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Celebrity Gossip Review: Amber Heard Nicki Minaj Is Happy & Mariah Carey’s A Mess

Celebrity Gossip Review Amber Heard Nicki Minaj Is Happy Mariah Careys A Mess

This week’s celebrity gossip begins with a much hyped reunion of the 90s teen high school dramedy Saved By the Bell. The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon recently filmed and aired a show that brought together most of the original Saved By the Bell cast. However, Lark Voorhies, who played the fashion obsessed shopaholic Lisa Turtle was noticeably absent from the Jimmy Fallon taping. Her spokesperson released a statement that the only reason Voorhies was not in attendance is because she has such a heavy work schedule.

jimmy fallon saved by the bell show 2015 images

In what is probably some of the saddest celebrity gossip I have ever had to report on, Bobbi Kristina Brown, the only good thing that came out of Whitney Houston’s relationship with Bobby Brown is fighting for her life…and according to the gossip mill her doctors feel there is nothing they can do to save her. The eerie part is that though we don’t know the cause of it, Bobbi Kristina was found face down in her bathtub, exactly like Whitney Houston was found just before she passed away. While Bobbi Kristina is still alive doctors, are telling her family to prepare for the worst, though as of this writing, Bobby Brown is still hopeful that his daughter’s health will turn around. It doesn’t look good for Bobbi Kristina though, and in many ways this could be like losing Whitney Houston all over again. I can’t help but think that maybe whatever happened Bobbi Kristina brought it on herself because she couldn’t bear to be away from her mother anymore. Every day, there’s a new drama that hits from all this so keep watching our updates here.

bobbi kristina browns world continues in coma 2015

In some lighter gossip news we’ll move onto a staple of the weekly celebrity gossip mill…the ever entertaining yet horrifying Kardashian family. This week’s gossip is all about Bruce Jenner’s gender reassignment surgery and the fact that his mother fully supports it. She has publicly stated that she is proud of him and that doing what he is doing takes a lot of courage.

bruce jenner transitions to womanhood with kris jenner 2015

Congratulations are in order for Amber Heard and Johnny Depp as last week’s gossip about their impending wedding was true and the couple is now happily married. However, the wedding actually took place at Johnny Depp’s home in West Hollywood, which makes me think the talk of getting married on his island was meant to throw off the media…which it sounds like it did. So, congratulations to Johnny Depp for not only pulling off his wedding but pulling it off without all the hoopla that usually surrounds a celebrity’s wedding.

amber heard johnny depp married 2015

Not so happy relationship news comes from Pussycat Doll singer Nicole Scherzinger as she has once again broken up with her boyfriend, Lewis Hamilton. The breakup reportedly came because she was tired of waiting for him to make a commitment to her, which he was showing no desire to do. The age difference between the couple may be one reason that even though she was hoping for a marriage proposal he wasn’t interested in offering one.

nicole scherzinger splits from lewis hamilton 2015

After divorcing his wife, Yankees star Alex Rodriguez had been dating former WWE diva Torrie Wilson for the last three years. That relationship has reportedly ended as well, supposedly because Alex Rodriguez wasn’t willing to commit. It’s starting to sound like finding a male celebrity that will commit to a serious relationship is sort of like looking for a needle in a haystack.

alex rodriguez dumps wwe diva torrie wilson bulges 2015

Happier relationship news comes from Modern Family star Sarah Hyland as she has reportedly begun dating Dominic Sherwood. This relationship comes on the heels of her messy break up with ex – boyfriend Matt Prokop. The couple was recently spotted in a Los Angeles nightclub and a place called Blind Dragon. The actress recently told Meredith Vieira that she has grown as a person since her break up with Prokop.

modern family sarah hyland working dominic sherwood vampire 2015

It seems that there is a mixed bag of luck for celebrities when it comes to marriage. Former Full House actress Jodie Sweetin is yet again going through a divorce, this time from husband Morty Coyle, whom she married in 2012. The actress is reportedly seeking full custody of the couple’s daughter, though there is no indication as to why. According to Coyle there are no hard feelings about the divorce and he and Sweetin will reportedly still raise the child together, making it even more confusing that she is fighting for full custody. Most likely there is more to this story than meets the eye and we will never know the truth about the circumstances that led to the divorce, though Sweetin does have a bad track record with marriages.

full house jodie sweetin divorced morty coyle bulge 2015

This week’s celebrity gossip is mainly centered on relationships as Nicki Minaj has just made it known through her Instagram account that she is in a new relationship. Since fall Minaj has been battling rumors that she was seeing someone, and it is now out in the open. It is pretty likely that the reason she kept the relationship quiet until now is because of her breakup with longtime partner Safaree Samuels. At a Super Bowl concert last weekend Minaj reportedly spoke about her displeasure over her ex, so it is not surprising that she has moved on to a seemingly healthier and happier relationship.

nicki minaj slurping up someones bulge not safaree samuels 2015

2015 has not started off particularly well for Mariah Carey as, on the heels of a disastrous performance at the 2014 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, she recently performed in Jamaica and reportedly, once again, gave a flawed performance. During Jamaica’s Jazz & Blues Festival she was exposed lip synching as she missed more than one cue during the song she was performing. There were reportedly complaints from disappointed fans who could tell she wasn’t really singing. One can only speculate that all these snafus are a result of the divorce she is going through with Nick Cannon.

mariah carey falling apart after nick cannon 2015

The last piece of celebrity gossip for this week is that Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are expecting their first child together. For months they had been denying rumors that she was pregnant, but now we know.

Zac Efron, Seth Rogen & Rose Byrne Back To NEIGHBORS 2

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Zac Efron Seth Rogen Rose Byrne Back To NEIGHBORS 2

After “Neighbors” starring Zack Efron, Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne surprised everyone in Hollywood with such massive box office numbers, it was only natural that the studio would greenlight a follow-up quickly. What’s surprising is that it wasn’t fast tracked before this.

Universal has made it official that Seth Rogen, Zack Efron and Rose Byrne are all coming back for “Neighbors 2,” the Hollywood Reporter reported today.

It doesn’t come as a big shock since the first “Neighbors” film grossed just under $300 million worldwide ($150 million domestically), making it the highest grossing original comedy of 2014. That’s not bad for a film that only cost $18 million to make. The studios has just slated it for a May 13, 2016 release day in time for that huge Memorial Day holiday box office.

The original “Neighbors” film was written by Andrew Jay Cohen and Brendan O’Brien and focused on a couple (Rogen, Byrne) with a newborn baby that are forced to live next to a fraternity house and try to make the best of things. Once they realize it is just too much for them, they do everything they can to bring it down. The writers are back and the plot idea for the sequel isn’t too much of a stretch as a sorority moves in next door to the couple, and now they must get help from their former fraternity enemy (Efron) to help battle the partying sisters.

zac efron back neighbors 2 with seth rogen and rose byrne 2015 images

Universal is eyeing a summer shooting schedule. This will be the first deal for Rogen since all the controversy around his film ‘The Interview” which Sony initially pulled from theaters due to threats of violence, but then they changed course after President Obama mentioned it wasn’t the wisest thing to have done. Immediately after that statement, the embattled studio released it in smaller theaters along with video on demand. You can be sure there won’t be a sequel for that film though.

Rogen is currently finishing up shooting Universal’s “Steve Jobs” biopic, in which he plays the role of Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple.

More Bobbi Kristina Brown Drama As Family Fight Brings Out Police

Everyday, there’s a new heightened drama around Bobbi Kristina Brown who’s condition, sadly hasn’t changed. This week, we’ve reported that family members have spoken to her father Bobby Brown about continuing life support, but as of today, he’s opposed to that. Tensions began brewing a couple days ago, but now things have escalated this morning where the police were called in to deal with one family member hitting another one with a bottle and cutting open their head. It truly has become an episode of Empire now.

Bobbi Kristina Brown’s condition in the hospital hasn’t changed and she remains in a coma, but Bobby Brown’s family members have stirred up enough trouble to get the police involved, the Hollywood Reporter reported today.

Early Friday morning, Atlanta police responded to a fight call at the W Atlanta hotel where apparently Bobby Brown’s sister Tina, hit his cousin Shayne in the head with a bottle. Officer Kim Jones said:

“Fight call was involving the family members of pop star Bobby Brown. One victim Shayne Brown was struck in the head with a bottle by suspect Tina Brown. Mr. Shayne Brown chose to drive himself to the hospital, and Mrs. Tina Brown left the scene before police arrived. The motive of the fight is unclear at this time. Mr. Shayne Brown received lacerations to his head.”

We reported earlier this week that shortly after Bobbi Kristina was moved from North Fulton Hospital to Emory University Hosptial in Atlanta, tensions began bubbling up in the family, but now with so much drama and worry happening, things have come to a head.

bobby brown family fighting over bobbi kristina coma 2015

There’s been no word on Bobby Brown’s involvement, if any, in this altercation. TMZ reported early this morning that Brown is refusing to take his daughter off life support due to his religion and belief that God will deliver a miracle. These feeling have not been shared by her doctors, who have advised that she will not improve and stopping life support is the most appropriate choice. Family members have talked to him about this, but as of this morning, he is remaining steadfast to his beliefs.

While the family dysfunction swirls around her, Bobbi Kristina remains in a medically induced coma after being found unconscious facedown in a bathtub full of water on Jan. 31. Doctors are leaving it up to the family to decide how long they want to keep her on a ventilator.

Currently, police are considering this a medical incident, Spokesperson Lisa Holland said. She went further to say that investigators had found nothing to indicate it was drug or alcohol related.

Contrary to this statement, TMZ reported yesterday that unnamed family members have confirmed that over the weekend, the police went back to search the home more thoroughly, and unlike the first time, they found and seized several items.

The police will not confirm this, but family members are saying otherwise. Unnamed law enforcement officials have also confirmed to TMZ that they believed from the beginning that drugs were the only explanation for Bobbi Kristina ending up facedown in a bathtub full of water similar to her mother, actress/singer Whitney Houston nearly three years ago. The police source stated that they didn’t find anything in their preliminary investigation because they were only looking for things “out in the open”. The second time was much more thorough.

This sad incident comes less than two weeks away before the third anniversary of Whitney Houston’s death on Feb. 11, at the Beverly Hilton just hours before she was to attend a pre-Grammys bash.

Kids Win With Captain America & Star-Lord Super Bowl XLIX Bet

Kids Win With Captain America & Star-Lord Super Bowl XLIX Bet

If you weren’t already a big fan of Chris Pratt or Chris Evans, this might sway you over to Captain America and Star-Lord. Usually in Hollywood, most charity events for celebrities are created with a lot of planning and figuring out how the media will react. With Pratt and Evans, they came up with a great idea to raise money for their children’s charities in an instant after realizing that their favorite teams, the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, would be battling it out in Super Bowl XLIX. Rather than call their agents/managers/pr reps to see if this was a good idea or not, they just Tweeted it out, and everyone turned out to be a winner…including Evans team the Patriots.

chris pratt gives chris evans some super bowl bear love 2015

That Super Bowl bet between Chris Pratt and Chris Evans really paid off for two children’s charities, ABC News reported today.

The bet came about in January after “Captain America” star Chris Evans, a New England Patriots fan, tweeted out to Pratt, a Seattle Seahawks fan, that the two teams were going into battle. He then jokingly followed that up with, “For the next 2 weeks, you are not my friend, you are my enemy.”

chris pratt reacts to tom brady patriots jersey for chris evans 2015

Rather than turn this into a Twitter war, the two hatched a plan that whomever’s team that lost would agree to visit a charity of the winner’s choosing, dressed as their Marvel superhero. When the Seattle Seahawks lost, Pratt donned his Star-Lord to visit Christopher’s Haven, Evans charity of choice. Making sure to rub more salt into the Seahawks loss wounds, Evans showed up to follow Pratt around with a New England Patriots Tom Brady jersey.

chris pratt wearing new england patriots jersey for chris evans 2015

The two stars also tweeted out links to their children’s charities which has already helped to raise nearly $30,000 in total donations. Seattle Children’s Hospital was able to raise $15,000 while Christopher’s Haven brought in $12,000 and still counting. Naturally both charities were ecstatic that Pratt and Evans made such a generous sports bet.

chris pratt star lord touching child shoulder for super bowl bet

“We are grateful that real-life superheroes Chris Pratt and Chris Evans are turning their sports rivalry into an opportunity to support kids in their communities,” Lisa Brandenburg, president of Seattle Children’s Hospital, said. “We are delighted that patients and families at both Seattle Children’s and Christopher’s Haven will benefit from these generous donations.”

star lord chris pratt with chris evans super bowl

Joyce Duvall, executive director of Christopher’s Haven, said, “The generosity of Chris Evans and Chris Pratt is overwhelming. They turned a simple, friendly wager into something very significant for both Christopher’s Haven and Seattle Children’s Hospital. The fun and goodwill that they have generated will stay with the children a long time.”

chris evans bulge with chris pratt star lord images 2015

With so many stories coming out of Hollywood where celebrities act like overgrown children, it’s great to report something very different for a change.

THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – Part 2 Ends Series Run On IMAX 3D

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THE HUNGER GAMES MOCKINGJAY Part 2 Ends Series Run On IMAX 3D

It seemed that after Hollywood chased and then drove IMAX 3D into the ground, that they’d be a bit more selective, but after the returns on “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2″ weren’t as box office bouncy as “Catching Fire” Lionsgate is jumping back on the digitally remastering bandwagon for the franchise series finale. As we also know, with any lucrative franchise, there usually won’t be a true finale as the studio will keep kicking it until it’s just plain dead and gone.

Lionsgate has just announced that the upcoming “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2” will be released in both Imax and Imax 3D, the Hollywood Reporter reported today.

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1” wasn’t released in the Imax format due to Christopher Nolan‘s “Interstellar’s” lock on those theaters last November. Lionsgate said that this final film in the saga will be digitally re-mastered which fans will more than likely be divided on since “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” was the highest grossing film of 2013 without using that format.

jennifer lawrence in the hunger games mockingjay part 2 2015

“I’m thrilled Mockingjay – Part 2 will be in Imax theaters,” said director Francis Lawrence. “Fans will now have the chance to see the film in any format they want, which is exciting; we recently saw the 3-D version of Mockingjay – Part 1 before its release in China, and the new level of immersion was really fantastic.”

The fact that “Mockingjay Part 1” pulled in considerably less than “Catching Fire” is an obvious reason why the final film in the lucrative franchise that turned Jennifer Lawrence into a worldwide star is going out blazing in all formats. It has grossed more than $2.2 billion at the global box office so Lionsgate wants to get as close to $3 billion as possible.

Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer told analysts during the studio’s earnings call that the move will ensure that “Mockingjay 2″ will “conclude with a blockbuster finale at the worldwide box office.”

The full release is below:

“THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2”SOARS INTO IMAX® 3D THEATERS STARTING NOVEMBER 20

SANTA MONICA, Calif., February 6, 2015 – IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a premier next generation global content leader, today announced that The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, the next installment of the global blockbuster Hunger Games franchise, will be digitally re-mastered into the immersive IMAX® format and released in IMAX® 3D theaters domestically for the film’s November 20th rollout.

“I’m thrilled Mockingjay – Part 2 will be in IMAX theaters,” said director Francis Lawrence. “Fans will now have the chance to see the film in any format they want, which is exciting; we recently saw the 3-D version of Mockingjay – Part 1before its release in China, and the new level of immersion was really fantastic.”

“It’s exciting to be back in The Hunger Games world and once again team up with our partners at Lionsgate, director Francis Lawrence and producers Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik on what we believe will be a thrilling, action-packed finale to this blockbuster franchise,” said Greg Foster, Senior Executive Vice President, IMAX Corp. and CEO of IMAX Entertainment. “The fan enthusiasm and cultural impact that this series has generated has been truly remarkable and we are thrilled to offer audiences the opportunity to experience the last chapter in IMAX 3D.”

The IMAX® 3D version of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX® DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

The blockbuster Hunger Games franchise has taken audiences by storm around the world, grossing more than $2.2 billion at the global box office, and it was the #1 movie of the year two years in a row domestically. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 now brings the franchise to its powerful fourth chapter in which Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) now fully realizes the stakes are no longer just for survival — they are for the future.

With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss confronts President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Finnick (Sam Claflin), and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) – Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her.  The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 is directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong and features an acclaimed cast including Academy Award®-winner Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Willow Shields, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone with Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland reprising their original roles from The Hunger Gamesand The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The impressive lineup is joined by The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 co-stars five-time Academy Award®-nominee Julianne Moore, Mahershala Ali, Natalie Dormer, Wes Chatham, Elden Henson and Evan Ross.

“Mockingjay Part 2” will hit theaters November 20 just in time for the holiday season to kick off.

FURIOUS 7 Trailer Brings More Action & Paul Walker

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FURIOUS 7 Trailer Brings More Action & Paul Walker

Sadly, we lost Paul Walker last year doing what he loved the most, driving fast cars just like his character in the lucrative “Fast & Furious” franchise. Fans have tried to figure out how the film will have him exit, but you know it’s going to be a very emotional moments with some damp eyes in the audience…even from those tough guys. Check out the full length trailer below.

Universal has released another full length trailer for “Furious 7“, the Huffington Post reported late yesterday, and for those who felt the Super Bowl spot wasn’t enough, this will quench your thirst for action.

The latest trailer runs just under three minutes, and it has everything you want in it without feeling like they’re giving away the whole plot and surprise shots. Paul Walker is definitely front and center as expected, but it also reveals several angles we can expect in the film. Like every “Fast & Furious” with Vin Diesel, his Dom plays the big daddy of the group, but the main plot of “Furious 7” brings Jason Statham into the fold as Deckard Shaw, the brother of “Fast & Furious 6’s” Luke Evans. Kurt Russell also joins the cast so we know just what a badass Statham is and being on his bad side will warrant major problems. We get to see a lot of Statham doing what he does best as an angry white guy seeking to avenge family honor. Fans have been waiting for Statham to be part of this franchise, and it looks like it will have been worth it. Vin Diesel even seems unusually wary of the guy as he’s apparently got ‘family.’

dwayne johnson pulling bulge on furious 7 mini gun 2015 images

Many people will feel a little lump growing in their chest when the trailer touches on family as many fans know this is Paul Walker’s final film in the series after being killed in a car crash last year. I always look forward to these films since they got it back on track with “Fast Five”, and this one will definitely be one of the most emotional ones as we say goodbye to Walker. Without him, it’s hard to know how the series will continue, but Universal keeps finding the right formula after getting it’s profitable franchise back on track.

Continuing the global exploits in the unstoppable franchise built on speed, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast of Fast & Furious 7. James Wan directs this chapter of the hugely successful series that also welcomes back favorites Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Elsa Pataky and Lucas Black. They are joined by international action stars new to the franchise including Jason Statham, Djimon Hounsou, Tony Jaa, Ronda Rousey and Kurt Russell. Neal H. Moritz, Vin Diesel and Michael Fottrell return to produce the film written by Chris Morgan.

“Furious 7” opens in theaters on April 3.


Bitcoin Coming Into Its Own

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Bitcoin? It’s weird. It’s a trend, it’s a fad, and it’s a financial bubble waiting to pop. It’ll never last. At least that’s what most people who aren’t familiar this new-fangled digital currency would say. The ‘never last’ thing however is contrary to what’s happening today with the recent opening the first Bitcoin exchange in America, Coinbase as well as the recent acceptance of the digital currency in some major stores.

Bitcoin which began in January 2009 is a relatively new concept. The iPad just began in 2010 and now tablets are everywhere. But with Bitcoin, it’s kind of hard to readily accept especially with a lot of real money and resources riding on it. But that’s actually what gives it value, the actual money and resources behind it is substantial and continues to grow. Bitcoin has had its ups and downs. Since it’s basically software, subject to bugs and hacks but through its growing community, the currency has somewhat stabilized earning the confidence of many individuals, organizations and companies.

By December 2014, many large companies in the United States and other countries joined the Bitcoin bandwagon. High profile companies accepting this currency could only increase the confidence of others that Bitcoin actually has a future. Among these companies are major computer vendor Dell, publisher Time Inc., charter jet company Privatefly, software giant Microsoft, blogging website WordPress, travel company Expedia, satellite cable network Dish Network, tech merchant Newegg, online market Atomic Mall, comic book publisher Dynamite Entertainment and game publisher Zynga.

Another milestone in Bitcoin usage happened September 2014 when PayPal announced its acceptance of bitcoins for North American merchants. A Bank of America branch in Boston facilitates transactions and converts deposits to Bitcoin. Even nonprofit organizations such as Burning Man, Greenpeace, Wikimedia and Mozilla Foundation accept Bitcoin donations.

So how are bitcoins obtained? Like gold, bitcoins are ‘mined’ through a lot of distributed computer processing power thus giving it its value. Depending on supply, the actual value fluctuates much like real currency. Anyone can obtain bitcoins by partially or completely offering their computer’s processing resources in helping maintain its online distributed ledger or what is referred to as a block chain. The block chain is a record of transactions of each and every bitcoin created, transferred or spent between individuals and companies. The more bitcoins mined, the more transactions are recorded, then the more processing power is required to mine bitcoins which in turn potentially raises its value.

A much easier and simpler way to obtain bitcoins is by opening an online wallet and trading it for actual goods and services. Sounds simple enough.

bitcoin working to value like currency 2015

Below is a simple history of bitcoin:

  • It was first conceptualized in October 2008 in a white paper by a certain Satoshi Nakamoto who is yet to be identified as the pseudonym of either an individual or a group of people.
  • Hel Finney, a programmer from Florida received the first bitcoin from Satoshi in January 2009
  • A definite exchange rate was established in October 2009 at 1USD = 1,309.03 BTC using the amout of electricity needed to ‘mine’ one bitcoin.
  • The first bitcoin market was established in February 2010
  • The bitcoin encryption patent was approved in February 2010 giving security to the digital currency
  • The first real world transaction happened in Jacksonville Florida when 10,000 BTC was used to order a pizza which cost 25 USD.
  • Bitcoin gains headway through news website Slashdot on July 2010 and its value increases tenfold. The MtGox bitcoin currency exchange is also established.
  • A bug generated 184 billion bitcoins in August 2010 raising doubt in the system
  • The potential of bitcoin to be used in terrorist funding or money laundering earns it a warning from the Financial taskforce in October 2010. Bitcoin also records its first short sale
  • Bitcoin economy reaches 1 million USD on November 2010
  • January 2011, online market Silk Road opens using bitcoins in sales transactions for drugs.
  • 25% of total possible bitcoins have been generated also on January 2011
  • February 2011, 1BTC = 1USD. One person offers a car for 3000 BTC
  • MtGox is sold to Japanese Tibane Company on March 2011. Brazil and Britain also join in trading.
  • Time publishes article on Bitcoin on April 2011 increasing awareness of the currency. Bitcoin comes at par with the euro and bitcoin stock amounts to 10 million USD
  • Bitcoin reaches 10USD per BTC on MtGox on June 2011 and later surges up to 31.91USD then suddenly dropping back to 10USD. This event is known as the Great Bubble identifying bitcoin as a volatile currency. Later that month, a major breach causes Mt.Gox to devalue its bitcoins down to 0.01USD. Other markets stop trading for security reviews. On the same month 25,000 BTC is stolen from a bitcoin forum member valued at 375,000 USD.
  • Another exchange MyBitcoin loses 150,000 BTC worth 2 million USD on August 2011. First bitcoin conference is held in New York
  • First physical bitcoins minted on September 2011
  • Second largest bitcoin exchange Tradehill shuts down February 2012
  • FBI report on use of bitcoins for weapons and drugs trade leaked on May 2012
  • Bitcoin Foundation for implementing core development and security and to oversee the dgital currency is founded September 2012
  • First European bitcoin bank Bitcoin Central is licensed December 2012
  • Bitcoin reaches 30USD on February 2013
  • March 2013, an unexpected fork occurred in the block chain. What was supposed to be one block chain became two and transactions were temporarily halted. Later that month, bitcoin value surges up to 74.90 USD and reaches a market cap of 1 Billion USD.
  • Bitcoin value reaches 100 USD on April 2013 and later reaches 266 USD
  • First Bitcoin ATM is unveiled on May 2013 further solidifying the currency. US Bitcoin startup Coinbase receives 5 million investment.
  • Bitcoin is recognized as a currency by Texas judge on August 2013. Bitcoin ticker started by Bloomberg. Bitcoin is also considered as private money in Germany.
  • FBI shuts down Silk Road on October 2013 resulting in a price drop down to 128 USD. Bitcoin reaches China when Baidu search engine begins acceptance.
  • Bitcoin value reaches 1242 USD in November 2013 and surpasses Western Union in money transfers
  • China bans bitcoin transactions in December 2013 forcing Baidu to stop accepting bitcoins
  • Mt Gox files for bankruptcy on February 2014 citing technical issues and reports a total of 744,000 bitcoins stolen raising fears of a major bubble in the digital currency.
  • Japan and Singapore set regulations for bitcoin in March 2014. MtGox blames hackers for lost bitcoins. Cyberattacks on various bitcoin exchanges continue.
  • April 2014, China begins crackdown of bitcoin transactions. Australia Launches bitcoin ATMs
  • July 2014, Dell starts accepting Bitcoins as payment
  • September 2014, PayPal steps up bitcoin acceptance
  • December 2014, Microsoft and Time starts accepting bitcoin as payment
  • January 2015, Coinbase opens the first US bitcoin exchange

As you have read, you’re in for a roller coaster ride if you enter the world of bitcoin. Come to think of it, its behavior has much in common with the stock market. Each bitcoin is like a share in a large growing company except there are no brokers, only exchanges. It even acts like physical money with its banks or exchanges getting robbed, not by men with guns but by hackers. Will bitcoin go away? It seems to have stabilized for now and gradually coming to its own. If you’re familiar with the stock market and if you’re a risk taker looking for an investment, feel free to jump in. So far there does seem to be a future in bitcoin. Big business players are already cashing in, even the black market. It’s only a matter of time before others follow.

Hackers & INTERVIEW Helped End Amy Pascal

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Hackers INTERVIEW Helped End Amy Pascal

Everyone in Hollywood saw this coming, and were waiting for Sony to drop the boom on Amy Pascal who’s been with the studio since 1996. Naturally, the story is that Sony didn’t ask or push her to leave, but what studio head leaves a job they love so willingly? Plus she got a nice little golden parachute as all the ousted studio heads d

Sony Pictures co-chairman, Amy Pascal has announced that she’ll be leaving her position in May, the Hollywood Reporter reported today.

This came as no surprise after the Sony cyberhacking crisis which resulted in the studio getting scandalized after private correspondence were made public. Subjects such as President Obama’s presumed preference for black-themed movies along with issues regarding Angelina Jolie caused a rather large black eye on both Pascal and the studio. She was also responsible for greenlighting Seth Rogen and James Franco’s “The Interview” which seemed to be a catalyst for the cyberattack along with sparking the wrath of North Korea. After President Obama pointed at the North Korean government as being behind the hack, many in Hollywood knew the boom would be falling soon for Pascal.

amy pascal a fixture at sony pictures now gone 2015

Since Ms. Pascal had been in contract renewal talks for months with Sony, this sudden controversy showed that she be the sole executive to take the fall for it.

As is always the case with studio heads walked to the exit door, Pascal will be launching a new production company at Sony. Her deal was set to end in March so her transition will be very smooth, and she’ll get a producer credit on the new “Ghostbusters” movie along with any future “Amazing Spider-Man” sequels. Sony will finance the production company while holding all distribution rights to films made under the shingle.

“I have spent almost my entire professional life at Sony Pictures and I am energized to be starting this new chapter based at the company I call home,” she said in a statement. “I have always wanted to be a producer. [Sony Entertainment CEO] Michael [Lynton] and I have been talking about this transition for quite some time, and I am grateful to him for giving me the opportunity to pursue my long-held dream and for providing unparalleled support. As the slate for the next two years has come together, it felt like the right time to transition into this new role. I am so grateful to my team, some of whom I have worked with for the last 20 years and others who have joined more recently. I am leaving the studio in great hands. I am so proud of what we have all done together and I look forward to a whole lot more.”

Now that she’s got a production shingle, everyone in Hollywood will still be rushing at her pretending they don’t know what really happened, and then chatting about it with their friends behind her back. But if everything she produces hits it out of the ballpark, everyone will say it was the best thing that ever happened to her getting cyberattacked.

Road To College Basketball Final Four Recap Feb 5, 2015

road to college basketball final four recap 2015

There was some serious movement in the new AP men’s college basketball poll after a week of near misses, upsets, and a Super Saturday that did not disappoint. The one thing that did not change was the nation’s No. 1 team – Kentucky. The Wildcats took care of business during the week with wins over Missouri (69-53) and Alabama (70-55). The rest of the Top 25…that’s where the shakeup begins.

virginia vs duke recap 2015 images

Virginia Falls From The Ranks Of The Unbeaten

On a Super Saturday that featured four games full of ranked opponents, the biggest was none other than Saturday night’s No. 2 Virginia taking on No. 4 Duke. Ahead by eight with just under five minutes to play in the game, the Cavaliers gave up crucial 3-pointers to Tyus Jones and Quinn Cook which erased the Virginia lead and ended in a 69-63 Blue Devils victory. Jones, the talented 6-1 freshman, led Duke with 17 points. Cook added 15 for Duke, now 18-3, 5-3 in the ACC.

The loss dropped Virginia from No. 2 to No. 3, just one spot ahead of the Blue Devils. Duke’s win over the Cavaliers apparently wasn’t enough to move them at all from the spot they held last week.

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Other ACC Action

In other ACC action, unranked Pittsburgh got a late basket from James Robinson to upset eighth-ranked Notre Dame, 76-72. Trailing by one, Robinson sliced through the Irish defense to score with just 12 seconds to play. Pittsburgh (14-8, 4-5) ended a three-game losing streak with the win over a Notre Dame squad that had just beaten Duke earlier in the week. On Wednesday night, All-America candidate Jerian Grant scored 23 points and had 12 assists as the Irish defeated Duke, 77-73, in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Notre Dame dropped two spots in the latest AP poll to No. 10.

miami loses to georgia tech basketball 2015 images

Miami, which entered the week ranked No. 23 at 14-5, fell out of the Top 25 with not one, but two, upset losses. The first came at the hands of last-place Georgia Tech, 70-50. The Yellow Jackets got 24 points, six rebounds, and three assists from Marcus Georges-Hunt as Georgia Tech recorded its first ACC win of the season. Miami shot just 34 percent (19-of-55) from the field. On Sunday, the Hurricanes, now 14-7, found themselves on the losing end of a 55-54 defeat to in-state rival Florida State. Miami held a 16-point lead in the first half only to watch it slip away, along with their Top 25 ranking.

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New No. 2 – Gonzaga

Gonzaga has a long history of greatness in college basketball. Still, the school is a mid-major that can now lay claim to the No. 2 spot in this week’s AP poll. The Zags, now 22-1, recorded easy wins over Portland (64-46) and Memphis (82-64) last week. Gonzaga, unbeaten in league play, has one game with St. Mary’s left. The Gaels are likely the only team in the West Coast Conference to give the Zags a run. Head coach Mark Few will try and keep his squad focused on the goal – a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

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Other Mid-Major Action

In another of those Super Saturday contests, the top two teams in the Missouri Valley Conference, Wichita State and Northern Iowa squared off. The Shockers came into the game having won 30 straight in conference play. Northern Iowa’s Seth Tuttle did his best to end that run. The 6-8 senior scored a career high 29 points and grabbed seven rebounds as the Panthers came away with a rather easy 70-54 win over Wichita State. Northern Iowa (20-2, 9-1) moved up in the rankings to No. 14 while Wichita State fell from No. 12 to No. 16.

jayhawks beat west virginia basketball recap 2015 images

Iowa State, West Virginia Chase Kansas In Big 12

The Big 12 may very well be the best conference in America with six teams ranked in this week’s Top 25. Kansas (19-3, 8-1) is still the cream of the crop, but West Virginia is hot on the Jayhawks tail. Iowa State was chasing the Jayhawks on Sunday until Wayne Selden Jr. scored 19 of his 20 points in the second half and Kansas defeated the Cyclones (16-5, 6-3) 89-76. The Jayhawks moved up a notch in the polls, up to No. 8. Iowa State, which had beaten TCU earlier in the week, moved up four spots to No. 11.

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The hottest team in the Big 12 may be West Virginia. The Mountaineers beat Kansas State and Texas Tech rather easily to move to 18-3 overall, 6-2 in the conference. Ranked No. 15 in the latest poll, WVU has a huge week ahead. They will face No. 21 Oklahoma on Tuesday and No. 19 Baylor on Saturday.

The Top Ten

After the top four, Wisconsin, which beat Iowa on Saturday, comes in at No. 5. The best team in the Pac-12, Arizona, is No. 6. Villanova, at 19-2, is No. 7 and Louisville is No. 9 just ahead of the Fighting Irish. Other than Miami, the only team to fall out of the Top 25 was Indiana, which lost to rival Purdue, 83-67, on Wednesday night.

LOVE & HIP HOP NEW YORK Ep 7 Recap: Diamond Loses It

LOVE & HIP HOP NEW YORK Ep 7 Recap Diamond Loses It

So we are back this week and the drama is on full force with the minions of Love and Hip Hop New York (LHHNY). I find it hard to resist getting sucked into their craziness because I really can’t believe that people actually live and act like this.

rich dollaz playing fire on love hip hop new york recap 2015 images

We open up with Rich Dollaz and Jhonni Blaze. Apparently the two used to mess around and it ended with her putting his phone number on Twitter (damn, girl… bitter much). DJ Kay Slay brings the two back together for business purposes even though Rich expresses his hesitations. He agrees to do it anyway, saying that he is going off the strength of Slay. Rich tells Jhonni if they are going to work together, she has to live up to the hype. They hug it out.

jhonni blaze love hip hop new york recap 2015

Then, they meet up to talk about the “rules and regulations” of their business collaboration. He calls their previous interaction a “friendship” to which Jhonni replies, “friends don’t fuck.” Girl yes they do, it’s call “homie, lover, friend.” She feels that Rich screwed her over and he hurt her… he hurt her bad. She ends up accepting his “apology” and he tells her to stay off social media, “you have one shot at this, you either turn it around or you don’t turn it around.”

diamond losing it on love hip hop new york ep 7 2015 recap

Back this week is Diamond who claims to have a new boo, a NY music producer named ROC. This chick has got to be the dumbest woman alive. She says she loves NY and wants to stay. Bitch what about your daughter? How are you going to leave her with you momma? Where the hell they do that at? This chick is obviously spoiled and the way her mom acted with Cisco, she has nobody but herself to blame for her daughter’s reckless behavior.

Next we have Mendeecee and Yandy. Yandy done called his momma, Judy, because he apparently made the matters with Samantha, his baby momma, worse when they finally had their discussion last week. He explains to his mother and Yandy that Sam wants to pretty much take away Lil Mendeecee and is willing to go to court. So they make a date and time for him and his mom to talk to Sam and her mom Kim. That should be fun.

amina still trashed by peter gunz love hip hop new york 2015

Then there is Amina. Her sister comes to visit all the way from Germany. They do yoga together and have some sister time. Amina tells her what Peter “Wack Ass” Gunz did, going to Barbados with Tara and the boys and that Tara is obviously okay with that. She says she’s going to leave her husband and probably stay when she goes to visit her family in Germany.

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Perter comes home from spending the night at Tara’s (he claims she was not there). He asks Amina if she’s alright to which she says, “I’m good.” This man then says, “I left Barbados in Barbados” whatever that means. He tells her he has a surprise for her, “he’s bringing all the kids together,” all eight of them. He’s doing this because he doesn’t want to lose her and talks about having a ceremony. Amina then asks him does he want to be married to her and he says, “I am married to you.” Um Pete, that doesn’t answer the question; Always trying to get out of your responsibility. She tells him she doesn’t know if she wants to continue. Finally, Amina is getting a back bone.

Cisco gets a little more shine this week. He talks about how both his chicks are mad at him when he was only trying to “do right.” Well the time to do right Cisco was like… um… two years ago. He meets up with his boy Rich Dollaz for a game of pool. Rich has really become the go to for advice of the fools on this show. He does seem to have the most stable mind and I mean, he should, he’s like the oldest person on the show. We should just call him uncle Rich. Anyway, he tells Cisco that he can’t stop his baby momma Tasha from being with another guy nor can he monitor who she has around the kids “876 miles away.” Rich then proceeds to show him a pic of Diamond and her new boo ROC. And you know Cisco ain’t having that shit (he’s such a hypocrite).

diamond hits cisco in studio love hip hop new york recap 2015

He ends up meeting with Diamond in the studio and tells her, “You could have called me or told me” referring to her moving on. Nig-ga please. You had a baby while you guys were together. “I feel like I deserved to be done better than that.” Look you little five year old, just because you are turning over a new leaf and trying to be better, does not take away from the fact you have to deal with the consequences of your actions. Cisco tells Diamond she should have stood the course longer or gone back to L.A. if she really did come out to NY for him in the first place. Ugh… what’s up with these dudes and their entitlement issues? Like who really acts like this? In the end, she tells him that he is a fraud and that she heard he really “ain’t about that life.” He tells her to get the fuck out with “yo corny ass.” Yea, that’s how you’ll get her back Cisco.

tara over drama love hip hop new york 2015 images

Enter next is Mama Bitch Tara herself. She has a lunch that she invites Yandy to which they both update each other on their respective lives. This bitch then says she doesn’t feel bad that she went on the trip with Peter and that she is putting herself in a position to take the power away from everyone. How much more delusion can this chick be? She is unbelievably stupid, cold and just… sad. She is a grown ass woman who is probably almost old enough to be Amina’s mom yet she’s at war with the girl over the lies that Peter CONTINUES to tell. Get it together Tara. Wake the fuck up and move on. Stop saying you are, just fucking do it already. Damn. But I digress.

mendeecees gets verbal with judy and samantha love hip hop new york recap 2015

Then there’s the culmination of the whole episode. Mendeecee and Judy meet with Sam and Kim. Now, these women are in their 50’s at least, maybe even 60’s. Kim says she didn’t threaten Mendeecee and they go back and forth. Then, Sam asks Mendeecee’s mom her age and this super grown ass woman throws her drink on both Sam and Kim. Then the NY nigga comes out of Kim, who is obviously a dike. She goes straight lesbo, cock diesel, linebacker on everyone, including the show’s body guards. As she tries to get to Judy, all we hear is, “that bitch dead tonight.”

In the end, Mendeecee and Kim hug it out and Kim ends up being the bigger person saying that it is all about her grandson and “I’ll whoop both ya’ll asses” referring to Sam and Mendeecee.

Ugh… why grown people, why? So much drama in the LBC. I can’t deal. But I’ll be back next week with the recap.

JUSTIFIED Season 6 Ep 6 Wynn Duffy Loves His Tan

justified season 6 ep 3 recap noblesse oblige tanning attire

Maybe it’s just me, but this final season of Justified is not exactly getting to the point in a hurry. I know they are setting up Sam Elliot’s character, Avery Markham, as the big boss that must be taken down as a sideshow to Raylan versus Boyd. But there has been too little screen time for Raylan so far in the first three episodes. It doesn’t matter if he is just tracking down the lowest level criminals, we need more of his one liners and epic threats to keep us engaged.

This week’s show starts out with Ava and Boyd laying drunk on top of a bar after an all nighter. I’m not sure it’s a good idea for Ava to get trashed while she is working as an informant for Raylan. Letting the wrong thing slip would be a death sentence since Boyd doesn’t really trust her anyway. The 7 a.m. text message to the blond beauty didn’t build upon any trust Crowder still has left.

Ava, still half drunk, meets up with Raylan who had beckoned her with the early morning text. The Marshal gives her a lecture about her drinking and tells her it is real bad timing. She sees why when Rachel and Vasquez show up to continue harassing her as her head  pounds from the hangover. Since Ava has given them no useful information on Boyd, they let her know just how useless she has been. Ava is in a tough spot, just like any rat. She is between ruthless criminals and law enforcers who only care about her in relation to how much she can help their case.

Ty Walker visits Boyd’s bar to find Mr. Crowder in no mood for company as he is recovering from his own hangover with a cheeseburger. This Walker character is very calm, but I have a feeling once he is forced to unleash some violence, he may be a nasty fellow. He tells Boyd that he is simply the messenger and then is asked to leave.

Raylan and Rachel are trying to find out where Boyd got the explosives to do the bank job. They talk to a local foreman at a mining operation where Raylan worked as a young man. Going over the log books, Givens finds some sketchy numbers that the old boss can’t really explain.

While Raylan and Rachel look for more information on the explosives, Ava is sent to check out the old pizza joint. She spills some Coke on her shirt to have an excuse for finding the ladies’ room. Not real sure why she needed an excuse to head to the bathroom. She may be the worst informant ever, as she is caught pretty quickly in the basement as she takes a few photos of the safe and the layout. Choo-Choo is smitten with her, but Walker asks her to exist.

justified season 6 ep 3 black woman with timothy olyphant

Boyd can tell a lot from the pictures Ava took back to him from the former bank building. He tells Carl he will need some more explosives to get into that specific safe. If there’s one thing Boyd knows, it’s how to blow up shit. Most of his plans that don’t involve a detonator usually fail.

Raylan along with Rachel find Carl’s whiny brother Earl meeting up with the mining foreman’s son, as he is the one snatching the explosives. Earl is quick to let Raylan know how powerless the Marshal is without the “pussy ass” badge, at which point Givens manhandles the boy with a nut grab. So much for the tough talk.

While Boyd is busy getting snatched from his own bar, the Raylan Rachel combo follows Earl and the stoner son of the foreman. The youngsters plan on stealing the explosives and roughing up the dad so it looks like strangers did the heist. Brilliant….except for the part where they were followed by two U.S. Marshals. Earl, wearing a gargoyle type mask best I can tell, says he has nothing to lose and looks to make Raylan waste a bullet on him. That’s when the foreman shows up and tells Raylan that he will just take the fall for his boy on the theft. That threw a monkey wrench into the whole deal for the Marshals. I’m not a lawyer, but I’m pretty sure they had enough on these two idiot criminals to make a case.

justified boyd with markhams masked crew noblesse oblige 2015

Boyd wound up in a barn with two masked fellows in Markham’s crew after they had snatched him up. They make a few threats and act as though they may cut his fingers off. But ultimately the threats are empty and they simply let him go as they make it clear that Ava should stay away from the pizza place or she could get scuffed up. Scenes like this are a bit of a time waster. Boyd was not hurt at all, so I don’t see this striking fear in someone like Boyd.

justified noblesse oblige avery markham with raylan 2015

Poor Ava is put in the middle again as she gets a visit from Avery Markham at her home. He and Walker try to explain that she is in the wrong business and is basically a token that will be used against her man. Boyd is outside the house and eventually joins the party inside. Either Crowder is truly scared of Markham or he is good at pretending. He apologizes for trying to steal his belongings at the bank and tells him he had no idea he was the owner of the property he was seeking to steal. Ava doesn’t seem real confident in Boyd after this little meeting since he looked like a little kid saying she was sorry for breaking the window of some rich guy’s house.

justified season 6 wynn duffy tanning bed images 2015

Turns out Wynn Duffy has a personal tanning bed and some disturbing attire to go with it. He is irritated by Mike letting him know Boyd is coming for a meet up with him and Katherine Hale. The ole cougar says she is setting up Markham by sleeping with him. Boyd clearly doesn’t trust any of this, yet says he is going to go ahead with the plans then put a bullet into the big time gangster’s head. Not the most detailed plan of action, but at least he appeared to have his confidence back after the poor showing in front of Ava.

justified season 6 recap garret with avery markham 2015

Once Boyd returns to Ava she starts prodding him for info on what’s next. He is guarded with any information with her still. She tells him she is simply afraid, then tells him they could just leave and be done with Harlan and all these ruthless people. Once again Boyd seals his fate when he says he isn’t leaving with nothing. To which Ava responds perfectly, “I’m not nothing.” She beckons him to bed when he says he doesn’t even know who she is since she came back from prison. He is powerless to resist and joins his lady. He would be wise to take her up on her offer to run away together, because “nothing” will be exactly what he is left with once the dust settles in Harlan this season.

Orlando Magic Fires Head Coach Jacque Vaughn

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Orlando Magic Fires Head Coach Jacque Vaughn 2015

The San Antonio Spurs handed the Orlando Magic their 10th straight loss on Wednesday February 4th, and the next day the Magic announced that their head coach Jacque Vaughn had been fired.

Vaughn was in his third season with the Magic. The former assistance coach to the Spurs Gregg Popovich was hired at the beginning of the post-Dwight Howard era in Orlando after Stan Van Gundy was let go. Vaughn has managed only a 58-158 record in his two and a half seasons with the team, a win percentage of only .269—the worst in Magic franchise history and the NBA as a whole over the past three seasons.

With Howard leaving to join the Los Angeles Lakers, the Magic franchise was basically forced to start over. No one was really surprised when the team went 43-121 under Vaughn his first two seasons with the team; however, the front office felt the roster significantly improved over the offseason while the coaching did not. Orlando acquired both Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon (the 4th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft) this offseason, and with Victor Oladipo already on the roster they were expecting a significant improvement this season. The Magic are 15-37 this season through 52 games this season, the exact same record they had this time last season.

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Word around the organization as of now is that one of the team’s assistant coaches, either James Borrego or Wes Unseld Jr, will be promoted to interim head coach will the Magic search for the 8th coach in their franchise history. League executives are speculating that the front runner for the head coaching position is former Magic player and former head coach of the Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls, and Milwaukee Bucks, Scott Skiles. Skiles played with the Magic for five seasons as a player and earned a 443-433 overall record as a head coach in the NBA.

Whoever takes over as the Magic’s newest head coach will first need get the young stars in Orlando more involved in the game plan, especially Aaron Gordon. The 4th overall pick has managed only slightly over 6 points and 3 assists per game since coming into the NBA. Getting Gordon up to 15 points and 7 assists per game might be quite the job; however, the rookie’s involvement in the team over the next few years could be the difference between continued mediocrity and a possible playoff appearance in the near future.