news feeds jan 28

Last night the 19th annual Screen Actors Guild awards were handed out in Los Angeles. Daniel Day-Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones won the Best Actor and Supporting Actor respectively for their roles in "Lincoln." Jennifer Lawrence won Best Actress for her work in "Silver Linings Playbook," and the super boring (no offence) Anne Hathaway taking home Best Supporting Actress for her turn in "Les Miserables." Ben Affleck's "Argo" took home the award for Best Cast, and the latest James Bond film "Skyfall" won Best Stunt Ensemble. On the television side of things awards were given out to screen vets Kevin Costner and Julianne Moore after switching over to the cable miniseries game, Costner in "Hatfields & McCoys" and Moore in "Game Change." Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and Claire Danes (Homeland) took home the acting awards in a drama series while 30 Rock stars and the King and Queen of New York Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey swept the comedy series awards. Awards season closes out on February 24th, hosted by Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane. "Lincoln" has 12 Oscar nominations, while "Les Miserable" and "Silver Linings Playbook" got 8 nods each. "Argo" received 7. 

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What the hell happened to Sarah Palin? Not that she ever had all that much going for her once McCain lost out to Obama in 2008. Anyways, that kind of cute, intelligent looking woman without actually being too smart is not going to have her contract renewed by Fox news where she served as a correspondent. In 08, it seemed Sarah could do no wrong; she was lovingly mocked by Tiny Fey on SNL, she had her own reality show, and a best selling book out. Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes decided to scoop her up quick and even built a modern studio for her in her Wasilla, Alaska home. What is she going to do next? I don't think anyone cares.

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While director JJ Abrams has been attached to direct the new Star Wars film, it appears the 2015 release date that was circulating online could be premature. Abrams has a full plate (and then some) in front of him with his second film in the "Star Trek" reboot series hits theatres May 17, followed by the inevitable press commitments leading up to and once the film is released then is slated to produce "Mission: Impossible 5" and a third film Star Trek film. "You know, obviously, it's so early," Abrams said. "I can just say what I want to do: I want to do the fans proud. I want to make sure the story is something that touches people. And we're just getting started. I'm very excited." So start speculation on Episode VII's title (from google: The New Republic, Legacy Of the Shadows, Legacy Of the Sith, and Knights Of the New Republic) and get ready for Star Wars: Disney style.

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Well, this is just brill. A 20 year old prostitute from Portland, Oregon drove 50 miles to meet up with a john who had solicited her via text messages. The address she was given turned out to be the Salem Police Department. She walked up to the building, clearly marked 'Police Department,' entered the station, walked past several uniformed officers before coming to an unmarked door within the station where she tried to get ahold of her client. Once the officers stopped staring at her inappropriate attire they arrested the woman for prostitution and promoting prostitution. As it turns out, the messages were part of a sting operation by the Salem police department who first identified the woman online. Darshhh!

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Reunited and it feels so good… Actually it's a double Black Flag reunion. Punk rock pioneers Black Flag will have two versions of the outfit performing this year. Greg Ginn, the bands founder, guitarist and principle songwriter has put back together their 1978 with Ron Reyes on vocals to play this summers Hevy Fest in the UK. Another incarnation, this one know simply as "Flag" will include Circle Jerks/OFF! vocalist Keith Morris, Chuck Dukowski (who will play in both reunited units) on bass, Descedents/All drummer Bill Stevenson, as well as Stephen Egerton of the Descendents/All playing guitar. Egerton is the only member of the two acts that wasn't an actual member of Black Flag, but if you've ever seen Stephen play, you know he can hold his own with the best of 'em. Looking forward to seeing at least one Flag in 2013.

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Every Time I Die and Jose Canseco? Amazing.. I don't use twitter but gosh darnit, it makes friends of people who probably wouldn't be friends other wise, which is obviously hilarious. Don't know if this is serious, or a lampoon, but it is pretty funny either way. CHECK IT HERE.

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08/08 AM notes

You know what $2.6 billion buy you these days? It'll send a little robot (the size of an SUV) to Mars and take pictures (that we could already do with powerful telescopes). It landed flawlessly on the Mars surface and is put work right away; day one the rover is tasked with putting up a high-gain antenna so its transmissions with Earth will be a lot quicker, then it will start to collect weather information. The rover will then cruise a couple miles over to Mount Sharp, which rises 3.4 miles above the base ("sea level") of the landing site, checking out soil samples and the composition of rocks. The aim of the mission is "to assess whether Mars ever had an environment able to support small life forms," NASA said. No life whatsoever, not even plant has been found in any past rovers, have been found on the martian surface even though that's where most people think the Bush-Cheney administration came from.

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Upcoming marriage? Looking to save money on your catering bill? Now you can! Denny's restaurant has leased a 6,400 square foot space in downtown Las Vegas' new Neonopolis centre that will house a wedding chapel at the centre of it. If the line up is too long at the Star Wars chapel or you can't find enough Elvis impersonators for guests at the Graceland themed one, you can have a wedding cake made out of pancakes! …"It's going to be an icon within Vegas. People are going to travel to see this Denny's. The wedding scene is such a part of Vegas, and who doesn't want a wedding cake me out of pancakes?" says Denny's chief marketing officer Frances Allen. Um, I was joking about the pancake wedding cake. They aren't. If you want your bride to say no, and possibly start seeing a psychiatrist, then for the love of God don't get married there.

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I saw a headline that said Roseanne reunion. I clicked it, read the story. There is no Roseanne reunion. And that's too bad, because did we get screwed on the last episode of that show. Such an amazing show, even the last season where the Connor's won the lottery and got rich (not like it mattered anyways as it turned out!), and then out of nowhere, it's over. That last episode was one of the most unexpected, shocking endings to a series ever. Or at least for a sitcom about a blue collar family(I'll just post the last episode below - it's one YouTube). Anyways, the Roseanne reunion reported was for the upcoming Comedy Central Roast of Rosie, where she was joined by Michael Fishman (DJ), and the two Becky's, Sarah Chalke and Alicia Goranson. The Roast airs on August 12 and includes roasters Sharon Stone, Carrie Fisher, Katey Segal, Jeffrey Ross, roastmaster Jane Lynch and an appearance by Roseanne's ex Tom Arnold.

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We all know Daniel Day Lewis can act. If you have seen any one of his movies you know the English star is good (my favourite Lewis character is Bill the Butcher in "Gangs Of New York"). Well, anyone who is a fan should look forward to his upcoming starring turn in Lincoln, slated for release this November. The historical drama has taken years to get off the ground, with producer Steven Spielberg buying the rights to historian Doris Kearns Goodwin's book "Team Of Rivals," before the book was finished. Apparently, the final screenplay doesn't resemble the 2005 best seller anyhow. The film focusses on the last four months of the presidents life and will hit theatres November 9th.

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At the Drive In have been playing reunion shows here and there since their show at Coachella and will hopefully be making their way Toronto again one of these days. Here's a new interview with the band for Rolling Stone (CLICK HERE). And a concert stub from last time they were in town… October 24, 2000 at the Reverb (which is now a Crate & Barrel store) for $11! There was a copy of NOW magazine out that week to coincide with their show that had the band on the cover with the headline "THE NEW NIRVANA?" Don't remember what was said, just that they were none too happy about it.  At the Drive In/International Noise Conspiracy/Murder City Devils. Great gig!

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