto on OEM Android changes, stretches definition of 'open source'
Google, according to reports from "a dozen executives working at key companies in the Android ecosystem" is finally locking down the open source and easily-fragmented Android operating system.
As it currently stands, Google hands over the 'final' code for each version of Android, and OEMs and developers then spend some time customizing the OS to fit their hardware, and to create a unique and marketable flavor. That's all set to change, however.
Over the last few months, according to several people familiar with the matter, Android licensees such as HTC, Motorola and Facebook, have been asked to sign 'non-fragmentation clauses.' This new contract caveat will give Google the right to review and pass judgment on all changes to the Android OS. Two executives at Facebook say that they're unhappy that Google gets to review its changes to Android -- which is understandable, given Facebook and Google are direct competitors -- and there have also been allegations that Google is preventing some Verizon devices from shipping because they include Microsoft's Bing instead of Google search.Continue reading Google demands veto on OEM Android changes, stretches definition of 'open source'Google demands veto on OEM Android changes, stretches definition of 'open source' originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
As it currently stands, Google hands over the 'final' code for each version of Android, and OEMs and developers then spend some time customizing the OS to fit their hardware, and to create a unique and marketable flavor. That's all set to change, however.
Over the last few months, according to several people familiar with the matter, Android licensees such as HTC, Motorola and Facebook, have been asked to sign 'non-fragmentation clauses.' This new contract caveat will give Google the right to review and pass judgment on all changes to the Android OS. Two executives at Facebook say that they're unhappy that Google gets to review its changes to Android -- which is understandable, given Facebook and Google are direct competitors -- and there have also been allegations that Google is preventing some Verizon devices from shipping because they include Microsoft's Bing instead of Google search.Continue reading Google demands veto on OEM Android changes, stretches definition of 'open source'Google demands veto on OEM Android changes, stretches definition of 'open source' originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
WiFi Xoom sheds $100, could stand to lose a few more Benjamins
Oh Xoom, you're but a few months old -- still only a babe -- and Motorola already has you on a diet. Sure, maybe it was a mistake to jump right into the deep end where big boys play, but you had to try right? Well, now that you've shed a $100 in weight, treading water alongside the rest of the WiFi tablets should be a little bit easier and, with 32GB of storage, you're more well-endowed than your $499 brethren. Still, it might be too little too late with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 muscling in on your territory and "iPad" quickly becoming a generic word for slates. Maybe if you dropped another $100 you'd have better luck -- and talk to your 3G-packing sibling, he's looking a little plump around the price tag too, if you ask us.WiFi Xoom sheds $100, could stand to lose a few more Benjamins originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink MobileBurn | Twitter | Email this | Comments
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Do You Subscribe To NYT On Your Kindle? You Can Now Access NYTimes.com For Free
There are so many ways to get around the New York Times paywall (or, as someone called it when it debuted, its pay fence) but if you subscribe to the NYT on your Amazon Kindle, you are now "entitled to complete online coverage of breaking news, articles, videos, audio clips, multimedia and blogs on NYTimes.com" free of charge.
Amazon had promised this would be coming, so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise.
Amazon had promised this would be coming, so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise.
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Google Maps For Android Now Lets You Download Maps For Offline Viewing (Hallelujah!)
No matter which side of the smartphone�wars�you've landed on, it's hard to deny that Android's Maps application blows iOS's out of the water. And this week it's getting even better.
Yesterday Google highlighted a new feature that's super handy for anyone who uses above-ground public transportation on a regular basis: turn-by-turn navigation for transit, which helps make sure you never get off at the wrong bus stop. And they've just pointed out another great addition that I've been yearning for for ages. Say hello to offline maps, thanks to a new feature in labs called Download Map Area.
To activate the feature, you'll first have to visit the Labs section of the Maps application, which you can access using the Menu button. Enable the Download Map Area option, and from then on when you browse to a Place page and hit the 'More' button, you'll see an option to locally store a map of the surrounding area.
Yesterday Google highlighted a new feature that's super handy for anyone who uses above-ground public transportation on a regular basis: turn-by-turn navigation for transit, which helps make sure you never get off at the wrong bus stop. And they've just pointed out another great addition that I've been yearning for for ages. Say hello to offline maps, thanks to a new feature in labs called Download Map Area.
To activate the feature, you'll first have to visit the Labs section of the Maps application, which you can access using the Menu button. Enable the Download Map Area option, and from then on when you browse to a Place page and hit the 'More' button, you'll see an option to locally store a map of the surrounding area.
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Mac OS X Lion Preview 2 released, introduces mega exciting leather bound iCal skin
This is one of those posts that could probably be condensed into a tweet: Apple has released the second Preview of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion. If you're running Preview 1, it looks like you'll first receive a small update via Software Update, and then you can download Preview 2 from the Mac App Store.
There has been some speculation that Apple is getting close to a release or Golden Master build, but judging by 9to5 Mac's initial findings there's definitely some way to go. The Golden Master will probably appear at, or just before, the Apple WWDC in June.
So far, it's looking like the only changes in Preview 2 are the leather bound iCal skin that you can see above, and the main iChat window now combines your AIM, Bonjour and Jabber contacts, like Adium. We're sure that more details will emerge throughout the day, though, and there's bound to be lots of invisible changes, too. We'll update this post when we find out more.Mac OS X Lion Preview 2 released, introduces mega exciting leather bound iCal skin originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
There has been some speculation that Apple is getting close to a release or Golden Master build, but judging by 9to5 Mac's initial findings there's definitely some way to go. The Golden Master will probably appear at, or just before, the Apple WWDC in June.
So far, it's looking like the only changes in Preview 2 are the leather bound iCal skin that you can see above, and the main iChat window now combines your AIM, Bonjour and Jabber contacts, like Adium. We're sure that more details will emerge throughout the day, though, and there's bound to be lots of invisible changes, too. We'll update this post when we find out more.Mac OS X Lion Preview 2 released, introduces mega exciting leather bound iCal skin originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Libra for Android helps you track your weight using The Hacker's Diet system
I'm getting fat; that's what you see on the screenshot to the right -- my gradual move from chubby to portly. But never mind the numbers, look at the pretty graph!
If you've ever read The Hacker's Diet, this graph should be instantly recognizable. Each point shows the weight for a given day, while the trend line lets you see if you're gaining or losing weight.
When I use my "main" PC, I have a homebrew solution for creating and maintaining this graph. But I've had to find a temporary solution for Android, and Libra is it.
It's a beautifully simple app, very true to the spirit of The Hacker's Diet. You can create a shortcut on your homescreen that brings you right into the data entry screen, so you just tap the shortcut every morning, feed in your weight for the day and hit OK, and then you get to see your progress (or lack thereof) on the graph.
The app remembers the previous day's weigh-in, which makes it easy to enter today's weight (as they're usually not too different). The graph is zoomable and scrollable, and most importantly, you can export the data to CSV so you're not locked into the app.
If you ever need to track your weight using an Android device for any period of time, Libra is one excellent solution.Libra for Android helps you track your weight using The Hacker's Diet system originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
If you've ever read The Hacker's Diet, this graph should be instantly recognizable. Each point shows the weight for a given day, while the trend line lets you see if you're gaining or losing weight.
When I use my "main" PC, I have a homebrew solution for creating and maintaining this graph. But I've had to find a temporary solution for Android, and Libra is it.
It's a beautifully simple app, very true to the spirit of The Hacker's Diet. You can create a shortcut on your homescreen that brings you right into the data entry screen, so you just tap the shortcut every morning, feed in your weight for the day and hit OK, and then you get to see your progress (or lack thereof) on the graph.
The app remembers the previous day's weigh-in, which makes it easy to enter today's weight (as they're usually not too different). The graph is zoomable and scrollable, and most importantly, you can export the data to CSV so you're not locked into the app.
If you ever need to track your weight using an Android device for any period of time, Libra is one excellent solution.Libra for Android helps you track your weight using The Hacker's Diet system originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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