El Clasico: Top five thrilling Barcelona vs Real Madrid clashes

Once again, the time has arrived for the clash of the titans tonight. The Catalans will be taking on the mighty Galacticos. Defenders from both teams will be sweating over how to keep Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in check.

El Clasico matches have made for some of the most entertaining, jaw-dropping and thrilling moments in football. And before the two giants take the field tonight, we race back through time to take you through a journey of the top 5 games between these two teams.

5: 22nd October, 2006 Real Madrid 2-0 Barcelona

Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Pic/ AFP

When the two teams met in 2006, most believed it would be Ronaldinho running rings around the Madrid defence. But it was Raul who got on the scoreboard first, that too in a span of two minutes. This was followed by Ruud Van Nistelrooys brilliant second goal that revived Real Madrids hopes in the season.

4: 4th March, 2001 Real Madrid 2-2 Barcelona

Raul. Pic/ AFP

This game will be remembered for two names Raul and Rivaldo (besides a little controversial twist). Star striker Raul netted the first goal early on, but Rivaldo quickly equalized. Within barely a minute, Raul replied again with another goal putting Madrid in the lead. But with just 20 minutes of play time remaining Rivaldo replied with another goal that leveled the score. There was an apparent third goal shot by the Brazilian striker, which was disallowed. On this night there clearly were only two stars shining.

3: 10th April, 2005 Real Madrid 4-2 Barcelona

Zinedine Zidane. Pic/ AFP

This game definitely will be remembered as one of the grandest of them all for it had the finest football stars of that particular time. With the likes of Zidane, Ronaldo, Owen and Raul who showcased their talent by netting one each for Madrid, while it was Ronaldinho and Eto who scored for Barcelona. This 2005 clash was one of the most memorable El Clasico games.

2: 19th November, 2005 Real Madrid 0-3 Barcelona

Ronaldinho. Pic/ AFP

The 2005 clash between the Glacticos and the Catalans was the most memorable game in El Clasico history with Brazilian legend and football magician Ronaldinho playing one of the finest games in his entire career. It was a one-man massacre at the Bernabau that night with Brazilian showcasing some of the finest tricks in football. Believe you me; this single-man demolition act received a standing ovation by the crowd. A game and player like this comes along just once.

1: 10th March, 2007 Barcelona 3-3 Real Madrid

Lionel Messi. Pic/ AFP

On this night at Camp Nou, Real Madrid looked to have taken total control of the Catalans with Ruud Van Nistlerooy scoring a brace. But Barca striker Lionel Messi had other plans. He netted two for the team as well but it was the defining third goal that got jaws dropping. After gliding through the Madrid defence Messi shot an epic goal which carved his name into the history books of football!

Source: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/el-clasico-top-five-thrilling-barcelona-vs-real-madrid-clashes/16078179

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Ted Cruz, Tea Party Hawk

Freshman Senator Ted Cruz is running for president, hoping to gain the Republican nomination bybringing together conservatives, libertarians and evangelicals. On foreign policy, thats a tough balance to strike. Yet Cruz has crafted his own brand of hawkishness tailored to please even his Tea Party supporters.

In a long interviewat the Halifax International Security Conference late last year, Cruz walked me through his strategy for staking out a positionthat falls somewhere between the isolationism of Senator Rand Paul and the neoconservatism of Senator John McCain. When asked which foreign policy experts he trusts, he named three: John Bolton, ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush; Elliott Abrams, who served in top foreignpolicy posts under Bush and President Ronald Reagan; and former CIA director James Woolsey, a hawkish Democrat. He framed his worldview as one that spares no effort in defending American national security but limits adventurism abroad.

The central touchstone for U.S. foreign policy should be defending the vital national security interests of the United States, he said. He calledweakness onthat obligation "the most central failing" of the foreign policies of President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

In his brief Senate career, Cruz has sometimes sided with libertarians such asPaul on big national security issues, as when he opposed Obamas request for authorization to attack Syria afterBashar al-Assads alleged use of chemical weapons (Obama later withdrew that request). ButCruz has also sided withthe hawksinopposing Obamas nuclear negotiations with Iran and pushing for more sanctionson the Tehran regime.

I believe both of those positions areconsistent because both are driven by national security interests, Cruz told me. There are a range of views within the Republican Party, but there is an overwhelming consensus that the Obama-Clinton foreign policy is a manifest disaster, that leading from behind does not work.

Cruz reconciles his advocacy for American power with his aversion to using military force by trumpeting democracy promotion and human-rights advocacy. In the Senate, he has taken up the causes of individual human rights activists such as Mariem Ibrahim, the Sudanese Christian woman who was sentenced to death for her faith and later released.

It is inexplicable and indefensible that this president will almost never speak out for dissidents, Cruz said. I dont believe that shining light and speaking truth is soft power, it's often far more effective than dropping bombs.

Cruz wants the U.S.to publicly confront the Iranian regime for its treatment of its own citizens, and as president he would lend support to human rights and democracy movements around the world, although not through the use of the U.S. armed forces.

As forthe conflictsin the Middle East, Cruz said he doesnt necessarily want the U.S.to take a side. Like many Republicans (and apparently David Petraeus), he sees Iran asthe major threat to U.S. security.

As serious a threat as ISIS presents, the threat from Iran is qualitatively greater. And the Obama administration has it backwards, they are trying to use ISIS to weaken our stance against Iran, he said. The growing potency of ISIS should be used to put even greater pressure on Iran.

Cruz doesnt think the U.S. should risk livessorting out the conflictbetween Sunni and Shiite Muslims.It is the height of hubris and ignorance to think that after 1,500 years of sectarian civil war that the U.S. can come in and convince Sunnis and Shiites to put down their arms and embrace, he said.

Cruz insistedthat Obamas Syria policy has been an incoherent mess, but he doesnt advocate more support for the Syrian rebels or the use of U.S. power to help remove the regime. He said Assad is a monster, but that if the rebels won and extremists came to power, that could be worse for Americas national security.

In the rare cases where the U.S. must use force, Cruz said, it should be used sparingly and only for a limited mission: We should not engage in long-term nation building.

On defense spending, Cruz tries to bridge the divide between the defense hawks and the budget hawks by decrying the sequestration under the2011 Budget Control Act while also calling for reforms in Pentagon spending and a crackdown on waste, fraud and abuse.

Overall, expect Cruz to focus his foreign policy criticism on what he sees asHillary Clinton's reticence to take tough internationalstands.The Obama administration negotiates a potentially catastrophic Iran deal, where is Hillary Clinton? Utterly silent. If she desires to be commander in chief, now is the time to stand up and speak, he said. I understand theres political risk in her party to saying anything out loud. But in a time of great challenges, leadership matters.

Cruz is not the first Tea Party-friendly candidate to strike a hawkish tone:Sarah Palin tried to walk that line after her failed vice presidency bid in 2008. Cruz can make a case for the policies. The question is whetherhawkish and libertarian Republicans will sign on.

To contact the author on this story: Josh Rogin at joshrogin@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor on this story: Tobin Harshaw at tharshaw@bloomberg.net

Source: http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-03-23/ted-cruz-tea-party-hawk

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Barcelona vs. Real Madrid: Tactical Review of 2015 El Clasico

Barcelona extended their lead at the top of La Liga to four points on Sunday by winning the first Clasico of 2015 against Real Madrid. Jeremy Mathieu and Luis Suarez struck either side of a Cristiano Ronaldo goal to give la Blaugrana a timely boost at a key stage of the season.

Formations and XIs

Barcelona played a 4-3-3 as expected, with Javier Mascherano starting as an anchor due to Sergio Busquets only being fit enough for the bench. The Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez trio continued up front, and Jeremy Mathieu started in central defence alongside Gerard Pique. Claudio Bravo resumed duties in goal.

Real Madrid played a fluid 4-3-3/4-4-2, with Cristiano Ronaldo straddling a left-wing/striker role, Gareth Bale playing slightly deeper on the right and Isco partnering Toni Kroos in central midfield.

1. Marcelo Epitomises Madrid's Attacking Energy

Marcelo has been a little hesitant to venture forward in La Liga of late, so it was a (pleasant) surprise to see him willing and able to bomb forward in the Clasico. His energy and appetite for attacking epitomised Real Madrid's strong first half.

He would either dance forward as a true wide player or overlap and be found by a pass from central midfield; either way, he was central to all things quick and potent early on. Both of Madrid's most threatening attacks in the first period were down the left side, and rather than sit cautiously and try to care for Messi's presence on his flank, Marcelo opted to take advantage of the fact he wasn't being tracked.

With Ivan Rakitic a little slow to get over and mark him, Dani Alves was frequently exposed in these stages. Karim Benzema's immense movement into the channels then became a real threat, and with the Frenchman joining Marcelo in overloading that side, Barca's defence was forced to shuffle over and fall out of position.

The hosts took the lead through a brilliant Mathieu header, but los Blancos, on balance, were by far the better side across the first 45 minutes.

2. Ronaldo's Equaliser

Ronaldo scored the equaliser, but Real Madrid's goal on the night wasall about the build-up play. It's deserving of great commendation, and adds another string to the bow supporting Benzema as a world-class talent.

With Modric creeping forward with the ball and Benzema spotting Mathieu in a wide position (dragged out to start closing Bale down), the Frenchman darted right to take Pique with him and opened a huge gap in the centre of defence. Ronaldo saw it and filled it, and Benzema's sumptuous flick found him for a first-time finish.

Jaw-dropping stuff from the striker.

His movement into the channels and in dragging defenders around throughout the first half was absolutely stunning, and this was the validation of his play; his piece de resistance.

3. Direct Barcelona

The opening 10 minutes of the second half were a little scrappy, then suddenly Suarez, like a bolt from the blue, made one run, that was picked out by one Alves pass, and gave Barcelona the lead.

It was symptomatic of the "new"(ish) Barcelona we've been treated to this season. They're still a 4-3-3 passing side, but they move the ball from back to front much, much quicker and Suarez latching on to a defender's long ball has been a theme for success.

The Uruguayan took advantage of a ropey-looking defensive line, controlled Alves' brilliant pass with one magnificent, G*d-like touch and slotted home in trademark fashion. It wasn't the first time he's scored "that" goal this season, and it won't be the last.

Luis Enrique has focused on getting the ball out of the centre-backs' feet and into Ivan Rakitic, who can turn and supply the front three within seconds. The Croatian's excellence at this is why Xavi has been marginalised, and he's the embodiment of the tactical nuance that's given la Blaugrana an edge this year.

4. Disconnect

"We didn't play like a team," Modric stated to reporters after the game (h/t Inside Spanish Football). He's absolutely hit the nail on the head.First half for los Blancos? Great. But the second? A shambolic mess.

Once Barcelona had gone 2-1 up, Real Madrid's front three stopped pressing and harassing the opponents, devoting themselves solely to attacking as they were in need of a goal. They stood high up the pitch and waited for the ball to be passed to them, but it never actually came.

Barca began pushing forward and finding themselves free to pick their passes, approaching Madrid's midfield line without any pressure from the forwards. It naturally dragged the away side's midfield contingent forward in order to engage, opening huge holes in between themselves and the defence for Enrique's front three to exploit.

All of a sudden, with Messi drifting centrally and exploiting the space behind Toni Kroos and Modric, one simple pass between the lines was enough to set the hosts away on a barreling attack. Several were carved out, and only poor decision-making and profligacy from all threeand in particular Neymarstopped them from making the score looking more convincing.

Quickfire Conclusions

• Bale was essentially absent again. Last week he bagged a brace and cupped his hands to his ears, but this was more like the norm for the Welshman who has been very quiet of late.
• Benzema and Marcelo, in addition to perhaps Modric, were Real Madrid's outfield players, and Iker Casillas showed the world he hasn't declined quite as sharply as some want to suggest.
• In the first half Madrid were superb, in the second Barca were. Neither could string together a full 90 minutes of good play.
• As ever, yellow cards provided a predictable backdrop to the game, but some of the play-acting and needless involvements in scuffles (we're looking at you, Jordi Alba) were disappointing to see.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2405744-barcelona-vs-real-madrid-tactical-review-of-2015-el-clasico

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Rob Kardashian's Instagram compares sister Kim to 'Gone Girl's' conniving ...

Rob Kardashian just compared Kim Kardashian to Amy Dunne. You know, the murderess from "Gone Girl."

The former"Keeping Up With the Kardashians"star -- who has recentlyfaced issues with his self-esteem and weight -- took to Instagram on Sunday (March 22) to throw a few nasty words at his sister.

Specifically, hedeleted all of his previous photosand replaced them with the above picture of a b****y Rosamund Pike (as Amy) along with the caption, "This is my sister Kim, the b**** from Gone Girl."

RELATED: Here are all the selfies Kim Kardashian Instagrammed in 2014 - there are a lot

Rob's strange and confusing post comes on the heels of Kim's seemingly kind tweet to her brother on his birthday (March 17).

It has yet to be revealed if the Instagram picture is a joke of some kind or if Rob's account was hacked. But, for now, it does look like he posted the photo himself.

Source: http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/rob_kardashian_instagram_compares_sister_kim_gone_girls_conniving_murderer-2015-03

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'Insurgent' movie review: Dumb series gets dumber

'Insurgent' movie review: Dumb series gets dumber ROBERT LEVIN Rating: 1.5

'Insurgent," like its predecessor "Divergent," is well made in every sense except for perhaps the most important: it continues an utterly moronic story that only grows and expands in its stupidity as this series progresses.

Suspension of disbelief is a great and necessary quality if one is to appreciate virtually any Hollywood movie. But there's suspension of disbelief and then there's what the "Divergent" movies require, which is a total rejection of the most basic concepts of humanity.

To recap: in a dystopian future that looks remarkably like every similar society we've seen in a young adult novel over the past decade, humankind has been divided into five factions by their singular defining personality traits.

This runs against everything we know about what it is to be alive, a complicated experience that rejects the easy notion that a person can be all kind (Amity), or smart (Erudite), or fearless (Dauntless) without significant overlap. The concept is deeply problematic, transcending a mere implausibility to the point where characters behave in counterintuitive fashions in order to remain true to their sects.

The sequel finds Tris (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James) on the run from governmental forces spearheaded by Jeanine (Kate Winslet), who is hellbent on finding the proper "divergent" (an individual that, gasp, can't be defined by a single group) to open an ancient MacGuffin that supposedly contains a "message from the founders."

In the grand scheme of compelling villainous motivations, this ranks pretty low. It's hard to blame Jeanine, really, for wanting to uncover what's in the box even if it does cost the lives of some unfortunate test subjects who can't handle being "injected by all five sims" (don't ask). In fact, it's just a device that facilitates scenes of Tris and Four on the run, first hiding out with Amity (run by Octavia Spencer), finding their way to the "faction-less" (led by Naomi Watts) and eventually challenging the tightly-wound baddie. It also effectively bails out a plot that has hit a dead end.

The writing is so fundamentally flawed on multiple levels that the movie's many positive traits get lost. The ensemble -- which also includes Miles Teller and Ansel Elgort -- is totally committed and director Robert Schwentke stages some edge-of-your-seat chase scenes. The movie is thankfully bereft of excessive CGI except for in the simulations, which are really the heart of the "Insurgent" series and engagingly combine Tris' psychology with enormous graphical spectacle.

It's probably not possible to make a film worth seeing out this material, though. Whenever the movie makes a serious attempt to develop these characters and explore the depth of Veronica Roth's fantasy world, though, the nonsensical underpinnings are made all too apparent.

Source: http://www.amny.com/entertainment/insurgent-movie-review-1-5-stars-1.10083750

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'Insurgent' seizes top spot; 'The Gunman' misfires

LOS ANGELES (AP) Sean Penn's "The Gunman" was no match for the rebel kids of "Insurgent."

The second installment in the "Divergent" series easily topped the box office with $54 million from 3,875 theaters, according Rentrak estimates Sunday. Penn's geopolitical thriller stumbled with only $5 million.

While the second films in both the "Hunger Games" and the "Twilight" series boasted opening weekend gains over the first, "Insurgent's" opening nearly matches that of its predecessor, "Divergent," which debuted to $54.6 million just last year.

Many predicted a bit of growth for this second film, which sees the return of stars Shailene Woodley, Theo James, and Kate Winslet to author Veronica Roth's dystopian world. But, both distributor Lionsgate and box office analysts see the consistency as a good thing.

"We're extremely pleased with the outcome," said Lionsgate's President of Domestic Distribution Richie Fay.

"I think this is exactly where we thought we'd be," he added. "We attracted a few more males this time around, and I think we're headed in the right direction. The uptick from Friday to Saturday was considerably higher than it was for 'Divergent.' That, the A- CinemaScore and what's coming into the marketplace will allow us to grow very nicely."

According to Lionsgate, 60 percent of audiences were female.

Rentrak's Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian credits Lionsgate's consistent release date strategy and impressive marketing campaign for the strong repeat performance.

"It's really about driving a very fickle audience, that teen, YA whatever you want to call them they're really tough to get a handle on. Their tastes change like the wind," he said. "The key is keeping the young adult audience engaged, excited and enthusiastic."

"Insurgent" also performed well overseas, taking in $47 million from 76 markets, bringing its worldwide total to $101 million.

Disney's live-action "Cinderella," meanwhile, fell 49 percent in Week 2 to take second place with $34.5 million. The PG-rated film has earned an impressive $122 million domestically to date.

Also in its second weekend in theaters, the R-rated Liam Neeson-led action film "Run All Night," managed a slight edge over Open Road's "The Gunman." Neeson's film, a Warner Bros. release, dropped 54 percent with its $5.1 million weekend, while Penn's film debuted in fourth place with only $5 million.

"You have a lot of R-rated competition out there right now," noted Dergarabedian, who also added that Penn's foray into the action genre has not garnered the best reviews.

"Kingsman: The Secret Service," one of the better performing R-rated releases in recent weeks, rounded out the top five with $4.6 million in its sixth weekend in theaters. The 20th Century Fox film has now earned over $114.6 million domestically.

"Over the past couple of weeks, films driven by the female audience have done much better than films driven by the male audience. But that's all going to change because 'Furious 7' is on the way," Dergarabedian said.

"Put on your seatbelt and get ready, because it's going to be an incredible ride in the coming weeks," he said.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "Insurgent," $54 million ($47 million international).

2. "Cinderella," $34.5 million ($41.1 million international).

3. "Run All Night," $5.1 million ($5 million international).

4. "The Gunman," $5 million ($900,000 international).

5. "Kingsman: The Secret Service," $4.6 million ($8.5 million international).

6. "Do You Believe?" $4 million.

7. "The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," $3.5 million ($3.2 million international).

8. "Focus," $3.3 million ($7.9 million international).

9. "Chappie," $2.7 million ($5.1 million international).

10. "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water," $2.4 million ($3.2 million international).

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Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Rentrak:

1. "Insurgent," $47 million.

2. "Cinderella," $41.1 million.

3. "Home," $19.2 million.

4. "Taken 3," $18.6 million.

5. "Lost and Love," $16.2 million.

6. "Kingsman: The Secret Service," $8.5 million.

1. "Focus," $7.9 million.

2. "Big Hero 6," $6.6 million.

3. "Chappie," $5.1 million.

4. "Run All Night," $5 million.

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Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by 21st Century Fox; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

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Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/ldbahr

Source: http://www.chron.com/news/article/Insurgent-seizes-top-spot-The-Gunman-misfires-6151232.php

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NCAA upset hopes fade, but UCI fans hold heads high

Amid the smell of popcorn and pizza, the bobbing gold and blue balloons and the blaring 5-foot projection TVs, fans of UC Irvine basketball had the jitters.

Hundreds of students and alumni crowded the Newkirk Alumni Center on campus Friday afternoon to see the 13th-seeded Anteaters make their first NCAA men's tournament appearance against fourth-seeded Louisville in the East Regional from Seattle.

Friday happened to be the last day of finals week, but that didn't really matter. Nor did the fact that the Irvine campus is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Instead, guests at the game-watching party clutched pom-poms in the team colors, hugged stuffed anteaters and hung on to hopes of seeing their team upset the Cardinals, who have won three national titles and were making their 41st visit to the tournament also known as the Big Dance.

"I was more nervous for the game than I was for my final this morning," said Matt Levin, a 20-year-old UCI junior.

About an hour before the game's 1:10 p.m. start, Levin found a prime seat in an armchair a few feet from one of the four big-screen TVs. He and his buddies talked strategy, much of it centering on Mamadou Ndiaye, a sophomore center and the tallest player in NCAA Division I.

"At 7 feet 6, he is a game-changer," Levin said. "If we can get hot from the three-point line, it'll be hard to defend."

Sean Burke, a 2013 UCI graduate, said he watched Louisville videos on YouTube the previous night.

"I've seen all of our games and I wanted to see how they play," Burke said during a break in the first half Friday. "They usually have a lot of energy, but I'm not seeing a lot of that."

The game was a nail-biter, with UCI ahead by two or three points much of the first half.

Kim Ayala and Brittany Betancourt held stuffed animals in the shape of anteaters. Ayala, a 1982 grad who heads academic advising for undecided and undeclared majors at UCI, said she named her anteater Proud Peter.

"They're our lucky charms and they're working," she said.

With 42.4 seconds left, the score was tied at 55.

But even lucky anteaters and a 7-foot-6 center couldn't lift UCI over the Cardinals. With 8.9 seconds left, UCI forward Will Davis fouled Louisville guard Quentin Snider, who sank two free throws. The final score: 57-55.

Levin sat in the armchair for a few minutes to let the loss sink in.

"You can't hang your head with a loss like that," he said. "We fought our hearts out. You gotta learn from it."

Then he stood up. He had already moved on. He was heading to Hooters to watch more NCAA match-ups.

Source: http://www.dailypilot.com/news/tn-dpt-me-0321-uci-party-20150320,0,5994725.story

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