Page 658 – Movie TV Tech Geeks News

Edmonton Oilers Bring On Todd McLellan As New Coach

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May 18, 2015

Edmonton Oilers Bring On Todd McLellan As New Coach

After spending seven season as the head coach of the San Jose Sharks, Todd McLellan is heading over to help bring new life back to the Edmonton Oilers, according to an article at Sportsnet.ca. The new coach will be announced later this week, and if the reports are correct then that new coach will be the former coach of the San Jose Sharks:

“Todd McLellan will be the new head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, sources tell Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. A formal announcement from the organization is expected sometime this week, possibly as early as Tuesday.”

McLellan, formerly of the San Jose Sharks, is a vast improvement over the coaches that the Oilers have had in recent times. No Edmonton coach has navigated the Oilers to the post-season since Craig MacTavish did it in the 2005/06 season. Arguably, this has not been due to a shortage of talented players in all of the seasons since 2006. Edmonton has had players such as Ryan Smyth, Ales Hemske, Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall, and others.

McLellan’s Sharks, in contrast to recent Oiler teams, did enjoy plenty of regular season success between 2008 and 2015 in San Jose. In seven seasons, he saw his team into the Stanley Cup playoffs six times.

However, the Sharks, who have had talented players like Rob Blake, Joe Thornton, and Patrick Marleau in recent years, have been tagged as a franchise that has underachieved in the playoffs. Much had been expected of the Sharks in many seasons in the last decade and they often failed to live up to their hype. But even so, under McLellan San Jose made two recent appearances in conference finals from the 2009 and 2010 post-seasons.

The impending announcement will end the debate regarding who will take the helm of a franchise that now appears to be serious about trying to win the Stanley Cup. Todd Nelson, who took the Oilers out of the basement after he took over as coach from Dallas Eakins, will need to look for a position elsewhere if he is to remain a head coach. Mike Babcock, the long-time head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, will also be coaching elsewhere.

It’s the latter coach that most Oiler fans would have preferred as Babcock has not just a history of regular season success but a history of Stanley Cup wins as well. In many ways, McLellan will probably be regarded as a sort of consolation prize by Edmontonians when the announcement is made official.

However everything that has happened in the last month has made Edmontonians optimistic about their chances of winning again. Whether Edmonton will be regarded as serious Cup contenders will be clear when betting odds for the 2016 playoffs are released, likely shortly after the 2015 playoffs are over. At this point, I think they are western conference favorites for 2016.

Source: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/oilers-to-name-todd-mclellan-new-head-coach/

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Atlanta Hawks: Overcoming Adversity For Eastern Conference Finals

NBA
Sports

Chris Maurice

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May 18, 2015

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Cleveland Cavaliers vs Atlanta Hawks: Overcoming Adversity For Eastern Conference Finals

After months of waiting, we’re down to the final four teams. In the NBA Eastern Conference, those teams are the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks and the second-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Hawks have been receiving criticism since the All-Star Break for not looking like the dominate team they were early in the season. In the first round, even more questions were raised as they struggled against the 8^th seed Brooklyn Nets and Brook Lopez; but the Hawks came out on top.

Similarly in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, the Hawks struggled early against the Washington Wizards; but a few big plays at the end of games and a ball on Paul Pierce’s fingertips at the buzzer led to a 4-2 series victory for Atlanta.

The Cleveland Cavaliers swept the Boston Celtics in their first series, but it came at a cost. Kevin Love was injured by Kelly Olynyk, requiring shoulder surgery and a couple of months away from basketball. With Love out, questions began to arise as to whether or not the Cavs were ready for the Chicago Bulls in the Semi-Finals; and a loss in Game 1 didn’t help convince anyone that they could do it.

Love wasn’t the Cavs only injury either. Throughout their series with the Bulls, their other superstar Kyrie Irving was battling soreness. He actually missed a good portion of the Cavaliers Game 6 closeout in Chicago.

Both of these teams are very familiar with adversity at this point. The Hawks who are trying to continue to win without a superstar and the Cavaliers who are just hoping to make the NBA Finals with one of theirs healthy.

Suddenly these two teams with everything to prove have proven all they need to. Commanding Game 6 wins against the Wizards and Bulls have brought them here, and now anything more is just bonus.

The Hawks controlled the season series 3-1; however, two of those wins came before the Cavaliers mid-season awakening.

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals tips off Wednesday at 8:30ET.

Los Angeles Clippers: Early Playoff Exit Leads to DeAndre Jordan Leaving Lob City

NBA
Sports

Chris Maurice

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May 18, 2015

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Los Angeles Clippers: Early Playoff Exit Leads to DeAndre Jordan Leaving Lob City

After blowing Game 6 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals at home and then losing Game 7 in Houston, the Los Angeles Clippers failed to reach the Conference Finals once again with Chris Paul. Well, with another early playoff exit for the Clips, unrestricted free agent DeAndre Jordan may find employment elsewhere next season.

“Oh yeah. That’s obvious,” said head coach Doc Rivers when asked if keeping Jordan with the Clippers was his top priority this offseason. “Can you tamper with your own guy? If that’s true, I want to go tamper right now. You can’t take anything for granted, but D.J. loves being a Clipper. D.J. loves being here. We have an amazing relationship.”

The team also has deep pockets for their All-Star center, and they are apparently prepared to offer him a five-year contract worth over $108 million this offseason. Rivers seems pretty confident that the big man will accept the massive deal, but they won’t be the only franchise willing to shell out big money for Jordan.

To make matters worse in L.A., there are reports that Jordan and superstar Chris Paul have had somewhat of a falling out this season. Apparently CP3 isn’t happy with the amount of time Jordan spends (or doesn’t spend in this case) practicing his free throws.

Paul is a very serious competitor, and he is tired of hearing that he has never made it past the second round of the NBA Playoffs. It’s hard to blame him for being upset by Jordan’s sub-40 percent free throw shooting this past season.

Whether the rumors are true or not, $108 million is a lot to pass up. Jordan will supposedly look at the Dallas Mavericks and a few other teams in free agency, but overall the Clippers seem to give him the best chance to win an NBA Championship.

The Clips are in the running for the top seed every season; and when the salary cap skyrockets in 2016, they will be able to bring in even more high-profile players to help them out. The Chris Paul-DeAndre Jordan feud would have to be absolutely horrible for Jordan to pass up the money and opportunity available to him in L.A.

RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE Ep 711: Hello Kitty, Goodbye Katya

Julie Wein

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May 18, 2015

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RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE Ep 711: Hello Kitty, Goodbye Katya

This was a purrfectly fun episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race Ep 711, and Ginger Minj said she was sad that Trixie went home, but happy she was still in the competition. Santino Rice and Rebecca Romijn were announced as the guest judges for the week.

Katya said most people that come to her drag shows don’t know that she is not Russian, because she uses a Russian accent in her show. RuPaul announced the mini challenge would involve puppets. Each drag queen had to pick a puppet that they felt resembled one of their competitors in the game. They then each had to present their puppet to RuPaul with the puppet dressed in drag. Pearl said that the other drag queens needed new material. RuPaul announced Ginger Minj had won the mini challenge.

America’s Next Drag Superstar was the theme for this week’s show. Hello Kitty herself then made an appearance on the show. The Maxi challenge was to design and create a runway eleganza outfit with items provided by Hello Kitty. Ginger Minj got to pick the items she would use first and then the other drag queens got to pick from what was left. Ginger Minj said she was tired of the design challenges and didn’t want to have to sew again. Katya told Violet she had unshakeable confidence that Katya admired in her.

Santino Rice then came in to help the drag queens with the Maxi challenge. He started with Kennedy Davenport and asked about her style. Santino was told by Violet that he looked dapper. Violet asked him jokingly if they could go to Red Lobster. Katya told Santino and RuPaul that she had no idea what she was doing when it came to the Maxi challenge. Katya said she didn’t want to mess up but didn’t know what to do. Santino suggested Pearl use an old skirt as part of her Maxi challenge. Ginger Minj said she was anxious to see what Pearl was going to do to win. Santino told Ginger Minj to change the shape of the outfit she was creating.

RuPaul then told the drag queens they needed to turn themselves into a character that could be Hello Kitty’s new BFF. Each drag queen was given a huge mask that resembles Hello Kitty’s face, which they would have to wear when walking the runway. Katya said she was a master of hiding her turbulent emotions but she was flipping out over this latest addition to this week’s competition.

On Elimination Day Katya said she thought her Hello Kitty character was fabulous. Pearl said as she got older and realized she was gay she came to realize she loved dressing in drag as well.

Violet came out dressed as Hello Kitty with a purple afro. In character she said she loves to look in the mirror. Ginger Minj dressed as a cow in a pink polka dot dress. In character she said she one day dreamed of becoming a designer handbag. Pearl came out and in character said she wanted to be a nail technician. Katya came out as a Siberian character who would be social enough to be friends with Hello Kitty. Kennedy came out as a version of Hello Kitty with large breasts.

Violet’s outfit was pink and included a ring around her head. Ginger Minj’s outfit was decorated with mini Hello Kitties. Pearl came out in a dress that was a cross between a little girl dress and a woman’s dress. Katya came out as 60’s housewife who could be a stuntwoman. Kennedy came out in an outfit reminiscent of Eartha Kitt. Her outfit included Hello Kitty knee pads.

Michelle Visage said Violet’s character was fun. Ginger Minj was told that her outfit was a little bit literal. Michelle said she got a Madonna vibe from Pearl’s outfit. Katya was told by Michelle that her look was a little confusing because the hair and the outfit didn’t seem to go together. Kennedy was told her outfit was a miss and that they expected more from her. She was told she should have been more adventurous with her outfit.

The drag queens then went backstage and Hello Kitty joined the judges. They said Violet was a creative powerhouse. Ginger Minj was praised for the amazing look of her outfit and her character. Rebecca said Pearl looked very dramatic in her outfit. Pearl was also praised for looking like she was having fun. They said Katya’s outfit was amazing but she looked like a Russian hooker. Rebecca said Kennedy’s outfit was too generic. RuPaul then said she had made her decision and the drag queens were brought back on stage.

Pearl and Ginger Minj were told she was safe. Kennedy and Katya were told they were up for elimination this week. Violet was told she was a glamour puss and that she won the Maxi challenge. Katya and Kennedy then had to lip sync to help RuPaul decide which one to keep and which one to send home. Katya said she very badly wanted to be one of the top four drag queens left in the competition. RuPaul then announced that Katya was the one to go home this week.

New England Patriots Officially Slam Wells Report: Deflategate 2015

Shane Mclendon

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May 18, 2015

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New England Patriots Officially Slam Wells Report: Deflategate 2015

If you thought the Wells Report was a tough read due to all the mundane lawyer speak, you were not alone. It was not very entertaining so most people just checked out the highlights. The New England Patriots have now offered up their official rebuttal to the Wells Report and it is a bit more entertaining. You can check out the full rebuttal under the next paragragh, but I will provide the highlights for those without the time to go through the tens of thousands of words in the statement. If you want to go through all the lawyer rhetoric, the official two-hundred plus page Wells Report on Deflategate is just below.

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I am ecstatic that the Patriots have made this rebuttal public. I don’t think most teams would have had the stones to post it online like they have done. Any response they would have made would have become public, but they skipped the middleman and posted it on their own website address using a simple WordPress site. Below is the full rebuttal of the New England Patriots to the Well Report on Deflategate.

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The Patriots response holds a lot of facts and some theories about science regarding air pressure and climate. It also discusses at length the lack of solid proof that Tom Brady is guilty of anything at all. Also the statement attempts to show that the two Patriot employees, McNally and Jastremski did nothing wrong during the AFC Title contest. It makes many solid points along with some points that require a lot of faith in Tom Brady and the two equipment managers.

Below is Tom Brady’s Appeal Letter.
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I read the whole thing and actually laughed out loud a few times. Here are the highlights from the Patriots’ official response to Ted Wells’ report on Deflategate. I hope readers don’t think I just blindly believe Tom Brady is too honest to cheat. As I have stated before, I just don’t care if he knew about this deflating or not. The games are over and I have moved on, believing what I saw on the field…..the Patriots were the best football team in the world last year. Scoreboard don’t lie. What I don’t like about the NFL’s investigation is how it didn’t really prove anything at all. The League got plenty of media attention from this whole debacle and I am convinced that is why it dragged on so long. Here are the highlights from the Patriots’ official response to Ted Wells’ report on Deflategate.

According to the Patriots’ rebuttal, there were many inaccuracies that the media ran with when the investigation started up. The NFL made no effort to correct these factual inaccuracies. More evidence that the League planned to benefit from the added media coverage. Roger Goodell turned circus barker

“McNally entered that bathroom with the game balls, locked the door, and remained in the bathroom with the game balls for approximately one minute and forty seconds. He then left the bathroom and took the bags of game balls to the field. The report does not address whether one minute and 40 is consistent with the time that it takes a gentleman to enter a bathroom, relieve himself, wash his hands, and leave.” The fact that we are discussing how long it takes a man to do his business in a bathroom just puts the spotlight on how ridiculous Deflategate has become. I have no idea how long it takes this man to “relieve himself” and I’m not aware of his hand washing habits afterward either. I do find it more plausible that he could take a leak in one minute forty seconds than he could deflate 13 footballs in the same amount of time.

“Even after halftime, when obvious attention was being paid to game footballs and psi issues by League and game officials, who took control of the footballs at halftime, the security video shows Mr. McNally, with no objection, taking the footballs from the Officials’ Locker Room back to the field totally unaccompanied by any League or Game official. Mr. McNally’s removal of the footballs from the Officials’ Locker Room before the game began was simply not unauthorized, unknown, unusual, or in violation of some protocol or instruction.” This statement seems to increase the possibility that the League preferred there be controversy instead of upholding of the rules. The balls should have been closely watched if the NFL wanted to ensure fair play. It seems as if they preferred the situation play out so they could either catch the Pats in a ridiculous trap and or stay in the news cycle well beyond the AFC Title matchup and even past the Super Bowl.

“Mr. Jastremski’s boss would question Mr. Jastremski to see what, if anything, he knew. Mr. Brady’s reaching out to Mr. Jastremski to see how he was holding up in these circumstances is not only understandable, but commendable.” This is the biggest reach in the rebuttal. The Patriots make it sound like Tom Brady is this sympathetic figure only concerned with the pressure on his equipment manager with all this media attention.

Ted Wells’ team requesting a 5th interview with McNally was unreasonable. If these investigators were good at their jobs, they would need two interviews with the guy at most. Landscapers don’t mow the same lawn twice in a day. Brain surgeons don’t get two shots to save a patient. And lawyers don’t get endless chances to put witnesses on the stand in a real trial.

Much was made of McNally taking the footballs into the separate bathroom, but no official was closely monitoring him. If the League was on high alert about the balls, they sure had a casual way of showing it.

Three of four Colts footballs were below psi regulation. This fact is glossed over due to the confusion between two different air pressure gauges that were used to test the game balls.

Even though the Colts expressed concern over the footballs psi a day before the game, the League did not take the time to write down the psi measurements done during the pre-game. This seems like a good idea even to an idiot. Relying on the memory of humans, even refs and other NFL officials, is a very flawed way to check on possible rule violations.

“The investigators already had all of Mr. Jastremski’s texts with Mr. Brady, since Mr. Jastremski’s phone had been given to the League within about 48 hours of notice of the investigation. They also had Mr. McNally’s phone records for a period prior to and including the AFC Championship Game. Those records show no texts with Mr. Brady.” This shows no need to have Tom Brady’s phone records. The focus was the possible communication between Brady and his alleged co-conspirators. Brady not turning his phone records over was smart because it would have set a bad precedent for NFL players and the investigators already had Jastremski’s records.

Referee Walt Anderson was not 100% sure of which pressure gauge he used before the game. If he used the same gauge at halftime, that would be a better comparison obviously. “And it is clear that the investigators, not happy with his recollections on this point, pushed the issue so he would state that, despite his best recollection, it was “possible” he used the other gauge. (pg. 52).” This fact just adds to the confusion and makes it crystal clear that nothing is clear about this entire fiasco. The proof provided in the Wells report is simply unconvincing to me.

Novak Djokovic Races Further Ahead In Rankings & A Surprise Cork

Jackie Warner

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May 18, 2015

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Novak Djokovic Races Further Ahead In Rankings & A Surprise Cork

Number one ranked Novak Djokovic secured his spot even further in the Emirates ATP Race To London after defeating number two ranked Roger Federer Sunday at the 2015 Rome Open 6-4, 6-3, winning that title for the fourth time. This only set him further into his spot well ahead of Federer and Andy Murray .

Djokovic now leads his nearest rival, Andy Murray, by 2,625 Emirates ATP Rankings points in his quest to qualify for a ninth time to the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, where he is a four-time defending champion.

novak djokovic celebrates rome open win 2015

While celebrating his win, Djokovic nearly got a black eye from the champagne cork that came quickly shooting out of the bottle just missing it while giving him a little bit of champagne froth just outside his eye.

The Swiss, defeated 6-4, 6-3 by the Serb champ on Sunday, remains second ahead of Scot Andy Murray.

Rafael Nadal, knocked out in the quarter-finals in Rome, sits on seventh just behind Canadian Milos Raonic, who dropped two places.

As a result Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic and Kei Nishikori of Japan moved up to fourth and fifth place respectively. The updated rankings for May 18, 2015 are below.

1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 13,845 pts

2. Roger Federer (SUI) 9,235

3. Andy Murray (GBR) 7,040

4. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 5,230 (+1)

5. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 5,220 (+1)

6. Milos Raonic (CAN) 4,800 (-2)

7. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 4,570

8. David Ferrer (ESP) 4,490

9. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 3,845

10. Marin Cilic (CRO) 3,325

11. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 2,760

12. Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 2,280 (+1)

13. Gilles Simon (FRA) 2,255 (-1)

14. Gaël Monfils (FRA) 2,065 (1)

15. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 2,045 (1)

16. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 1,970

17. John Isner (USA) 1,935

18. David Goffin (BEL) 1,835 (+2)

19. Tommy Robredo (ESP) 1,755 (-1)

20. Roberto Bautista-Agut (ESP) 1,750 (-1)

The Serbian, who will celebrate his 28th birthday on 22 May, has captured five tour-level trophies this season, including theAustralian Open (d. Murray), the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells (d. Federer), the Miami Open presented by Itau (d. Murray), theMonte-Carlo Rolex Masters (d. Berdych) and Rome.

Murray has a firm hold on No. 2 in the battle to qualify for a berth at The O2 in London from 15-22 November, with 3,760 points.

The 28-year-old Scot recently won two ATP World Tour clay-court crowns at the BMW Open by FWU AG (d. Kohlschreiber) and the Mutua Madrid Open (d. Nadal) to lead the chasing pack behind Djokovic.

Tomas Berdych, who is currently in third position, has been remarkably consistent in 2015 reaching the quarter-finals or better of all nine tournaments he had played. He is 730 points behind Murray.

David Ferrer has risen one spot to No. 5, as a result of his run to the Rome semi-finals (l. to Djokovic). He leads No. 6-ranked Roger Federer, who lost to Djokovic in the final at the Foro Italico, by 90 points.

Federer, the most successful player in tournament history, with a 48-11 record and six titles, is seeking to return to the season finale for a record 14th consecutive year.

Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell winner Kei Nishikori drops two spots to No. 6, but has a 190-point lead over No. 7-ranked Rafael Nadal (2,200 points). Nadal heads into the second Grand Slam championship of the year at Roland Garros – where he is a nine-time titlist – without a European clay-court title for the first time in 10 years.

Stan Wawrinka rounds out the Top 8 in the Emirates ATP Race To London, with 2,185 points to trail Nadal by 15 points. Milos Raonic, who is currently outside the automatic qualifying spots, is No. 9 with 1,540 points and is 465 points clear of No. 10-placed Gael Monfils.

Good Grief! Cashing in on the Afterlife

Tech News

Marius Manuella

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May 18, 2015

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In Russell Crowe’s Gladiator, while Maximus fights Commodus to the death, due to a mortal wound, Maximus sees visions of a wall, and then a wooden door leading to lush green fields where his family awaits. That place was Elysium, the Roman version of heaven. It’s a place where we all hope to see our dearly departed ones once again. A group of guys from Australia that call themselves Paranormal Games presented a project during the Oculus VR Jam 2015 which promises to give us that experience without having to bite the big one. It’s called Project Elysium. Forget séances, forget Ouija boards, as in many things in life, technology has the answer.

It’s a piece several months short of October that begs to be read now. Project Elysium promises people a ‘personalized afterlife experience’ as it would allow people to interact with their departed loved ones. It’s an application targeted at people who have trouble letting go or just miss their loved ones. It raises a moral question as it cashes in on death and grief. We could say, no more than coffin makers, pall bearers and funeral parlors. It may or may not help its target audience. It could probably assist them in gradually letting go of their loved ones or worse, get lost in the virtual world preferring to stay in the company of the departed. It can also be used to seek sage advice from the most acceptable avatars, dear old mom and dad.

Another question this technology raises is whether or not the developers can actually create an accurate enough representation of the departed. Will it be realistic enough? During the first age of VR in the late 90s and early 2000’s everything was cheap and blocky which is why the technology hardly took off beyond the hype. Can the Oculus hardware actually pull it off? Perhaps, given the hefty hardware it’s supposed to run on. Will the app bring comfort to its users or scare them with realistic yet uncanny-looking avatars. Think about that creepy robotic infant a few years back and those creepy robotic receptionists being presented in Japan. It’s a novel concept but can Paranormal Games do it right?

As mentioned, it’s a novel concept. If it’s presented correctly and accurate enough, the technology can be a two way street or at least a way for us to convey messages with our loved ones long after we’ve departed. Parents afraid of dying early and not seeing their young babies grow could make virtual messages and representations of themselves for their children to interact with. Even idealistic people can make inspiring representations of themselves in case their future selves lose their way. I’m not sure how many people actually make time capsule videos of themselves to inspire their loved ones but it worked in Iron Man 2 when Howard Stark convinced Tony to perfect the Arc Reactor, when Captain Jack Crusher talked to his son Wesley as a holographic recording in Star Trek TNG and when the scientist Dr. Alfred Lanning interacted with Detective Del Spooner in I-Robot. What better way to make an accurate representation of a person, looks and character, than when they’re still alive? The most recent, best example of this concept is the holographic Jor-El in Man of Steel who also happened to be played by Russell Crowe. Talk about interacting with the dead.

The personal recording scenario does have some promise because the people themselves can provide plenty of appearance data complete with movements, character and emotions instead of customers sending old photos, blurry home videos and partial stories but if the customer just wants to see and hear their departed mother sing that old lullaby, Project Elysium could work.

If the Political Correctness Engine and existing government laws allow this app genre to push through, this endeavor won’t be cheap for consumers. It would be like developing a custom video game for every individual customer unless the company already developed an algorithm that can accurately create a representation of character from a mishmash of data. There’s really a lot to take in. Not everyone speaks English and not everyone has the same accent nor does everyone have the same articulation, unless everything is dependent on replayed recordings. Then the service would be cheap.

I can’t help but see Tobey McGuire’s Peter Parker relive his last moments with Uncle Ben before the wrestling match. Then seeing that cute crying face we see in memes. With great power comes great responsibility. Will Project Elysium’s power be great enough to represent the dead, in a non-scary sort of way? And will Paranormal Games be responsible enough for the mental well-being of its users? This is not exactly something for the unhinged relative, like that second brother with the resurrection stone.

Cashing in on recreating the dead virtually, it’s possible. Recording interactive avatars for future generations while still alive? It’s a more bankable concept.

Novak Djokovic On Continuing Winning Streak After Rome Open Win

Jackie Warner

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May 17, 2015

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Novak Djokovic On Continuing Winning Streak After Rome Open Win

Novak Djokovic is on his biggest winning streak ever, just one away from breaking Roger Federer‘s record of 37, which could easily go to many tennis players heads. The number one ranked tennis player in the world is confident that he can continue winning, but he is still realistic about how it can just as easily go away. You can check out the full interview below.

After Sunday’s fourth time winning the 2015 Rome Open after beating number two seed Roger Federer in just two sets, Djokovic had this to say about his career trajectory.

But instead, the World No. 1 more modestly said this after his win: “I was able to find my way through.”

The World No. 1 beat Roger Federer 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday to clinch his fourth title at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. Now the Serbian star enters Roland Garros, which begins 24 May, on a 37-match winning streak at the highest-level tournaments (Grand Slams, ATP World Tour Masters 1000s and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals).

“The fact that I have managed to win so many matches in a row gives me a reason to believe I can do it again,” said Djokovic. “I want to keep it going as long as I can. I don’t want to think fear or everything else can be an obstacle and interrupt this streak.

“If I can repeat what I did in 2011? I don’t know. There are things out of your control. What you can influence is the present and how you can get in the position to do well in the future.”

Presently, Djokovic is the one to beat, having won the titles in Melbourne, Indian Wells, Miami and Monte-Carlo and now Rome.

“It gives me a great deal of satisfaction that I won these tournaments,” he said. “I don’t think that I need to gear up or do anything special in order to be successful at Roland Garros. I have been very close to that title before, played several finals, I just need to continue preparing myself for that event as I prepare for any other, try to keep the routine going and hope it will take me where I want to be.”

Where the Belgrade native wants to be is hoisting the Coupe des Mousquetaires at the end of the fortnight, but it’s not just a trophy that Djokovic believes makes a champion.

“I don’t think a champion is defined only by results,” he said. “To be called a champion, you have to be a complete person, have strong character, a strong sense of compassion, values… and be humble. It is a holistic approach to the definition of a champion for me.”

After conquering Rome again, Djokovic, who turns 28 years old just two days before Roland Garros commences, looks forward to some downtime before he attempts to be crowned a champion again.

“We don’t get to see each other very often,” he said of his family. “I can’t wait to join them and spend some days with them before going to Paris.”

Did You Know?

Djokovic has now won 24 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles, putting him ahead of Federer (23) and three short of Rafael Nadal (27).

Novak Djokovic Interview After Winning 2015 Rome Open

REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA Reunion 3: It Finally Gets Real

The Curvy Girl Diva

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May 17, 2015

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REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA Reunion 3: It Finally Gets Real

Well, it is finally here. The last episode (number 25 to be exact) in the three-part reunion of the Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 7. For those that hadn’t seen it we wanted to wait a week so you had a chance, but if you’ve not here it is anyway.

It opens up with Andy talking about Kenya Moore and Apollo flirting. Peter is asked what he thinks (for whatever reason) and he actually takes up for Kenya and according to him, “she’s not the kind of woman who would go out and fuck someone’s husband.” He then says that everyone owes her an apology. It is so interesting that they are giving him a platform and this man is something else. He said that if he was going to cheat on his wife, he would do it big… you know like J Low or Beyoncé. Yes Peter, and they would give it right up.

Kandi Burruss and Todd’s storyline is discussed and the death of his mother comes up. He holds back tears and Greg gives his condolences in a very manly way. He is just such a winner. One of the fan questions touches on the prenup thing and Kandi kind of brushes it off saying, “it’s nothing that is going to end our marriage.” Although, that prenup is still hanging heavy on them obviously.

Then one of the biggest things that happened on the season is recapped- NeNe’s and Cynthia’s fall out. They were really good friends and they loved each other. They talk about what happened at the charity event when Peter and NeNe had a conversation. Cynthia Bailey recounts what happened from the beginning (what a long story). And while she is talking, NeNe Leakes is looking like, “what the hell ever bitch.” Cynthia accuses her of trying to get her kicked off the show and NeNe denies it. Then they go back and forth, “if you were ever a friend to me…blah, blah, blah” and NeNe defaults to the “you are all right… I am all wrong” shit again and it is just old (kind of like her). NeNe revealed that she was upset that Cynthia put out to the viewers and the to other girls that she was not a good friend and when asked if she still loved Cynthia, she hesitates and then says, “I wish her well.” It is obvious that they will never be as closed as they were but Cynthia’s hope is that they can be cordial when they see each other out and about.

Claudia Jordan and NeNe bring up their “fight” in Puerto Rico and the whole, I apologized, no you didn’t” is old as well. Just move the fuck on and let it go. A fan question asks NeNe why she called Claudia a half-breed. NeNe says that they were in the heat of the moment and it is a “battle of the words.” Andy asks if she wants to apologize to Claudia she says no BUT apologizes to everyone in the audience and the fans who may have taken offense.

Messy Andy brings up the shade that Kandi threw at Kenya during the Philippines about her booty being lopsided. She admits it, Kenya throws some back at her and that’s it. Then he brings up the fact that Cynthia said NeNe not being there made all the difference in a good way. She gives her answer and tip toes around the truth- she did say it.

He asks Kenya and Phaedra’s “breakthrough” moment, praying and working on their relationship. He asks if they were still good and for the most part, Phaedra Parks says that what happened, happened and I guess that means they are moving on from it.

Then we get to the realest moment of the whole season (in my opinion)- NeNe’s breakdown. They bring Dr. Jeff on the stage and she tells him how she felt about how see thinks he let the girls bag on her.

She said that she didn’t get a chance to express herself the way the other girls did. NeNe then goes into how her mother didn’t raise her, how her father didn’t want her and all this other stuff. He sincerely apologizes to her. Claudia chimes in and tries to connect to what she has told everyone. Dr. Jeff tells NeNe that her pain is a part of her power.

One of the things I want to point out from what I see, when NeNe breaks down, Cynthia immediately shows concern for her by telling someone to get her some tissue. At this point, she is totally losing it and can’t hold her tears back. To see the girls’ reactions to her emotions is so interesting because there are those who feel compassion for her and others, like Kandi, who have the look on her face like “Child please.” Cynthia takes the first step to congratulate her in a very sisterly tone. I wish NeNe would just give their relationship another chance. Kenya takes the time to try to connect, NeNe gets up and walks away sobbing saying, “I can’t do this… I can’t talk about my momma.” Everyone gets up to show concern but Kandi and Claudia. Kenya looks at them and says, “come on” motioning for them to get their asses up and join the “awww” circle.

Dr. Jeff and Porsha “carry” her out and Cynthia follows (along with Phaedra) while Team Kenya sits back on the couch. Andy asks Kenya “What do you think happened” and she says, “I think she is in a lot of pain.” Kandi is confused because she doesn’t know what set her off and Kenya, showing a lot of maturity says “you don’t have to understand it.”

The care and concern that I see these ladies showing her is great and if only they can show it the whole entire season. Throughout all of this, I am blown away by Cynthia’s obvious love for her and Kenya’s clarity on the situation.

NeNe comes back on stage and Andy says he feels like she had a breakthrough moment. She says, in a humble kind of way, that she feels she has been misunderstood.

For the record, I get it. She has been through shit. So have other people and we get past it. We cry in secret, with people that love us and keep it moving. She had her breakdown, learn from it, change and keep it moving.

Well that’s it for this season and what a season it was. I am sure they will bring it for round eight with full force drama, shade, cattiness and more.

GAME OF THRONES Ep 505: Who’s Boy To Kill?

Shane Mclendon

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May 17, 2015

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GAME OF THRONES Ep 505: Who’s Boy To Kill?

The name of this week’s Game of Thrones‘ episode fit the script as Jon Snow is told to be a man and kill the inner boy that is holding him back. Leaders in this world don’t sit around questioning their decisions like a child might, so Snow has to be more decisive. The boy to be killed also pertains to Ramsay Bolton’s new sibling that is on the way, who may never make it out of the womb. I would love to have a life insurance policy on Roose Bolton’s wife right about now.

john snow game of thrones 505 kill the boy recap images 2015

The opening scene holds a bright spot for Dany’s crew. Grey Worm is indeed alive but in bad shape. Missandei gives him the bad news about Ser Barristan, who did not make it out of that alley alive. Worm is ashamed for feeling scared of never seeing Missandei as he lay bleeding after the ambush. Many fans of the show are not thrilled with Grey Worm living and Barristan going away. The latter is a much more interesting character, however that means nothing on this show with main characters getting whacked with no notice at all.

Dany uses her dragons nest as punishment for what happened to her trusted adviser and all the Unsullied that were attacked in the streets. The leaders of the elder families are rounded up and Dany breaks out the old tongue right before one of them is literally fed to her two chained dragons. It seems to me Daenerys could force her will on anyone just by mesmerizing dudes with that tantalizing old language. She threatens Hizdahr lo Loraq (guy who keeps pushing the pit fights) with the same fate, but instead locks him and the other leaders up until she can figure out what to do with them.

Maester Aemon gives Jon Snow the advice about growing up, telling him the decisions are not quite as important as the leader that makes them. Oh and Snow shouldn’t worry about half the guys at The Wall hating him, since they already do. Good to know! Snow wants Tormund Giantsbane to get the Wildlings onboard with Castle Black and calls the giant red bearded man a coward for not trying to save as many of his people as possible. Tormund seems a little less prideful than the recently barbecued Mance Raydar.

kill boy vaughn bradley 505 game of thrones images 2015

Jon Snow tries to make a case to the Night’s Watch for uniting with the Freefolk. His guys are not down with it and who could blame them. These people were trying to kill everyone at Castle Black very recently. Jon’s protege Olly can’t fathom why his commander would join up with the same savages that killed the boy’s family. Desperate times call for desperate measures boy.

Pod and Brienne are hold up in an inn watching the Boltons’ activities. The lady warrior sends a message to Sansa via an old dude who appears loyal to the Starks. Sansa receives the message that tells her how to send a distress signal if the need arises. Trust me, the need is arising with every second she spends with Ramsay. Not only does Sansa have to deal with Ramsay, but also his pissed off mistress Myranda. This little wench shows Sansa the pitiful Theon as he sleeps with the other pets. Sansa is distraught after seeing the guy who used to be part of her family, then turned on them and supposedly killed her younger brothers. Sansa’s whole existence has been a living hell since her daddy got his head lopped off. She is constantly surrounded by monsters.

game of thrones mcelhatton rheon plot to kill the boy images 2015

The news of the new Bolton baby, probably a boy according to Roose, is announced as Sansa endures an awkward dinner with Ramsay, his dad, and stepmother. This incensed Ramsay as he sees his status dwindling with the birth of a rival son on the horizon. Sansa finds great pleasure in this since Ramsay just dragged her and Theon down murder memory lane while they dined. Ramsay drudging up Theon’s alleged role in the killing of the younger Stark boys reminds us how sinister he is and is also a reminder to us viewers who need refreshers now and then. With 432 characters and these two boys being off screen this whole season, these reminders are helpful.

ingram horse for game of thrones kill the boy 505 images 2015

Wedding memo: Theon will be giving Sansa away at the wedding. Sansa should light that distress signal candle asap.

Sam’s status as Whitewalker killer grows as even Stannis is curious about how he managed such a feat. Apparently Sam’s dad was quite a warrior according to Stannis. He tells Sam to keep reading in order to gain more knowledge about these creatures and how to defeat them. Sam, once a sniveling loser, is now seen as valuable even by the hard hearted Stannis Baratheon. Sam is no warrior himself, but he has a passion for reading and finally that has a place in this violent world he finds himself in.

Since Dany is down to the barebones when it comes to advisers, she asks Missandei her opinion. While her assistant isn’t schooled in the art of war or leadership, she does recognize the greatness inside Dany and tells her she should make her own decisions. That sounded good to me until she decides she is going to marry Hizdahr lo Loraq instead of feeding him to her dragons. She hopes this will bridge the gap between the two classes in the city, and she plans to open the fighting pits up once again.

thyron dinklage riverboat on game of thrones kill boy images recap 2015

Tyrion’s boat ride with Jorah got worse. Still no complimentary wine and then they had to deal with stone men jumping onto their boat. This after seeing Drogon fly overhead. Tyrion was truly amazed at the site. Jorah was able to save himself and Tyrion, but is now infected with greyscale from touching the stone men. Hard to fight those guys without touching them at all apparently.

christie watching game of thrones kill the boy recap images 2015

There were plenty of great scenes this week, but the story didn’t progress much. Stannis is just starting his march toward Winterfell. Tyrion and Jorah are not very close to their destination now that they lost their boat. And Jon Snow is once again going to try and convince the Wildlings to fight alongside his crew. I would much rather seen Snow riding out with Stannis. Maybe this sets the stage for Snow and the Wildlings bailing out Stannis at Winterfell in some fashion though.

San Diego Chargers 2015 NFL Draft & Offseason Recap

Chris Maurice

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May 17, 2015

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San Diego Chargers 2015 NFL Draft & Offseason Recap

The San Diego Chargers had a pretty quiet offseason after their 9-7 finish in 2014. Really if it weren’t for the whole Philip Rivers for Marcus Mariota trade offer, people outside of California may have forgotten about the team all together.

The Chargers made a few big moves early in the league year by bringing in Jacoby Jones, Orlando Franklin, Stevie Johnson, and then resigning Brandon Flowers for another four-years.

Jones is a big addition. The Chargers leading returner in 2014 was Chris Davis, Jr. with 476 yards. No offense to Davis, but the team could definitely use the spark of a few long returns to set the offense up in a better position to score.

Franklin is another great signing. Rivers was sacked 36 times last season, which is an awful lot for a quarterback trying to lead his team to the playoffs. Only three playoff quarterbacks were sacked more than Rivers in 2014, and two of them (Russell Wilson and Cam Newton) could be considered running QBs anyways. The Chargers are really trying to make another playoff run with Rivers, and so bringing in Franklin to protect him will definitely work wonders for their pass protection.

The Chargers draft was also pretty quiet outside of the 1^st round. Picking up Melvin Gordon at 15^th overall made a bit of a splash; but that’s not what the team really wanted to do. While the Chargers were really pushing to send Rivers to Tennessee, they did the right thing by bringing in more weapons for their quarterback after the trade fell through.

Besides making headlines, Gordon was an interesting selection. The Chargers jumped up to the Houston Texans slot to select the Wisconsin running back, but it’s hard to say why they gave up their 4^th round pick to move up when the Texans weren’t going to draft him anyways.

That being said, it was important that the Chargers bring in someone to help out in the backfield. Ryan Matthews is gone, so Melvin Gordon will be the go-to guy along with Danny Woodhead. Gordon wasn’t a great blocker, and he hasn’t shown much ability to catch a pass out of the backfield but Woodhead has that covered. With Rivers in his final years, he just needs someone reliable to hand the ball off to.

Their best pick of the 2015 draft was Miami inside linebacker Denzel Perryman. Despite potential 1^st round talent, Perryman slipped to 48^th overall. Donald Butler was simply awful at linebacker in 2014, so the rookie could easily come in and earn a starting job come September. Although the Chargers do have bigger holes to fill, it’s hard to pass up a defensive leader like Perryman in the middle of the 2^nd round.

Some of those needs still have yet to be filled in San Diego, but they’re doing what they can with the time they have left. The Chargers need to start thinking about a successor for Rivers, as well as more pass-protection for Rivers and the quarterback that will eventually replace him.

On top of that, if the Chargers wanted any chance of competing with the Denver Broncos for the AFC West division in 2015, they will need more of a defensive line presence to get after Peyton Manning. Stealing Orlando Franklin away from him was a good start, but the Chargers need to hope someone stands out to take advantage of the Broncos weaker offensive line.

For now, it looks like the Chargers are content with earning a Wild Card and waiting for Manning to retire. However, given the Broncos recent playoff history, upsetting them in the postseason wouldn’t be out of the question for the Bolts.

THE VISIT: Are We Ready To Shyamalan Another Chance?

Movie News

MTTG Staff

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May 17, 2015

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THE VISIT: Are We Ready To Shyamalan Another Chance?

It’s been a long time since The Sixth Sense director M. Night Shyamalan had a box-office hit. In fact, it’s been been nearly a decade. With commercial and critical successes such as The Sixth Sense, Signs and The Village, Shyamalan became known as the master of intense psychological thrillers that kept audiences guessing until the very end.

The Visit is Shyamalan’s first return to the thriller genre since his bomb, The Happening, in 2008. He’s continued to produce a series of big budget flops with the release of The Last Airbender and After Earth. The white washed, under whelming Airbender enraged fans while After Earth simply bored audiences to tears.

Are audiences really ready to forgive Shyamalan and sit through another film penned and directed by him? My gut says: no! Horror and found footage fans will wait for the DVD to come out and if it’s good, his next film will surely be a hit. Only if the early reviews are solid will the movie become an automatic success.

Now, on to what The Visit is about. The Visit is filmed in the popular found-footage format and follows a pair of siblings as they visit with their grandparents for the week. Things get really scary for the youngsters as they notice the disturbing habits of their grandparents late at night and sometimes during the day. Their oblivious mother tells them to relax and stay there although something tells me she will really live to regret that decision.

The film poster for the movie also released this week. The poster playfully says:

Grandma’s Rules:

Have a great time
Eat as much as you want
Don’t ever leave your room after 9:30 PM

Huh?

That last one sounds a bit strange doesn’t it? The Visit will be released in theaters on September 11.

I couldn’t help but wonder why they didn’t go for an October release day, but that may be because that’s such a busy months for horror movies trying to cash in on the Halloween crowd. I, for one, would love to see Shyamalan get his king of psychological horror crown back, but he’s got to be willing to give us thriller fans the perfection we’re looking for. We’re not even looking for something perfect, just something decent please!

Does this trailer make you want to rush to the theater to see The Visit?

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