Sunday, August 4, 2013

Powerball Jackpot Grows to $400 Million

The Powerball jackpot has grown to an estimated $400 million after no ticket matched all six numbers in this weekend's drawing.
The winning numbers in Saturday night's drawing were: 21, 24, 36, 42, 45 and powerball 15.
The next Powerball drawing is Wednesday. It is played in 43 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The multi-state lottery's most recent winner, 84-year-old Gloria C. Mackenzie of Zephyrhills, Fla., took home the whopping $590 million jackpot in June thanks to computer-generated numbers.
"While in line at Publix another lottery player was kind enough to let me go ahead of them in line to purchase the winning Quick Pick ticket," she said in a statement at the time, according to Florida lottery officials.
READ MORE About Powerball Record Winner Gloria Mackenzie
Mackenzie opted for the lump sum cash payout of $370.8 million before taxes, instead of 30 annual payments of $19 million, according to lottery spokeswoman Cynthia O'Connell.
Picking the Winning Numbers
As the top prize grows, aspiring millionaires might turn to several strategies to increase their odds of hitting the jackpot.
Inside Powerball: Can You Beat the Odds? Watch Video
Lottery Winner Can't Stop Laughing Watch Video
What Everyone Who Wants to Win the Lottery Should Know Watch Video
The odds of picking the winning Powerball ticket might be one in 175.2 million, but that doesn't stop hopefuls from employing their own superstitious tactics in hopes of matching the six lucky numbers.
According to lottery officials and mathematicians, every Powerball ticket has the same chance of winning.
Still, lottery players have cited selection strategies like using the birthdates of loved ones or putting their fortune in the hands of a Quick Pick drawing to be crowned the game's newest multi-millionaire.
Biggest Lotto Jackpot Winners: See the Photos
Nearly 80 percent of all ticket buyers let the computer do the picking, and with good reason – more Powerball winners have relied on randomization to ensure their success.
Powerball Draw: Behind the Scenes - See the Photos
Some players tempt fate by crossing state borders to purchase a ticket from a so-called luckier location, lining up at gas stations and convenience stores where winning tickets have been drawn in the past.
But even though Indiana may hold the record for the most Powerball jackpots – coming in at a whopping 38 – and Pennsylvania, Missouri, Minnesota and Kentucky round out the top five, it's not worth the extra gas.
READ: Powerball Pools: The Do's and Don'ts of Office Buy-Ins
These states have merely been playing the multi-state lottery the longest.
While Californians might despair that no winning ticket has been drawn there, there's always a chance this time around.
Residents were able to buy their first in-state tickets in April after California's lottery commission voted unanimously to join the Powerball game last November.

http://abcnews.go.com

UFC 163 recap: Jose Aldo beats 'Korean Zombie' by TKO in 4th round

Jose Aldo, Chan Sung Jung
Jose Aldo, right, delivers a punch to the head of "Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung during their featherweight bout at UFC 163 in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday. Aldo won the fight. (Felipe Dana / Associated Press / August 4, 2013)

UFC 163 takes place Saturday night from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, headlined by a UFC featherweight title bout pitting champion Jose Aldo and challenger "Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung. Aldo is the only fighter to have held the UFC featherweight title and has been universally regarded as the world's best 145 pound fighter since 2009. Jung, a cult favorite, is known for his colorful nickname and never-back-down style. In the co-feature, rising American star Phil Davis seeks to upset the Brazilian karate specialist Lyoto Machida.

In preliminary action, Viscardi Andrade gave Bristol Marunde an unpleasant welcome to Brazil with a first round TKO at 1:36. Francimar Barroso won a lackluster unanimous decision over Ednaldo Oliveira. And submission specialist Rani Yahya outgrappled Josh Clopton to secure a unanimous decision win.
Ian McCall vs. Iliarde Santos
McCall is widely considered one of the world's top flyweight fighters, but lost his last two fights against elite competitors Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson. He seeks to rebound against the Brazilian Santos, who is debuting at 125 pounds. Santos won six fights in a row before losing his last contest to bantamweight prospect Iuri Alcantara.
Round 1. The fight starts at a brisk pace, with each man throwing mostly straight punches and McCall mixing in a lot of low kicks as well. McCall lands the best early shot of the fight around two minutes in with a heavy hook to the chin of Santos. Santos goes for a takedown but McCall stuffs it without difficulty and takes top position. Santos looks to stand up. McCall takes his back and lands a few big punches but Santos is able to get up. Santos lands a nice overhand right but McCall goes right back to work. He's a lot quicker and more precise as well. Santos lands a nice pair of punches late and shoots for a takedown but McCall avoids that. 10-9 McCall.
Round 2. McCall starts off the round by throwing a series of leg kicks. Santos isn't consistently able to check them. Santos looks for a takedown but again doesn't come close. The fighters exchange power hooks from close range. McCall continually lands and gets out. Santos is having real trouble connecting. But he does connect with a nice 1-2 punch combination with a minute and a half left and then gets a takedown. McCall stands back up, eating a few punches in the process. He connects with an uppercut at the close of the round. 10-9 McCall.
Round 3. Santos starts the round doing better in the standup than in the previous two rounds. McCall switches levels and looks to take him down. He isn't quite able to get the takedown and Santos pushes in looking for a finish. Santos connects with a pair of jabs and then loads up a power right. He looks for a takedown but McCall blocks it. Santos hits McCall with a hard kick to the body. McCall goes back to work with leg kicks and continues to circle out of the thick Santos' power. 10-9 Santos. Santos came on late but it was too little, too late. 29-28 McCall.
Winner: Ian McCall, unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27).
Sergio Moraes vs. Neil Magny
Moraes is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt and has won most of his professional MMA bouts via submission. He is 1-1 in the UFC. Magny won his UFC debut in February of this year and sports a 8-1 MMA record.
Round 1. Magny looks to establish his jab early. Moraes throws some leg kicks. They clinch and Moraes uses a nice trip to get the fight to the ground. He quickly passes guard and works into more advantageous side control position. Moraes then gains full mount. He locks in a triangle choke from the top then rolls over. He throws a series of elbows from the bottom then rolls back to the top and gets the tap.
Winner: Sergio Moraes, submission, round 1.
Amanda Nunes vs. Sheila Gaff
The Brazilian Nunes is making her UFC debut in this fight. She has a 7-3 career record but lost her last fight to Sarah D'Alelio in the Invicta promotion. Gaff is a German fighter who was stopped in the first round of her UFC debut against Sara McMann.
Round 1. Nunes looks for a takedown. In a scramble, Gaff is almost able to get Nunes' back but Nunes avoids the bad position and returns to her feet. Nunes then takes Gaff down. She quickly works into side control. Nunes mounts Gaff but Gaff quickly powers out and stands up. Nunes takes her back down and lands a series of elbows until the fight is stopped.
Winner: Amanda Nunes, TKO, round 1.
Vinny Magalhaes vs. Anthony Perosh
Magalhaes, a world class submission grappler, was the runner-up on the Ultimate Fighter TV show back in 2008. He has improved his striking over time and become a more versatile fighter. Perosh has a 13-7 MMA record. He is 41 years old and lost via 7 second knockout in his last fight.
Round 1. Perosh drops Magalhaes with a right cross and knocks him out with additional punches on the ground.

http://www.latimes.com

Michael Ansara, "Star Trek"'s Kang, dies at 91


Actor Michael Ansara is seen portraying the "Star Trek" character Kang in the episode "Day of the Dove," which was first broadcast Nov. 1, 1968.
Actor Michael Ansara is seen portraying the "Star Trek" character Kang in the episode "Day of the Dove," which was first broadcast Nov. 1, 1968. / CBS

Michael Ansara, a television and movie actor whose roles included the Klingon Kang on "Star Trek," has died.
A longtime friend and spokesman for Ansara told The Associated Press the actor died Wednesday at his home in Calabasas, Calif., after a long illness. He was 91.
Actor Michael Ansara is seen on location for the TV series "Law of the Plainsman" in 1960.
Actor Michael Ansara is seen on location for the TV series "Law of the Plainsman" in 1960.
/ AP Photo
Besides the "Star Trek" role, Ansara appeared on dozens of TV shows, including "Broken Arrow," "Law of the Plainsman," "I Dream of Jeannie," "Hawaii Five-0" and "Murder, She Wrote."
But, as CBS' StarTrek.com notes, "Star Trek" fans "embraced" Ansara's portrayal of Kang the Klingon commander. He reprised his role in two of the series' spinoff shows, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" in 1994 and "Star Trek: Voyager" in 1996, according to the site.
Ansara's film credits include "Julius Caesar," "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," "The Greatest Story Ever Told" and "The Comancheros" with John Wayne.
Ansara was predeceased by his son, Matthew, with former wife Barbara Eden. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Beverly, a sister and a niece and nephew.

Michael Ansara and Barbara Eden were among several Hollywood couples at the Inaugural Ball in the Sheraton Hotel Ballroom in Washington Jan. 21, 1969.
http://www.cbsnews.com

Raven-Symone Comes Out As A Lesbian, Finally


Little Olivia of the Cosby show has come out the closet. Raven Symone, who played Bill Cosby's on-screen, pint-sized step-granddaughter on the beloved '80s family sitcom and later went on to Disney Channel domination with shows like Kim Possible and That's So Raven, has revealed she is a lesbian.
On Friday, Raven Symone tweeted, "I can finally get married! Yay government! So proud of you." The tweet came after gay marriages became legal in both Minnesota and Rhode Island. Now, thirteen states allow same-sex marriages, more than a quarter of the nation.
Symone quickly followed-up with a legit statement via her reps.
"I am very happy that gay marriage is opening up around the country and is being accepted," she said. "I was excited to hear today that more states legalized gay marriage. I, however am not currently getting married, but it is great to know I can now, should I wish to."
The 27-year-old has hinted at her sexuality in the past. "My sexual orientation is mine, and the person I'm datings to know. I'm not one for a public display of my life," she tweeted in 2012.

http://www.vibe.com

Greg Oden to sign with Miami Heat

Greg Oden, who hasn't played in the NBA since 2009, will try to resurrect his career with the Miami Heat. Is this the right decision? Our 5-on-5 crew weighs in.

1. Which team should Oden have picked?


Danny Chau, Hardwood Paroxysm: The New Orleans Pelicans. For a player still coping with his career's freefall, I'm not sure if playing for Miami, where he will be scrutinized nightly, often on national television, is the best way to come back into the spotlight. The Pelicans offer a young and intriguing team and some semblance of obscurity. That might've been the easier situation to deal with.
Curtis Harris, Hardwood Paroxysm: Oden had to balance out financial security, playing opportunity and legacy. I think the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs offered the best combination. If he has only a handful of games left in his legs, best to use them for a team that's a title contender.
Marc Stein, ESPN.com: Have to say that I did buy into the idea that playing in New Orleans or Sacramento would make things easier for Oden in a lot of ways because those teams attract so much less media attention. But it's hard to argue against the Heat if Oden indeed makes it all the way back to a rotation role. There's nobody in basketball who can make your on-court life more comfortable these days than LeBron James. So the appeal of joining the champs and teaming with LeBron is understandable.
Michael Wallace, ESPN.com San Antonio. Hey, you can't blame a guy for wanting to play with LeBron and the two-time defending world champs in one of the most seductive cities on the planet. But the Heat have altered their game to essentially limit their need for a low-post big man. The Spurs would have had far more use for Oden, if he's truly ready to step in and play.
Brian Windhorst, ESPN.com: Heat. If money was a factor, Oden could've done better elsewhere. But it doesn't seem to have been a motivating factor. The Heat don't really need anything from Oden until the playoffs and even then just in certain matchups in what could be limited minutes. There will be no rush to play him at all, he can take months to work into shape if he wants. Plus, Oden will have the chance to compete for a title. It's a compelling case for his circumstances.

2. Fact or Fiction: Oden will play in an NBA game by Christmas Day.


Chau: Fiction. Miami has the luxury of waiting as long as necessary to get Oden in optimal condition. While their circumstances could not be more different, I anticipate Oden coming into the fold much like Chris Andersen did last season. Hopefully Oden will have a similar type of impact on the team whenever he steps on the floor.
Harris: Fiction. I think Miami will do the prudent thing by bringing him along slowly, allowing Oden to re-acclimate to the NBA. And if Oden can play only, say, 30 games this season, it's better to back-load what he has left for the playoffs.
Stein: Fact. Everyone who has seen Oden says he looks much better than they expected. Every eye witness I've talked to says he's lean and moving well. So we'll see him before the calendar flips to 2014.
Wallace: Fact. If he's in reasonable shape -- and that's still a major "if" -- the Heat will find a way to get him on the court early in the season. They did the same in recent seasons with Eddy Curry and Rashard Lewis. The questions are whether Oden will hold up and whether the Heat will hold open a rotation spot for him to be something more than the roster ambassador that Juwan Howard was.
Windhorst: Fact. The Heat are scheduled to play the Lakers on Christmas and the way that matchup has gone over the past few years the Heat have frequently been able to clear their bench. In all seriousness, he shouldn't be worried about doing anything until later in the season.

3. Fact or Fiction: Oden will be a difference-maker for Miami this season.


Chau: Fiction. After last season's playoffs, Roy Hibbert's performance against the Miami Heat brought back the romantic notions of the enforcer in the paint. In an ideal world, that's what Oden can become once he comes back, but that kind of optimism is dangerous. The Heat needed a big body and they got one; nothing more, nothing less.
Harris: Fact. Maybe I'm being gullible, but I think Oden will have some sort of impact on Miami. The best scenario is obviously to be healthy and return to his monster shot-blocking and rebounding ways. However, Oden serving as a rallying cry for the Heat is good enough for me. After all, the 1960s Celtics mobilized a teammate's impending retirement into an incentive to rededicate themselves for another title run.
Stein: Not ready to go there yet. Theoretically? Sure. All he has to do, on paper, is rebound and protect the rim. Which sounds highly plausible for a 25-year-old who came into the league with those exact strengths. But Oden said it himself in our phone chat Friday night: He needs to prove to himself, above all, that he can finish a season healthy before he's ready to deliver or promise anything. So difference-maker is still aggressive.
Wallace: Fiction. I'll believe it when I see it. Anyone who predicts otherwise is basing their hopes on blind faith. This is a guy who has played exactly 82 games since entering the league in 2007, and hasn't seen any action since the season before LeBron made his decision to come to Miami. That's a long, long layoff. Last athlete I saw come back smoothly from such an extended time away due to an injury was Sugar Ray Leonard.
Windhorst: Fiction. I haven't seen him play in nearly four years, there is no possible way to answer this question without making a baseless guess.

4. Fact or Fiction: Oden will be considered a bust no matter what happens.


Chau: Fact. Maybe Oden's career will mirror that of former Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Maybe he carves out a nice career for himself after a string of untimely injuries early on. It still won't erase the uncontrollable hype he had coming out of college, and the heartbreaking six years leading up to now. "Bust" is an ugly label, but it's apt.
Harris: Fact. I despise the term because players don't reach their full potential for so many reasons that shouldn't involve a ridiculing label like "bust." However, I'm just one person and I sense the tide of popular opinion will slap Oden with a scarlet B for his truncated and rocky career.
Stein: Sadly, fact. Hard to see how he avoids it, even if he makes it all the way back to trusted reserve status -- or even difference-maker status -- because the guy who was drafted right after him is headed for basketball immortality. Oden isn't merely battling a body that has let him down repeatedly but also the legacy Kevin Durant is building after Portland passed him up. History will not be kind.
Wallace: Fact. But I think Kevin Durant's rapid rise into an elite, MVP-level player after being drafted one spot after Oden has as much to do with that "bust" perception (or reality) as anything Oden does the rest of his career. The injuries are a major deal that stunted his development. But the wide gap between Durant and Oden makes that perception nearly impossible for Oden to overcome.
Windhorst: Fiction. The burden for him to be a success is rather low. He helps the Heat win one key playoff game with his size and he's probably earned his $1 million salary.

5. Who would you pick to win the 2014 NBA title: Miami or the field?


Chau: The field. Miami should still be considered the favorites, but there should be a great deal of surprises in the coming season with so much movement this offseason. Miami took a gamble taking on an injury-prone center to go along with their other at-risk players. This might be the year when Wade & Co. struggle to produce through the pain.
Harris: The Field. Miami may have the best odds, but champions succeed despite the odds, not because of them. The field always holds the edge and that's not even factoring in a potential freak injury to LeBron, Wade or Bosh that could sink the Heat.
Stein: In early August? I'm going with the field. Can't forget the sight of Miami wheezing to the finish line slightly more than a month ago. Can't ignore how much better the top half of the East looks thanks to Indiana's upgrades and Brooklyn's serious injection of talent and the (presumed) return of Derrick Rose when Bulls camp opens in October. It's going to be a lot harder for the Heat just to get to the NBA Finals in 2014, unless Oden seriously exceeds all expectations and is ready to uncork a 1985-86 Bill Walton season on us. So field is the wiser choice despite the fact that the West appears to lack a clear-cut favorite.
Wallace: Miami. That was the case regardless of Oden's decision. Until the league figures out how to get a better handle on LeBron, and also limit Dwyane Wade in a winner-take-all game in the postseason, the Heat are the team at the top of the NBA mountain. Oden makes Miami bigger, but they were already better than the field -- even if the field has proved it has narrowed the gap quite a bit.
Windhorst: The field. We haven't seen a team reach the NBA Finals four straight years since the Celtics in the mid 1980s. There are so many variables that have to fall a team's way. This isn't a statement on their talent, it's the percentages.

http://espn.go.com

Tiger Woods leads by seven at Bridgestone Invitational

AKRON, Ohio — Tiger Woods wasted little time making sure everyone knew he wasn't about to back up in Saturday's third round of the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club.
He made birdie on his first two holes.
LEADERBOARD: Bridgestone Invitational
Although the world No. 1 wasn't nearly as sharp in all facets of his game as he was during his second-round 61, his first bogey-free round of the season, he nonetheless kept the rest of the field at a safe distance with a 2-under-par 68 to lead by seven with 18 holes to play.
ROUND 2: Tiger flirts with magical 59
Starting the day with a seven-shot lead under sunny skies, Woods, trying for his fifth win of the season and 79th of his career, extended his advantage to eight after two holes and never led by less than six the rest of the way.
With rounds of 66-61-68, he's at 15 under. Henrik Stenson (67) is alone in second at 8 under par.
"This would be a heck of a tournament for the fans and everybody out here if (Woods) wasn't playing, but that's not the case right now," said Jason Dufner, whose 67 put him at 7 under. "He's the type of golfer that can do this to these golf courses, and as players you've got to try and respond with what you can to try and catch him. It's a tough task.
" … All you can do is take your hat off to him after yesterday's round. It's a pretty unbelievable round of golf. He's showing the world and us where he's at right now with his game this week."
Is the tournament over? History would suggest a resounding yes. Woods is 52-4 when holding at least a share of the 54-hole lead in a 72-hole event. The largest lead he's ever lost after three rounds — two strokes — was to Y.E. Yang in the 2009 PGA Championship.
A win would be his eighth in the event — he's also won the Arnold Palmer Invitational eight times — and his 18th WGC victory. No one else has more than three WGC wins.
"Today was a day that I didn't quite have it, but I scored. And that's the name of the game … posting a number, and I did today," said Woods, who hit nine of 18 greens (he hit 13 in the second round), eight of 14 fairways (he hit nine Friday) and had 25 putts (he had 22 Friday). "I grinded my way around that golf course today. It was playing a little blustery.
"As smooth as (Friday) was, it was as difficult as today was. It's just one of those things where I was just trying to build on my lead somehow, just trying to build on it, and for most of the day I was doing that."
Woods made his first bogey in 37 holes on the par-4 ninth when he drove into a fairway bunker and was forced to lay up well short of the green. He made a second bogey on the par-4 14th when he drove into a fairway bunker, hit his second near a tree, chipped long and then got up-and-down for bogey.
A third bogey came at the par-5 16th when he again drove into a fairway bunker and was forced to lay up twice. It was his second bogey of the week on the only par-5 on the back nine
But he made birdies from 12 feet on the first, 2 feet on the second, 7 feet on the 10th and 8 feet on the 17th. He also chipped in for birdie on the 13th. For the week, he has 18 birdies and an eagle.
"To just go out there and execute my game plan," Woods said when asked what his mindset will be when he steps to the first tee in the final round. "Whatever game plan I'm going to implement, just go execute it. It all starts with what the weather is doing, and then I build it from there, and we'll see what I do (Sunday)."
Seeing what he will do every step of the way will be Stenson, who will be paired with Woods in the final group.
"I think it's kind of tough to pick up seven or eight shots on Tiger around here," Stenson said. "It would take something spectacular on my behalf or any of the other guys around me and obviously a very, very poor round for him.
"I'm just going to try and play my game, and be excited to go out and play with him (Sunday). He's obviously playing great, and it'll be a good test, a good measurement. But we might just be there for watching the final victory lap. We'll see."
If the spectacular from Stenson doesn't come, or an unexpected miserable round from Woods doesn't happen, Woods will take a lot of momentum with him to Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y. for next week's PGA Championship. Woods will be trying to win his 15th major title but his first since the 2008 U.S. Open.
"I think any time you can go into a major tournament or any tournament with a win under your belt it's nice. It validates what you're working on and you have some nice momentum going in there," Woods said. "And hopefully I can seal the deal tomorrow and get ready for the PGA at Oak Hill."

http://www.usatoday.com

Riley Cooper leaves Eagles to take 'time to reflect' following racial slur video


SPORTS FBN-EAGLES-COOPER 2 PD.JPG
Riley Cooper is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the Eagles. ((Yong Kim/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT))

The enormity of the situation appears to have taken its toll. Riley Cooper was excused from all team activities by the Eagles and is taking time to "reflect on the situation" after a video surfaced earlier this week showing him making a malicious racial slur.
"As we have said, Riley Cooper will be seeking counseling and we have excused him from all team activities," the Eagles said in a statement. "This is all new territory and we are going to evaluate this timetable every step of the way. He will meet with professionals provided by the Eagles during this period of time to better help him understand how his words have hurt so many, including his teammates."
Cooper, who has admitted alcohol played a part in the incident, is taking an indefinite leave of absence. Counseling was part of the punishment levied by the team for his actions.
"The last few days have been incredibly difficult for me," Cooper said in a statement. "My actions were inexcusable. The more I think about what I did, the more disgusted I get. I keep trying to figure out how I could have said something so repulsive, and what I can do to make things better. 


"Right now, I think it's important for me to take some time to reflect on this situation. The organization and my teammates have been extremely supportive, but I also realize that there are people who will have a tough time forgiving me for what I've done. The best thing for me, and for the team, is to step away for a period of time.
 

"During this time I'm going to be speaking with a variety of professionals to help me better understand how I could have done something that was so offensive, and how I can start the healing process for everyone. As long as it takes, and whatever I have to do, I'm going to try to make this right."

http://www.nj.com

Box Office Report: '2 Guns' No. 1 Friday With $10 Million; 'Smurfs 2' Falls to No. 3

UPDATED: A glut of family product is dampening "Smurfs 2" in North America; Lindsay Lohan erotic thriller "The Canyons" doing so-so business at the specialty box office, while no numbers have yet been released for 200 midnight screenings of "Sharknado."

Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington's action pic 2 Guns topped the Friday box office with $10 million on its way to a $28 million debut, easily enough to win the box office race in North America. The filmmakers had hoped to hit $30 million, considering the combined star power of Washington and Wahlberg, who haven't appeared together before on the big screen.
Suffering from a glut of family product, Sony's The Smurfs 2 may only earn $17.5 million for the three-day weekend for a five-day opening of $27 million, less than hoped for and putting it at No. 3 behind 2 Guns and The Wolverine (the CGI/live action hybrid rolled out on Wednesday). The studio is expecting to make up ground overseas, with one executive noting, "expect big news."
STORY: Fall's Prestige Movie Pileup Is Hollywood's New Box Office Problem
At the specialty box office, Lindsay Lohan's erotic thriller The Canyons is doing so-so business at the IFC Center in New York. The film, directed by Paul Schrader and written by Bret Easton Ellis, is projected to earn $25,000 for the weekend, although it could be a huge draw on VOD.
Friday's other headliner was Syfy's made-for-TV movie Sharknado, which has been such a sensation that Syfy and Regal Entertainment decided to host midnight screenings of the film in 200 theaters across the country. So far, no numbers are available.
From Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur, 2 Guns is the latest summer film to tie its fortunes primarily to males. It's also expected to appeal to African-American moviegoers.
The R-rated action pic, earning a B+ CinemaScore, infused with a heavy dose of humor, cost between $80 million and $90 million to produce, although the net budget was $61 million after tax incentives. Emmett/Furla Films and Foresight Unlimited financed and produced the film, with Foresight Unlimited handling international rights. The film project generated huge interest among foreign distributors, with Sony Worldwide Acquisitions Group buying rights to much of the world.
2 Guns revolves around a DEA agent (Washington) and Naval Intelligence officer (Wahlberg) who must work together after they are set up by the CIA. Wahlberg and Kormakur first worked together on action pic Contraband, which debuted to $24.3 million in January 2012.
Smurfs 2, scoring an A- CinemaScore, won't match the $35.6 million earned by The Smurfs in its first three days when opening in late July 2011. Either way, Sony is counting more on the sequel's international prospects considering the first film took in a stunning $421.1 million overseas, representing 75 percent of the film's global haul of $563.7 million.
STORY: Low-Budget Horror Rules Summer Box Office
Based on the comic book series created by the Belgian artist Peyo, Smurfs 2 is the second title in a planned trilogy (The Smurfs 3 is set for summer 2015). The sequel sees all of the main cast returning, with Neil Patrick Harris and Hank Azaria reprising their live-action roles. Jonathan Winters, who died this spring, and Katy Perry lead the voice cast, while Raja Gosnell returns to the director's chair.
Hollywood has never opened so many family films in a single summer. This season boasts Epic, Monsters University, Despicable 2, Turbo, Smurfs 2 and Planes, which hits theaters in two weeks (there's also the Percy Jackson sequel, though that will skew older).

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

Megan Fox Tries To Hide Baby Bump After Confirming Second Baby


Megan Fox Baby Bump

We see that bun in the oven, Megan! After confirming that she was pregnant with her second child on August 2, the sexy star was spotted out trying to cover up an obviously growing baby bump.

As Megan Fox arrived to JFK Airport in New York City on August 2, it was clear that she had more than one carry-on. Looks like the 27-year-old mother of one is already coming along in her second pregnancy!

Megan Fox Shows Her Baby Bump

Megan tried to use her large bag to cover her growing baby bump while walking through the airport, where she was spotted by photographers from SplashNews, but she couldn’t quite hide it — it’s already too big to disguise!
The pregnant star was joined by her husband, 90210 alum Brian Austin Green, who was wheeling their 10-month-old son, Noah, in a stroller. What a beautiful, growing family they make.
Megan’s rep confirmed to HollywoodLife.com on August 2 that she was in fact expecting another baby: “Megan is pregnant,” the rep said. “I can confirm that Megan is expecting her second child with her husband Brian. They are both very happy,” the rep also told Page Six.

Megan Fox: ‘I Want To Have More Kids’

Since giving birth to Noah in September 2012, Megan has made it no secret that she wants to have more kids. “All I wanted to do my whole, whole life was have a baby and, now, I’ve finally done it,” she told Marie Clare UK in March 2013. “I just want to give Noah as much of myself as I can. And I want to have more kids. That is where my heart is.”
She certainly didn’t waste any time! We’re so happy for Megan — she’s already adjusted to motherhood so well and we’re sure a second child will make her even happier.

http://hollywoodlife.com

EverQuest Next is Real, and it's Amazing

EverQuest Next will feature destructible environments, procedurally-generated quests that stem from independent monster behavior, and a revamped crafting system. If the team at SOE actually pulls off what they want to do with the next-generation MMORPG, then it could truly be the long-awaited next step for what has become a largely stagnant genre.
Lately, MMORPGs have existed on something of a linear continuum. On the one end, you have your strictly enforced amusement parks like World of Warcraft. On the other, your free-for-all sandboxes like EVE Online. However, Sony Online Entertainment Director of Design David Georgeson doesn't think EverQuest Next fits on that continuum.
"EverQuest is another point in the triangle," he says. "We're creating a triangle; it's not just a line anymore."
It's a sort of massively multiplayer Minecraft with elves, crafting, monsters, and all of the other trappings of a fantasy RPG.
It sounds like a bit of a cop-out. After all, what game wants to be directly compared to the competition, unless it's the in the most positive light possible? But there's some truth to that statement as well. EverQuest Next definitely isn't as linear as World of Warcraft, but it's not quite like EVE Online either. In essence, it's a game where players shape the world together, a sort of massively multiplayer Minecraft with elves, crafting, monsters, and all of the other trappings of a fantasy RPG.
As the name suggests, EverQuest Next is meant to represent an evolutionary leap for the venerable series. It's not a traditional MMO, Georgeson says. The original concept behind EverQuest, which was fresh back in 1998, has been done to death. It's time for something new.
"What we need to deliver with EverQuest Next is something really original, so what we did was tear it down to the bedrock,” Georgeson says. “We pick what we liked, what we didn't like, and we came up with a list of holy grails that we as designers had always wanted to do, but never had the time or the intestinal fortitude to try before."
Georgeson, obviously, is confident. He points to the experience of his team, which averages about 10 years. Most of the leads have four or five MMORPG under their belt. Georgeson himself was the force behind the original Planetside and Tribes 2, both of which are highly-regarded today. That experience has allowed them to iron out most of the technical issues early.
"It's intimidating, but we've been breaking these things down into categories and attacking them one at a time, so that we can polish up what needs polishing before moving on," he said. "We've also prioritized all of our heaviest risks at the earliest stage to prove that we can get them done. Now we're past all of the R&D hurtles, and we're at the point where we're doing what we know how to do, which is build an MMORPG."
Of all the new features that EverQuest Next brings to the table, the ability to alter the world is the most intriguing, since it fulfills a promise that was seemingly made way back in the early days of the genre. When we hear, "Massively multiplayer player-controlled world," we tend to think of a world where players can do whatever they want. That hasn't really been the case though, what with all the careful moderation and linear quests. Sure, we've seen player-created cities in Star Wars Galaxies, and EVE Online has long given complete control of the galaxy over to its players. But by and large, online worlds remain static until the development team comes along with the next batch of content.
Every player can work together to build a permanent settlement.
In EverQuest Next, a rallying call with periodically go out across an entire server; and for the next two months, every player can work together to build a permanent settlement. Along the way, there may be subquests or monster attacks, and construction may be delayed. But when it's all finished, it's very much permanent.
This degree of control extends to the world itself. Teleport away from an attack, and you'll leave a little dent in the ground. If you're an Earth Wizard, it's possible to raise barriers out of any part of the ground, or create sinkholes to trap monsters. If a large party of enemies happens to be crossing a bridge, then a spell can knock out the bridge and send them plunging to their doom. Of course, the bridge will be gone as well, which opens up a new set of challenges.
This is all accomplished with voxels – the fundamental building block of EverQuest Next – which allow for more convincing destruction. Players will occasionally be prevented from destroying things, Georgeson says, because otherwise "player cities would become player parking lots." Monsters, however, can and will show up to wreak havoc, and left unchecked, they can do plenty of damage to player settlements. A dragon, for instance, may come in and knock a castle wall down, necessitating repairs.
Jump to another server, and a city may be where a field is supposed to be, or it might not exist at all.
Over time, individual servers in EverQuest Next are meant to become their own worlds. Jump to another server, and a city may be where a field is supposed to be, or it might not exist at all. It will be possible to dig deep into the ground and make all kinds of interesting archaeological discoveries. And to keep things fresh, SOE will occasionally use an earthquake to shake things up and open up new areas.
Rather than a static playground, EverQuest Next is meant to be a living breathing world. Many of the quests will be dynamic, and monsters will have likes, dislikes, and general motivations for their behavior. Orcs, for example, love gold, and will go anywhere they can get it, which can result in a battle for territory as players fight to establish a city. Exterminating one group of monsters can rile up another group, prompting them to attack; or it may result in them picking up and moving on to another location.
On a micro level, Georgeson hopes that all of these actions, reactions, and dynamic quests will allow players to build up individual histories; to allow them to say, in effect, "Oh yeah, I was there when the southern regions were hit by the Great Goblin Invasion of 2014."
"We want people to develop a long, detailed history of their character," Georgeson says, "so that when they tell others that story, they actually care, as opposed to, 'Yeah, yeah, I did that quest.'"
For EverQuest lifers, of course, many of the elements that have defined the series over the years will still be in place. Crafting will be a huge part of the EverQuest Next experience ("Crafting is us. We love crafting," Georgeson says), especially with the battle system being revamped so that hotbar actions are innate to weapons. Many of the familiar locations from the past games will also be present, albeit with much better graphics. SOE is also encouraging players to help build up the world of EverQuest Next by releasing their internal toolset to the public. Fans can build landmarks; and if the developers like them enough, they will be put in the game.

A human wizard and a Kerran warrior break through a cavern floor into a magma chamber.
Having been in development for more than four years now, EverQuest Next has been something of a mystery to fans, to the point that it's been regarded by some as vaporware. Now that SOE has taken off the wraps, it's clear that they have some very interesting ideas for the MMORPG space. With World of Warcraft on the decline and no clear successor ready to take its place as the dominant MMO of the generation, the time is ripe for a new MMORPG to rise up. It's still early, but EverQuest Next has at least established itself as a strong contender for that position; a worthy comeback for one of the genre's founders.

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