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Soccer Preview Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspurs

Luka Alario
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Soccer Preview Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspurs

manchester united vs tottenham hotspurs recap 2015 soccerThe wait is over. The Barclays Premier League is back after a big summer break. Most teams in the English top division have tried their level best to strengthen themselves on all fronts.

Manchester United finished fourth on the table in the 2014/15 season and thus they need to play play-off matches to advance to the Champions League group stage. The English giants are drawn against the Belgian side Club Brugge and the first leg of the fixture will be played at Old Trafford on August 18.

United’s pre-season was somewhat similar to last year’s trip to the United States. They won all the matches except the final one against Paris Saint Germain. PSG won the ICC trophy against the holders and also took Man United’s record signing, Angel di Maria, in the same week.

Ed Woodward made sure that all the new signings join the squad in the pre-season tour to the United States. The new players gelled really well with the squad and the team seems set to start their campaign at Old Trafford on Saturday. Memphis Depay has been handed the legendary number 7 jersey and Bastian Schweinsteiger will wear the number 31. Luke Shaw has also changed his jersey number from 3 to 23.

Louis van Gaal gave equal opportunity to all his squad players in the tour and after the last match he claimed that he has already thought about his starting eleven on the opening day. The 63-year-old has a lot of attacking options at hand, while they are still unstable at the center back position. Schweinsteiger, Rojo and De Gea won’t feature for the 20-time English champions in the first week of 2015/16 Premier League season.

Sergio Romero, Darmian, Depay and Schneiderlin might make their Old Trafford debut at the weekend. United’s Dutch boss has axed his best player of last season and told the reporters, “I think a human being is more than only a player, and he (De Gea) cannot manage that.

According to Van Gaal, Manchester United supporters will have to wait a bit more to witness their first ever German player. He said, “Schweinsteiger also came at the last moment so I don’t think he’s fit enough. We have to build his fitness.”

The former Ajax and Barcelona boss is hopeful of a strong start to the campaign as they don’t have any injuries. He said, “I think that we are far better now than last year when we started, so I have a lot of confidence. When we play in the same style and at the same level as the last six months of last season, then we can make a good year.

Spurs played their last friendly game on Wednesday against AC Milan. The Londoners beat the Italian giants 2 – 0 in the Audi Cup 2015 after losing out to Rafael Benitez’s Real Madrid. Pochettino’s men played an extra game this week and have to travel to Manchester on Saturday. Hence, fatigue can play a big role as they face a totally renovated Manchester United.

Spurs midfielders Ryan Mason, Andros Townsend and Alex Pritchard are all doubtful to participate in the game at Old Trafford. Spurs’ French keeper, Hugo Lloris, might also miss the clash.

HANNIBAL 308: Great Red Dragon Starts Things Anew

MTTG Staff
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HANNIBAL 308: Great Red Dragon Starts Things Anew

hannibal 308 great red dragon anew recap 2015Since the beginning of “Hannibal,” the show has used the name of foreign recipes as its episode’s title. However, in season 3 episode 8 we’re graced with the title “The Great Dragon.” It feels appropriate as the show feels like the start of an entire new season. This episode picks up 3 years after Hannibal’s capture. The lives of our favorite characters have been completely shaken up and there’s a new monster in out midst: The Tooth Fairy.

This episode lets you know up front where all of our main players in the show are at. Jack is once again in charge of the old FBI division and he seems to be even more cold-hearted than before. Hannibal is caught and placed in a rather nice psychiatric hospital which is now run by his ex-lover Alana rather than Dr. Chilton. Dr. Chilton and his slimy self is doing just fine as always. In fact, he’s now a world famous author who has written his own book on “Hannibal The Cannibal.” Oh, but Alana has a little surprise for him. Hannibal is now writing his own book and it’s sure to tear Chilton’s book of lies to shreds. This episode picks up where the book The Red Dragon does, but unlike the book we have an entirely new history and context to understand the characters in. Will and Hannibal are by far closer in the show then they are in the book or movie moving way past a simple working relationship.

hannibal 308 richard armitage great red dragon recap 2015In the very beginning of the episode we’re introduced to Francis Dolarhyde or The Tooth Fairy. In the beginning of the episode he is apparently working on staying fit and other important skills he needs to be successful serial killer. We then see Dolarhyde get the Red Dragon inked across his back. I’ve never seen a tattoo administered in such an up close and personal style before. Seeing the blood pool up from his back was truly chilling. What’s so interesting about this character already is that even though there is a scene where he tries to speak. He doesn’t actually utter a single line throughout the entire show. His deeply disturbed personality is shown completely through bizarre body language and facial expression. Before we even see what crimes he’s committed we know something is terribly wrong. Actor Richard Armitage did a hell of a job bringing this unsettling character to life with no dialogue at all.

hannibal 308 richard armitage underwear tooth fairy recap 2015Will doesn’t show up until half way through the episode. Jack knows he should leave Will well enough alone. Will is married now to a beautiful woman and has a step-son that he helps raise dogs with. They live in a rustic and beautiful cabin together far out in what looks like the middle of no where. Am I the only one who thinks his house looks like it’s made out of the antlers that he used to see pouring out of Hannibal’s head? Ok, maybe it is just me.

Anyway, Jack plays a really evil card by showing the photos of the two families The Tooth Fairy have slaughtered. Now that Will has a family of his own, how can he resist helping another family? His own wife tells him that it be OK if he went and helped catch this vicious killer in order to save another family’s life. Will surprisingly pulls out a letter he’s been keeping for a long time begging him not to take this case that will throw him back in to the game. I doubt Hannibal was earnest with his plea. It feels like he’s trying a bit of reverse psychology on Will that’s just not fair.

When Will does go to the house of the latest family slaughter it is clear that Will is shaken by the crime scene. At this point he had officially recovered from the nightmares and murders haunting his ever waking moments. Now, he must go back to his old ways of seeing things like the killer in order to work on catching him. He struggles so much to get in to that mind set because what he ends up seeing is truly disturbing. An entire family is slaughtered and then badly mutilated by having glass shoved in to their orifices. Yes,  it’s as horrible as it sounds. The show, as usual, did not slack off on the blood and gore. We later see Will downing a big bottle of some large liquid to forget about the things he had to visualize and he’s sad when he calls his wife and she doesn’t pick up. Presumably, she doesn’t pick up because she’s busy as she loves Will very much and wanted him to take this mission. Will had such a difficult time dealing with seeing inside of the mind of a killer again that he goes to Jack and asks for something unimaginable. He says in order to do his job like he used to, he must think like he used to. In order to do that, he must see Hannibal.

hannibal great red dragon 308 prison 2015As they say hello to each other through very modern Plexiglas (the very last scene of the episode) I can’t help but say “I knew it!” I knew that Will could never stay away from Hannibal too long and of course Hannibal would do whatever mind trickery possible in order to draw him back in to his sick mind games. It was a great opener for the second half of the season. The Tooth Fairy is going to be an amazing addition to the show with plenty of shocks and surprises to boot. Sadly, the show will be on break until August 8th so it will be a long wait to see what this 1st class show has set up for Fannibals next.

CATFISH 409: Blaire & Markie Show Much Counseling Needed

Ricki Reay
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CATFISH 409: Blaire & Markie Show Much Counseling Needed

catfish 409 blaire and markie counseling needed recap images 2015Season 4 Episode 9 of “Catfish“ introduces us to Blaire. Blaire reveals she has had a tough few years. She was kicked out of her house and living in friends’ cars, unable to land a job. At one point it got so bad that Blaire was contemplating ending her life, and of course, this is when Markie came into her life.

Blaire, who grew up in New York, met Markie, a Californian high school student, over Instagram. Over text and the phone, Markie helped Blaire fight through her tough time and gave her “a sense of purpose.”

However, Markie always found an excuse whenever Blaire asked to video chat with her (surprise, surprise!) Once Blaire had been working for a while, they eventually decided they would meet in person, so Blaire bought Markie a plane ticket from California to New York. Unfortunately, although not too surprisingly, Markie suddenly disappeared the week she was supposed to come and visit.

This is when things get interesting.

Blaire began getting calls and texts from Markie’s sister asking if she had seen her. Later it is revealed that Markie told Blaire that she had apparently been “kidnapped.”

Oh, and it doesn’t end there.

A week later Markie calls Blaire from a mental institution telling her that she no longer wants to continue their relationship as she has “feelings for her ex.”

Luckily, Blaire, who is now living in San Antonio, Texas, managed to move on from this rollercoaster and eventually met a new girl named Katarina. When her and Katarina went Facebook official with their relationship, Markie instantly went ballistic and told Blaire she couldn’t be in a relation, but also that she didn’t want to be in a relationship with her.

Yet, after all this Blaire still wants to know whom this Markie girl really is. Lucky for us, that makes for an intriguing story.

So Nev and Max’s snooping begins.

They go through her Facebook and Instagram and point out numerous pictures and captions that make Markie out to be a very “dark and twisted” individual. They ensure to use pictures of her dressed up on Halloween (covered in fake blood) to really drive this point home. While Nev and Max may be really playing up this darker side, it doesn’t help that Markie herself hashtags several pictures with things such as #troubled #scary and #terrifying.

They are able to contact one of Markie’s ex-boyfriends, Alex, who says that Markie used to lie about “pretty much everything” to him. They also are able to contact Chris, who is a classmate of Markie. He reveals that she hasn’t been at school recently because she got in trouble for bringing a switchblade to class. He also reveals that she has been skyping some girl she refers to as her “bae” all the time, despite the fact that she told Blaire she didn’t know how to video-chat.

So now to tell Blaire…

Nev and Max tell her that Markie seems to be who she says she is. However, they have found out she is very troubled and a compulsive liar. Also, the apparent “kidnapping” was Markie running away for attention. In addition, they learned that Markie has been in a relationship with another girl.

Blaire is upset that Markie “took her out of a dark place just to put her back.” It is definitely hard to understand why Blaire would want to continue connecting with Markie after all of the disturbing facts Nev and Max have uncovered (bringing a switchblade to school?!?!!)

catfish recap blaire and markie 2015 imagesThe next morning, Blaire, Nev and Max make their way out to California to meet face-to-face with Markie. However, Markie decides to stop answering their calls and texts, which enrages Nev and Max.

After tracking the wrong address, they use Instagram’s geo-tagging feature to track down the street her house is on. Blaire remembers that her family has a red pick-up truck, and using this information they are able to locate Markie.

The team is first introduced to Markie’s father, Mark. Yes, his name is Mark. He reveals that Markie has told him all about her situation with Blaire, but unfortunately Markie is not home (again, surprise, surprise!)

After leaving to hang out at a local park, Markie finally calls Blaire and tells her she will come meet them.

The weirdest thing is that Markie comes smiling from ear-to-ear saying she is trying to contain herself from jumping into Blaire’s arms. She is literally acting like none of the kidnapping, mental institution, ex-girlfriend, and avoiding she has been doing has ever happened; Blaire on the other hand, not so ecstatic.

Scratch that, the weirdest thing is what happened next.

Markie, still smiling, goes off on a rant about how ‘The Man’ persuaded her to run away due to some “private issues.” When asked who ‘The Man’ is, Markie says she is unable to name names.

Next, she tells Blaire that she had a dream she was going to die in New York (if she went to meet her). When she told ‘The Man’ this, he said that she needed to “repent her sins” and therefore she had to run off into the mountains to save her life.

This girl is full on crazy and I am pretty sure Nev and Max realizes this and therefore when Markie confesses her love for Blaire, Nev interjects and recounts all of the horrible things she has done to Blaire.

Nev and Max leave them to have some Catfish “private time,” which of course means completely caught on camera conversation.

Blaire ends up giving Markie an ultimatum, saying if she stops lying they can remain friends. Two months later, Blaire and Markie have continued their friendship. Markie is in much needed counseling to help with her lying and Blaire is planning to move with her new girlfriend, in search of stability.

It is strange seeing there are people like Markie out there, but I guess if there was a place to find them, it is in the mysterious depths of the Internet.

about catfish: the tv show

From the producers of the acclaimed documentary film, “Catfish,” comes a new MTV series that brings together couples who’ve interacted solely through their LCD screens. Over the course of months or years – these romantics have become smitten – but what will happen when they meet in real life for the first time?

In each episode, with the guidance and help of the star of the “Catfish” movie, Nev Schulman, and his filmmaking pal, Max Joseph, a hopeful romantic partner will go on an emotional journey to discover the truth about their significant other. Has that object of affection been telling the truth? Will true love truly blossom? When that fateful knock on the front door finally comes – only one thing is certain – that these incredible voyages will be filled with mystery, uncertainty, forgiveness, joy, and sometimes, even shocking revelations.

catfish [kat-fish] verb: To pretend to be someone you’re not online by posting false information, such as someone else’s pictures, on social media sites usually with the intention of getting someone to fall in love with you.

Sense8 Ep 4 Recap: What’s Going On When It All Comes Together

Ricki Reay
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Sense8 Ep 4 Recap: What’s Going On When It All Comes Together

As I began to watch the fourth episode of “Sense8″ “What’s Going On?” I was hoping that the question of the title would be answered. The previous three episodes had a lot of air time and focus on the personal lives of the character, therefore leaving me confused about how all eight of the strangers in the show are connected and why. I was pleased to find that this episode finally cleared some of my confusion, as well as showed some reasoning behind why there was so much emphasis on the individual stories previously

The underlying plot begins to take form as Will finds himself inside a solitary confinement cell with Jonas (with help of his powers). Jonas is able to explain to Will that he and the other seven strangers form a “cluster” and share many powers. He tells of their strong connection and that they are no longer acting as individuals, but rather an entity. He goes further into detail, explaining the group’s ability to “visit,” which can be done to people both inside and outside the cluster if eye contact is made. In addition there is “sharing” ability, which allows them to share details such as thoughts, languages, emotions and skills (as we saw in the previous episode between Sun and Capheus).

Meanwhile, Capheus finds his bus business booming, as news gets out about his victory against the group of thieves in the previous episode. This bout of good fortune unfortunately doesn’t last long for Capheus, as he is pulled over by the Kenyan police while on his bus route. Capheus is abruptly asked off the bus and is escorted to a man, Silas Kabaka. Silas was the boss of the gang of thieves, Superpower, that Capheus had defeated the previous day. Silas was not angry with Capheus about this but rather is intrigued by his skill and wants to employ him. After Capheus initially denies the offer, Silas offers him high-quality medicine for his sick mother, the only catch being that Capheus has to deliver a package to a specified location.

Although the episode has amped up the pace in terms of the narrative, it seems the show cannot help but dive into some of the personal stories as well. This episode also elaborated on the stories of Wolfgang and his partner, Felix, who are both (located in Dublin) thieves celebrating their newest steal, diamonds. In addition, we also go further into Kala’s story (Mumbai) as she prepares to wed Ragan. She learns that people are angered with her fiancé, as Ragan desires to have a more American wedding and rid of some of the Indian traditions. At this point, it is unclear how these stories intertwine with the bigger dynamic going on in the show, but after watching this episode there is some clue that these details may play a bigger role in the connected story.

So, how did the episode establish the connection further? On top of what Jonas revealed to Will, there also seems to be some sort of connection forming around drugs and pharmaceutical companies. This is seen in Capheus’ story as he desperately seeks legitimate medicine for his ill mother, in Kala’s story we saw in the previous episode studying the difference between real and counterfeit medicine, in Nomi’s story as she is being force-fed medication as she waits for an impending lobotomy being forced on her, and in Sun as she works for her fathers company who has embezzled money, that could very likely be one of these pharmaceutical companies.

In addition, we also get another glimpse of the connection in full effect. This time, it is between Will and Nomi. As Will now has a better understanding of “what’s going on” from Jonas, he is able to connect with Nomi as she waits in the surgical room for her brain operation. Will is able to transfer his skill of picking handcuffs, which Nomi has on both hands as the doctors prep for the operation, to Nomi and enables her to escape the hospital (with help of her girlfriend). This was a real revelation as when the earlier episode showcased Will’s ability to pick handcuffs it seemed like extra fluff being thrown in, but now it is clear that it had a purpose and leads to my questioning of other details and whether they will end up playing a bigger role in the development of the narrative.

sense8 whats going on 103 recap 2015The episode also showcases the first time that all eight of the strangers are connected simultaneously, rather than just segments of the group. The scene showing this is set to the song “Whats Going On” by the 4 Non Blondes (fitting, for sure, and in a segment that’s sure to bring a tear to your eyes). We see all eight characters – Nomi, Will, Capheus, Lito, Wolfgang, Kala, Riley, and Sun – in all their different locations, connect through the lyrics of this one song.

sense8 104 whats going on recap images 2015While it has taken a bit more time than I expected, the series is finally preparing us for the bigger picture. After seeing the importance of little scenes in the beginning, like Will’s lock picking abilities, it leads me to believe that the set up from the first few episodes will be critical to the impending plot.
Sense8 What’s Going On Scene

BIG BROTHER 1718 Everything Stays the Same

Julie Wein
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BIG BROTHER 1718 Everything Stays the Same

It was actually a little gripping on tonight’s episode of “Big Brother,” and James said he’s not scared to get blood on his hands in this game. Clay said through the whole game he was afraid he and Shelli would be put up for eviction. Shelli said she couldn’t imagine being in the game without Clay. Clay called James a chicken shit for going back on his word but Shelli drug him away and told him not to do that because it would make him more of a target. Clay said he wasn’t going to let Shelli go home.

Shelli wanted to know why Austin and the twins weren’t up for eviction. Shelli said Vanessa was giving Austin more credit in this game than she should be. James said Clay and Shelli would do anything they would do anything they could to mess up James’s game. Shelli and Clay went to talk to James alone. Clay said he and Shelli were upset because they had James’s back in the game and he still put them up for eviction but James said he was up for eviction too much when Shelli was head of household. James said Clay and Shelli are one and they would both vote the same way in the game.

Shelli talked to Vanessa and assured her she wouldn’t turn against their alliance. Vanessa and Shelli hugged. Vanessa said she is undyingly loyal but she is not a doormat.

James called everyone for the power of veto competition. Three players were randomly selected to participate. James called Shelli and Clay up and she said they were the only ones that could win this. James chose Jackie to play the power of veto competition. Shelli chose Becky and Clay chose Vanessa. James said the game wasn’t looking good for Clay and Shelli and one of them would have to win power of veto to stay in the game. Becky said James \was keeping her safe and she wouldn’t know what to do if she won power of veto.

The power of veto competition for this week had a medieval theme and was called Game of Throws. They had to use a catapult to aim darts at a large map and try to get the highest score. Each area on the map was worth a certain number of points. Clay said he or Shelli had to win power of veto so they could stay in the game. Jackie was the first one eliminated during round one and won power of veto, which was her prize for coming in sixth place.

Shelli was eliminated in round two and got the knight in shining armor prize. Shelli got to trade it for Jackie’s power of veto because she said Clay was her knight in shining armor. Vanessa got the fourth place prize, which was an Ireland vacation. Clay won third place and got a knight of shining armor, meaning he had to spend 24 hours with Jackie. Clay traded that for Vanessa’s Ireland vacation. Becky won $5,000 and kept it. James won first place and became a member of the castle guard. He traded for Shelli’s prize instead and James ended up with power of veto for the week. Clay said James was the one person he and Shelli didn’t want to win the power of veto.

Shelli said it would be a long two months separation if either she or Clay gets evicted tonight. Meg told Clay she always has his back. John said she was hugging Clay because she was drunk. Clay asked Meg to vote to evict him rather than Shelli. Meg told Clay they both knew that they had bonded since the beginning of the game and she didn’t want to see him get evicted.

Vanessa and Jackie were called to the dairy room. That was when they had to start spending 24 hours together. Shelli said she had to do a swordsman regimen which included punching, stabbing and slicing. She had to repeat the pattern 2400 times over a period of 24 hours.

Shelli said she had to get to work getting James to use the power of veto. James went to talk to Clay and Shelli. Clay said he and Shelli knew no one in the house had their backs. James said he would need information to think about saving Clay and Shelli. Shelli told James Austin has an altar ego named Judas. She said she was angry with Austin because Jason got sent home to save him. Shelli said Austin is not trustworthy.

big brother 1717 shelli clay nominated 2015

James called everyone for the veto meeting. Clay said Shelli is his favorite person to play the game with. Shelli said that she thought she and Clay had been good to everyone in the house and didn’t deserve this. James said he felt like Shelli and Clay turned their backs on him. He then said he wasn’t using the veto on Shelli or Clay. Clay said that even though he is competitive he thought Shelli had a better chance of winning the game than he does.

National League Week 17 Winners & Losers

Peter Tebin
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National League Week 17 Winners & Losers

Noah Syndergaard national league week 17 winners losers 2015 imagesThe question we asked ourselves this week is which teams in the National League was deserving to land on our winners and losers list. Much of this came to life after looking at how little some of the playoff contender teams did prior to the trade deadline to make themselves better.

Yes the Los Angeles Dodgers added another arm to the mix but could you have imagined the team pulling off a deal to land David Price. That rotation would have included Clayton Kershaw, Zach Greinke and Price landing them the best rotation in all of baseball.

On the flip side we do understand the Detroit Tigers were probably asking for some of the organizations top prospects. Something the team had said they did not want risk? But hold on one second how many of these key prospects will ever make the Major League roster as the team elects to spend freely in the offseason?

Along with the Dodgers, we were also very surprised a team like the Chicago Cubs or Pittsburgh Pirates didn’t attempt to make a blockbuster trade to help them jump over the St. Louis Cardinals. Then you have the Cardinals who elected to add a few pieces including Brandon Moss to help the team weather the storm while Matt Holliday is out.

That being said this gives us a good chance to take a look at which National League teams are deserving of a spot on our Winners and Losers list for this past week.

National League Winners:

St. Louis Cardinals: All this team seems to do is find a way to win and that has helped the club to the best record in all of baseball. The team also showed this past week before the trade deadline that they understand that sometimes you have to make a difficult decision in order to make your ball club better. This came before the Major League Baseball trade deadline as they acquired former Oakland A’s and Cleveland Indians outfielder Brandon Moss. Moss gives them another bat in the lineup while Holliday is out and when he returns.

Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs: The Cubs first baseman saw his bat get hot to end the week finishing with four straight games with a home run. Over that stretch, Rizzo had eight hits in 15 at bats including the four home runs along with one double and nine runs driven in. Rizzo might have been the one bright spot for the Cubs over the past week.

Washington Nationals: While we saw the New York Yankees land on our losers list in the American League for not making a move despite playing good ball. The Nationals land on our winners list for making a move while playing some bad baseball that led to the New York Mets moving above them in the standings. The Nationals added Jonathan Papelbon to the back of their rotation to help give them a solid bullpen something we saw help the Kansas City Royals use last season.

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers ace is trying to top teammate Zach Greinke for the most scoreless innings pitched in a row this season. Kershaw has been brilliant over his last four starts including 34 scoreless innings to go with 45 strikeouts. One of those starts came over the weekend against crosstown rivals the Los Angeles Angels. In that start, Kershaw went eight innings allowing just two hits in the teams 3-1 win.

Other National Winners over the past week include San Diego Padres, Noah Syndergaard and Lucas Duda.

National League Losers:

Los Angeles Dodgers: While the Dodgers are still holding on to the top spot in the National league West the fact the team didn’t land a big time move before the trade deadline has us disappointed. Like we said up above we understand not trading away any top prospects. The flip side is this is a team that can buy any key component this upcoming offseason.

Chicago Cubs: We tossed and turned on the idea of putting the Cubs on this list after the big splashes this winter. This landing on the losers list had nothing to do with their play on the field but much like the Dodgers the team failed to make a big time move after rumors swirled they could trade for someone like Cole Hamels or David Price. In the end the team might just deal with their season outcome then look to add a big time free agent this offseason without dealing a player.

Colorado Rockies: Yes we know the team was able to land a few prospects along with Jose Reyes. We also understand that the team will more than likely deal Reyes during the winter to acquire additional picks but to deal the face of your organization in Troy Tulowitzki? If you make a move like this you should have dealt any other key pieces and start a complete rebuild. Your lineup is one of the best in baseball you just need to spend to acquire some proven starting pitching and you could have been a title contender.

New York Mets: The Mets were able to pull off at least one key move before the break to land Yoenis Cespedes. That being said the team could have made another big move prior to that to land Carlos Gomez. A move with the addition of Cespedes that would have giving the team some key bats in their lineup. That being said the Mets were a border line winner as well.

Other National League Losers over the past week include Kyle Lohse, Philadelphia Phillies and Yadier Molina.

American League Week 17 Winners & Losers

Peter Tebin
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American League Week 17 Winners & Losers

matt moore american league mlb losers 2015The 2015 Major League Baseball season rolled right through the trade deadline as we seen a few winners and losers around the American League. One of the biggest winners of the entire week was the Toronto Blue Jays. This comes after the team not only pulled off one blockbuster trade but also managed to pull off a second one.

The first trade came a few days earlier as they send a key role player in their roster short stop Jose Reyes along with a few prospects including one of their top prospects to the Colorado Rockies. In exchange the Blue Jays acquired All-Star short stop Troy Tulowitzki to provide another power bat in the lineup.

The move caused many critics to wonder what the team was doing as they had outscored opponents more than any other team in baseball. The teams issue had been starting pitching as well as the bullpen. The team silenced all those critics a few days later trading for David Price.
These moves land the Blue Jays on top of our American League Winners list. Now check back with us in a few weeks to see if the moves were worth giving up multiple top prospects for Tulowitzki for the next few seasons and Price for basically the remainder of this season. Price is set to hit the open market this offseason and will likely demand a Max Scherzer type deal or more something the Blue Jays will not be able to match.

Nonetheless you can’t blame them for going all in since the team has not been back to the playoffs since the 1993 Major League Season. While the Blue Jays land on our Winners list let’s take a look at which players and teams will also join them as well as land on this weeks American League Losers list.

American League Winners:

Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles land on this list for not only one reason but actually for two. One is for their recent play on the field after a struggling end to June and start of July. The second is the team’s ability to trade with the Milwaukee Brewers to find a bat to plug into their lineup in Gerardo Parra.

Starting with the team’s recent play, the Orioles managed to pick up five wins last week including sweeping the Atlanta Braves to start the week. Unfortunate that streak couldn’t continue but the team did manage to split a four game series with the Detroit Tigers.

The bigger reason they landed on this list was the addition of Parra for just one minor league starter that not many experts are fans of outside of the organization. The former Brewer was hitting .328 in 100 games for the team this season with 24 doubles, five triples and nine home runs.

Detroit Tigers: While many might put the Tigers on there losers list we elected to put them on our winners list. The main reason was the fact the team made moves to acquire some additional talent to restock their farm system. Now we understand they are still in the wild card picture but another 15-20 days with out Miguel Cabrera and who knows where the team could be?

That being said former GM Dave Dombrowski elected to pick up some talented prospects before it was too late. As you read though that lead to Dombrowski getting axed this week by the Tigers. For us we still figure the team will be in play for both Price and Yoenis Cespedes this offseason in a free agent war.

Nelson Cruz, Seattle Mariners: The Mariners outfielder has been red hot much like he was at the beginning of the season. Over his last five games, Cruz has connected in each contest with a home run while adding five runs scored and six runs driven in for the Mariners. Over his last ten games, Cruz has a total of seven home runs bringing his season total to 31 while raising his runs batted in to 67.

Other American League Winners over the past week include the Texas Rangers, Josh Donaldson, Adrian Beltre and Chris Tillman.

American League Losers:

New York Yankees: Before anyone jumps on us we know that the Yankees are still atop the American League East. That isn’t why we slotted them on our losers list this week. It was the fact that the team elected to not make any significant moves before the break to make them a better team. We heard the team being mentioned for Aroldis Chapman as one option. In the end this is George running the team anymore and failing to add another key piece could hurt them down the stretch especially if any injuries pop up.

Minnesota Twins: The Twins are still holding on to second place in the American League Central but the question is for how much longer? The team is just 2-8 over their past ten games but still manage to hold a wild card spot. Add in the fact that team couldn’t make a significant move to bolster the team has us wondering if the team is gearing up for some big time additions this offseason to make a run next season.

Stephen Vogt, Oakland A’s: Vogt put together an impressive first half of the 2015 Major League Baseball season. That success hasn’t continued into the second half as his averaged has dropped down to .261 over the past ten games after picking up just two hits in 32 at bats.

Matt Moore, Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays starter can’t get it going since coming off the disabled list. This includes his latest outing on Saturday as he allowed six runs over three innings in a 11-7 loss to the Boston Red Sox. In six starts since returning Moore has allowed at least four runs in five of those starts and a total 26 total.

Other American League Losers over the past week include Shane Greene, Ryan Flaherty and Mike Aviles.

Windows 10: Fixing Broken Windows

Marius Manuella
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Windows 10: Fixing Broken Windows

fixing broken windows 10 tech 2015 imagesLike kids playing baseball in a field near many houses, Microsoft managed to break a window or two. But instead of stopping, kept on playing and broke more windows, broke the peace and agitated the house residents. And, like a lousy repairman, replaced swinging windows with sliders, swearing to high heavens that they’ve made things better, cooler and more modern. People didn’t like what they did with Windows 8. Despite some positive things about 8 such as better security, faster speed, stability, its own walled garden of cheap curated apps, the ability to sync settings on many units; many got transfixed against the absence of the good old Start Menu, had sensory overload from the brightly colored tiles of the Start Screen and weren’t charmed with Charms at all.

I’m one of the few big fans of Windows 8 myself but I hated Charms. I simply found it useless. I do a lot of stuff on my PC both home and at the office and can live without the Start Menu. I found Windows 8’s live tiles and Metro (let’s call it Metro for simplicity) interface to be fresh. I remained productive because I knew where everything is, because I played with the tiles and made a mosaic of my most used apps and system programs. Doing so, the tile arranging thing, was quite fun. Frankly, I find seeing grids upon grids of icons in Windows, iOS and Android to be dated. The tiles were fresh. I even dress my Android phones with a Windows Phone style home screen. I also anticipated the importance of touch in the new operating system so I bought a touch-screen laptop when I needed a new one. They really work well together.

But not everyone feels the same way. Change, despite being a universal constant is still a tough pill to swallow for most of us. Problem is, Microsoft made many users swallow a pill the size of a zucchini. The change in the interface was radical. The expected user base was mostly non-touch based and Windows 8 was practically fifty percent dependent on touch. The overall flatness of the Metro/Modern interface was not welcome to those who loved the eye candy brought by Aero. People felt off guard at the abrupt switching between legacy apps, full-screen modern apps and the Start Screen. And again, the glaring loss of the Start Menu. Windows 8 even gave Linux, Mac and Chrome fans the opportunity to evangelize their systems if Windows users were forced to change the way they work anyway.

Now we have Windows 10. To truly distance itself from the weird redheaded cousin 8, this new Windows skipped a version. Windows 8.1 basically became Windows 9. So has Windows 10 fixed the problems introduced by Windows 8?

  • Foremost, Windows 10 brought back the Start Menu (sort of). It mixes the Windows 7 style Start Menu and Metro’s tile interface together. Metro/Modern or Universal apps still hold much promise and putting the OS in tablet mode will still make the tile and modern interface shine.
  • Gone is the abrupt screen shift when opening the Start Screen and any modern app which takes up the whole screen. The new Start Menu won’t take up the entire screen unless real Windows 8 fans allow it. Gone is the anxiety of losing work because the screen gets hidden behind the Start Screen or a modern app.
  • Shutting down the system or logging off should be easier since the shutdown controls are somewhat near where it used to be. Windows 8 made shutting down a bit confusing because they made people shut down the system the old fashioned way; through the hardware button. People got used to shutting down or logging off through the Start Menu. Many folks I know who tried Windows 8 kept asking me how to shut down the system. Of course I got the heads up since I participated in the preview phase.
  • Modern apps no longer take up the whole screen. They start out in medium-sized windows which the user can resize. Closing an app is also as easy as clicking the X button at the top right corner of its window unlike before. Modern apps now behave like other legacy or desktop apps in desktop mode. They return to their full-screen behavior in tablet mode. Also, their settings can be summoned in the app itself unlike before, the setting for all modern apps, can be summoned through the Charms settings button. It was also a confusing thing to learn for casual Windows XP or Windows 7 users.
  • The OS no longer takes up much resources. It can work on computers as old as seven years old as long as it can run Windows 7 Professional smoothly. But Microsoft gave us this fix since Windows 8 and is carried over to Windows 10.
  • Windows 10 also brought back the most casual of casual games, which is Solitaire. Windows 8 users had to download Solitaire from the Store and those who had no access to the store or any built in games had to endure excruciating boredom. Solitaire is now new and improved. Microsoft fixes boredom on a whole new level by putting Candy Crush and Minecraft into the mix. What’s missing now is an updated 3D Space Cadet Pinball.
  • Microsoft also sat back and listened to many pained users, played a shrink and took out the schizophrenia in Windows 8. Windows 10 now behaves like a tablet on tablets and hybrids when taken off keyboards ad as desktops on desktop systems.
  • Now to make Windows 10 more of a new version than a Windows XP Service Pack 2, Microsoft included Cortana which is fun to use and to talk to, a new Edge Browser (though Spartan sounds ten times better), made improvements to calculator, wordpad, mail and groove music. The new Action Center also centralizes notifications as well as includes quick settings for connections, brightness and toggling between normal and tablet mode.

Many are now enthusiastically clicking their Get Windows 10 icons to move away from Windows 8.1. Many are also switching away from Windows 7 to enjoy the speed and additional features of Windows 10 or just to take advantage of the free upgrade to buy time from obsolescence.

So has Microsoft really fixed Windows? It has for the most part in places that matter but there’s still a lot of work to do. As they said, Windows 10 is still a work in progress. Just don’t fix what’s not broken.

Jennifer Aniston Finally Married & Zayn Malik Eyeing Kylie Jenner

Ricki Reay
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Jennifer Aniston Finally Married & Zayn Malik Eyeing Kylie Jenner

jennifer aniston justin theoroux wedding 2015 gossipA-list celebrity couple Jenifer Aniston and Justin Theroux finally wed on Wednesday evening. The top-secret ceremony was help at their Los Angeles home. Reportedly many of their celebrity friends turned out for the nuptials, including, Jason Bateman, Sandra Bullock, Jimmy Kimmel, Orlando Bloom, Howard Stern, Ellen DeGeneres, Rachel McAdams and Lisa Kudrow.

TMZ was able to obtain aerial photos of the intimate wedding that showed how the couple went all out for their secret day. Pictures showed that Justin and Jennifer transformed their backyard into an elegant dining space, with candles lit throughout. The couple also opted to add in some wood flooring to the backyard to create a dance floor for them and their guests.jennifer aniston justin theroux muppet wedding cakeAlso shown, is a bar that was fully stocked with wines, beers, and hard liquor. Of course there was also an abundance of Smart Water, seeing that Jennifer is the spokeswoman for the company.

One thing that especially stood out from the photos was the couple’s cake, which was Muppet themed, as the one-tier dessert donned two giant Muppet-like versions of Justin and Jennifer on top of it.

The couple got engaged in August 2012, so many people were anticipating when they would finally decide to tie the knot. Although the ceremony was kept secret, the couple undoubtedly went all out creating a special, star-studded, extravagant event.

zayn malik moving on with kylie jenner 2015 gossipIn other not-so-joyful couple news, exes Zayn Malik and Perrie Edwards have now both broken their silence since it was revealed that they had broken off their engagement.

Sources close to the couple have been saying that Zayn decided to break up with Perrie just over two weeks ago and did so over the phone. Apparently, the Little Mix singer was shocked by his decision and has been keeping close to family and friends since the split.

Just like Perrie, the split also shocked the majority of the public, especially considering Perrie had posted a picture on Instagram snuggling up to Zayn just 3 weeks ago, with the caption “Love ma man!”

Instagram post, Perrie Edwards:

https://instagram.com/p/5AkIOFo9H_/?taken-by=perrieeele

Unfortunately, the day the news went public Perrie and her band-mates had an interview with E! News. Inevitably Perrie was asked about the split and how she was doing, Perrie solemnly replied, “I’m good, thank you.” However, before the interviewer could ask any further, her band-mates interrupted and made it clear that they didn’t want to talk about the particular subject.

Days later, Zayn Malik took to Twitter to seemingly address the split. The former One Direction member, who has been bombarded with fan-girls messages and tweets since the split, posted a tweet saying:

“You just can’t do enough for some people, I guess”

Although the star makes it unclear whom exactly this is about, one can speculate that there may be some animosity between him and Perrie, as his decision to end thinks was so unexpected.

However, Zayn didn’t dwell on things for long, as he followed with a series of tweets hyping his new solo album that he is working on since being signed to RCA Records. A high publicity break-up is definitely an effective way to gain publicity for a new music venture.

zayn malik eyeing kylie jenner 2015 gossipSources are saying now that the former One Directioner has his eye set on the Kardashian clan with Kylie Jenner. Seems he’s been eyeing her for quite some time and favoriting her tweet was a little sign that he’s ready to move on from his Little Mix.

Zayn Malik, twitter posts:

 

DEADLIEST CATCH Super Bowl Seahawks Reaction

Shane Mclendon
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DEADLIEST CATCH Super Bowl Seahawks Reaction

deadly catch super bowl reaction 2015 2I usually don’t get reeled in with unnecessary NFL.com’s offseason “news.” But I got hooked this morning with the video reaction they posted from the crew of a ship from the reality show, “Deadliest Catch.” Theses crab boat workers were apparently all Seattle Seahawks fans who were listening to a friend on the phone giving Super Bowl 49 updates. The video is truly priceless and is a snapshot of what every Hawk fan must have felt during the last second disaster on the one yard line. You can check out the full video just below.

Let’s keep in mind that this is a reality show. Although it is certainly one of the better ones (that shit is really dangerous), for all we know they shot the scene weeks after the Super Bowl was over after some intern suggested it would make for some good footage. I will give them the benefit of the doubt since I’m not going to hunt down the producers and waterboard them until they convince me they are keeping it real on this scene.

The bugged eyed gentleman facing the camera has the perfect look after hearing about the interception. His face tells the story of shock and dismay about the word “interception.” The crew was talking about Beast Mode on the way up to listen together with the ship’s captain. So it takes 3.5 seconds for bugged guy to ask the question everyone in America asked on February 1, 2015, “Why’d they throw it?” Great question as the fellow on the cell phone repeats the question back to the crew in the form of an answer, “Why did they throw it.” Translated: “Pete Carroll lost his freaking mind and decide to get cute.”

deadliest catch super bowl reactions 2015After a few “OMGs” and an “IDIOT” blast, the crew heads back to work on the rough seas trying to snatch up a boatload of crabs. Malcolm Butler made the deadliest catch in Super Bowl history, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. I assume the ship’s crew of Seahawks fans made it back to land safely. The captain seems like a competent leader. I doubt he would try anything fancy as his guys were reeling in several cages full of valuable crabs. Of course he could have had a mental break like Pete Carroll and told his guys to cut the ropes so they could use some scuba gear to dive down and retrieve the crab cages manually so their success would have a bit more pizazz.

What could have been a celebration on that crab boat turned into grand disappointment. I’m sure the fisherman appreciated that let down as they got ready to finish up their 19 hour shift.
Deadliest Catch Super Bowl Reaction As Seattle Seahawks Lose To New England Patriots

Idris Elba Goes Solo & Joe Jackson Gets Wrong Kind Of Stroke From Viagra

The Curvy Girl Diva
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Idris Elba Goes Solo & Joe Jackson Gets Wrong Kind Of Stroke From Viagra

Here we are on hump day and there are new highlights and updates. Kelly Osbourne is still feeling the heat from her Donald Trump comment on The View, Cookie Lyon comes to life, Idris Elba’s solo action is very sexy and Joe Jackson allegedly got the wrong kind of stroke from Viagra.

kelly osbourne donald trump 2015Kelly Osborne is a Racist?

Kelly Osborne gave her former co-host Juliana Ranic a hard time when she made some questionable remarks about teen star Zendaya Coleman and now she is in hot water for a similar comment.

While on The View and calling out Donald Trump about his feelings on Latinos in America, she kind of put her foot in her mouth and quickly had to do some backpedaling.

“If you kick every Latino out of this country, then who is going to be cleaning your toilet, Donald Trump?”

There was silence and an immediate feeling of “oh shit” on her part and as she tried to correct herself by saying “you know what I mean.”

Well no Kelly, people didn’t know what meant as not only did her co-hosts quickly check her but so did all of American who took to social media to voice their disgust.

Now, I will say that I totally understand the uproar and the upset by everyone. It was a stupid thing to say and a poor example to use. But I don’t think that it came from a racist place. I think she got in the heat of the moment and tried to use an example that she just did not think through.

Kelly has apologized and taken responsibility for it and in my opinion, has shown that she is not a racist as others have been calling her.

I am sure she will definitely think twice next time.

sophia eggleston empire 2015 gossipIRL Cookie Lyon Suing Empire

Would the real Cookie Lyon please stand up? Yes, a Detroit woman named Sophia Eggleston claims that Taraji P. Henson’s role on Empire is a direct copycat of her life. She is suing Daniels and Fox for $300 million because she claims they had access to a memoir that she wrote in which the details of her life are contained and seem to be reflected in the Cookie Lyon character.

empire cookie sophia 2015 gossipThe story goes that she wrote a book, met with an L.A. screenwriter Rita Miller in 2011/2012 who told her she pitched the story to Daniels and then, a few years later, Empire happened. She cites the similarities in her story and on the show as her means for the lawsuit. From the behaviors, to the actions, to the gay family member to the love of mink coats, Eggleston says, “independent creation was obviously impossible.”

Now I will admit that, yes, there are some things that are very similar but I am not sure it is worth $300 million. The whole situation is kind of far-fetched to me but you know how shit goes in life. Even the most absurd accusations sometimes find a way to win.

maxim idris elba spread 2015

Idris Elba Becomes the First Man to Appear Alone on Maxim Magazine Cover

You know you are a bad man when you appear on the cover of a magazine that traditionally only features sexy women. Yes, Idris Elba is said bad man. The hot as fire actor is the first man to appear alone on the cover of Maxim for their September issue.

elba sitting open legs maxim 2015 gossipBut then again, is it really any surprise when you think about it? I mean, he just oozes sexiness even when he is not trying to. He is a phenomenon that has taken Hollywood and the world by storm and I for one am very happy that he graces our lives in some form or fashion. Um yes, I am a fan.

idris elba maxim more images 2015Although he is not taking over the title character in James Bond movies once Daniel Craig’s time is up as was rumored (he brought the news to us in his Maxim interview) he is no doubt still making moves as an actor, in music as an artist and as race car driver?

elba maxim cover 2015 gossipYes, he does it all.

joe jackson viagra stroke 2015 gossipThanks Viagra: Pill Causes Joe Jackson’s Stroke?

While in Brazil, Joe Jackson was hospitalized and people are saying that Viagra has something to do with it. The father of the famous Jackson children was discharged from a Brazil hospital this week and reports cite the drug and other things are to blame.

Yes you heard that correctly. The 87 year old apparently still gets it on and parties like it’s 1999 as his medical records from his hospital stay say that a dangerous mix of alcohol, Viagra and partying as the cause of his hospitalization.

Come on Joe Jackson. Why are you out there living it up like this? You are almost 90. Slow ya road buddy. I’m sure many will now be saying he got the wrong kind of stroke from that pill too.

Of course his reps are telling a different story and debunk any claims that partying or Viagra had anything to do with his hospitalization.

Third Time Tops For Robert Downey, Jr & Kelly Osbourne Lingers At THE VIEW

Ricki Reay
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Third Time Tops For Robert Downey, Jr & Kelly Osbourne Lingers At THE VIEW

robert downey jr highest paid actor again 2015 gossipForbes’ annual list of the World’s Highest-Paid Actors was released, with actor Robert Downey Jr. topping the list, earning $80 million this year. This is his third year in a row topping the list, and he can thank the power of the Chinese box office for his staying power.

Robert was part of two big movies between June 2014 to June 2015, those being The Judge and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Both hugely successful in the box office, especially the Avengers installment that broke numerous records and wound up bringing in $1.4 billion worldwide.

The magazine also estimated that Robert would be earning another $40 million for his upcoming movie Captain America: Civil War, where he will be reprising his infamous role as Iron Man.

The actor isn’t just a movie star, he also is father to three kids he shares with wife Susan Downey: Indio, 21, Exton, 3, and Avery, 8-months old.

Following Robert is actor Jackie Chan who earned $50 million, and then Vin Diesel at $48 million.

kelly osbourne latin comment on the view 2015 gossipOn Wednesday, the ladies of The View were quick to address the controversy over Kelly Osbourne’s offensive comments about Donald Trump the previous day. You can check out the full video just below.

Kelly was guest hosting on the popular talk-show on Tuesday when she got caught up in the middle of a discussion about Donald Trump and wound up saying, “If you kick all Latinos out of America, who is going to clear your toilets, Donald Trump?” Unsurprisingly, this yielded a firestorm of backlash across social media.

Whoopi Goldberg began the discussion, saying:

“I want to just start by making something clear: The point she was actually trying to make was that Donald Trump’s stance on immigration will only end up hurting people that Donald Trump is counting on. I think that’s what she was trying to say. One of the things that happens on live television is you’re trying to get you point in and you sometimes step in dog doo. It does not make you a racist…Sometimes your head works faster than your mouth, it happens.”

Following Whoopi, fellow co-host Raven Symone also defended Kelly’s comments, saying, “I’m best friends with Kelly. We’re growing a friendship closer and closer every day. I know her mother [Sharon Osbourne] and I don’t think she’d be a racist if she was friends with me. Do you know what I’m saying?”

However, Kelly didn’t get an easy pass from everybody. Nicole Wallace, who was notably away from the panel on Tuesday when Kelly made the comments, was confused about why Kelly was getting off so easy for her obviously offensive remark. Nicole said, “What struck me was that you guys know her heart, and it was so instant that you were able to forgive her. It made me wonder if we gave that kind of benefit of the doubt to people that we are ideologically opposed to, what a game changer that should be. I mean, if Ted Cruz said that, or Mike Huckabee said that, I can picture all of you in the camera saying, ‘I’m going to do something in my toilet to you.’”

However, the rest of the hosts continued to defend Kelly’s actions. Michelle Collins even noted that Kelly knew right away she had screwed up, noting “The second it came out of her mouth, you could tell, she was like, ‘What did I just say?’”

Since the incident, many people were wondering how E! News host Giuliana Rancic would respond to the situation, as Kelly Clarkson publicly ousted her when she went through a very similar situation on Fashion Police.

Giuliana however choose to take the “high road” when discussing the scandal on E! News on Tuesday night, saying that she feels she “[doesn’t] think she needs to comment.” Although she didn’t offer much commentary on the matter, Giuliana looked notably emotional when discussing Kelly’s controversy.

Twitter posts about Kelly and Giuliana:


The View On Kelly Osbourne’s Donald Trump Comments

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