Sunday, December 25, 2011

Michael Jacques Sentenced To 14 Years For Burning Black Church After Obama Election

The hate crime which Michael Jacques committed against the Macedonia Church of God in Christ stung not only the Springfield, Mass. region, but indeed the nation. Having been raised in Western Massachusetts, it stung me as well,? Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston FBI, said in a statement.

The church was rebuilt with help from volunteers and supporters from around the country and opened for services this summer.

After being implicated in the arson by Benjamin Haskell, one of his accomplices, Jacques was brought in for questioning by the Massachusetts State Police and admitted his involvement in the crime after a six-hour interrogation. Before his trial in April, Jacques told a federal judge he was pressured into a false confession while suffering withdrawal from painkillers and nicotine. The judge ruled that the confession was admissible.

Haskell told police that Jacques ?was angry that the country was going to have an African American president and that the blacks and Puerto Ricans would now have more rights than whites,? according to court documents.

After a three-week trial, Jacques was convicted of numerous federal civil rights charges, including destruction of religious property and conspiracy against civil rights. In addition to serving almost 14 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised released, he must pay nearly $1.6 million in restitution.

?This sentence sends a powerful message that racial violence and intimidation have no place in our society,? Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez said in a statement.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LittleGreenLinks/~3/o713nU4oqSo/265863_

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Saturday, December 24, 2011

Oil below $99 amid signs US crude demand improving

(AP) ? Oil prices hovered below $99 a barrel Thursday in Asia as signs of improving U.S. crude demand were offset by ongoing concerns about Europe's debt crisis.

Benchmark crude for February delivery was up 10 cents to $98.77 a barrel at midday Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $1.43 to settle at $98.67 on Wednesday.

In London, Brent crude was up 3 cents at $107.74 on the ICE futures exchange.

Oil jumped Wednesday amid evidence U.S. crude demand could be growing. The Energy Information Administration said Wednesday that crude inventories fell last week by 10.6 million barrels, the biggest drop ever for that time period and a much larger drop that the decrease of 2.3 million barrels forecast in an analyst survey by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill.

Crude has zigzagged near $100 for the last five weeks, with prices capped by investor fears that austerity measures to lower debt levels could trigger a recession in Europe next year.

Traders are also eyeing potential disruptions to global crude supplies. Tensions between Western nations and Iran, the world's fourth biggest crude producer, have been rising over Iran's nuclear ambitions. Political instability in Kazakhstan, which exports about 1.3 million barrels of oil per day or about 1.5 percent of world demand, could also threaten its supplies.

Trading volume normally falls during the next two weeks as many traders take vacations around the Christmas and New Year's Day holidays.

In other energy trading on the Nymex, natural gas rose 0.5 cent to $3.16 per 1,000 cubic feet. Heating oil fell 0.4 cent to $2.91 a gallon and gasoline futures were up 0.4 cent to $2.63 a gallon.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-12-22-Oil-Prices/id-96d31c8d596a423786efd7105476cd77

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Tuesday, December 6, 2011

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Recap: Malibu Beach Party FAIL!


In the dangerous lives of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, when you head to a party, you need backup. That said, we break down last night in our +/- recap!

First, back to Pandora's wedding extravaganza. Wedding planner Kevin was slightly less annoying this week but that may be because we saw so little of him.

I will give the man a Plus 10. He puts together one heck of a lovely table, but does he really need a million dollar budget to pull that off? I don't think so.

Pandora and Lisa Vanderpump

From there we head over to Kyle's where she's throwing a party to celebrate both Cinco de Mayo and mother-in-law Estelle's new face. Only in Beverly Hills can the two be combined and no one thinks twice about it. 

Estelle looks good but it's hard to tell how much was done from the before and after pictures since the before has no makeup at all and the after was taken in full hair and makeup. Minus 8 because I would have enjoyed seeing a more accurate comparison.

Everyone's talking about Brandi's upcoming party but the porn star tutorial is out and a belly dancing lesson is in. Apparently Lisa hasn't gotten the memo.

She tells Ken she's not going because she doesn't need a lesson on how to give BJ's. Ken asks her to come home and prove it. Lisa's response: "It's not your birthday, is it?" Plus 10 because somehow it's even funnier with the British accents.

The Malibu party gets started, the wine starts to flow and before you know it Kyle is doing splits in front of the crowd. What's up with that? Didn't she do that at Pandora's engagement party? Minus 5 as her exhibitionist streak is getting old.

Brandi Glanville Nipples

Speaking of exhibitionists, Brandi's wearing a clingy white cotton dress with a thong and no bra. Honestly, if anyone can pull it off it's Brandi but Kyle's incessant comments about her nipples were getting a little creepy. Minus 8. If Kyle were a guy I'd be telling her to look up.

So Taylor brings Kyle along as backup because she feels so uncomfortable being around Camille since the tea party blowout. Perhaps she should have chosen a better wingman. 

When Taylor becomes overwhelmed and steps outside to get some, air does Kyle go to check on her ... no. Instead she calls attention to Taylor's absence and sticks her tongue out at her through the window. Minus 7. She was probably just trying to lighten Taylor's mood but instead it was the beginning of the end.

Who is the crazy red headed friend of Camille's? I know she's just trying to stick up for her friend but she's a bit of a nut. At some point you need to back off and shut up and Camille should have told her to do just that. For someone who claims to hate the drama, Camille certainly has very dramatic friends.

Instead the ladies swarmed an already fragile Taylor. Minus 10 to the entire crew. Everyone screaming and talking at once only made a bad situation worse. When Taylor finally snaps ... well it's not pretty.

Taylor Unglued

It seems that Taylor is terrified about what will happen when Russell finally hears Camille's comments. Instead of her focus being on ditching her allegedly abusive spouse she seems sidetracked on blaming Camille for her issues. It's simply scary.

Then Brandi goes and kicks Taylor out. Minus 15. That's just rude. She could have separated the ladies and let them calm down and I'm sure one or both of them would have left on their own.

So despite the gorgeous ocean views and the wonderful food, Brandi's party is a complete disaster. She cries that she only wants to fit in. Well, considering how well everyone else's parties turn out you may just be one of the crowd, but if she were smarter she'd run in the opposite direction.

EPISODE TOTAL: -33! SEASON TOTAL: -322!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/12/the-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills-recap-malibu-beach-party-fa/

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Monday, December 5, 2011

Amanda Knox hires attorney for possible book deal (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Amanda Knox, who was cleared of murder and freed from prison by an Italian court in October, has hired a prominent Washington, D.C.-based lawyer as she considers possible book deals, her spokesman said on Monday.

Knox, 24, has retained attorney Robert Barnett "to represent her in discussions with various book publishers who have expressed an interest in Amanda writing a book," spokesman David Marriott said.

"Mr. Barnett will also assist Amanda and her family in evaluating other opportunities as well," Marriott said in a statement.

Marriott did not elaborate on those additional opportunities but said few details of a potential book had been yet decided by Knox and her family, including an advance or the possibility of co-authors.

Barnett has previously represented President Barack Obama, former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, singer Barbra Streisand and a host of other political and entertainment luminaries in book deals.

The announcement comes a day after a Seattle-based literary agent announced that she had agreed to represent Knox's 27-year-old former Italian boyfriend and co-defendant in the sensational murder case, Raffaele Sollecito.

"This is a case I have followed from day one and never, not even for one moment, have I doubted the innocence of Raffaele Sollecito and Amanda Knox," agent Sharlene Martin said in a statement announcing that deal.

Knox, then a college student studying in Italy, and Sollecito were convicted in 2009 of murdering her 21-year-old British housemate, Meredith Kercher in what prosecutors said was a drug-fueled sexual assault.

An Italian appeals court overturned their convictions in October after independent forensic investigators sharply criticized police scientific evidence in the original investigation, saying it was unreliable.

Knox made a tearful return to her hometown of Seattle last month, saying she was "overwhelmed" by her ordeal and return.

Her father said at the time that the former University of Washington student, whose trial gripped attention on both sides of the Atlantic, had not agreed to any media deals

(Editing by Cynthia Johnston)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111205/us_nm/us_amandaknox_book

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Sunday, December 4, 2011

Warner Bros. Plans an Unholy Night

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Novelist Seth Grahame-Smith has recently become an in-demand writer around Hollywood. Case in point: he co-wrote the upcoming film adaptation of his book?Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, penned Tim Burton?s Dark Shadows?movie, and is working alongside his frequent writing/producing collaborator David Katzenberg on a screenplay for the long-rumored Beetlejuice 2.

Warner Bros. clearly approves of Smith?s work on those last two projects ? seeing how the studio has reportedly spent around $2 million securing the rights to a screen adaptation of his impending novel, Unholy Night.

Deadline says that the deal for Unholy Night includes Smith handling scriptwriting duties. The author/scribe will also produce the project alongside Katzenberg, David Heyman (the Harry Potter franchise) and Jeffrey Clifford (Up in the Air).

Here is an official plot summary for the Unholy Night novel (which is scheduled to be published by April 2012):

In Grahame-Smith?s telling, the so-called ?Three Wise Men? are infamous thieves, led by the dark, murderous Balthazar. After a daring escape from Herod?s prison, they stumble upon the famous manger and its newborn king. The last thing Balthazar needs is to be slowed down by young Joseph, Mary and their infant. But when Herod?s men begin to slaughter the first born in Judea, he has no choice but to help them escape to Egypt.

It?s the beginning of an adventure that will see them fight the last magical creatures of the Old Testament; cross paths with biblical figures like Pontius Pilate and John the Baptist; and finally deliver them to Egypt. It may just be the greatest story never told.

Judging by that description, Unholy Night is more of a serious (religious) historical ?revisioning?/adventure romp in the vein of Smith?s Abe Lincoln story ? and not so much a campy affair, like the author?s (in)famous Pride and Prejudice and Zombies book.

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'Unholy Night' retells the story of the 3 Wise Men.

Biblical blockbusters have become all the rage of late, what with projects such as Alex Proyas? Paradise Lost, Scott Derrickson?s Goliath, Darren Aronofsky?s Noah, and Warner Bros.? Gods and Kings (which Steven Spielberg may direct) all being either actively developed or on the cusp of beginning production. Smith?s previous oddball genre-mashup works were (if nothing else) pretty unique; Unholy Night, on the other hand, is basically just the new kid on the block of contemporary re-imaginings of religious tales.

It?s difficult to asses the potential quality of Unholy Night right now, simply because none of the aforementioned Smith-scripted projects have been released yet. Many dedicated book readers have already formed an opinion of the man?s ability to weave a captivating (if weird) yarn, but for moviegoers, Smith is pretty much still a newcomer.

That said: the ideas and concepts behind Smith?s literature (arguably) lend themselves more naturally to the film medium than the printed word. Take that as you will.

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We will keep you posted on any (noteworthy) future developments concerning Unholy Night.

Source: Deadline

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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1924061/news/1924061/

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