Online Pretty News: February 2015

Saturday, February 28, 2015

A short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers team fought but lost, and Kevin Love wasn't ...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Save the moral victories for the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, arguably the best team in the league, aren't going that route.

Sure,they didn't have LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in the lineup when the Indiana Pacers defeated them 93-86 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Friday, but the Cavs weren't interested in a quick excuse before moving on to Houston for a Sunday matinee.

Kevin Love was noticeably miserableafter Friday's game. He took the loss hard at his locker stall.

"I think it might have been a little different in the past," Love said, "but now that we have an identity and we know what we want to do out there and how we want to play (there's frustration in a loss). Even short-handed."

Matthew Dellavedova, who started in place of Irving, filled in admirably with 14 points (5-of-18 shooting), 10 rebounds and five assists. Iman Shumpert played the role of backup point guard and provided 14 points and 10 rebounds.

After building a first-quarter double-digit lead, the Cavaliers inevitably slipped behind, but never found the game out of reach. There were encouraging contributions from unusual suspects, but Love said he didn't see a positive in a loss.

"Not really," he said. "We felt like we could have won the game. It's just a tough one for us. We're not going to hang our heads. We're still going to continue to get better. We know we're the better team."

Love was set up several times to expound on how much a difference James and Irving would have made. The power forward didn't bite.

"It's just one of those things where we needed to get a couple more to fall," Love said. "We get a stop here or there and we come out on top."

Love's game within the confines of the Cavaliers' offensive system continues to be a maturation process. He secured another double double that consisted of 17 points and 10 boards, but he shot 6-of-19.

"We're playing to win," he said.

The days of lackadaisical play and unmotivated body language is far removed from this locker room. The culture and dynamic of this team has been transformed. Now the roster is loaded with guys who will compete, and it has had a ripple effect.

"We want to win the game. We all are hungry," Timofey Mozgov said. "When we step on the court, we're ready to fight. We were fighting until the last second."

The Cavs' disposition and outlook has been altered. Even without their two best players, they considered it unacceptable to falter.

"We came to play," Cleveland coach David Blatt said. "Somebody asked me earlier if we took into consideration or thought we could afford to lose a game, that wasn't the case. We came to play. ... We were here to win."

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2015/02/a_short-handed_cleveland_caval.html

'The Lazarus Effect' movie reviews: What critics are saying about the Mark ...

"The Lazarus Effect" won't exactly have to rise from the dead in order to succeed at the box office. Director David Gelb's horror-thriller will, however, have to overcome largely negative reviews.

As of Friday morning (Feb. 26), Gelb's film - which stars New Orleanian Mark Duplass and Olivia Wilde as two in group of med-school students who figure out a way to breathe life back into the deceased - boasted a lowly 18 percent approval rating on 41 reviews at the movie review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. The outlook wasn't much better at MetaCritic, where "Lazarus" had a score of 33/100 based on 21 reviews.

A number of reviewers bellyached about the derivative plot, which audiences have seen in one form or another in everything from "Frankenstein" to "Flatliners" to "Pet Sematary." Beyond that, though, most said Gelb's film simply isn't scary - or smart -- enough.

"It's the cinematic equivalent of putting glasses and a white lab coat on the village idiot," wrote the AV Club's A.A. Dowd in his review, in which he gives the film a C-minus.

For his part, Duplass favored the review written by James Rocchi of The Wrap. Taking to his Twitter account Thursday, Duplass described Rocci's piece as "a smart, spoiler-free, fair review of #TheLazarusEffect ... warts and all. If u read any review, read this one." He then offered a link to Rocchi's review.

Of course, Duplass might be a bit of a prejudiced source on this one, given that his name is on the movie poster.

That being the case, below find a sampling of "Lazarus Effect" reviews from other critics. Gelb's film, rated PG-13 by MPAA for "intense sequences of horror violence, terror and some sexual references," opens today in wide release nationwide. Click here for New Orleans and Baton Rouge showtimes.

Mick LaSalle, The San Francisco Chronicle: " 'The Lazarus Effect' is not the usual mindless thriller, but it's as flat as an open soda from last week, with dull characters and virtually every scene taking place in a single location. It looks as if it cost about 12 bucks to make -- and somebody got robbed. (Read the full review.)

Peter Keough, The Boston Globe: "There are lessons to be learned from this minimalist thriller. The first is that scaring people requires more than just tossing furniture around, turning the lights off and on, and basically sneaking up from behind and shouting 'Boo!' On the more philosophical side, however, the film teaches us a) don't try to fool Mother Nature, and b) don't play with matches." (Read the full review.)

Gary Goldstein, The Los Angeles Times: "What this sci-fi tale lacks in characterization and resolution it makes up for in its provocative thoughts about life and death, brain power, the real-world chemical and hallucinogen DMT, religion, science and an alternative version of h**l." (Read the full review.)

Claudia Puig, USA Today: "'The Lazarus Effect' is not brain surgery -- oh wait, it kinda is -- but it's absorbing, well-crafted and appropriately tense, with a smart cast that raises it a notch above average." (Read the full review.)

Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter: "Becoming progressively less interesting as the body count rises and Zoe's eyes turn hellishly black, the film squanders whatever potential it had, not to mention the talents of such performers as Duplass and Wilde, who clearly deserve better." (Read the full review.)

Geoff Berkshire, Variety: "As zombie Zoe develops crazy powers (telekinesis, mind reading, the ability to fully dilate her pupils at will), everyone including Frank just sits around waiting to see what happens next.The answer turns out to be a whole slew of horror tropes (one half expects 'Flatliners'-era Kiefer Sutherland to show up ranting, 'Our sins have come back in a physical form!'), but no genuine scares, and certainly nothing visceral enough to threaten the bloodless PG-13 rating." (Read the full review.)

Source: http://www.nola.com/movies/index.ssf/2015/02/the_lazarus_effect_movie_revie.html

Color Controversies Started With Mars, Not With #TheDress

It may seem like a trivial pursuit to argue over whether a dress is blue and black, or white and gold, but the question of color balance can apply to weightier matters as well such as whether there's life on Mars.

That was the debate in 1976 when NASA's Viking 1 lander became the first spacecraft to touch down on the Red Planet. Did Mars have a blue sky, like Earth's, or was it a sky of a different color? The first pictures to be sent back showed an Earthlike blue sky, leading some to hope that Mars could sustain life at the surface.

Viking team member Carl Sagan dashed those hopes at a news conference the following day. "Despite the impression on these images, the sky is not blue," he announced.

A round of groans swept through the press corps. "Typical Earth chauvinist response," Sagan said, turning the groans to laughter. "The sky is in fact pink, which is an OK color," he added.

The problem was that Viking's filtered images had to be calibrated to get the right color balance. The first try didn't quite hit it right. Ever since then, pictures from Mars have been adjusted to reflect the reddish tinge provided by iron-rich dust suspended in the thin atmosphere. However, some conspiracy theorists and some scientists as well insist that the Red Planet is more bluish-green than NASA's pictures suggest.

The Martian color question has figured into the search for life on Mars for decades: On several occasions, scientists reported finding evidence for the spectral signature of chlorophyll. Such evidence might hint at the presence of lichen on Mars, but the tentative reports have never been confirmed.

Jim Bell, an astronomer at Arizona State University who is the lead scientist for the Opportunity rover's panoramic camera, has acknowledged that getting the colors right "is not an exact science." To make the job easier, color calibration targets have been installed on Opportunity as well as the Curiosity rover. Pictures from Mars are adjusted so that they reflect the colors and brightness as seen on the targets.

NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS

These three versions of the same scene on Mars, captured by NASA's Curiosity rover, reflect three different choices that scientists can make in presenting the colors recorded by the camera. The left version is the raw, unprocessed color view as it is received directly from Mars. The center rendering is an estimate of the "natural" color that humans would see if they visited Mars. The right version shows the result of white-balancing, which interprets the scene as if it were viewed under Earthlike lighting conditions.

NASA provides several flavors of Mars imagery including the raw, unprocessed color pictures; true-color versions that aim to duplicate what astronauts would see if they were on Mars; and white-balanced versions that show what a Martian landscape would look like under Earthlike lighting conditions.

To make things even more complicated, scientists also produce "stretched-color" images that optimize color contrast to highlight compositional differences in the Martian terrain. That's why many of the color pictures from the high-resolution camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter look bluish rather than reddish.

And it's not just a question of blue vs. red: Curiosity's science team was amazed to discover that beneath their reddish exterior, Martian rocks are actually gray.

First published February 27 2015, 5:14 PM

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/color-controversies-started-mars-not-thedress-n314601

Friday, February 27, 2015

Nine are dead including shooter in apparent string of homicides near Tyrone, Mo.

A man who authorities say may have been unhinged by the death of his ailing mother went on a house-to-house shooting rampage in a small town in the Missouri Ozarks, killing seven people before taking his own life.

The victims, plus an eighth person who was wounded, were found late Thursday or early Friday in four homes in Tyrone, a no-stoplight cluster of homes about 40 miles north of the Arkansas line.

Who are the victims?

Some of the victims in the shootings have been identified. They are:

GaroldDeeAldridge, 52
Julie AnnAldridge, 47
Harold WayneAldridge, 50
JanellArlisaAldridge, 48

MSHP said four of the dead were cousins ofAldridge's.Three other victims who died, and one who was wounded but is expected to survive, have not yet been identified until relatives are notified.

An elderly woman identified as Alice L.Aldridge, 74, identified as Aldridge's mother, was found dead, apparently of natural causes, officials said.

Who is the shooter?

The shooter has been identified as Joseph Jesse Aldridge, 36, of Tyrone, Missouri. He is the son of Alice Aldridge, who is believed to have died of natural causes, said the MSHP in a news release.

He carried out the killings with a .45-caliber handgun Thursday night or early Friday at four homes in Tyrone, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.

The 36-year-old gunman was discovered in a vehicle in a neighboring county, dead of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Jeff Kinder said.

How did the situation begin?

An MSHP news release said the Texas County Sheriff's Department responded to a female caller around 10:15 p.m. Thursday. She said she had heard gunshots in the residence and then quickly fled to call for authorities at a neighbor's house. Deputies found two dead bodies at the residence.

Further investigation revealed five additional victims in three more Tyrone residences. The release said one additional victim was injured, and ambulances transported him to an area hospital for at least one gunshot wound.

Why do authorities believe the killings took place?

Texas County Coroner TomWhittaker told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that before the gunman was discovered dead, authorities found his mother dead of apparent natural causes on a couch at her home. She had been under a doctor's care and appeared to have been dead at least 24 hours, the coroner said.

Whittaker said investigators were still gathering evidence, but he speculated that the son "came home and found her deceased and then for whatever reason went on a rampage and started killing people."

The Shannon County Sheriff's Department said MSHP called around 5:20 a.m. Friday requesting a coroner for a suicide in connection to a dead body found in a vehicle on Highway WW in Summersville, Mo. They said the body was a 36-year-old man, and the highway patrol indicated this was the apparent suspect.

In a news conference at 9 a.m. Friday at the Texas County Justice Center in Houston, Mo., Sgt. Jeff Kinder of the Missouri State Highway Patrol recapped the news release and answered a few questions, but much of the information surrounding the incident remains unclear.

"It's not natural to see that sort of thing. I'm sure officers were just as shocked as the people in this room," said Kinder.

Kinder said authorities are investigating six total crime scenes, including the home of the elderly woman and the site on the highway where the suspect was found dead.

Gov. Jay Nixon provided a statement on the shooting deaths, which read:

This is a horrific tragedy, and our hearts go out to the victims of these senseless acts and their families. The Missouri State Highway Patrol has been on site and assisting local law enforcement since the initial call late last night and will continue to assist local law enforcement agencies. Our Department of Mental Health has also contacted the local community mental health center to ensure that crisis intervention services will be provided to students in the area, and that counseling and other services will continue to be available to citizens in need. I ask all Missourians to join us in sending thoughts and prayers to the victims, their families and loved ones.

Source: http://www.kshb.com/news/state/missouri/nine-are-dead-including-shooter-in-apparent-string-of-homicides-near-tyrone-mo

Will Smith Focused on Career, Not Box Office Results

You might not be able to take the schadenfreude out of the town some in Hollywood love to root for a competitors heartaches but you can take a bit of the town out of the man.

Will Smith said he will emotionally, and even physically, remove himself this weekend from the chatter over box office results for Focus, his first star turn since critics scoffed and most fans dodged 2013s After Earth.

Im probably going to leave town for a week or so, so I dont get sucked back into the machine, Smith said before the premiere of the grifter pic this week. I cant allow the box office success, or the lack thereof, to determine my self-image.

Thats no commentary on his feelings for Warner Bros. release Focus, which Smith touts as a genre-busting romp, with humor, drama and multiple plot turns. Projections suggest a solidopening of $21 million on an estimated production budget of $50 million.

But Smith said he learned his lesson following After Earth that its not wise to rely on the bottom line for happiness. The sci-fi action film, co-starring Smiths son Jaden, drew almost universal derision and made an anemic $60.5 million domestically on a $130 million budget. (It brought in a much healthier$183.3 million overseas.)

I am probably going to get out and, you know, not get the hourly update from ClevelandIt was up 10%! Smith said. I am just going to completely stay away from it.

Conveniently, Smith does not have to look far for a distraction. He has begun training for Suicide Squad, the David Ayer-helmed tentpole based on the DC comicbook. In the ensemble cast, Smith will play the Batman villain Deadshot and be reunited with Focus co-star Margot Robbie, who will play the Jokers maniacal girlfriend Harley Quinn.

Coming soonfor Smith is another star vehicle that could be in the awards conversation. Christmas Day release Concussion looks at the medical crisis facing pro football, with Smith as the steadfast brain specialist who refuses to bow to pressure that would bury findings about traumatic brain injuries.

Still, Smith can blame himself for the focus on his box office power. Few stars can approach the $2.7 billion his 21 films have accumulated. And the star admitted in a recent Esquire interview that he had made the bottom line the ultimate measure of his work.

I think there is a real question as to who his audience is, one top studio executive said this week, declining to be identified for fear of alienating Smith. At one time he had a younger audience. They either mature with you, or you have to put yourself in big movies with a younger demographic.

One of Smiths earliest mentors cautions against such doubts. Andy Borowitz, the writer who created TVs The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, recalled that Smith had hit big in the music business with hits like Parents Just Dont Understand. But at just 20, his happy brand of rap as half of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince had been deemed softand bubblegum and suburban, Borowitz recalled.

Though barely out of his teens, some dubbed Smith a has been, Borowitz recalled, only to have his humor and charm help turn Fresh Prince into a long-running TV hit.

We like to root against people and call game over, said Borowitz, whose political satire is now featured in the New Yorker. It was done once before. I am in the camp of Dont bet against Will Smith, because it has been a losing bet so far.

Smith laughed when he said he would steer clear of this weekends box office results. But he also said he meant what he said.

My art has to be an offering, he said. Its ideas and concepts and things I believe in that I want to offer for the possibility of improving lives. And I cant allow the box office success, or lack thereof, to determine my self-image.

Source: http://variety.com/2015/film/news/will-smith-focused-on-career-not-box-office-results-1201442672/

Cleveland Cavaliers postgame show: Recapping the win against Golden State

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers have now won four straight games, beating the Golden State Warriors, 110-99, in a much-anticipated showdown on Thursday night.

LeBron Jamesled the way with a game-high 42 points, outscoring the Golden State tandem of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson all by himself.

The Cavs are now 37-22,andhave won 18 of their last 20 games. They have the league's best record since Jan. 13, the night James returned from taking time off to rest his knee and back.

Kyrie Irving added 24 points, but injured his left shoulder late in the third quarter and will have an MRI Fridaymorning in Cleveland. He is listed as doubtful for Friday night's game against the Pacers.

Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor, Joe Vardon and Chris Haynes recapped the win against the Warriorsduring the postgame show.

The trio talked about James' performance, the MVP race, the defensive effort against the highest-scoring team in the NBA, Irving's injury and what this game meant to the Cavaliers.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2015/02/cleveland_cavaliers_postgame_s_24.html

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Teuvo Teravainen eager to help offset the loss of Patrick Kane

SUNRISE, Fla. Teuvo Teravainen doesnt expect to make up for Patrick Kanes absence all by himself. But it doesnt mean he wont try.

I dont feel pressure, but I know I have a chance to step in and make a difference, the Blackhawks rookie said. Just play my best and try to help the team.

With Kane out for about 12 weeks and with general manager Stan Bowman still in pursuit of veteran forwards before Mondays trade deadline, Teravainen returned to the NHL and the Hawks lineup Thursday night against the Florida Panthers.

Teravainen was back with Bryan Bickell and Andrew Shaw, with whom he played most of the time during his previous 15-game stint with the Hawks. Only this time, he was centering them, playing his natural position instead of right wing.

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said it will be incumbent on all four lines to pick up the scoring with Kane who was tied for the league lead in points when he suffered a broken clavicle on Tuesday sidelined.

There are some lines here that havent scored a lot lately, Quenneville said. If we get some sprinkled-in goals from everyone, thats what were really looking for.

Teravainen hopes to be a part of that, while continuing to play responsible defense. He had two goals and two assists in his 15 games with the Hawks.

I think we have good lines on our team that can score, he said. We need to play good defense, thats for sure. But I think we can have some offense, too. I want to play good on the offensive side, and make some plays and create some chances. Im excited to come back here. Lets get back to work.

Minor dealThe Hawks made a small trade on Thursday, swapping minor-league journeymen by sending defenseman T.J. Brennan to Toronto for forward Spencer Abbott. Brennan, who was part of the Nick Leddy trade with the Islanders, was Rockfords leading scorer with 36 points in 54 games. But at age 25 and in his sixth year in the AHL, he was unlikely to crack the NHL lineup.

As for the looming deadline, sources said Bowman was discussing possible deals with Arizona for Antoine Vermette, and Columbus for Cam Atkinson, among others. Quenneville said he believes in the lineup he has, even without Kane, but that youre always looking to get better.

We like our team, we like our locker room, we like our depth, he said. As an organization youre always talking about things. Anything that can improve your team, you look at. And I think thats probably where were at right now.

Play it smartQuenneville said he didnt want the Hawks doing anything foolish in search of retribution for Floridas Alex Petrovic, whose cross-check resulted in Kane falling into the boards and getting injured.

Youve got to be smart, Quenneville said. The priority is to win the hockey game. Play the right way. You cant worry about that stuff.

Keep the gloves onThe Internet was atwitter on Thursday after a Fox Sports personality sent out a cryptic tweet about a recent locker room fist-fight and a divided Hawks dressing room. Three sources told the Sun-Times that no such fight occurred, and Quenneville shot down the idea that theres any discord among the team.

If there is, I know nothing about it, he said. I dont think anybody knows anything about it. Its all news to me and I dont think theres anything there.

Email: mlazerus@suntimes.com Twitter: @marklazerus

Source: http://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks-hockey/7/71/399169/teuvo-teravainen-eager-help-offset-loss-patrick-kane