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Thursday, July 2, 2015

Dukes of Hazzard Reruns Pulled From TV Land Schedule Amid Confederate ...

File Photo: The "Dukes of Hazzard" General Lee car is displayed at the Barris Star Car Collection Auction at the Petersen Automotive Museum on May 13, 2005 in Los Angeles, California.

The Dukes of Hazzard are done...for now.

TV Land has pulled all reruns of the 80s series from its schedule, just one week after Warner Bros. "elected to cease the licensing" of replicas and models of the show"s iconic, Confederate flag-laden car, the General Lee, E! News has confirmed.

The flag has been thrown into sharp focus in the wake of the tragic Charleston church massacre, with many, including South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, calling for its removal from the Charleston statehouse due to its racist roots.

Retailers like Walmart also announced they would be taking the flag off their shelves, and even "Scandal"s" Papa Pope (Joe Morton) appeared on "The Nightly Show" to weigh in on the continued use of the flag, saying, "You think you love this country, what you love is that corruption of the red, white and blue you call valor. What you love is the satisfaction that mess brings when people feel they need to give that flag some credence like it stands for something more than hate."

MORE: Dukes of Hazzard star Ben Jones defends the use of the confederate flag

The General Lee, with a Confederate flag painted on the top, is perhaps the show"s biggest and most recognizable item, aside from Daisy Duke"s short shorts, and while many are on board with the decision to discontinue the car"s merchandising, the show"s stars do not seem to agree.

Ben Jones, who played Cooter on the series and is currently the proprietor of a Dukes of Hazzard museum called Cooter"s Place, weighed in on Facebook with a lengthy post explaining that his museum will continue to carry and sell the flag, saying, "I think all of Hazzard Nation understands that the confederate battle flag is the symbol that represents the indomitable spirit of independence which keeps us "makin" our way the only way we know how. That flag on top of the General Lee made a statement that the values of the rural south were the values of courage and family and good times."

In an interview with THR, Dukes star John Schneider also defended the show"s use of the flag. "I take exception to those who say that the flag on the General Lee should always be considered a symbol of racism," Schneider said. "Is the flag used as such in other applications? Yes, but certainly not on the Dukes. If the flag was a symbol of racism, then Bo and Luke and Daisy and Uncle Jesse were a pack of wild racists and that could not be further from the truth."

The Dukes of Hazzard ran from 1979 to 1985 on CBS.

PHOTOS: More of TV"s biggest scandals

Published at 4:20 AM PDT on Jul 2, 2015

Source: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/Dukes-of-Hazzard-Reruns-Pulled-From-TV-Land-Confederate-Flag-311303431.html

Here"s what"s trending: Another shark attack; Bill Cosby; Macy"s dumps Trump

There"s no need to ever feel left out again at the water cooler conversation. Here"s a rundown of the stories currently trending in the world, the country and your backyard.

Here"s what"s trending

Another attack: A 68-year-old man was bitten by a shark Wednesday in waters off North Carolina"s Outer Banks. It was the seventh recorded attack for the state"s coastal waters, according to officials. The man was bitten in his ribcage, lower leg, hip and both hands.

Episcopalians vote yes: At their general convention in Salt Lake City, Episcopalians voted to allow church weddings for same-s*x couples. The weddings will begin in churches after Nov. 1. While the vote allows for marriages to take place, bishops can prohibit the ceremonies in their diocese, and clergy are allowed refuse to perform the services.

In this Nov. 6, 2013 file photo, comedian Bill Cosby performs at the Stand Up for Heroes event at Madison Square Garden. (John Minchillo/Invision/AP, File)

Bill Cosby not charged: Comedian Bill Cosby, who has been accused of sexual assault by more than two dozen women, will not face charges in New Jersey on allegations brought by one of those women. Lili Bernard, who met Cosby when she appeared on "The Cosby Show" in 1992, claimed Cosby drugged and assaulted her. Prosecutors in Atlantic City say they have ended their investigation into the claims and that no charges will be filed against Cosby.

Macy"s dumps Trump: Macy"s has announced that they are ending their relationship with Donald Trump over comments he made about Mexican immigrants. The company issued a statement that read in part, "We are disappointed and distressed by recent remarks about immigrants from Mexico. ... In light of statements made by Donald Trump, we have decided to discontinue our business relationship." Fixing prices:The Justice Department is investigating several airlines over claims they coordinated the supply of seats on flights, an important factor in determining fares. American, United, Delta and Southwest have all confirmed that they are part of the investigation and all the airlines say they are cooperating, according to the Wall Street Journal.

This is amazing

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Source: http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/07/heres_whats_trending_another_s_1.html

Phoenix Suns Serious Contenders For Free Agent LaMarcus Aldridge

The Phoenix Suns have emerged as serious contenders in the bid to sign top free agent power forward LaMarcus Aldridge. The team made a strong pitch to the 29-year-old All-Star, who is reportedly seeking a team that can best offer a run at an NBA championship.

Suns General Manager Ryan McDonough pulled the surprise move of the summer by adding free agent Tyson Chandler, the shot-blocking center that Aldridge is reportedly enamored with. Phoenix is pitching its run-and-gun system, which seems tailor-made for the finesse and steady play of Aldridge. If things go the Suns" way, coach Jeff Hornacek will have a bonafide superstar who will anchor the team"s half-court offense. This was apparently what impressed the Portland Trail Blazers superstar the most, as reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.

All of a sudden, they get an agreement with Chandler today, and McDonough marches Chandler into his meeting with LaMarcus Aldridge and says, "Here you go." And then things got serious between Aldridge and the Suns. They were really a secondary team. That changed today," Wojnarowski said.

The Suns now join the San Antonio Spurs and Trail Blazers as front-runners to sign Aldridge. The free agent forward already met with the Spurs, who used their championship charm to entice the free agent, including a meeting with coach Gregg Popovich. The Spurs traded center Tiago Splitter to the Atlanta Hawks to free up cap space to sign a max player in the mold of Aldridge. With Tim Duncan leaning toward staying an extra year and Manu Ginobili still on the fence about returning, the five-time NBA champion Spurs hope to add another weapon and a future franchise player once Duncan retires.

Aldridge still has scheduled talks with the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors after already meeting with Western Conference suitors such as the Suns, Spurs, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers. He is expected to make his decision by the weekend or next week.

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/phoenix-suns-serious-contenders-free-agent-lamarcus-aldridge-1993431

Monday, June 22, 2015

Steve Harvey's 'Celebrity Family Feud' opens with Braxtons vs. Andersons

CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD Anthony Anderson vs Toni Braxton and Monica Potter vs Curtis Stone The series premiere of Celebrity Family Feud will feature actor Anthony Andersons (black-ish) family vs. 7-time Grammy Award-winning artist Toni Braxton and her sisters. (ABC/Adam Taylor)TONI BRAXTON, STEVE HARVEY, ANTHONY ANDERSON

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Monday, June 22, 2015

Toni Braxton, who used to live in Atlanta, brought her sisters to battle Anthony Andersons family in the first episode of ABCs Celebrity Family Feud hosted by part-time Atlantan Steve Harvey.

Both families are playing for charity. The episodes were shot earlier this month in Los Angeles, although Harvey shoots the regular episodes here in Atlanta. And two of Braxtons sisters still live in Atlanta.

Despite a slow start from Toni, her family lifted her up and even she got a couple of answers right near the end. But credit Towanda and Tamar for getting enough right answers to win Fast Money and raise $25,000 for Lupus LA (since Toni has lupus.)

Sorry to say this but $25,000 seems awfully chintzy for a broadcast network giving out money for charity. Im just sayin. Wheres Donald Trump when you need him? (Oh wait, we know that)

Things got down and dirty quickly from the first question: Name something a n**e magician might pull a rabbit out of.

Anderson: His a**!

Toni was so flummoxed, she didnt have an answer.

His mom Doris then said nuts.

This show is going to h**l, Harvey said. Indeed, that garnered a big fat X.

Later , Anderson said you can be n***d and wear a hat. Ive done it! That was the No. 1 answer.

The Braxtons had a chance to steal but Toni botched it by blurting out foot without getting proper feedback from her sisters. That wasnt on the list. Points went to the Andersons.

Question No. 2 with Tamar vs. Doris: Name something the wife would not like to see the ex-husband buy after the divorce.

Tamar got the No. 1 answer with car.

Trina, who just got divorced, said emphatically, a ring for another woman. That was the No. 2 answer.

Toni uttered, a new woman. Shockingly, this was up there as a mail order bride.

The sisters almost cleared the board with six out of seven answers. Harvey laughed after Trina gave a bad answer (a car seat) and the sisters were not supportive. The tradition: Family Feud members are supposed to clap and say good answer! no matter how terrible the utterance.

Ultimately, Andersons answer motorcyle was rejected. The missing answer was a street w***e.

The Braxtons move ahead 93 to 88.

Question 3: Top 7 answers on the board. To 100 men: Name an animal more well endowed than you?

Trina: Elephant. Amazingly, just 13 people answered that. But it was No. 2 and Trina won after Derricks gorilla was a big fat zero.

Towanda confidently gave the No. 1 answer horse. Tracis giraffe got an X.

Toni tried hippo and received zip. Tamar said dog, and her sisters were skeptical. It came in No. 3 and Tamar was vindicated. What the world is coming to? Traci said.

Trinas bull came in No. 6. Towanda opted for walrus. It has the biggest p***s. I looked it up! But it didnt make the cut.

Anderson went for donkey and they won the points. The missing answers: whale and lion.

The Andersons had a lead. But the last round typically can win the day.

Triple points: Name a job just because they arent good looking enough.

Towandas answer: Model was No. 1.

Traci goes for stripper. That was No. 4.

Toni (uh oh) picks news anchor. Surprise! No. 3.

Tamar says actress for the win. And the Braxtons clear the board!

Tamar and Towanda opt for fast money. Towanda was up first.

The fast money questions to 100 women.

After how dates do you start wearing sweats? Towandas answer: 6 (0)

What is something people look for on Craigs List? A car (26)

Name a pie that starts with the letter P. (37)

Name something a guy likes to do while watching the Super Bowl? Eat food. (36)

A place where you find an aisle. A kitchen. (0)

Three good answers, two bad ones. Not bad. 99 points.

Tamar ended up with two okay answers, no answer on one and two great answers to seal the victory.

That would be four dates (11 points. Best answer was 10), a job on Craigs list (10), nothing for pie, drinking beer for the Super Bowl (44) and the seal-the-deal answer of supermarket for aisle (57).

ON TVCelebrity Family Feud, 8 p.m. Mondays, ABC

Source: http://radiotvtalk.blog.ajc.com/2015/06/22/steve-harveys-celebrity-family-feud-opens-with-braxtons-vs-andersons/

Saturday's TV highlights and weekend talk: 'A Deadly Adoption'

Customized TV Listings are available here: www.latimes.com/tvtimes

Click here to download

TV listings for the week of June 21 - 27, 2015 in PDF format

This week'sTVMovies

SERIES

Orphan Black This cloning-themed science-fiction drama starring Tatiana Maslany in multiple roles concludes its third season. 9 p.m. BBC America

Star Wars Rebels The computer-animated spinoff that sets the action between "Episode III" and "Episode IV" of the "Star Wars" franchise is back with new episodes. 9 p.m. Disney XD

Life Story The final two installments of this nature series examine courtship and parenting in the animal kingdom. 9 and 10 p.m. Discovery Channel

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell The former gentleman (Bertie Carvel) begins a magical apprenticeship with the latter (Eddie Marsan) on a new episode of the fantasy drama. 10 p.m. BBC America

The Graham Norton Show "Ted 2" costars Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane are guests, and Cyndi Lauper performs. 11:15 p.m. BBC America

MOVIES

Gone Girl Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike make a not-so-perfect couple in David Fincher's 2014 thriller adapted by Gillian Flynn from her bestseller; Neil Patrick Harris, Kim Dickens and Tyler Perry also star. 8 p.m. HBO

A Deadly Adoption Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig yes, that Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig star in this new dramatic thriller; "90210's" Jessica Lowndes also stars. 8 p.m. Lifetime

Perfect Match "The Wonder Years'" Danica McKellar plays a wedding planner who must team up with a rival (Paul Greene) in this new romantic comedy; Linda Gray ("Dallas") also stars. 9 p.m. Hallmark Channel

WEEKEND TALK

SATURDAY

Good Morning America (N) 7 a.m. KABC

McLaughlin Group (N) 6:30 p.m. KCET

SUNDAY

Today Father's Day food. (N) 6 a.m. KNBC

Good Morning America (N) 6 a.m. KABC

State of the Union With Jake Tapper (N) 6 and 9 a.m. CNN

CBS News Sunday Morning Fathers and the Family and Medical Leave Act; country group Little Big Town; Pat Boone; floating markets in Vietnam; performing cats. (N) 7 a.m. KCBS

Fareed Zakaria GPS Terrorism, ISIS, cyber attacks from China and Russia: Former U.S. counter-terrorism chief Richard A. Clarke; Federal Reserve forecast, trade deal, the Greek economy, putting a woman on U.S. currency: Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew. (N) ?7 and 10 a.m. CNN

Meet the Press Charleston church shooting: Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.); Charleston church shooting, next year's primaries in South Carolina: Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-Ark.) (N) 8 a.m. KNBC

This Week With George Stephanopoulos (N) 8 a.m. KABC

FoxNews Sunday With Chris Wallace 2016 election: Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas); Pope Francis' climate-change encyclical: Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, D.C. (N) 8 a.m. KTTV

Reliable Sources Brian Williams apology tour. (N) 8 a.m. CNN

MediaBuzz Bush and Trump campaign announcements; Brian Williams reassigned to MSNBC; Charleston church shooting; interview with presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). (N) 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Fox News Channel

Face the Nation Charleston church shooting: Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), NAACP President Cornell William Brooks, Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley; the Charleston church shooter: Former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole; Charleston church shooting: Sherrilyn Ifill, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. ISIS, other threats: Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare). (N) 8:30 a.m. KCBS

60 Minutes FBI Director James B. Comey discusses government surveillance, terrorism, cyber crime and other challenges; the high cost of cancer drugs; architectural treasures in Italy are falling into disrepair. (N) 7 p.m. KCBS

Source: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-saturday-s-tv-highlights-and-weekend-talk-a-deadly-adoption-and-more-20150617-story.html

Sunday, June 21, 2015

'Inside Out' Movie Reflects the Realities and Fantasies of Neuroscience

"Inside Out" is more than just the latest animated movie from Pixar the makers of "Toy Story," "Up," "Finding Nemo" and more. It's also a kid-friendly introduction to real-life neuroscience.

Eric Chudler, who's the executive director of the University of Washington's Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering as well as the creator of the "Neuroscience for Kids" website, thinks that's great: "Any type of portrayal of the brain in cartoons can get kids interested in how the brain works and what makes it tick," he said.

And "Inside Out" isn't just any portrayal: Berkeley psychologist Dacher Keltner, an expert on the science of emotions, was a consultant on the movie which portrays Joy, Anger, Sadness, Fear and Disgust as colorful characters interacting inside the brain of an 11-year-old girl named Riley.

"I'm getting emails from all over the world," Keltner told NBC News. "What people are learning is that emotions have a purpose, that they change, and that we should embrace that."

"Inside Out" turns neuroscience inside-out: The choice of characters reflects the research of Keltner's mentor at Berkeley, Paul Ekman, who studies how emotions are expressed across different cultures. Ekman and his colleagues determined that humans possess a standard toolkit of facial expressions for six or seven emotions, regardless of their upbringing.

The filmmakers turned five of the emotions on Ekman's list into animated characters. Two others surprise and contempt were left out of the script for simplicity's sake. Who knows? Maybe they'll pop up in the sequel.

Flash Interactive: A Road Map to Your Brain

In the movie, the characters inside Riley's head support each other, or get in each other's way, just like the emotions in our own heads.

"It's nice to see that the different emotions are somewhat separate but talk to each other," Chudler told NBC News. "For example, there's no real 'anger center'; rather, different parts of the brain work together to make sense of the world and coordinate complex behavior."

Christof Koch, chief scientific officer at the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle, said the inner workings of emotional responses are far less clear-cut in reality than they might seem in the movie. "This assumes that you have these five explicit conscious streams in front of you, but of course you don't have conscious access to those things," he told NBC News.

"We are strangers to ourselves, and in particular we are strangers to our own mind," Koch said. "We have all these emotions, but very often we have no idea why we have them."

It turns out that "Inside Out" came into being partly because Keltner and Pixar director Pete Docter who have been friends for a long time were intrigued by the mysterious ways of emotions in their own kids. "Our conversations are really a series of questions, and Pete asked, 'What are emotions like in a 12-year-old girl?'" Keltner recalled. "So we were thinking about how emotions shift."

The research suggests that kids in their pre-teens and early teens often experience a precipitous drop in happiness and a rise in anxiety. "It's like the world crashes down on them," Keltner said. The movie traces that shift, with tear-inducing as well as laugh-inducing effects.

Keltner likes how "Inside Out" shows Riley dealing with that shift. "You're not forever held hostage by your emotions," he observed. And he likes how the parents deal with it as well. "They embrace her change," Keltner said. "You have to embrace that because that's where kids have to go."

Getting a better understanding of how the brain works, and particularly how our own emotions work, would be a dream come true for adolescents and their parents and for neuroscientists as well.

Related: This Is Your Brain on Movies

For some hands-on experiments in brain science, check out Chudler's website, Neuroscience for Kids. One of Chudler's favorites is an exercise that helps you find your visual blind spot. You can read more about Keltner's perspective on the neuroscience of "Inside Out" in this Berkeley news release.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/science/weird-science/inside-out-movie-reflects-realities-fantasies-neuroscience-n378846

NY police investigate 'credible' sighting of escapees

N.Y. police investigate 'credible' sighting of escapees 4 Share This Story!N.Y. police investigate 'credible' sighting of escapees

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Kelly Gampel, (Elmira, N.Y.) Star-Gazette 10:35 p.m. EDT June 20, 2015

Police are investigating possible sightings of David Sweat and Richard Matt, the convicted killers who escaped from an upstate New York prison in early June. Wochit

Progression images show what escaped inmates David Sweat, left, and Richard Matt might look like.(Photo: New York State Police)

ELMIRA, N.Y. The search for two escaped convicts was focused Saturday on Friendship, N.Y., where officials said they were pursuing a "credible sighting" of the most-wanted fugitives.

Saturday afternoon, a witness spotted two men who fit the descriptions of David Sweat, 34, and Richard Matt, 48, who escaped from Clinton Correctional Facility two weeks ago. The alleged sighting was along a railroad in Friendship near the New York-Pennsylvania border, New York State Police said in a statement.

Friendship is about 70 miles west of Corning and about 350 miles south of Dannemora, where the prison is located.

State Police, U.S. Marshals, officers from the Department of Environmental Conservation, State Parks Police, Allegany County Sheriff's Department and other local law enforcement were searching an area along Interstate 86 and Route 20 in Friendship, the news release said. Aviation, canine and special operation teams also were assisting.

Law enforcement officials were stopping vehicles at the Friendship/Bolivar exit on I-86.

The town of Friendship was closed while police searched, WGRZ -TV reported.

Sweat and Matt were discovered missing at the prison in Dannemora on June 7. Since then hundreds of police officers have been looking for them.

Police said the two used power tools to drill through a wall at Clinton. They worked their way to a tunnel that led to a manhole about a block from the prison.

Sweat was serving a life sentence without parole for killing a Broome County, N.Y., sheriff's deputy who had confronted him and others about a suspected 2002 burglary.

Matt was serving a 25-year-to-life sentence for murder, kidnapping and robbery of William Rickerson. Rickerson was Matt's boss at a food warehouse; around the time that Matt was fired, Rickerson's dismembered body was found floating in the Niagara River.

On June 13, witnesses spotted two men walking near a rail yard in Erwin, N.Y., New York State Police said late Friday. The next day, men who matched that description were seen walking along a road in Lindley, N.Y., heading toward the New York-Pennsylvania border.

New York State Police urged communities along the state border to be vigilant. People should call 911 if they see anything, police said.

Campbell resident Jim Austin said he heard about the sightings Saturday morning.

"I'll just be a little more attentive when walking, but I won't change the way I do life," Austin said.

The two men allegedly escaped with the help of Joyce "Tillie" Mitchell, who worked as a tailor shop instructor in the prison. She remained in custody Saturday and has pleaded not guilty.

Officials said Friday that a corrections officer also has been placed on administrative leave as part of the investigation into the escape. The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said no additional information was available.

Contributing: Jessica Estepa of USA TODAY; WGRZ-TV, Buffalo

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Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/06/20/new-york-escaped-prisoners/29027071/