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Did Xbox fudge numbers to catch up to PS4?

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did xbox fudge numbers to catch up to ps5

From the time of its launch the Sony PlayStation 4 managed to establish itself as the leader in the industry both in terms of the hype created and the sales that took place. The industry is currently seeing the eighth generation of console cold war and it seems to be going through the same track since it started many years ago. Sony’s PlayStation 4 is on the top most slots not just because of its high tech quality but also the amazing contents that is made exclusively for this master piece. The greatest set back of its arch rival Xbox One is based on the consistent public relation fall outs that the company encountered just before and after the console’s launching dates.

According to the statistics released by Microsoft earlier this week 6.6 million Xbox Consoles had already been sold in the holiday season alone. This showed that in that period Microsoft managed to sell 2.5 million more gaming consoles of Xbox one than its leading rival Sony PlayStation 4. The question that rose after this astonishing revelation was did Microsoft really turn the game around this time? Or did Xbox fudge the numbers to catch up to PS4?

xbox one catches up to ps4 2015

As per the income statement Microsoft exhibited revenue of $26.5 billion. But it was also shown that the sales of Xbox and the net income of the year went through a downward trend. However the figures were shifted in the second quarter which showed total Xbox sales of 7.4 million. This number included 3.9 million Xbox One Consoles and 3.5 million Xbox 360 consoles. When the data of this quarter was released Microsoft did provide the total figure of Xbox sales but did not provide the breakdown of the cumulative figure. The fact that was emphasized by the company was the total Xbox One sales overtook the sales of PS4 during the same period. This led to the assumption that a total of 4.2 million units of Xbox one was sold out. But it cannot be deduced that the rest of the 6.6 million were the sold out Xbox 360 consoles.

It is also important to mention here that price fluctuations of the Xbox One also played some role in these delusional figures. At its launch Xbox One was priced at $499 which was reduced to $399 and after few more months the price tag was even brought more down to $349. At the same time it is also true that the sales rush created with the launch of the PS4 is now slowing down.

Although doing very well in all other gaming fields, Microsoft still follows Sony in the gaming consoles industry especially when talking about the number games. Taking them alone, the numbers of Microsoft are very remarkable but when compared with its most tough competition they still fall behind.

Brad Culpepper Fraud Lawsuit Over SURVIVOR Appearance

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Brad Culpepper’s wife is really wishing she hadn’t pushed for her husband to join her on the CBS reality series Survivor. Now Monica is feeling the backlack of the insurance industry after they’re questioning how someone who got a huge disability payout could do a show that requires so much physically from contestants. An insurance company is now crying fraud and deceit in their civil suit against the former NFL star.

After a gritty and muscular performance on CBS’ “Survivor,” a former NFL star lineman, Brad Culpepper, is being accused of fraud and deceit by the insurance company that two years earlier paid him $175,000 in workers’ compensation for his 89 percent disability rating.

According to a civil lawsuit, Culpepper told doctors of “low back pain and stiffness which is almost always present,” and said he had “quite a bit of difficulty… getting into or out of the bath and performing heavy activities around his home.”

Yet, on the Survivor episode, aired in 2013 and filmed on a remote island in the Philippines, Culpepper leads his team through a series of strenuous tasks: paddling a canoe, diving under water repeatedly, retrieving large crates and stacking them on the shore.

“I was on pain medication, and I had a back procedure right before that,” Culpepper told ABC News in his first public comments on the lawsuit.

“Just because I chose to do things that are contra [sic] to my body, doesn’t mean I’m not in pain, and doesn’t mean I’m not impaired,” Culpepper said in the interview to be broadcast tonight on “World News Tonight with David Muir” and “Nightline”.

Now a prosperous personal injury lawyer in Tampa, Culpepper says he was hurt when front page headlines described his as a fraud and a fake.

brad culpepper shows off deformed forearm muscles over fraud lawsuit 2015

“This whole lawsuit is ludicrous,” he told ABC News. “I’ve worked too hard in my life to have this as a headline.”

The insurance company alleges Culpepper “willfully and deceptively provided false information” to the doctors who examined him.

“I told the truth,” Culpepper said, turning over a file of medical reports and x-rays that he says prove he suffered permanent injuries during his NFL career when he played for the Minnesota Vikings, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Chicago Bears.

At one point in the interview, as Culpepper grew frustrated at the questions of how he could perform so well on “Survivor” given his 89 percent disability rating, the 46-year-old former defensive lineman stripped down to his undershirt to show a torn bicep, and a serious shoulder injury.

“Is that normal?” he asked. “That’s not, okay, that causes me pain.”

Culpepper said he had no regrets about his appearance on “Survivor,” which triggered the fraud allegations.

“I did it for Monica,” he said, speaking of his wife who had previously appeared on “Survivor” and was invited back only if he would join her on the program.

But she says it was a mistake.

“I 100 percent wish I had never asked him to be on the show,” she told ABC News. “For all that he’s going through right now and being this insurance company’s target, is not worth it.”

12 Things We Learned From Super Bowl XLIX Week

12 things we learned from super bowl week xlix week 2015

Yesterday was the end of NFL players being available to the media, and it definitely was enjoyable as Marshawn Lynch‘s ‘What are y’all here for?’ press conference that will be talked about all this year. Don’t be surprised to see a sketch appear on Saturday Night Live either. You can check out his full media talk down below.

While the New England Patriots Deflategate has been dominating the headlines, Thursday was more about all the other NFL teams not in Super Bowl XLIX. This was the day when Phoenix begins to get inundated with celebrities and NFL players arriving with the media right on their coattails.

peyton manning retiring from broncos 2015 images

The biggest highlights from outside the Seahawks/Patriots news bubble are that in the next few weeks we’ll learn if it’s the end of the Broncos Peyton Manning era and the beginning of the Brock Osweiler era, DeMarco Murray being pretty outspoken on the Cowboys re-signing him and Byron Maxwell being the ‘prettiest girl at the dance’.

demarco murray keeping dallas cowboys options open 2015

During the ramping up to the Super Bowl, it’s easy to forget about the 30 other teams in the NFL, but just in one day, here’s 12 things we learned from Thursday’s mediapalooza.

1. Marshawn Lynch finally unleashed a soliloquy on Thursday, vacillating between disdain for a cuckolded Super Bowl media and minutes of awkward silence. In the age of social media and viral videos, Lynch’s muted message has been disseminated more widely than any of those from the most verbose players in the halcyon days of print media.

2. In response to the Patriots’ recent strategy of switching eligible and ineligible receivers at the line of scrimmage, coach Pete Carroll revealed that referees will use signals to properly identify which players are eligible on a given play.

3. With Russell Wilson’s monster contract on the horizon, Carroll is confident that the Seahawks canavoid the roster overhaul that befell the Ravens when Joe Flacco got paid two offseasons ago. While Seattle’s nucleus is intact, difficult decisions will have to be made on key players such as Byron Maxwell, who dubbed himself “the prettiest girl at the dance” in free agency.

4. Richard Sherman is on baby watch. With a girlfriend expected to give birth next week, Sherman is confident that his new addition will be a “disciplined young man” and do his father a favor by waiting until after Super BowlSunday to greet the world.

5. The Seahawks have taken on the personality of their leader. As Sherman explained Thursday, Carroll is “such a psychological” coach. Carroll’s coaching staff and players have repeatedly emphasized the essence of “team,” loving your brother and, especially, celebrating the uniqueness of each individual. The latter is an obvious contrast in style with Bill Belichick‘s assembly-line football humanoids.

6. Darrell Bevell won’t be altering his game preparation in any way. Typically, he’ll script the first 15 plays of the game and then alter based on the adjustments made by New England. It’s a mix of plays that helps ease Russell Wilson into a certain tempo and sets up the Patriots for later on in the game. Bevell says the first 15 typically takes him about three hours to put together.

7. The Seattle coaching staff is trying to find a delicate balance between studying all of Belichick’s tape and not undergoing an information overload. For example, Seattle did not watch any Peyton Manning tape from Indianapolis in preparation for the Super Bowl. Defensive backs coach Kris Richard said the Seahawks would not look at any Rams tape from when Josh McDaniels was St. Louis’ offensive coordinator. That would define information overload.

8. The Patriots couldn’t be happier to wrap up this week’s onslaught of media availability. Poor Vince Wilfork ambled into the room and let out a heavy sigh before undergoing one more long hour of questions, saying: “Hey, I’m tired of this, I’m not gonna lie.” I give the team credit, though, for their willingness to talk at length with us. It’s one of the best weeks of the year for access, and the assistant coaches, especially, seem to shine. I walked away with a completely different impression of offensive play-caller Josh McDaniels, who came across as bright, patient and reflective.

9. Tucked away behind the scenes in Foxborough, the Patriots are slow-cooking a secret weapon: Bill Belichick’s son. We asked plenty of Patriots players and coaches about Steve Belichick, the third-year coaching assistant who is making a strong impression inside the building. Here’s our piece on the son of Bill.

10. The Around the NFL gang hasmade our picks for Sunday’s big game. My guess? I have the Patriotstaking down the Seahawks 24-21, a victory triggered by a game-changing pick by Darrelle Revis in overtime.

11. Julian Edelman has a legitimate man crush on Tom Brady: “I wouldn’t want any other guy,” said the Patriotsreceiver. “I’ve been fortunate enough to just play here, and have him only as my quarterback, so that’s been a blessing. When you have a guy who constantly has a chip on his shoulder, regardless of the circumstances of what he’s done in the past, future — what he has in his life — that really shows guys … if you work really hard at something, you really dedicate to your craft, you can have a chance to do something.”

12. Rob Gronkowski on Brady’s competitive nature: “Second to none. If you’re shooting basketball with him, playing a game of P.I.G., he’s going full out, trying to win that game.” In case you’re wondering, Gronk didn’t fare well, telling us: “Nah, he beat me.”

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY Keeping Everything Secret From Public & Cast

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FIFTY SHADES OF GREY Keeping Everything Secret From Public Cast

You know that just as the media frenzy dies down slightly for “Fifty Shade of Grey” something else unfolds to give it more spin, and it’s about to get crazy since the controversial kinky (toned down by Hollywood standards, of course) is about to hit theaters just in time for Valentine’s Day.

It’s not surprising that a film as risky as “Fifty Shades of Grey” is being kept so under the wraps that even the cast hasn’t seen it yet, or at least that’s what the Press Association reported today, Jan. 29. It seems actress Marcia Gay Harden, who plays Christian Grey’s mother Dr. Grace Trevelyan Grey, mentioned in an interview that no one in the cast has been able to see the final version of the controversial movie.

fifty shades of grey jamie dornan working it 2015

Harden has this to say about the secretive situation: ‘I’m going to see it right before the fans do… but this is a movie that is protected. It’s like they’ve got a chastity belt round the movie itself.’

Director Sam Taylor Johnson said from the start that he knew he would have to keep a very tight reign on the film, and it looks like he’s been lucky enough to do just that. “Fifty Shades of Grey” is already on high alert with some women’s groups such as Morality In Media which took the director by surprise.

jamie dornan fifty shades of grey jeans open images 2015

“I can understand why people say tying a woman up and spanking her is misogynistic. But the love story is more important than the BDSM aspect,” he explained. “I mean we are going to tell a love story, you know, it can’t be just what goes on in The Red Room, that’s not a film. There’s so much more going on than that.”

Jamie Dornan previously spoke about the pressure that comes with playing Christian Grey, admitting that he fears physical harm from angry fans of the novel.

jamie dornan shirtless for fifty shade of grey 2015 images

The upcoming movie also stars Dakota Johnson as Christian’s bookish love interest Ana Steele, and Rita Ora as the businessman’s sister Mia.

The film has been making news for being one of the fastest and best selling ‘R’ rated movie surpassing “Sex and the City 2” which formally held that title on Fandango, an online ticket selling site.

jamie dornan christian grey sexy butch look fifty shades of grey 2015

‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ stars Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson which revolves around a literary student who falls for a very wealthy man with quite the edgy side and a taste for leather and lace. The film hits theaters nationwide on Feb. 13.


Arnold Schwarzeneggar Back To Business In TERMINATOR: GENISYS Super Bowl Trailer

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Arnold Schwarzeneggar Back To Business In TERMINATOR GENISYS Super Bowl Trailer

It looks like Paramount is going back to the future of the past for “Terminator: Genisys” as the latest trailer brings moments from the first two films in the franchise together. Arnold Schwarnegger who was on leave from the series while playing the Governator, is back, and it looks like he’s ready to reclaim his action hero mantle…or at least a semblance of it.

Arnold Schwarzenegger promised he’d be back, and now he is in the full “Terminator: Genisys” Super Bowl trailer that just went online today, Deadline reported on Jan. 29. There’s been an onslaught of teaser trailers for the full trailers showing this Sunday on the Super Bowl, but thankfully this is the full uncut version that should bring back some nostalgia for those that grew up seeing the original films in the theaters.

Paramount has obviously geared this spot for the high octane demographic that weren’t too crazy about the first official trailer released a while ago. It was confusing even to myself as to what the actual premise of the film was. This trailer looks to be recreating some scenes from the first, and best two “Terminator” scenes, and we get the promise of seeing today’s Schwarzenegger fight his younger killer robotic self. There will be some help with CGI for that younger self.

After the last two “Terminator” didn’t satisfy diehard fans, it’s natural to wonder how this one will fare. Arnold believes the film will be a huge success.

He said: “When I look at history, anytime a movie was well-done, it was huge. If a movie is made well, if it’s a great character, if it’s well acted out, then people are going to come and see it. It’s so simple.”

In addition to the new “Terminator: Genisys” trailer, there’s also a new poster which includes the overused ‘I’ll be back’ tagline.

In addition to Schwarzenegger, ‘Terminator Genisys’ stars Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, Jason Clarke, Matt Smith, Byung-Hun Lee and Oscar-nominee JK Simmons. The movie hits theaters worldwide on July 1.

Milos Raonic’s Slow Steady Pace To Tennis Fame

milo raonics slow steady pace to the top

Milos Raonic, Canada’s highest ranked player ever, might not quite be ready to beat the very best players on tour in the big matches. The Canadian has advanced deep into a few Grand Slam tournaments in his career but as of yet he has not defeated the likes of Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer in a major. While 2014 did see Raonic make great strides on tour, 2015 might see some growing pains for the Canadian No. 1 due to his body-type and style of play.

Firstly let’s look back at 2014 as the season was one that saw Raonic slowly inch up the rankings. He started the season just outside of the Top 10, crawled up to the World No. 6 position, and then finished the year ranked eighth. Highlights from 2014 include a run to the quarters of the French Open, a run to the semis at Wimbledon, a title in Washington, and an appearance in the final of the Paris Masters. Ultimately the Canadian qualified for the ATP World Tour Finals where he was not much of a factor, losing both of his respective matches to Andy Murray and Federer.

milos raonic loses to roger federer bulge atp tennis 2015 images

The Canadian, to his credit, has started the 2015 season off strong as he made the ATP Brisbane final (l. to Federer) and the quarters of the Australian Open. However, despite the fact that his footwork and speed have improved in the last year, Raonic remains a player who is heavily reliant on his serve.

Standing 6’5”, Raonic has service abilities that few can match. Ivo Karlovic comes to mind in comparison although Raonic, more agile and athletic, has achieved more in his young career than the veteran Croat has to date. But like most players that are heavily reliant – perhaps over-reliant – on holding serve, Raonic’s matches are often long and energy consuming. That lack of efficiency often hurts his chances of winning late round matches in tournaments that feature top talent.

milos raonic pumped bulge for jack sock images

As a case in point, let’s look at Raonic’s run to the final of the 2014 Paris Masters. In that event the Canadian received a bye through the round of 64. He then posted the following victories before advancing to the final:

 

  1. Jack Sock 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(4)
  2. Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5, 7-6(7)
  3. Roger Federer 7-6(5), 7-5
  4. Tomas Berdych 6-3, 3-6, 7-5

When you examine these results what you see are a fair number of sets that either went to a tiebreaker or featured 12 service games (ie. 7-5 or 5-7 score). A couple of the matches went the three-set distance. To complete the results, in the final Raonic lost to Djokovic without much of a fight, the final line score being 2-6, 3-6.

In order to understand Raonic and my viewpoint on him tennis fans need to understand my belief that there was probably a cause-and-effect relationship between Raonic’s long and tiresome matches in the rounds before the Paris 2014 final and his comprehensive loss in the final of the same tournament. Much like John Isner, Raonic has little trouble holding his serve and ample trouble breaking his opponent’s. That creates a situation where he faces very long sets that include tiebreakers or nearly include tiebreakers. Even if he wins a match, his chances of winning the entire tournament are not that great due to how long his sets/matches take for him to win.

milos raonic canadian hot tennis player 2015 images

Raonic is a 6’5” service monster lumbering around on court for hours on end in the early rounds, the quarters, and the semis while more diminutive, efficient, versatile players like Djokovic and Federer get off the court in the early rounds much quicker. Someone like Raonic, when he makes a final, rarely has anything left in the tank and that makes him a huge underdog when he draws someone that does. That could be why he rarely beats any of the top players on tour in late rounds.

So what should tennis fans expect of Raonic in 2015?

milos raonic tongue work on novak djokovic tennis 2015 images

Writing as a Canadian, I’m happier to have Raonic in international news compared to someone like Rob Ford. But in my opinion Canadian tennis fans can still expect some bad news from Raonic in the late rounds of tournaments: I do not see him winning many titles in 2015.

He’ll definitely take one down here and there when he enters events that do not include the very best players. However a Grand Slam title for Raonic will require both skill and luck: a fourth round walkover, for example, that gives the lumbering big man plenty of time to rest before the quarters might be his cue to go all-out for the title. But without some luck, I think Raonic will keep losing in the mid-to-late rounds to the more efficient players such as Federer, Andy Murray, and Djokovic.

milos raonic sexy tennis player atp 2015 images

Those players aren’t 6’5”, they get off the court a lot quicker than Raonic typically does, and they promise to have energy left in the tank in the late rounds as a result. It’s true that players of Raonic’s size have won Grand Slams before but champions like Juan Martin del Potro and Richard Krajicek are the exception, not the norm. They are also one-Slam wonders, although in Delpo’s case there’s time to buck that tag.

Whether Raonic will even become a one-Slammer is still in the air but I think Kei Nishikori, Grigor Dimitrov, and even David Goffin have more of a future in Grand Slam finals than Raonic does.

milos raonic canadian tennis player 2015

Prediction for year-end 2015 ranking: 6th to 8th and no appearances in Grand Slam finals.

TOP CHEF BOSTON Ep 13 Recap: Road To Finale

top chef boston ep 13 road to finale

This week Top Chef Boston begins the final showdown among the three remaining contestants as they arrive in Mexico for the season finale six weeks after their last showdown in Boston. The three arrived at the villa they would be staying at for the remainder of the competition. Right away Tom showed up to greet them, making them suspicious as to why. He then announced they brought the Last Chance Kitchen to Mexico to give Doug and George a chance to get back into the competition.

tom colicchio mexico with top chef boston recap 2015

Tom judged both their dishes in front of the three remaining contestants. He announced that Doug had won the Last Chance Kitchen and could now participate in the final leg of the competition. Doug stated that he’s happy to be back and that he can beat the other three.

padma lakshmi with enrique olvera on top chef boston recap images 2015

The quickfire challenge was guest judged by Enrique Olvera, who Padma introduced. He is the owner of an award winning restaurant in Mexico. Padma then announced the chefs had to create a dish highlighting xoconostle, a type of cactus. Melissa grabbed salmon to use in her dish while Mei grabbed a steak, though she determined she didn’t have enough time to cook it properly. Doug created a vegetarian dish because Mexican cuisine features a lot of vegetables.

Padma and Mr. Olvera then sampled each dish. Mei was told the ingredients she used were too random. Doug received praise for his dish, as did Melissa. Gregory presented shrimp with garlic oil as his dish. Mr. Olvera then said that Gregory’s was the dish he like the least because it was overpowering. Mei was praised for her meat but criticized for her sauce. He was pleased with Doug’s vegetarian dish and declared that he was the winner of the quickfire challenge.

doug with team for top chef boston in mexico finale 2015

The Elimination Challenge was then announced by Padma. Each chef was tasked with meeting a specific artist and creating a dish inspired by the work they do. Each artist prepared a work of art for an official presentation and the chefs were told that their dish must reflect the specific piece of artwork the artist signed to them completed. Padma then announced that the eliminated chefs from earlier in the season were being brought back to serve as sous chefs for Mei, Melissa, Gregory and Doug. As the quickfire winner Doug got to choose the two chefs he wanted to work with before the other three got to choose.

doug with artist on top chef boston 2015

Gregory said he was excited to meet the artist he would be working with, who is an expressionist artist. Melissa paired up with a graffiti artist, which she was pleased with, though she mentioned being concerned with the color schemes he uses. Mei’s artist uses a lot of color, which Mei liked since she uses a lot of color in her cooking. Doug’s artist’s inspiration is textures and colors, putting Doug at ease and helping him feel a connection with her. He said his artist reminded him of his own mother.

mei cant speak spanish in mexico on top chef boston 2015

The chefs then went shopping for the ingredients they would need to create their dishes. This forced them to speak in Spanish, which some of them struggled with. Mei said that she should have practiced the language prior to arriving in Mexico. Melissa picked shrimp because her artist uses a lot of pink in his work.

As the chefs arrived for the Elimination Challenge they were feeling the pressure. Doug stated he was worried his brisket wouldn’t be tender enough for the judges because tendering brisket takes hours and the chefs only have four hours to complete their dishes. Gregory said he was taking a risk with the flavors in his dish. Mei stated if the judges don’t see inspiration in their dishes it will be hard to impress them. She made her own ravioli with shrimp and chorizo. Gregory expressed concern that he had overcooked the steaks he was using in his dish and said that he desperately needs to pull it together. As the chefs finished plating their dishes the invited dinner guests began to arrive. Doug stated that if even one piece of his meat wasn’t tender he was in trouble. He made a chili dish that did not include any beans.

top chef boston final dishes doug mei melissa and gregory 2015

Melissa created a dish with snapper and radishes because she wanted a smooth dish to match her artist’s style. The judges then sampled each chef’s dish, as did the artists. Gregory presented his grilled strip loin to Gail, Tom and Padma. Tom said that Gregory’s dish was very strong.

final four on chopping block for top chef boston 2015 images

The chefs enjoyed some adult drinks while the judges were sampling their dishes. Doug thanked his sous chefs for their help.

doug wins quickfire and elimination round on top chef boston for finale 2015

Doug then presented his dish to the judges and explained he wanted his cactus to look like the walls his artist painted. Gail said the cheese added a surprising element to the dish. Melissa presented her dish of smoked eggplant ravioli. She said the ravioli represented the grey house in the work of art her artist created for the challenge. Mei made a colorful dish with snapper and bass to match her artist’s style. She then said she felt confident she could win the competition. Padma said that she loved Gregory’s dish because it was subtle but complex. Tom said he represented the art very well through his dish. Gail said that every bite of Doug’s dish was different and that she liked that. Padma praised Melissa’s ravioli, calling it beautiful. Tom said some of the elements on her plate added color but no flavor to her dish.

melissa goes home on top chef boston for mei finale 2015

As the three chefs waited to hear their fate they discussed how difficult the challenge was. They were then called to the judge’s table where Tom said all of them embraced the challenge and found inspiration in their individual artists. Doug stated he had fun and Gail told him he took the challenge more literally than the others. After giving all three of the contestants their feedback, Enrique announced that Doug won the challenge. The judges eliminated Melissa.

Cookie Lyon Gets Sympathetic for EMPIRE Ep 4 Recap: False Imposition

Cookie Lyon Gets Sympathetic for EMPIRE Ep 4 Recap

Tonight on Empire, we see just how great of a father Lucious is. So loving, so caring… NOT! The episode opens up with him screaming at Hakeem asking him what he wants. He tell him that he needs him get some new stuff. Hakeem is not hearing it because in true spoiled, rich boy fashion, he knows what’s best.

cookie interrupting on empire fox recap 2015 images

Cookie comes in making a ruckus as usual demanding a brand new office and full benefits for her assistant Portia. She gets all up in Anika’s face almost causing an altercation. Tiana comes into Cookie’s office asking her if she can produce her album. Cookie asks her what about Anika? She replies, “She’s a suit.” Tiana then plays her song for Cookie. She loves it and suggests that she and Hakeem do a song together.

Lucious gives Rebecca his assistant VIP access tickets to see Titan, the biggest name in hip hop. She and her friends go back stage to meet him just as a shootout ensures where he pops a guy that burned down the community center in his old neighborhood the night before.

terrance howard with anika lucious on empire recap 4 2015

In this episode, Lucious finally reveals to Anika that he has ALS as she walks in on him trying to shave, which he can’t do because he keeps shaking. He tells her that doctor’s said he has three years at best. She takes the razor and in a tender moment, shaves his face for him. The scene is interesting because she really didn’t show any emotion.

cookie with anika on empire fighting 2015 recap images

Cookie crashes Anika’s meeting with the A&R reps in regards to Tiana, letting them know that she is the new point of contact for all things Tiana. Anika doesn’t like this but doesn’t have time to argue with her. Lucious comes in and asks to speak to and Anika. They talk about his ALS then the conversation quickly turns to then scheming to steal Titian from Barrette, a record company head that Lucious has beef with.

cookie false imposition on empire ep 4 recap images 2015

Cookie visits an independent Jamal bringing him and Michael some food. She offers Jamal money, but he says “please get that out my face, that’s Lucious’ money.” They argue a little and then she tells him to “pull yourself together… I need you to get out of your artsy flop.”

Later, Anika and Lucious walk in on Hakeem and Tiana making out and tells them that they have arranged for them to perform for the Teens Choice Awards nominations and that it will be a Club Leviticus. Tiana texts Cookie who thinks it’s a good idea. She tells them that Cookie is down which to that, Anika tells her that Cookie is not going to come in and destroy what she has worked so hard to build.

Meanwhile, Cookie visits Titan’s mother, who is a part of the Nation of Islam, at her home. They bound over motherhood with Titan’s mother telling her that if he had stayed with the Nation of Islam, he would not be in this jail. Cookie tells her that Lucious can help him.

The cop looking into Bunkie’s death visits Lucious at his office asking him point blank, “where were you on the night of Bunkie’s death?” Andre is present and Luscious tells the detective that he was at home. We then see a flashback of Lucious and Andre. The cops come in to inspect their house and Andre, a young boy, takes his father’s gun and hides it in his toy boy. Back to current day, Andre lies to the cop and says that he was with his father that night watching the fight, “if you want to call it that.”

terrance howard shot at in empire 2015

Anika and Lucious meet with one of Titan’s boys at a diner. Lucious gets up and goes to the counter allowing his girl to speak to the guy alone. Just as they start their conversation, a drive by happens, spraying the place with bullets. Lucious grabs Anika and pulls her to the ground.

terrence howard lucious lyon on empire 2015 images

Cookie and Lucious have a moment when she meets with him to discuss her meeting with Titan’s mother. They reminisce about their first Christmas. Interesting piece of information we found out this week is that Lucious’ father was killed by the Nation of Islam.

Later at club Leviticus, Lucious gets a visit from Barrette, head of the former record company Luscious was a part of.  Barrette tells Lucious not to go public or he will dig up everything and “bring this Empire down.”

Cookie meets with Tiana at her house as they wait for Hakeem. Well guess where he is? In a bubble bath with his undercover lover, Camilla, played by Naomi. As they are in a bubble bath, Tiana comes in and catches them. She turns right back around and walks out. Despite this, Tiana and Hakeem perform at Leviticus for the Teen Choice awards nominations together. Hmmmm, she is better than me!

After the meeting with Barrette, Lucious decides that he is going to go after Titan so he decides to visit him in jail. He tries to talk some sense into him about how Barrette will use him. He tells Titan that he has paid to have his community center rebuilt and has also included a signing bonus for him. Titan agrees to join him.

hakeem gay kid on empire 2015 images

Cookie continues to try forcing a relationship between her and Hakeem. He does think that his mother loves him and doesn’t care about her. She tells him she can’t get back the 17 years they lost but she’s here now. To that he says, “It’s too late.”

At the end, Cookie reminds Lucious that she is the one who worked out the Titian deal and the one who worked out Hakeem and Tiana’s song. He says they always made a good team and she walks bout with him watching every step.

Until next week good people.

America’s Favorite Nasty Bear Is Back With TED 2 Trailer & New Images

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ted 2 movie imags throwing semen cups 2015 images

Seth McFarlane’s “Ted” was a big surprise box office hit for Universal a couple years back in 2012, and of course, a sequel was as quick to shoot out as expletives from that potty mouthed teddy bear we all love. Mark Wahlberg is back as his “Thunder Buddy”, but the one missing element is Mila Kunis. She’s replaced by Amanda Seyfried in a role that’s obviously made for some Wahlberg love interest. We even have Flash Gordon back to play minister for Ted’s wedding.

flash gordon marrying ted 2 with wife images

Universal Pictures made a killing at the box office when the ‘R’ rated comedy made a worldwide gross of nearly $550 million which made a guaranteed sequel deal hit the table. The trailer gives us a first look at “Ted 2” and things have certainly changed for the truck driver mouthed bear as he attempts to fit into everyday social life. Ted is now marrying his sweetheart and now taking on the U.S. justice system to prove that he’s worthy of adopting a baby. This is his last ditch effort after a failed sperm bank visit with his best buddy. It’s a funny scene where the fluids go flying in a game of semen catch.

mark wahlberg holding semen sample for ted 2 movie images

Joining him in his civil rights battle is Morgan Freeman and Amanda Seyfried, who plays his lawyer Samantha Jackson. That just makes you immediately think Samuel L. Jackson doesn’t it?’ “Mad Men’s” John Slattery plays a state attorney determined not to give Ted the same rights as other human beings.

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Naturally Freeman puts everything together in one succinct thought: “The important thing about being human is making a contribution to society,” he advises Ted. The trailer then cuts to Ted and his real life partner John Bennett throwing a small cookie down a blind man’s pants.

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Normally comedy trailers give away everything funny, but with McFarland, he’s crafty enough to give us just enough to leave us wanting more and delivering it in full when we get to the theater. Below is the synopsis for the film.

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Universal is putting major money into marketing it with a Super Bowl commercial well ahead of it’s June 26, 2015 release. McFarland has set the bar very high with the original “Ted”, and this trailer looks like he’s ready to top it.

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US Polls Show New England Patriots To Be Cheaters With DeflateGate

US Polls Show New England Patriots To Be Cheaters With DeflateGate

A new poll that came out in the N.Y. Post shows that the New England Patriots have lost some support due to DeflateGate. The polling shows that 41 percent of respondents believe New England intentionally deflated footballs in its 45-7 win over the Colts to win the AFC Title Game.

Don’t get it twisted. Hardcore Patriot fans are not jumping ship en masse. Although I did see a report on the NFL Network about a female Patriots fan who had decided to not even watch the Super Bowl due to the possible cheating of her favorite team. She quickly changed her mind after Bill Belichick went on the offensive with his press conference saying that he nor anyone on the Patriots team was guilty of anything at all. It doesn’t take much to convince the hometown crowd.

The rest of America is a little more skeptical of a team that was caught cheating before with SpyGate. The poll showed New England to now be closing in on Dallas as the most hated NFL franchise. The Pats do have the lowest favorability percentage of any NFL team. That stat is a little skewed as they are one of two teams still left standing and the only team accused of cheating. The Raiders and Falcons are not exactly on the national radar right now.
tom brady claims balls are perfect for deflategate patriots 2015
Seattle is a clear fan favorite according to the poll. Respondents to the survey want Seattle to win the big game instead of the alleged deflaters. That is a big contrast to last year’s buildup to Denver v. Seattle. Richard Sherman garnered a lot of hatred after his post NFC Title Game rant with Erin Andrews. Peyton Manning lovers wanted the Hawks to get their come-up-ins on Super Bowl Sunday.





What does this poll have to do with the actual game? Nothing much. It is for guys like me to discuss and fans to talk about with each other. It is also a good starting point for any signs being made for the pregame. I can see it now: “78% of America believes Tom Brady has deflated balls.” The game will be played on the field and all these polls and pubic opinion won’t matter once the first hit is made. It will be man on man to decide the best football team in the world this Sunday.

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How will history look at the Patriots’ alleged cheating? I would say that they will never be perceived as a clean champion. The N.Y. Post article points out Brian Billick’s assessment that Belichick stopped winning Super Bowls as soon as the NFL halted him from spying on other teams. That is true, but it’s not like the Patriots were blown out in the past two Super Bowls versus the Giants.

Champions in any sport don’t want their accomplishments questioned, but when there are multiple instances of cheating, that is going to be a reality. Even if the deflating is never pinned on a Patriots team member, the perception will be that someone high up in the franchise played a role.

Ultimately I don’t think this will bother Belichick or Tom Brady when it comes to a historic look at their dynasty. Most highly successful people just keep moving forward and don’t worry about public perception. If you have ever seen a Bill Belichick presser, you know he does not give a damn about what people think.

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This poll is an interesting one and it will stir up even more talk heading into Super Bowl weekend. But once the game is over and a champion is crowned, there will be no taking that away. If New England ends up on top then their name will never be erased from the record books, poll or no poll. That is all they care about. The Patriots may be historically accused of cheating, but they can never be accused of not trying.

Cristiano Ronaldo Gets Two Game Ban for Fist Job On Cordoba Player

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cristiano ronalds gets two game ban for fist job on corboda players face

Nothing like a lot of testosterone and a fiery temper to get you banned from a couple soccer matches, but Cristiano Ronaldo definitely fell into that and really went to down striking a Cordoba defender in the face. It was a close hand so there was definitely some fist action in that making it hurt even worse.  Ronaldo was having a time after also tussling with Cordobas Jose Angel Crespo as you can see in the images below.

cristiano ronaldo bulges with jose angel crespo real madrid vs cordoba match 2015

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has been handed a two-game suspension following his red card in the 2-1 win over Cordoba at the weekend.

cristiano ronaldo anger bulge sets in with real madrid vs cordoba 2015 images

The prolific attacker lost his temper in the closing stages of the game after failing to make an impact, kicking out and raising a hand to strike Cordoba defender Edimar in the face, leaving referee Alejandro Hernandez no other choice but to dismiss him.

cristiano ronaldo strikes cordoba defender in face for two game ban 2015 images

Ronaldo initially appeared unrepentant on being sent off, smirking at the referee and stroking the gold Club World Cup winners badge on his Real Madrid shirt.

cristiano ronaldo fisting cordoba defender in nose for real madrid soccer 2015

However, he later Tweeted: “I apologize to everyone and especially Edimar for my thoughtless action in today’s game.”

Ronaldo did apologize after the incident, while Edimar called for La Liga‘s disciplinary committee to show leniency, and the Portugal captain has escaped a lengthy ban.

cristiano ronaldo gets flagged for fisting cordoba player 2015

Barcelona’s Brazilian star Neymar offered a degree of sympathy to Ronaldo, but said he should still be punished: “It’s bad and is a negative thing, although we can’t do what he did so I think he needs to be punished. It’s hard because there might be provocation, like happened to [Zinedine] Zidane or to me, and you need to work on that in your own mind.”

“I don’t know how long his ban should be as I don’t work for the Competition Committee,” he said.

“It’s easy for those that weren’t there to talk about it but all players are subjected to different things and sometimes we deal with it.

cristiano ronaldo gets flagged for fisting cordoba player 2015

The 29-year-old will miss the Primera Division games against Real Sociedad and Sevilla as a result of his suspension.

Ronaldo has been in sublime form for Madrid in 2014-15, netting 36 goals in 31 appearances in all competitions.

The former Manchester United star’s absence means Ancelotti could turn to promising youngster Jese Rodriguez, who recently made his comeback after a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to injury.

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER Catch Up

how to get away with murder catch up 2015 images

Oh man, TGIT (Thank Goodness It’s Thursday), ABC’s primetime line up, is back tonight and we cannot wait. I for one am looking forward to seeing how Ms. Shonda Rhimes, is going to continue entertaining us with  her freshmen drama “How To Get Away With Murder,” starring award winning actress, Viola Davis.

how to get away with murder full cast images 2015

The first part of the season took us through ever emotion imaginable. We were shocked, angry, sad and turned on. Some of us rooted for the lawyer and her crew, others were “Team Sam.” Regardless of who you think “done it,” I am sure, that we can all use a refresher. So here is a look back, from the beginning, in preparation of tomorrow night’s big premiere.

how to get away with murder carrying sams dead body 2015 images

From the start of the show, we are clued in to the fact that all is not what it seems. The opening scene shows us s group of frantic law students arguing in the woods about something that they talk about every day in class- murder. They flip a coin to decide whether to leave the dead body they are handling or drag it (somehow) across campus during the barn fire that is also going on. Before we can see what it is, we are transported (okay not really… but)…we are transported four months back to where it all began.

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We are introduced to Annalise Keating, a tough criminal law professor who also has a very active clientele. Each year, she chooses a select few from her Philadelphia Middleton University law 101 class. The stand outs in the class, Connor, Michaela, Asher, Wes and Laurel, are the select few she chooses for her team. She creates a sense of competition amongst the group by saying that the top student out of the five gets a trophy, oh and by the way, this trophy looks just like the one that is used as the murder in the beginning. Each week too, along with the main case that carries on from episode to episode, she deals with a different non related court case that her associates help her to solve.

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In this first episode we learn that Annalise is having an affair with a fine ass chocolate Hercules looking man named Nate, who is also a cop. The students all present their theories to help solve a case. In the end, she uses Nate and humiliates him on the stand to help her win the case and she awards the trophy to Connor.

how to get away with murder lila dead 2015 images

The main story of the show really starts to develop here when Wes makes friends with Rebecca who he saw arguing with Griffin who is the star football player and also the boyfriend of a missing, not presumed dead, girl Lila who also was a student in Annalise’s husband’s (Sam) class who also has a thing for young girls… Whew.

The rest of the season, we saw the story unfolded.  Keep up here as I try not to miss anything.

how to get away with murder annalise reading about lila dead 2015

Annalise reads an article about Lila’s death and in it, the question was posed “was it an accident?” We find that it has been ruled a homicide and a photo of Griffin was posted alongside Lila’s. Wes recognizes the face as the guy he saw Rebecca arguing with a few nights before. While dealing with the details of her current case, the stabbing death of a wealthy man’s wife, she happens upon Sam’s phone and sees an “innocent” message from Lila. She then asks him if he slept with her. He says no, assuring her there was nothing going on.

She later checks Sam’s phone again to see that the previous message has been deleted. She meets with Nate (yes the cop she embarrassed on the stand) and asks him to check to see where Sam was the night Lila died. He agrees.

how to get away with murder rebecca arrested 2015 images

Wes returns to his apartment to find Rebecca being arrested. He also found out that Griffin has been arrested as well. He tells her not to say anything. We know from the flashbacks that he has fallen in love with her and therefore has taken on her situation as his own.

With this Annalise is pressured by university higher ups to represent Griffin. She is very reluctant due to do so due to the fact that she believes her husband in somehow involved in Lila’s death. At the same time, Nate finds out that Sam was not out of town like he said he was when the girl died. Wes realizes that a phone he let Rebecca hide in his apartment actually belongs to Lila. He poses as a public defender so he can visit her in jail and demands to know why she has Lila’s phone. She doesn’t talk but instead calls him out as a law student.

how to get away with murder connor going bare for backs 2015 images

While out at a bar, Michaela, who is engaged, learned that Connor and her finance have had sex with each when they were teens. A big fight ensures. Annalise picks up Wes from the police station pissed that he didn’t tell her that he knows Rebecca. She tells him to forget about Rebecca and focus on their current client. After everything goes down with the client, Annalise agrees to represent one of the suspects- Rebecca who just confessed to the murder.

Rebecca’s bail is set a $1 million. She then tells Annalise that she didn’t kill Lila and that griffin was pinning the murder on her. When Annalise questions Wes about Rebecca, he doesn’t tell her about the cell phone at first. After he finds out what is on it from Rebecca, then he tells Annalise.

viola davis no makeup wig on how to get away with murder 2015 imagse

Nate gets caught by Sam snooping around his car for evidence but is able to convince him that he was just out for night run. Bonnie, who has a thing for Sam (bitch) sees Nate and tells his sergeant about it and his affair with Annalise.

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Annalise has had a long day and this is the episode where we see her take off all of the enhancements she uses to present herself to the world (wig, make up, eye lashes). Sam kisses her on the face and asks how she got Rebecca out of jail. She turns around, pulls out the phone and asks the billion dollar question, “Why is your penis on a dead girl’s phone?”

Sam, dumfounded, does admit to having an affair with Lila over the summer and says he lied because he was afraid Annalise would think he killed her (um ya think Sam?). Annalise goes all the way off and kicks him out. Bonnie’s nosey ass hears what’s happen and catches Sam’s glance as he rushes out.

sam admitting affair to lila on how to get away with murder 2015 images

We find out that Nate got fired and he accuses Annalise of telling his boss. Annalise knows it was Bonnie. She brings Rebecca to the house to see if she knows anything about Sam and watches their chat via a video feed. Rebecca knows about the dick pic but not who it is. That is until she goes into the bathroom in Annalise house and notices that the wallpaper matches the wallpaper in the picture on Lila’s phone. She tells Wes to look at the wallpaper and they both know that Sam is Lila’s lover.

Wes confronts Annalise and he storms out when she can’t stop lying. After he has skipped class and ignored her calls, she shows up at his place and asks what he wants. He says to find Rebecca, who has gone missing, or he will tell the cops everything. She orders her associate Frank to do so.

Annalise has the wallpaper in the bathroom replaced and admits she’s doing this for Sam. She and her man have a mini love fest when they are interrupted by Wes and Rebecca. They discuss next steps. Later on, Annalise and Sam are in the bed doing what married people do when Bonnie knocks on the door. She tells her that Lila was pregnant. Annalise turns and looks at Sam.

Of course Annalise asks Sam if it’s his and he, of course says no (mmm hmm yea right Sam). In a flashback, we find out that Lila was a addicted to cocaine and turns to Rebecca as a confidant.

Annalise tells Wes that Lila was pregnant and asked him to keep it from Rebecca. He doesn’t and she instead tells Griffin which plants the notion of getting a DNA test to prove who really killed Lila. Bonnie has a talk with Sam because she met Lila the night she was killed when she came to the house looking for Sam. He kisses her and lies about everything. She tells Annalise what happened and good ole Annie fires her. Annalise then tells Sam that she is going to get a sample from all the men in Lila’s life including her teachers because she will get to the truth one way or another.

Sam and Annalise have a huge fight. He rips the phone from her hands as she dials 911. She admits to her affair with Nate and goes into detail of their escapades. Sam grabs her by the neck. She is able to get away. Then, the crew arrives along with Rebecca and guess what… they kill Sam “accidentally” with the trophy.

annalise looking at dead sam how to get away with murder 2015 images

We know that the body they are handling in the woods in the flashbacks is Sam. And we find out (because Wes goes back to the house where it happened to get something) that Annalise knows exactly what happens.
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Lord that’s a lot and is the jest of what happened. Tonight is sure to be explosive. And if you are anti-gay, Shonda Rhimes has a simple message for you, “Bye Felicia”.