Britain's Got Talent : Susan Boyle Has A Makeover

Oprah, the second most famous person in the world, had Susan Boyle, the most famous person in the world on her show today (Monday May 11, 2009).

Susan Boyle opened her house and welcomed the Oprah film crew in to give the world a glance at how she lived.

Susan told Oprah that she has been singing all of her life, except for one small break when her mother died in 2007. "After that, there was a wee period where I didn't sing," she said.

She said she began singing when she was 9, to compensate for a learning disability. "I was kind of a slow learner at school, so getting something like singing was a good way of hiding behind that and so boosting my confidence," she said.

Susan is loving her new found fame, off the back of the reality show Britain’s Got Talent. "It's like a dream come true," she says.

As for recent makeover, she denies it was one.

"It depends what you mean by a makeover," she says. "I said to my best friend, I said, 'How's about you do my makeup?' I mean, that's hardly a makeover."

Susan Boyle rose to fame only 5 weeks ago when a “gobsmacking” performance of ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ on Britain’s Got Talent.

Every week since, the producers of the show have tried to throw a competitor in to trump Boyle’s performance but has so far failed to achieve their sidetrack.

This week, the musical equivalent of the bearded lady, a male opera singer who looked like a rock star and sounded like a woman won the show.

They have tried a male Susan Boyle, a cute kid dancer and a boy who sounded like Michael Jackson but the fact is that once their 15 minutes of fame was over, no-one remembered their names. None of them were a Susan Boyle.

Boyle’s sudden fame surprised the show’s Simon Cowell, who didn’t allow her to sing on the Oprah show this week, claiming it was an unfair advantage over the other contestants.

Cowell spoke highly of Susan. "You've got practically the whole world behind you now," he says. "So I want to say congratulations and wish you the best of luck."


Susan, the youngest of nine, says she started singing when she was 12 years old. Music, she says, helped her cope with a learning disability. "I was kind of a slow learner at school, so getting something like singing was a good way of hiding behind that and so boosting my confidence."

Susan says her biggest supporter was her mom, who died in 2007. "After that, there was a wee period where I didn't sing," she says.

To help cope with the loss, Susan says she auditioned for Britain's Got Talent. "I am very slowly getting over it," she says. "One of the reasons I applied for the TV show was to try to see if I could perform in front of an audience."

It was the performance of Susan's life—and everything changed overnight. Paparazzi now camp outside of the home she's lived in for 48 years, and her mailbox is filling up with fan mail—with a few letters for her cat, Pebbles, mixed in

Susan says she's embracing every moment of her newfound fame. "It's like a dream come true," she says.

Despite constant public scrutiny over her appearance, Susan says she hasn't had a makeover. "It depends what you mean by a makeover," she says. "I said to my best friend, I said, 'How's about you do my makeup?' I mean, that's hardly a makeover."

Though she cut and colored her hair, Susan says it wasn't part of a dramatic transformation plan. "I did a bit, but that was just to tidy myself up like any other female would have done," she says.

No matter what, Simon says the competition is all about Susan and her voice. "You've got practically the whole world behind you now," he says. "So I want to say congratulations and wish you the best of luck."
What Do You Think About The Makeover Of Susan Boyle??
Source : by Paul Cashmere
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The Winner Of American Idol 2009 : Kris Allen Vs Adam Lambert

It may seem like the contest is over. For many weeks, show enthusiasts (myself included) have speculated Adam Lambert would — or, at least, should — win this season of American Idol.

Of course, way back in Season 2, I was just as certain Clay Aiken would walk away with the title. And that didn’t happen. So, don’t count out Kris Allen. The show is not over until the sparks fly and the confetti falls.

Many people are angry Danny Gokey did not make it to the finale. My e-mail inbox has been flooded with feedback from fans swearing they will never watch another season, because they just know this show is rigged. Sorry, folks, but I think the producers can stand to lose a few viewers and be just fine. After all, 88 million votes were cast this week. And the show still remains to be the top-rated — by a mile — week after week. Plus, they have given several finalists record deals, so I don’t think they really care who wins these days.

But on to the debate. Will it be Adam? Or is Kris going to continue his climb to the title? Here’s why it could go either way:

ADAM LAMBERT
Adam has been consistent since the beginning. He has that extra spark that makes him stand out — in a good way — from the other contestants. He can really, really sing anything. And he’s entertaining. You never know what you will get from an Adam Lambert performance until he opens his mouth, and that’s worked for him to this point.

He already has been featured on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. I believe (don’t quote me, though) this is the first time an Idol finalist has gone solo on a major magazine cover before that season’s winner has been crowned.

Now back to the singing. All you have to do is take one more listen to Tracks of My Tears, one of his best performances, and you will understand why Adam is this year’s leader. Or search for any of his performances. He has been on top of his game from the start.

There are some things that could really be working against Adam, too.

Simon Cowell has not dodged the question of who should win this season. He mentioned to both Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah that he thinks Adam should take the crown. This could hurt, considering so many people feel the show is rigged and the judges are doing everything to throw the votes his way. (Keep in mind, America has the last say.)

Katy Perry wore Adam’s name on the back of her Elvis-inspired cape during Wednesday’s results show, which also serves as a ringing endorsement from a top-selling artist. Of course, this also is being seen by many fans as a way to “brainwash” the viewers into choosing Adam.

Plus, and I hate that this matters, there is the question of his sexuality. While Adam has not confirmed or denied rumors of his sexuality, there have been plenty of pictures released of him kissing other men. It hasn’t hurt so far in the competition, but now is certainly the time it could.

KRIS ALLEN
He’s the dark horse in the competition, and that could be a good thing. Since the beginning, Kris has been moving slowly uphill with momentum. In the early stages of auditions, he didn’t really stand out (ala Kelly Clarkson), but he’s grown more and more each week into a true artist.

While Adam may be the favored winner of Simon Cowell, Kris has had his fair share of endorsements from the judges. This week’s performance of Kanye West’s Heartless led Randy Jackson to say it was better than the original. You know, the one by Kanye West. Not a bad endorsement, if you ask me. (I also would like to note it was this stellar performance that clenched his finale appearance. He clearly exceeded expectations and made himself look stronger than Danny Gokey.)

Speaking of Danny, Kris also is more in line with that conservative style. He doesn’t wear guyliner, and his style of music and wardrobe matches more closely. And that means the transfer of Danny votes could really sway this thing into a shocking Kris Allen victory.

But, again, I return to the music. If you don’t think Kris Allen has a fighting chance, check out his version of Falling Slowly. That, to me, really proved he could be something big in the industry.

There are some things that could really be working against Kris Allen, too.

Mostly, the fact he isn’t Adam Lambert.

Source : http://www.watchingamericanidol.com
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Adam Lambert Biography

Adam Lambert (born January 29, 1982) is an American actor and singer from Los Angeles, California. He is currently a finalist on the eighth season of American Idol.

Lambert grew up in Rancho Peñasquitos, San Diego, California and attended Deer Canyon Elementary School, Mesa Verde Middle School, and Mt. Carmel High School, where he was in theater, choir, and a jazz band.[2]

Lambert has been a stage actor since he was about 10 years old; he was cast as Linus in San Diego`s Lyceum Theater`s production of You`re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.[3] He also played a part in The Ten Commandments at the Kodak Theatre alongside Val Kilmer.[4] He was the understudy for the part of Fiyero in the touring and Los Angeles casts of the musical Wicked.[4] Since 2004 he regularly performs at the Zodiac Show, which was co-created by Carmit Bachar of the Pussycat Dolls. He also performs at the Upright Cabaret.

Lambert auditioned for the eighth season of American Idol in San Francisco, California. During his initial audition he sang Queen`s "Bohemian Rhapsody". Both Kara DioGuardi and Simon Cowell criticized him for being theatrical, however he moved on to the Hollywood rounds. In Hollywood, Lambert sang Cher`s "Believe", a risky song choice which paid off for him in the end as he made the Top 36.

For his semi-final performance he sang The Rolling Stones` "(I Can`t Get No) Satisfaction". All the judges praised him; however, Simon remarked that parts of it were "excruciatingly bad" while other parts were "brilliant". He called it a "love it or hate it performance". Following that performance, Lambert was voted into the Top 13.

On Michael Jackson week (Top 13), he sang "Black or White" leading to praise from all four judges. After his Top 13 performance of Black or White by Michael Jackson, judge Paula Abdul predicted that he would go on to be the winner or runner-up of the competition. The following week, Lambert sang a modified version of Johnny Cash`s "Ring of Fire". While Randy, Paula, and Kara all liked his performance, Simon called it "indulgent rubbish". On Motown week (Top 10), Lambert distanced himself from the prior week`s performance, singing a slowed down, acoustic version of The Miracles` "The Tracks of My Tears". The judges all liked it, with Simon proclaiming that he had really emerged as a star that night. Smokey Robinson, Motown week`s mentor, gave Adam a standing ovation. The next week he sang Wild Cherry`s "Play That Funky Music". Simon praised him on his brave performance, while Paula described him as a "true genius" whose performance "shattered expectations".

For his Top 8 performance (Year You Were Born) Adam sang the 2001 Gary Jules` arrangement of "Mad World", a song written and performed by British band Tears for Fears in 1982. Because the show had exceeded its time slot, only judge Simon Cowell gave a critique, which he did by simply giving Lambert a standing ovation. The next night, the other judges agreed that a standing ovation was the best critique of Adam`s performance.[5]

Name Adam Lambert
Age 27
Height 6' 1" (185 cm)
Build Athletic
Eye Color Blue
Hair Color Dyed Black
Date of Birth January 29, 1982
Birthplace San Diego, CA
Star Sign Aquarius
Nationality American
Ethnicity White
Religion Atheist
High School Mesa Verde High School,Mt. Carmel High School,Deer Canyon Elementry
Occupation Singer
Celebrity Index Ad
Claim to Fame American Idol 2009
Favourite Links profile.myspace.com

Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey and Kris Allen are the only final contestants not to have been in the Bottom 3, and Now They are ini Final Top 3 American Idol.

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UEFA Champion League Semi Final - UEFA Request Ovrebo To Shut Up

Oslo - Tom Henning Ovrebo did not want to comment about the decision when lead the fight Chelsea vs Barcelona. This is due to Norway referee is requested by UEFA to close the mouth.

Barca come to final champion league is reacted by anger from some Chelsea players to Ovrebo. This was happened after the long whistle was pronounced in a fight that ended 1-1.

John Terry, Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba had confront with Ovrebo. This is following by his decision to reject some opportunities penalty obtained by Chelsea.

Chelsea players who appear most pressing and emotional to Ovrebo is Drogba. However, Ovrebo still would not comment on decisions taken in the match.




Ovrebo also admitted that he was not allowed to comment by UEFA. "Because the situation after the match, UEFA ask us not commented on the media," he said as announced as Sky.

When asked if he knows when he can discuss about the match? "No. I do not know," answered Ovrebo.

Not only in the stadium, Ovrebo also had death threats. This make the baldheaded head referee get stricter under guard to return to his country.

Meanwhile, Uefa confirmed that they await a report from Ovrebo. This will be the consideration of UEFA before deciding to take disciplinary action to the Chelsea players.

"We will see reports from the referee of the match and also the delegation before deciding wheather we need to take action or not," said the Uefa spokesman.

However, Uefa refused to give his comments about the leadership of Ovrebo referee who was criticized by manager Guus Hiddink. "We never comment on the performance of referee," specifically.
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Adam Lambert: "I Know Who I Am"

Adam Lambert: "I Know Who I Am"

Gay? Straight?

Adam Lambert isn't revealing either way.

The American Idol frontrunner skirts questions about public scrutiny of his sexuality in the new issue of Entertainment Weekly.

See what an Idol stylist has to say about contestants' fashion choices.

"I know who I am," says Lambert -- who has appeared on the web dressed in drag and is widely assumed to be gay by celeb followers Kathy Griffin and Hairspray director Adam Shankman.

"I'm an honest guy, and I'm just going to keep on singing," continues the 27-year-old San Diego native -- who has only landed in Idol's bottom three once this season.


Look back on the most controversial contestants of all time.

Simon Cowell told TV Guide that Idol has "never had an issue" with Lambert's sexuality and called it a "huge step forward" -- but never discussed if he's out specifically. Judges have also called him "brave" for "being himself."

Lambert wouldn't be the only contestant in Idol history who is gay, if he is in fact gay. Clay Aiken, who came in second place behind Ruben Studdard in 2003, came out in April 2008, declaring "people don't care" about his sexuality.

See which Idols have had babies and weddings.

Still, Aiken admitted Idol voters "don't want to have that type of stuff pushed, people who are living in Omaha or in Charlotte or wherever."

Lambert -- who could be the first gay Idol winner -- is leaving everyone guessing.

A TMZ.com reporter recently ambushed him, asking awkwardly: "So, you could be the first...."

Lambert smiled and teased: "The first what?"

Neither the reporter nor Lambert finished the sentence.

"American Idol" Top 4: Adam Lambert's Zeppelin flies high

Wow, extra guy-liner tonight, huh Adam? Now this time the screams fit the song. This was simply amazing, especially the last 30 seconds. (Ryan adds that it was the first time a Zeppelin song has ever been performed on Idol. Apparently song clearance was obtained at the last minute today. He must have had a backup song ready.)

Randy: "You're a rock star tonight. You and Slash should make a record."
Kara: "You're a rock god!"
Paula: "You're a whole lotta perfect!"
Simon: "It was one my favorite performances you've ever done. The problem is nobody can top that now."

What did you think of his performance?

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Top Flu Expert Warns Of A Swine Flu-Bird Flu Mix

MEXICO CITY – Bird flu kills more than 60 percent of its human victims, but doesn't easily pass from person to person. Swine flu can be spread with a sneeze or handshake, but kills only a small fraction of the people it infects.

So what happens if they mix?

This is the scenario that has some scientists worried: The two viruses meet — possibly in Asia, where bird flu is endemic — and combine into a new bug that is both highly contagious and lethal and can spread around the world.

Scientists are unsure how likely this possibility is, but note that the new swine flu strain — a never-before-seen mixture of pig, human and bird viruses — has shown itself to be especially adept at snatching evolutionarily advantageous genetic material from other flu viruses.

"This particular virus seems to have this unique ability to pick up other genes," said leading virologist Dr. Robert Webster, whose team discovered an ancestor of the current flu virus at a North Carolina pig farm in 1998.

The current swine flu strain — known as H1N1 — has sickened more than 2,300 people in 24 countries. While people can catch bird flu from birds, the bird flu virus — H5N1 — does not easily jump from person to person. It has killed at least 258 people worldwide since it began to ravage poultry stocks in Asia in late 2003.

The World Health Organization reported two new human cases of bird flu on Wednesday. One patient is recovering in Egypt, while another died in Vietnam — a reminder that the H5N1 virus is far from gone.

"Do not drop the ball in monitoring H5N1," WHO Director-General Margaret Chan told a meeting of Asia's top health officials in Bangkok on Friday by video link. "We have no idea how H5N1 will behave under the pressure of a pandemic."

Experts have long feared that bird flu could mutate into a form that spreads easily among people. The past three flu pandemics — the 1918 Spanish flu, the 1957-58 Asian flu and the Hong Kong flu of 1968-69 — were all linked to birds, though some scientists believe pigs also played a role in 1918.

Webster, who works at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., said bird flu should be a worry now. Bird flu is endemic in parts of Asia and Africa, and cases of swine flu have already been confirmed in South Korea and Hong Kong.

"My great worry is that when this H1N1 virus gets into the epicenters for H5N1 in Indonesia, Egypt and China, we may have real problems," he told The Associated Press. "We have to watch what's going on very diligently now."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are extraordinarily busy trying to understand the swine flu virus itself, and haven't had time to break off staff to look at the possibility of a swine flu-bird flu mix, spokesman Dave Daigle said.

Malik Peiris, a flu expert at Hong Kong University, said the more immediate worry is that swine flu will mix with regular flu viruses, as flu season begins in the Southern Hemisphere. It is unclear what such a combination would produce.

But he said there are indications that scenario is possible. Peiris noted that the swine flu virus jumped from a farmworker in Canada and infected about 220 pigs. The worker and the pigs recovered, but the incident showed how easily the virus can leap to a different species.

"It will get passed back to pigs and then probably go from pigs to humans," Peiris said. "So there would be opportunities for further reassortments to occur with viruses in pigs."

He said so far bird flu hasn't established itself in pigs — but that could change.

"H5N1 itself has not got established in pigs," he said. "If that were to happen and then these two viruses were both established in pigs in Asia, that would be quite a worrying scenario."

Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Minnesota who has advised the U.S. government on flu preparations, said while flu experts are discussing the scenario, he has yet to see specific evidence causing him to think it will happen.

"Everything with influenza is a huge guessing game because Mother Nature holds all the rules, and we don't even know what they are, so anything's possible," he said. "We don't have any evidence that this particular reassortment is that much more likely to pick up H5N1 than any other reassortment out there."

"We don't have to put these things together," he added. "This is not chocolate and peanut butter running into each other in the dark hallway."

But there is in fact discussion of putting them together — in a high-security laboratory — to see what a combination would look like, according to Webster. Similar tests have been done at the CDC mixing bird flu and seasonal human flu, resulting in a weak product, he said.

Daigle, the CDC spokesman, said the agency wants to look at the question in the future.

Webster has done groundbreaking work on both swine and bird flus in his 40-year career, and has followed the evolution of the current swine flu strain from a virus that sickened a handful of people who worked with North Carolina hogs into a bug that has spread from person to person around the world.

He is closely involved in the global effort to analyze what the virus might do next. It has killed 42 people in Mexico and two in Texas, but so far has not proven very deadly elsewhere, leading to some criticism that the World Health Organization's warnings of a potential pandemic have been overblown.

Webster said underestimating the swine flu virus would be a huge mistake.

"This H1N1 hasn't been overblown. It's a puppy, it's an infant, and it's growing," he said. "This virus has got the whole human population in the world to breed in — it's just happened. What we have to do is to watch it, and it may become a wimp and disappear, or it may become nasty."

AP Medical Writer Maria Cheng in London contributed to this report.

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Barack, Miley move up; baby names Emma, Jacob rule

WASHINGTON – Barack and Miley moved up, but the classics still rule. Emma is the top baby name for girls, Jacob for boys.

Emma ended Emily's 12-year reign as the No. 1 baby name for girls in 2008, the Social Security Administration announced Friday. Jacob was at the top for the 10th straight year.

Barack may have been the man of the year in 2008 as Obama won the presidency, but he's still behind Elvis. Barack didn't crack the top 1,000, though he did move up a record 10,126 spots, to No. 2,409. Elvis is still in the building, but he fell from 673 to 713.

Miley, as in popular teen singer Miley Cyrus, moved up 152 spots to No. 127. But her stage name, Hannah — as in Hannah Montana — fell from No. 9 to No. 17.

Biblical names dominate the top choices for boys while popular culture appears to have influenced some of the girls' names.

Emma debuted in the top 10 in 2002, the same year that Jennifer Aniston's character on "Friends" gave the name to her TV show baby. In the latest lineup, Emma was followed by Isabella, Emily, Madison and Ava.

"People are also so keyed into TV," said Maryanna Korwitts, author of "Name Power 101" and founder of BabyNamingCentral.com. "It's not the best practice but it's what happens."

The top five boys names remained unchanged from 2007. Jacob was followed by Michael, Ethan, Joshua and Daniel.

Little else changed among the top 10 for either sex. Alexander joined the top 10 at No. 6, while Andrew dropped out. Among the girls, Chloe inched her way up to No. 10.

"There's something about naming a child that's a very existential statement," said Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue. "As you read through this you see the influence of recent immigration, religion, popular culture. Sometimes, it's just people who are admired."

The Social Security Administration started compiling name lists in 1997. The agency offers lists of baby names dating to 1880.

New girl names in the top 1,000 included Isla (623), Mareli (718), Milagros (731), Dayami (750) and Nylah (821).

Debuting among the boys were Aaden (343), Chace (655), Marley (764) Kash (779) and Kymani (836). Beckham debuted at 893, perhaps a nod to the British soccer star, David Beckham, who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy.


On the Web: Social Security Administration: http://www.ssa.gov
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American Idol 2009 Top 4 Results Show - The Eliminated Singer Is…

Tonight on American Idol, the elimination results for this season’s Top 4 will be revealed…

So far the American Idol Top 4 Prediction Poll shows that over half of you think Kris Allen will be eliminated tonight

Tonight’s live show is over. Here are your results…

American Idol 2009 Top 3:

* Kris Allen - Ryan just revealed that Kris is safe this week

* Adam Lambert - revealed to be safe

* Danny Gokey - revealed to be safe

American Idol 2009 Top 4 Elimination Results:...

* Allison Iraheta


That’s it, we’ve got an all-boys Idol finale. Allison Iraheta has been eliminated from American Idol! Here is your official list of the American Idol 2009 Top 3 performers.


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"Star Trek" Review

As a summer blockbuster, it delivers on pyrotechnics, fist-clenching excitement and three-dimensional characters. As a reboot of a popular franchise, it takes us back to square one in a way that feels both familiar and fresh. (As opposed to, say, the muddled “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.”) And as a remake of a TV show, it captures the essence of the original while allowing the big-screen version to expand in new and thrilling directions.

REVIEW


Alonso Duralde
Film critic

It was once noted that “Casablanca” was perhaps the one movie to emerge from the studio system that accomplished everything that most studio films of the era tried to do: There’s a love story, intrigue, comedy and even a dash of torn-from-the-headlines current events. Seeing what “Casablanca” does perfectly with such seeming effortlessness throws its lesser contemporaries into sharp relief.

And while “Star Trek” is no “Casablanca,” it sets a new standard in various categories of its own: As a summer blockbuster, it delivers on pyrotechnics, fist-clenching excitement and three-dimensional characters. As a reboot of a popular franchise, it takes us back to square one in a way that feels both familiar and fresh. (As opposed to, say, the muddled “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.”) And as a remake of a TV show, it captures the essence of the original while allowing the big-screen version to expand in new and thrilling directions.

“Star Trek” is easily the summer tentpole movie by which all of 2009’s summer tentpole movies will be measured. And I say this as someone who’s not a fanatic about the original show or about the nerd-friendly work of director J.J. Abrams. (For what it’s worth, the hardcore “Trek” fanatic on one side of me and the person on the other side of me whose only exposure to the “Trek” movies was “the one with the whales” loved it just as much as I did.)

One of the smartest moves that Abrams and writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (working from the original Gene Roddenberry blueprint) made was to place this new “Star Trek” both into the saga’s original continuity and outside of it at the same time. (Doing so involves black holes and chronological disparities that make perfect sense during the movie; just don’t ask me to explain them here.) This wormhole-loophole allows the creators to placate old-school Trekkers while simultaneously freeing themselves up to do what they want.

And what they want winds up being exhilarating and intelligent from start to finish. We begin with Romulan madman Nero (Eric Bana) opening fire on the USS Kelvin and taking its captain hostage; assuming command is the first Captain Kirk, who sacrifices his life and his ship so that the Kelvin’s refugees — including his wife, who gives birth to young James Tiberius Kirk during her escape — may live.

Jump forward to troubled adolescent James (Chris Pine), who decides to attend Starfleet Academy after flirting with alien-languages major Uhura (Zoe Saldana) and getting an affectionate talking-to by Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), who studied the Kelvin incident and thinks the younger Kirk could do his father proud.

Meanwhile, on Vulcan, Spock (Zachary Quinto) turns down an opportunity to join the Vulcan Science Council when he realizes they will always judge him for his half-human heritage, choosing instead to join Starfleet. He and Kirk square off at first, but…

I’m shutting up about the plot now, because “Star Trek” (again, unlike “Wolverine”) is loaded with surprises even though the whole movie is about getting Kirk, Spock, Uhura, Bones (Karl Urban), Sulu (John Cho), Chekov (Anton Yelchin), Scotty (Simon Pegg) and the whole gang together again for the first time.

While “Star Trek” certainly represents a triumph for the franchise — these characters are rounded-out and complicated and fully-formed rather than just being charmingly wooden — it’s also a flat-out satisfying movie, even if you come to it with no “Trek” baggage. Whether it’s a breathtaking sequence involving parachutes and a sword-fighting Sulu or outer-space battles that accentuate the terrifying and silent void of the universe, the film balances amazing action with human interactions that are similarly engrossing.

When Pike goads Kirk with the line, “Your father was captain of a starship for 12 minutes. He saved 800 lives, including yours. I dare you to do better,” I could feel the hairs on my neck standing up in a way usually reserved for well-written, powerful dramas and not mass-market genre movies.

This new “Star Trek” made me unpack my adjectives: It’s exciting, moving, hilarious, action-packed, sexy (a romance pops up between two very unexpected characters) and suspenseful — in short, exactly what big, fun summer popcorn movies are supposed to be and yet so rarely are. I’ve never glued on pointy ears and attended a “Star Trek” convention in my life, but this is a “Trek” I could get geeky about.

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NASA Warns of Super Solar Storm 2012

Nasa is warning the world about a major event that is going to take place during the much noted and spoken of 2012 calendar year. A year that was an important date of Earth's history. 2012 is also a prophecy predicted of a enormous global event seen by the ancient-Mayans civilization as well as others. Is this super solar storm what the Mayans invisioned?

What NASA is saying is a super solar storm can possibly effect life on Earth in such away it may even wipe it out life as we know it. A throwback atleast of a hundred years or worse.

Making daily life completely unfamiliar to us. The entire globe's electric power grid could be knocked out causing us to tumble back to existence of living off the land without electricity or satelite capabilities.

Advanced civilizations that rely on technology could become obsolete things of the past. Michio Kaku a well known astro-physicist speaks in depth about the devistation this event may cause.

HERE IS THE FOOTAGE


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Swine flu shuts more than 400 schools

President Barack Obama voiced hope Friday that the swine flu virus will run its course “like ordinary flus” as officials reported more than two dozen new cases and scores more schools shut down.

The government issued new guidance for schools with confirmed cases, saying they should close for at least 14 days because children can be contagious for seven to 10 days from when they get sick. That means parents can expect to have children at home for longer than previously thought.

The Education Department said that 433 schools had closed, affecting 245,000 children in 17 states. That was about 100 more schools reported closed than reported on Thursday.

Major U.S. airlines, meanwhile, announced plans to curtail flights into flu-ravaged Mexico.

“I’m optimistic that we’re going to be able to manage this effectively,” Obama told reporters as he received an update from his Cabinet on the federal response to the health emergency. At the same time, he emphasized that the federal government is preparing as if the worst is still to come so that it won’t be caught flat-footed.

Obama’s fresh take on the flu scare — more intense in neighboring Mexico than in the United States but also present in some measure around the globe — came as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the virus has been confirmed in eight more U.S. states and seems to be spreading.

Cases confirmed by the CDC and states rose to more than 150, with the flu now reported in more than 20 states.

The most recent onset of illness was Tuesday, CDC said, indicating a continuing spread, though no faster than the rate of the regular winter flu.

“We think the cases do continue to occur,” said CDC’s Dr. Anne Schuchat. But CDC also said the new swine flu virus lacks genes that made the 1918 pandemic strain so deadly.

Obama said it wasn’t clear whether the flu would be more severe than others before it, and he said the swine flu is a cause for special concern because it is a new strain and people have not developed an immunity to it.

Government agencies are preparing in case the flu comes back in a more virulent form during the traditional flu season, the president said, talking of an overarching effort to help schools and businesses while also responding to pleas for help from other countries.

'Don't fall behind'

While emphasizing at a press conference that the closures to date represent a tiny fraction of the almost 100,000 schools in the country, Education Secretary Arne Duncan instructed teachers, parents and students to be prepared if their school does close.

To teachers, Duncan said: “Think about reworking upcoming lesson plans so students can do their schoolwork at home if necessary.”

To parents: “Learn about what they’re learning at school. Keep them on task.”

And to students: “Don’t fall behind your peers at other schools that are still in session. Keep working hard.”

Many travelers have become increasingly concerned about going to Mexico, though authorities there said new cases were leveling off.

>The Mexico City mayor said Friday that no new flu deaths were reported overnight for the first time since the emergency was declared a week ago. Mexico has confirmed nearly 400 swine flu cases and has 16 confirmed deaths, although reports have indicated that roughly 168 may have died from it.

U.S. travelers have been advised to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico. Continental Airlines Inc., the biggest U.S. carrier to Mexico, said Friday it would halve the number of seats it sells to fly there. Delta Air Lines Inc. and UAL Corp.’s United Airlines also announced plans for reduced flights to Mexico, while smaller carriers were following suit.

'We're not the Typhoid Mary family'

The energy secretary aide who apparently got sick helping arrange Obama’s recent trip to Mexico told The Associated Press when reached at his office Friday that he was feeling better.

The aide, Marc Griswold, a former Secret Service agent who was doing advance work for Energy Secretary Steven Chu, declined to elaborate beyond comments in The Washington Post.

“We’re not the Typhoid Mary family, for goodness sake,” he told the Post in a story published Friday. “We’ve been told that we’re not contagious. We’re already past the seven-day mark for that.”

The White House has said Griswold did not fly on Air Force One and never posed a risk to the president.

Though most U.S. cases have been relatively mild and have not required a doctor’s visit, U.S. precautions include shipping millions of doses of anti-flu drugs to states in case they’re needed, replenishing the U.S. strategic stockpile with millions more treatment courses, and shipping 400,000 treatment courses to Mexico.

The CDC added the following states to its list of those with confirmed cases: New Jersey with five cases, Delaware with four, Illinois with three, Colorado and Virginia with two, and Minnesota, Nebraska and Kentucky each with one.

CDC previously had confirmed cases in New York, Texas, California, South Carolina, Kansas, Massachusetts, Indiana, Ohio, Arizona, Michigan and Nevada.

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Exclusive! Manohara Odelia Pinot conversation with His mother

Jakarta: Case of alleged kidnapping Indonesian model Manohara Pinot by the son of Raja Kelantan, Malaysia continues scrolling. During a visit to Indonesia some time ago, the Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib Razak says Manohara Mom's, Daisy Fajarina, entry to the country. However, in a special interview with SCTV, Saturday (25 / 4), Fajarina still confess. He showed evidence of a letter-ban. He declined to enter Malaysia without a clear reason.

Manohara Pinot alleged to be stolen her own, Tengku Muhammad Fakhri, son of Raja Kelantan Malaysia. Both marriages took place in August 2008 in Malaysia. Lapse of some time after the marriage, the family Manohara never again be associated with the daughter. Fajarina said, Manohara often told the brother that he was not treated well by her husband.

Management plan wedding in India is also not so held. Thus, the family was anxious and trying different ways to be able to return back Manohara.

Fajarina Able law, Afrian Bondjol says his side have the post-complaint. Among others, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Malaysia, to the National Commission on Human Rights and Woman. He expects the response from the government. In addition, the legal action will come more, especially in the case of alleged persecution, violence and tyranny made Fakhri. See The Video ....

Beautiful Model Manohara Odelia Pinot suspected rapt Prince Sultanate of Kelantan, Malaysia, Prince Tengku Muhammad Fakhry ago in March, had a conversation with his mother to Daisy Fajriana over the phone. During the discussion Manohara crying to his mother.

Mother of Manohara Pinot, artist and model who is allegedly the son of the king rapt Kelantan Malaysia complain to the National Commission on Human Rights. Daisy Fajarina ask Komnas HAM bridge the communication with Malaysia in order to return immediately to the heart fruit.

Daisy suddenly fell unconscious after the daughter's alleged abduction. Manohara rapt suspected her husband, Tengku Muhammad Fakhri, the son of the King of Malaysia Kelantan. There is a family issue, Manohara create the model used to work as suspected by their parents rapt.

This issue must be carriaged carefully because the problems in the family. Komnas HAM says the data-collecting data and will communicate with the Malaysian side to see if there is violation of human rights or domestic violence. (FRI / Don Vito Samartha)

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