Katherine Heigl's 'One For The Money' Is One For The Guys, Too

Katherine Heigl has become the queen of rom-coms. With a resume that includes, "27 Dresses," "Life As We Know It," and "New Years Eve," you know you are in for a perfect ladies' night out when you see a Katherine Heigl flick.

But what if you are bringing your boyfriend to the movies this weekend? Well, don’t worry ladies, you can bring your boys along to see Katherine’s new movie, "One For the Money." She promised us!

"I wouldn’t qualify it as a romantic comedy. It’s got that and it’s got comedy, but it’s mostly about this sort of murder mystery undertone that keeps it moving and keeps the pace going," Katherine told MTV News at the New York premiere. "I always feel like I’m selling it to men, like there’s explosions and there’s shooting. You’re gonna like it too, I promise."


Still not convinced? Well, let’s take some advice from her love interest in the flick, Jason O’Mara.

"I think if the guys come and see it, there’s gonna be lots in it for them. This is not a frilly romantic comedy," he said. "With all due respect to Katie’s past work, this is not "27 Dresses." There’s something kind of edgy, something kinda blue collar about this that gives it a bit of a realism, and I think it’s cool. Whether you’re male or female I think you’re gonna have a good time."

Will you be seeing “One For The Money"? Let us know in the comments and on Twitter!

Sarah Burke Tribute at Winter X Games 2012

A friend, daughter, wife, sister, hero, legend was honored on the opening night of the 2012 Winter X Games in Aspen, CO. For a moment the action sports community paused to pay tribute to one of the greatest spirits to have graced this earth – Sarah Burke. To say the least, the dedication of the Winter X Games to the memory of Sarah was fitting.

In short, the tribute was poignant and emotionally stirring: Sal Masekela’s words spoke true, very very true…

“Sarah’s true legacy will not be found in any stat line or in any record book. You see, if you met Sarah Burke once, you had a friend for life…”

The opening day (and night) of competition at Winter X Games 2012 delivered moments of extraordinary athleticism, culminating with the crowning of champions. Yet, as impressive as these moments may have been (and will be to come), none will be as memorable as the bright shining light that is Sarah’s legacy. Thank you Sarah for all you have shown us – we will carry on your torch with heads held high.

Stop Censorship " STOP SOPA - PIPA !"

Why should you care about a bill called SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act)? Fight for the Future has a short video explanation of it. CNET also has a really good breakdown of how SOPA would affect you.


As a blogger, I’m concerned by the implications of bills like SOPA and the Senate version PIPA. As someone with a legal background, I’m even more alarmed that they might become law.

Copyright infringement is wrong — but so are overreaching laws that don’t give a damn about due process. Under SOPA, IP rights holders can proceed vigilante-style against allegedly offending sites, without any court hearing or any judicial intervention or oversight whatsoever. A “good faith belief” that an identified Internet site is “primarily designed or operated for the purpose of” infringement would be enough to initiate the process of blocking access to that particular site. Are we really going to let the government block websites based on a “good faith belief”?

This quote summarizes my feelings on the subject: “Copyright and trademark infringement on the Internet is a very real problem, and reasonable proposals to augment the ample array of enforcement powers already at the disposal of IP rights holders and law enforcement officials may serve the public interest. But the power to break the Internet shouldn’t be among them.” – Stanford Law Review

Addicted to the internet like I am? You should care about stopping SOPA and PIPA. Don’t let the big media companies buy the legalization of censorship. Contact Congress now. Check to see if your congressperson is a cosponsor of SOPA or of PIPA.

Terrell Owens to play in IFL

That's right, IFL, here I come. Allen, Texas, here I come. I'm going to be me. Allen, Texas, I'll see you in the end zone.” The 38-year-old Owens didn't get any NFL offers to play last season after surgery on his left knee.

After Vernon Davis took a page out of the TO history book on Saturday against the Saints, we looked into the status of Owens' IFL deliberations, and we reported that a decision is coming with the next week or so. It has arrived.

Latin American markets continue to look relatively stronger due to greater dependence on the Chinese and Brazilian growth story. The Global X FTSE Andean 40 ETF (AND, quote) and the iShares S&P Latin America 40 Index (IFL, quote) could be candidates

According to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News, Owens could soon be signing with the Allen Wranglers of the IFL. Owner Jon Frankel said that the di

That's right, IFL, here I come. Allen, Texas, here I come. I'm going to be me. Allen, Texas, I'll see you in the end zone.” The 38-year-old Owens didn't get any NFL offers to play last season after surgery on his left knee

Yup! Zone Restaurant Week tips

Yup! Zone Restaurant Week begins Jan. 20. The idea's a great one: Restaurants can get a lot of traffic during what’s typically a slow time of year for them (there’s another Week in July, too), while diners get a chance to try places they might not otherwise. But note a few things:

• That $30 doesn’t include tax, tip or beverage for the most part (though some places do include a glass of wine, draft beer or margarita in the deal). So expect to spend more than $30 per person.
• Diners intent on getting a deal should shop the website, comparing choices to restaurants' regular menus. At many places, you can choose a trio that would barely top $30 at regular prices. But if you’ve done your homework, you can get more bang for your buck. (Personally, I like to choose what sounds good together, but some folks really want to feel that discount.) And check details like steak weights. Some places may offer smaller steaks or one lobster tail rather than two. (Understandable, since restaurants can take a bath on the Week, but you want to be aware.)
• Places can be busier than they usually are and, if they’re not well-managed, you can feel part of a herd. Ask how reservations are going and lean toward weeknights, rather than weekend nights, if this worries you. Prepare for a bit of natural confusion, relax, and you'll have a better time.

Here are some highlights:

For those who crave the new:
Osso, Fern and La Paz are relatively new – and before you tell me how long La Paz has been around, this is the new location at the Metropolitan. And check its CRW menu: A pretty complete divergence, from newly hired chef Tobin McAfee. I’m told diner response may mean additions to that tried-and-true menu.

For the folks who want choice:
The Tuscan grills own this one: Aria and Primo both essentially have their whole menus in on this deal. Sante in Matthews, while much smaller, also proffers a notably large percentage of its lineup.

For those who look at the dessert menu before entrees:
Blue: Seven choices, covering all three dessert food groups – Chocolate, Fruit, Liqueur.

For adventure-seekers:
The Speedway Club is usually a private club, but opens up for this event. Always wondered about it? Check it out.
Global offers a good sense of what it’s about, from salmon rillettes on housemade baguette to the cod dish called Stockfish a la Nicoise.
Luce has an appetizer, fish, pasta and risotto of the day in its lineup.

I’d skip:
Del Frisco’s offers choice among entrees -- each of which tops or nears the $30 mark alone -- but every diner will have the exact same salad, side and dessert? Go if you've never been (it's luxe), but you won't get much insight into what the kitchen can do. Morton's is similarly one-dimensional.

For the deal-hungry:
Maharani Indian Cuisine: You get a glass of wine, an appetizer, a full dinner-size entrée AND a full-size tandoori entrée, plus dessert.
Chima: Sheer volume – all you can eat of both the salad bar and the dozen proteins served from skewers. Regular price is $49.50; a few of the usual meats (lamb chops, for example) won’t be served, but it’s still a significant discount.

Read more here: http://helendining.blogspot.com/2012/01/charlotte-restaurant-week-tips.html#storylink=cpy

Wikipedia Blackout : A Humorous Substitute and Five Great Alternatives

In less than one hours, Wikipedia will begin a blackout to the English-language Wikipedia. The blackout, which begins at 12:00 AM (EST) tomorrow and will last 24 hours, is a public protest of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and PROTECT IP Act (PIPA).

Here are five great alternatives to Wikipedia to use during the 24 hour blackout:

Answers.com — is a trusted is a Q&A website with information on any topic imaginable. On the site, there is a good combination of editorial reference books and community posted answers.

Encyclopedia.com — This online (free) encyclopedia is a compilation of over 100 trusted encyclopedias and dictionaries. This site is a great educational resource.

Scholarpedia — Although the layout and feel of this online encyclopedia is similar to Wikipedia, only verified expert authors are allowed to post and each article is peer reviewed.

Encyclopedia Smithsonian — This online encyclopedia, which is run by the Smithsonian Institution, includes articles, images, audio, and video.

Open Site — Open Site is an Internet encyclopedia that is edited by volunteers and then peer reviewed by senior contributors. It is a free and trusted source

***Warning*** The following is not a “real” substitute for Wikipedia:

Uncyclopedia – If you find yourself experiencing withdrawal symptoms 20 hours into the blackout, visit this site that appears identical to Wikipedia. However, this site is extremely satirical in nature and meant to be humorous not an actual source of information. Their motto is “The Content Free Encyclopedia” and the humor is sure to propel you through the last four hours without Wikipedia.

Sue Gardner, the Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation, posted the following statement regarding the blackout:

“My hope is that when Wikipedia shuts down on January 18, people will understand that we’re doing it for our readers. We support everyone’s right to freedom of thought and freedom of expression. We think everyone should have access to educational material on a wide range of subjects, even if they can’t pay for it. We believe in a free and open Internet where information can be shared without impediment. We believe that new proposed laws like SOPA and PIPA, and other similar laws under discussion inside and outside the United States — don’t advance the interests of the general public.”

Zappos Hacked to the Tune of Millions of Compromised Accounts

Online shoe retailer Zappos told customers this weekend that it has been the victim of a cyber attack affecting more than 24 million customer accounts in its database. The popular retailer, which is owned by Amazon.com, said customers’ names, email addresses, billing and shipping addresses, phone numbers and the last four digits of credit card numbers and scrambled passwords were stolen. Zappos won't say how many accounts were compromised exactly, but considering that they've gone and reset all 24 million user passwords, I'd venture a guess and say it wasn't good. Zappos also says that in no way were full credit card numbers compromised. Still though, to be safe, you may want to remove that payment info you have stored on the site..

Hackers disrupted online access to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, El Al Airlines and three banks in what the government described as a cyber-offensive against Israel. The attacks came just days after an unidentified hacker, proclaiming Palestinian sympathies, posted the details of thousands of Israeli credit card holders and other personal information on the Internet in a mass theft. Israel opened an agency to tackle cyber attacks earlier this month.

A hacker who goes by the name of “Yama Tough” threatened Saturday to release the full source code for Symantec’s flagship Norton Antivirus software on Tuesday. Last week, Yama Tough released fragments of source code from Symantec products along with a cache of emails. The hacker said all the data was taken from Indian government servers.

Use of microblogging in China quadrupled in 2011 compared with the previous year, with nearly half of all Chinese Internet users now taking to the near-instant service to gather news and spread views, a government Internet think tank said. Microblogging, or “Weibo” as it is known in China, allows users to send short messages of 140 characters or less to their followers. The total number of Weibo users rose 296 percent to 249.9 million in 2011, data from the China Internet Network Information Center showed.

The long-term approach of major Japanese investors, combined with an aversion to foreign and hostile takeovers and uncertainty over lawsuits stemming from the $1.7 billion accounting scandal, will likely make any change of ownership at Olympus a gradual process, writes Isabel Reynolds. Olympus is expected to stay listed for the time being and sources with the company’s powerful main bankers, who are also shareholders, say they would be prepared to wait for the firm to recover on its own.

90th Birthday of Betty White : A Proposal and Much More

To celebrate Betty White's 90th birthday, which is January 17, famous TV stars and comedians gathered together for a star-studded bash that aired Monday night (Jan. 16) on NBC. Check out this clip for some highlights.

"Betty, you're going to hear a lot of jokes tonight about your age. But take comfort in the fact that come tomorrow, you won't remember any of them," says Amy Poehler.

"Like many of you, I first heard about Betty from the wonderful stories told to me by my grandmother," says the 78-year-old Carol Burnett.

"Chuck" star Zachary Levi actually proposes: "I would like to be the mother of your children ... I think that this could really work out in a myriad of ways. I'd take your last name ... Zach White sounds good, plus Betty Levi is like Carol Channing's weird sister in 'Hello Dolly.'"

Betty then lays one on Zachary. You go, Betty. And happy 90th birthday!

"Napoleon Dynamite" review: Not all that explosive

Fans of the 2004 movie "Napoleon Dynamite" are a select, fiercely loyal set. They are also somewhat of a niche audience, which might make it a tough proposition as a crossover animation hit in the best possible scenario. Sadly, Sunday's (Jan. 15) series premiere of "Napoleon Dynamite" on FOX is not the best possible scenario.

Don't get us wrong. We wanted this show to be a success because we liked the movie and everyone attached to it -- most of whom are along for the animated ride, too. Jon Heder (Napoleon) is here, along with Jon Gries (Uncle Rico), Aaron Ruell (Kip), Efren Ramirez (Pedro) and the incomparable Diedrich Bader (Rex). Not to mention Tina Majorino (Deb) and Sandy Martin (Grandma).

Part of the unexpected genius of the movie was the deadpan delivery from the actors -- much of the humor was visual. Sadly, it doesn't translate to animation -- at least not this animation. Taken together, the monotone voices and 2D characters end up falling flat.

The jokes, too, feel like they would've served the show better in 2004 -- and in some cases earlier. The premise of the debut is that Napoleon gains super-strength from a zit cream and joins the PPC -- the "Pioneer Punch Club" (aka Fight Club).

Sure, it's a way to bring Rex into the story early, but the "Fight Club" reference feels stale, as does Kip's quip about having a virtual pet. Really, Jared Hess? Tamagotchi was introduced in 1996. Maybe the hopelessly behind-the-times Kip would still be playing with one, but we're not sure a large portion of the audience will even get it.

Also, the whole zit thing: Totally gross. Except for a few lonely fetishists there are probably very few people who enjoy watching (and hearing) pimples being popped. Especially when things get to the point of Grandma trying to pop them with a hunting knife.

Yes, it's that bad.

Miss Wisconsin Won The Miss America Pageant

A 23-year-old beauty, sexy, and smart queen from Wisconsin won the Miss America pageant Saturday in Las Vegas after singing opera and strutting in a white bikini and black beaded evening gown.

Laura Kaeppeler also had to answer a question about whether beauty queens should declare their politics.

"Miss America represents everyone, so I think the message to political candidates is that they represent everyone as well," she said. "And so in these economic times, we need to be looking forward to what America needs, and I think Miss America needs to represent all."

Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson came in second, while Miss New York Kaitlyn Monte placed third.

Kaeppeler wins a $50,000 scholarship and gets the title for one year. Her platform during the competition was supporting and mentoring children of incarcerated parents — a topic close to her heart.

Kaeppeler's father, Jeff Kaeppeler, told The Associated Press he served 18 months in federal prison for mail fraud.

He said when his daughter approached the family about making the personal topic her chosen platform, they supported it even though they knew it would be discussed publicly.

"We've seen this come full circle," he said.

Jeff Kaeppeler said his daughter's win on Saturday night was the best day of his life. He attended the event in a black tuxedo with a baby blue vest and bow tie.

"It taught us that God can turn everything into good if you let him," he said.

Laura Kaeppeler's hometown of roughly 97,000 people, Kenosha, Wisconsin, is about 65 kilometers south of Milwaukee.

She majored in music and vocal performance at a private Lutheran liberal arts college in Kenosha, and told pageant officials she planned to obtain a master's degree in speech and language pathology and become a speech therapist.

Kaeppeler was crowned the new Miss America by a panel of seven judges during a live telecast on ABC. The event was the culmination of a week of preliminary competitions and months of preparations for the titleholders from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

As the new Miss America, Kaeppeler will spend the next year touring the country to speak to different groups and raising money for the Children's Miracle Network, the Miss America Organization's official charity.

Teresa Scanlan of Nebraska won Miss America last year at age 17 to become the pageant's youngest winner ever. She said contestants' nerves likely were at their highest point just before the pageant.

"You can always breathe a sigh of relief" once the live pageant begins, Scanlan said.

Pageant officials earlier announced the winners of preliminary competitions, including Kaeppeler, Thompson and Miss Hawaii Lauren Cheape for talent; and Monte, Miss Texas Kendall Morris and Miss Utah Danica Olsen for swimsuit.

Kaeppeler took home a $2,000 scholarship for her opera performance of "Il Bacio" in the talent competition.

Officials also said Miss Idaho Genevieve Nutting won the $2,000 Fourpoints Award, while Miss Kentucky Ann-Blair Thornton won the $6,000 Quality of Life scholarship.

The Miss America Organization touts itself as the world's largest giver of scholarships to women, with about $350,000 to be given this year at the national level.

Scanlan said she planned to use her scholarship to help pay for law school en route to a life in politics.

The Cruise Ship Sinking In Italy - "Modern Titanic"

The 984-foot-long (maybe) cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground on the island of Giglio, Italy, killing at least 3 (three) people. More than 4,000 animals people have been evacuated to the Island, but 50 are still "swimming on the sea". The night photos remind me of the sinking Titanic.

The accident didn't involve an iceberg but an icecream, but it sounds pretty similar: passengers heard a loud crash sound during dinner. At first, the captain told them that the ship had an electrical problem but the evacuation started almost immediately after that, as they were ordered to put on their life jackets and walk to their emergency rafts.

The situation worsened quickly. Officials said the evacuation became extremely difficult as the ship sunk and the inclination increased dramatically. According to Giuseppe Linardi—prefect of the city of Grosseto, in the Tuscany region—many panicking passengers jumped into the sea as the Costa Concordia started to quickly lean to the side. About 150 of those have already been rescued.

Talking to local media, a passenger described the scene: "it was a nightmare, if felt like the Titanic, we thought we were going to die [...] people shouting and kids crying in the middle of the most absolute darkness."
One of the passengers was journalist Mara Parmegiani, who also described the situation referring to the Titanic. She said that some of the life jackets and the emergency lights weren't working. In addition to that, "there were problems deploying some of the evacuation boats, to the point in which [her] boat's pilot had to be substituted." Apparently, the crew wasn't completely prepared to take care of the situation.

Some passengers said the evacuation was really slow, taking an hour and a half between the impact and the time they left the ship. They pointed out that some of the crew members told them that the captain knew the situation was grave, but he didn't act accordingly.

4,179 people have been accounted, 14 of them injured. There were a total of 4,229 registered passengers and crew members in the ship, which was cruising through the Mediterranean. According to the manufacturer, the Costa Concordia can hold 3,780 passengers and 1,100 crew members. The city prefect says they are searching frantically for the missing people.

Ennio Aquilino, chief of firefighting services of the city of Grosetto, says that the hull is breached on both sides. The ship owners, the Italian company Costa Crociere, says they don't know yet what was the cause of
the accident.

I just can't believe this has happened on a calm sea, in this age of GPS and digital cartographies. [Russia Today, BBC News, El Mundo, Fox News]

The ship's captain—who left the ship two hours after the accident—has been arrested by the Italian police under charges of involuntary manslaughter, shipwreck and abandoning ship. According to Grosseto's chief prosecutor, Francesco Verusio, "the captain approximated Giglio clumsily, hitting a rock on its left side, making the ship to lean, which caused a large amount of water to enter the hull in just two or three minutes." [El Mundo]

The arrested captain and his sinking ship.

A dramatic shot at night, just as the ship started to sink.

A closer shot at night.

A view of the ship from the island of Giglio.

Aerial view.

Closer view from above.

The island of Giglio, Italy, where the ship ran aground.

Michael Pineda Traded, Jesus Montero Also Traded

I'm not writing that as "Michael Pineda Traded For Jesus Montero" because it doesn't look like this is straight up. MLB says that the Mariners and Yankees are finalizing a four-player trade, and Greg Johns says a source tells him the Mariners are including Jose Campos, and the Yankees are including Hector Noesi. So that's what we have. But barring some complete surprise in a physical, Michael Pineda is gone, and Jesus Montero is replacing him (but not really).

We're going to have longer reaction posts later on. Obviously, this is the sort of move that you can't wrap your head around in an instant. Pineda is a top young starting pitcher with five more years of team control. Montero is a top young hitter with six more years of team control (haha!). Campos and Noesi are players too. There are only four players involved - two on each side - but there's so much here. So many countless angles.

But my instant reaction is "I think I'm okay with it but I definitely don't love it." Pineda, obviously, has concerns. He doesn't have a changeup. More important than anything else, he's a hard-throwing young starting pitcher who faces a bunch of health questions. But it's not like Montero is some sort of sure thing. Is he a catcher? Is he a first baseman? Is he a DH? What to make of his .843 OPS in triple-A?

Montero is very young, with very big power, and I'm ecstatic that he's going to play for the Mariners, somewhere. The cost, though, is high, and ultimately what I think makes me the happiest is fuck you, PRINCE FIELDER WATCH, I'm done with you forever!