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Liz Abzug: Proud to Be Loud: Women's Leadership & Mayoral Candidate Christine Quinn

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Tomorrow I will join a group of leading New York feminists at the Eleanor Roosevelt statue on the Upper west Side to endorse Christine Quinn in her race to become the first women and first gay mayor of New York City.

I have been recently struck with a sense of deja vu about this race. It was 36 years ago that my mother, Congresswoman Bella Abzug, ran unsuccessfully to become the first woman mayor of New York City. And just as Chris Quinn is being accused of today, Bella was widely criticized for being loud, argumentative, bossy, and outspoken.

Like Bella, Chris Quinn has a great sense of humor--an important quality in a politician. And like Bella, Chris has no intention of shutting up."I'm LOUD," she recently told 200 supporters of the young women's leadership training Institute I founded in 2005, the Bella Abzug Leadership Institute (BALI). Chris was a "Bella Fella" honoree this year. Her unrehearsed speech at our awards event grabbed the "bossy woman" bull by its horns and ...well, see for yourself:

Speaker Quinn went on to thank my mother for helping create a climate in which an LGBT woman could be the Speaker of the City Council. For "creating a city" in which, in response to last month's major New York Times profile portraying her as an angry woman, "the letters to the editor are flooded from women who write, 'Good...we should be loud! We should be heard. And sometimes, to be heard, we have to be a little louder than the men in the room, and that's okay."

This is an historic moment for women in politics. Consider that just five months ago Elizabeth Warren entered the Senate, generally known as an exclusive men's club, as a "tell it like it is" populist in the tradition of my mother Bella. Unapologetically strong, Senator Warren is an aggressive female politician who is not afraid to have her voice heard, or to take firmly principled, independent stands on the most critical issues facing all Americans.The recent election also brought Tammy Baldwin, the first gay person to be elected to serve in the United States Senate. Joining outspoken, compassionate leaders like Barbara Mikulski, Kirsten Gillibrand, Barbara Boxer, and Patty Murray, their election sets a historic record for the number of women Senators.

Now we have Christine Quinn, the first LGBT candidate running to become the first women Mayor of New York City. In 1977 I was in every neighborhood of New York City campaigning with my mother, "Battlin' Bella," during her precedent setting run to become the first woman Mayor of New York City. In that same tradition, I know that Christine must be strong, caring--and tough. And it's okay that she is fiery. Here in one of the most fabulously challenging cities on earth, New Yorkers love a fighter! I believe that Chris must speak loudly--and proudly, as she stands up for all the people of New York, and gets things done.

BALI is a small, highly effective leadership training Institute for girls and young women, which Chris has helped support as Speaker of the City Council. It teaches leadership skills to young women from widely diverse backgrounds. Many of the dozens of women are selected for our free two-week intensivesummer training and mentoring, program and many of the very talented, motivated 200 high school and middle school girls who participate in our debate program, start out as shy students who rarely think their ideas are worth expressing to others.

Then they become like Olivia Torres, thehigh school senior who had never spoken in public before she became a BALI trainee.See for yourself, as Olivia spoke to 200 people, clear as a bell, though maybe not that loud...yet!

Of course,I like the symbolism of the Eleanor Roosevelt monument that Christine Quinn selected for feminists to announce our support of her campaign. Incredibly, this was the first statue of a woman in history ever commissioned by New York City's 350-year history. It was not built until 1996, so it was not around when Bella ran for Mayor in 1977.

Times have changed. And with the help of loud,strong, experienced, effective, caring women like Chris Quinn, and the young women of today that we see rising in our trainings at BALI, times will continue to change, for the better. Reported by Huffington Post 4 days ago.

PHOTOS: The 7 Most Hated People In Fashion

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The fashion world isn't exactly known for playing nice. Industry insiders are constantly the source of gossip, whether it be a feud, snobbery or your run-of-the-mill controversy. In no particular order, we've rounded up who by many accounts seem to be the most disliked -- dare we say hated? -- people in fashion:

*1. Anna Wintour*
The Vogue editor-in-chief's intimidating antics have been the source of gossip since she arrived at the mag in 1983. Then, of course, there was that little novel-turned-film she inspired, "The Devil Wears Prada." Need we say more?

*2. Victoria Beckham*
Posh's propensity for pouting is just one reason the fashion designer has gotten a cold reputation. Jealousy aside (ahem, David Beckham), Victoria sent off the snob alarms when she kept her distance from fellow Spice Girls at the opening of their musical last year. And hey, even she admits that she can seem a bit icy. "People think I’m a moody bitch," she told Elle.

*3. Olivia Palermo*
The New York socialite had her first taste of backlash in 2007 when a "Gossip Girl"-style site posted a letter she had allegedly written asking the catty girls on her social scene “for acceptance, privacy and forgiveness.” A lawsuit ensued (Olivia vehemently denied writing the letter) and we eventually forgot about her -- until she was cast as the antagonist on the MTV reality show "The City" the next year. Next time, Olivia, it might be wise to be a little nicer to Whitney Port if you want to boost your public image.

*4. Miranda Kerr*
OK, so we know this seems like a curveball, but the model has sparked her fair share of controversy. Just this week, it was rumored that her "diva antics" cost her a renewed contract with Victoria's Secret (she says she simply didn't have enough time to commit to the brand, though). Not to mention, Miranda's comments about epidurals and "drugged-up" babies after the natural birth of her son didn't make people too happy either. On the other hand, the rep might be entirely blown out of proportion (we've met the model ourselves and can attest to her good nature).

*5. Joan Rivers*
Can you think of anyone else more feared by red carpet goers? The "Fashion Police" host not only raises eyebrows for her always edgy jokes, but she also has rubbed more than a few people the wrong way. Joan's comments about Adele ("She should just calm down -- or lose weight!") and her now-infamous Holocaust joke are just a couple of examples.

*6. John Galliano*
Arguably the most polarizing figure in the fashion industry, this designer made headlines in 2011 when he was filmed making an anti-semitic tirade in Paris. The incident led to his dismissal from his namesake label and from his position at Christian Dior. This year, however, Oscar de la Renta invited Galliano into his studio. The jury's still out on if he'll ever be able to fix his disgraced image.

*7. Cathy Horyn*
It seems like the New York Times fashion critic rarely publishes a critical review without an even more critical response. After slamming Lady Gaga's CFDA Awards get-up, Horyn was given a taste of her own medicine when the singer compared her to an "average individual at home on their laptop" and said that her writing was "plagued with negativity." Designers like Oscar de la Renta and Hedi Slimane have also taken shots at the journalist, calling Horyn a "stale 3-day old hamburger" and a "publicist in disguise," respectively.

So tell us: did we miss anyone?

*Obviously, fashion can get controversial:*

Want more? Be sure to check out HuffPost Style on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram at @HuffPostStyle.
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Do you have a style story idea or tip? Email us at stylesubmissions@huffingtonpost.com. (PR pitches sent to this address will be ignored.) Reported by Huffington Post 4 days ago.

What's Trending With...Olivia Palermo

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Known for her insanely fabulous wardrobe, must-read blog and designer partnerships with brands like Tibi, Rochas and Piperlime, Olivia Palermo knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a true... Reported by E! Online 3 days ago.

So You've Failed -- Masterclash and Asylum Say Goodbye

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Filed under: Humor, Entertainment, Video, Masterclash


The time has come to say goodbye. There were robots and nerdy burlesques and everything Star Wars. We gave you A Woman's Perspective and had Drinks With Writers. Olivia Munn pranked our intern. We banned Megan Fox and encouraged women to have Sex ... Read more

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Reported by Asylum 22 hours ago.

Celebrities Send Emotional Messages After 2nd Suspect in Boston Bombings Gets Arrested

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Celebrities Send Emotional Messages After 2nd Suspect in Boston Bombings Gets Arrested *Alyssa Milano*, Olivia Wilde, Jenny McCarthy, Josh Groban, Elizabeth Banks, Sofia Vergara, Ryan Seacrest and more send love for the law enforcement who has successfully arrested the suspect. Reported by AceShowbiz 21 hours ago.

Remembrance Ceremony Held for Missing Fort Bragg Soldier

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Remembrance Ceremony Held for Missing Fort Bragg Soldier Patch Fort Stewart, GA --

Fort Bragg's 261st Multifunctional Medical Battalion shared their hope and memories today during the Remembrance Ceremony for Spc. Kelli Bordeaux.

The soldier disappeared just over one year ago, but her memory is kept alive today by family, friends and peers.

At the private ceremony for unit members and family, Hangar 4 at Pope Army Airfield was filled with supporters who shared who Kelli was to them.

The Battalion Commander LTC Heather Kness opened with remarks about the young soldier and her zest for life.

Tearful tributes by fellow soldiers in her chain-of-command were shared by 1LT Annie Davis, Sgt. Dontae Gibson, Spc. Kaydi Owens and Spc. Marshalee Meikle.

Kelli's most staunch advocate in keeping her memory alive through managing social media site and working with the media is her sister, Olivia Cox.

"It doesn't get easier the longer she is gone," said Cox. "I know many talk about bringing Kelli home for closure, but I don't want Kelli's body. I want her smiling, vibrant, jubilant, ready to play, 'let's go get this done' Kelli back."

Cox is a military spouse from Fort Stewart, Ga. who travelled up for the Remembrance Ceremony.

Kelli's sister holds onto the hope that somebody, somewhere saw something and she hopes that they will step forward and provide information in the investigation.

"Maybe you are carrying a weight so heavy, that hopefully soon you'll come forward and bring that knowledge to us," said Cox in an interview on Friday morning.

Having disappeared on April 14, 2012 after last seen at the Froggy Bottoms bar on Ramsey Street, near her Meadow Ridge Apartment, no clues have surfaced in the mystery case.

Photo collages and video displays of Kelli's life lined the perimeter of the hangar. Kelli's smile was evident in each photo frame, one could tell that she lives life to the fullest and is a happy, go-lucky girl as described by her co-workers and military peers.

Visit the Kelli Bordeaux Topics Page on Fort Bragg Patch that lists previous coverage and photos.

*Subscribe to the Fort Stewart Patch newsletter and get news, Patch deals and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your inbox. Follow Fort Stewart Patch on *Twitter* and *Facebook*. Add your photos to *Pics & Clips*. * Reported by Patch 20 hours ago.

Tomorrow’s Aqueduct Entries

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All horses appear in post position orderFIRST-1 1/16m(T); $23,000; clm($16,000); 3up(f) PN Horse, Wt.JockeyLast 3TrainerOdds1 ImaRockstarDiv(L),116CVelasquz3-1-6Rodrgez12-12 Go Olivia Go(L),116D Cohen6-4-1Jacobson6-13 LettheKittenRn(L),121E Castro10-1-3C Martin8-54 AlternativeMds(L),116J Ortiz1-2-8Duggan15-15 Caution Sign(L),121J Lezcano3-8-2Barbara9-56 Silent Joy(L),121J Alvarado9-7-6Englehart8-17... Reported by NY Post 20 hours ago.

Robber caught by photo in dad's flat

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Robber caught by photo in dad's flat This is Hull and East Riding --

THE victim of a knifepoint robbery brought his attackers to justice when he recognised one of them from a photograph in a neighbour's flat.

The robbers had plotted to rob Luke Gillet-Jones, 23, at his Beverley flat over a week-long period.

Three men barged into his flat, repeatedly assaulted him and held a knife to his throat, demanding he hand over all his cash.

The victim had to pretend he was unconscious at one stage to stop the attack.

The day after, he visited his neighbour Martin Jennison.

When Mr Gillet-Jones saw a photo of Mr Jennison's son Craig, he knew it was one of his attackers.

Recorder Brian Cox QC has now jailed Craig Jennison and Reece Holdsworth for a total of 12 years.

A third man was not apprehended.

Prosecutor Jharna Jobes told Hull Crown Court the victim "feared for his life".

Recorder Cox QC told them: "This was a robbery committed in someone's home and it involved the use of a weapon.

"Substantial violence was deployed and there was a degree of planning in the sense that the target was discussed some days in advance and in order to commit the offence you travelled from Hull to Beverley.

"A serious aspect of what you did is the amount of violence you deployed and it took place late in the evening."

Five days earlier Olivia Jennison, 21, had gone to the victim's home asking for a cigarette.

She told her cousin Craig Jennison, 24, and her former partner Reece Holdsworth, 21, about his home and the gang plotted the robbery.

The two men got a taxi from Hull to drop them at the flat on October 30 last year.

Mr Gillet-Jones heard the buzzer to his flat at 11.20pm and when he answered the door three people burst into his property shouting "where's your money?"

They dragged him around the room by his clothing and Craig Jennison threw him against a stereo.

He shouted at Holdsworth to hand him a knife.

The victim was kicked and punched up to 30 times and pretended he was unconscious on the floor.

Craig Jennison grabbed him, pulled him to his knees and held a knife to his throat.

He then moved the knife across his victim's face and demanded to be told where his money was.

Craig Jennison continued assaulting him until Holdsworth pulled him off.

As he left, Jennison told Mr Gillet-Jones: "Tell anyone and I will come back for you."

After spotting the photograph the next day, Mr Gillet-Jones called the police. His property was found at Craig Jennison's home.

Recorder Cox QC said: "Craig Jennison, you were the oldest, you have a bad record for violence and I'm satisfied you took the lead part in what happened and were responsible for most of the violence.

"Olivia, your part was to essentially to provide the information. You expressed some reservations about what was going to happen but you did far too little, I'm afraid, to stop it."

Craig Jennison, of Fulmar Close, Bransholme, was jailed for eight years and Holdsworth, of Saner Street, west Hull, for four years.

Olivia Jennsion, of 20th Avenue, north Hull, has been given an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

*• Crime news for Hull and East Yorkshire* Reported by This is 18 hours ago.

"Tumbledown" - cast: Jason Sudeikis, Rose Byrne, Olivia Munn, Joe Manganiello, Blythe Danner, Beau Bridges, Michael McKean

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*Release date :* TBA 2014
*Synopsis :* A young widow (Byrne) falls for a brash New York writer (Sudeikis), who barrels into her rural Maine town to ... Reported by AceShowbiz 13 hours ago.

Demi Moore named celeb ageing most gracefully

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Demi Moore and Olivia Newton-John have been voted as being the most inspiring female celebrities for ageing gracefully. Reported by IndiaVision 13 hours ago.

Stars react to capture of Boston bombing suspect

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Patton Oswalt, Olivia Wilde, others take to Twitter following capture of Boston suspect. Reported by USATODAY.com 8 hours ago.

Stars Flock To Twitter As Second Boston Bombing Suspect Is Captured

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Donnie Wahlberg, Olivia Wilde, Kim Kardashian and Eliza Dushku are among the stars who expressed their relief on Friday night (19Apr13) after a... Reported by ContactMusic 11 hours ago.

Food review: How they fared

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Food review: How they fared Olivia Green's review • Ascot The bowl of spinach ravioli with a wholemeal dinner roll on the side provides a good amount of carbohydrate but not a lot of vegetables apart from chopped tomatoes in the sauce Reported by New Zealand Herald 7 hours ago.

Agenda: Mother of Pearl; Olivia Vinall; @CrimerShow; Elysium; Merrily We Roll Along

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*Fashion: Lush prints* Reported by Independent 2 hours ago.

Josie Rourke: 'We make theatre like the Brazilians play football'

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The artistic director of the Donmar talks about funding cuts, how to manage actors, and her grand plan for the theatre's lavatories

When Josie Rourke, the artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse, first began directing professionally at the age of just 25, she gave herself a makeover, the better that she would be taken seriously. She cut her hair brutally short, wore glasses all the time, and was never seen out of trousers. "I'm sure I looked ridiculous," she says. "I was pretending to be someone I wasn't, and I had to have a word with myself about it. I think authority comes from authenticity."

These days, of course, she knows precisely who she is – which is to say that she is a woman who is as happy to discuss the loo situation at the Donmar (somewhat minimalist) as she is its next production (Conor McPherson's 1997 play The Weir, directed by Rourke herself and starring Brian Cox and Dervla Kirwan). In 2016, when the theatre building finally comes into the ownership of the Donmar – at present it is leased – she intends to lead a charge on both its lavatories and its bars, and she doesn't care who knows it. "It sounds shallow, but I'm completely obsessed with making sure that it has a great bar and a lot more loos, and I want to take this opportunity to apologise to the public for the loos at the Donmar…" She laughs. "In fact, maybe I should get rid of all the bars and install 87 loos instead."

It's now a little more than a year since Rourke, who is 36, stepped into the (pretty enormous) shoes of Michael Grandage at the Donmar: previously she ran the Bush Theatre, whose financial future she more or less single-handedly secured, and whose move to a shiny new home she oversaw. The pace is, she admits, ceaseless: the Donmar's small team stages six productions a year. But since this speed is something she craves, it bothers her not at all. "I love the energy of a deadline," she says. "I'm obsessed with movies about the news: The Front Page, His Girl Friday. I love the idea that you have to hit it completely, or you've messed up. Do I go home and stress? Well, that's one of the things that home is for, and I'm lucky that I've always slept well."

She points happily in the direction of a cardboard model in the corner of the room. Once The Weir has opened, she will turn her attention swiftly to The Machine, a new play about Garry Kasparov's controversial battle with Deep Blue, an IBM computer, in 1997. She will direct it for the Manchester International Festival, where it will be staged in the Campfield Market Hall; the model is a mock-up of it. "I'm from Salford, and I've never done a play in Manchester before," she says. "When I started out, I couldn't get arrested in Manchester."

So, why The Weir? Her instinct was that it would make for a good fit with the productions that preceded it: an exceedingly jolly revival of Pinero's theatre comedy Trelawny of the Wells, and Phyllida Lloyd's acclaimed, all-women Julius Caesar. "It's all about rhythm. They were both quite expansive pieces, with a very distinct style. The Weir is a piece of poetic realism, a piece of storytelling. It says: lean in, come closer."

The play is set in a rural Irish pub. "We had the 'stagger through' today – that's our hard-wired euphemism for the first time you run a whole play together." And what did she think? "I thought: wow, that's the work we need to do. It's suddenly very clear, like one of those magic eye pictures."

But she sounds so calm! "Yes. Sam Mendes [another former artistic director of the Donmar, whose assistant she was for a time] once told me: 'It's the job of the director to absorb stress, not to give it off.' And he was right. Sometimes, its necessary for the actors to get the jitters. They might need them to give themselves a kick up the arse, or to get themselves into the zone. But you're the calm person at the centre of that. No one wants to see a director panic."

What's it like, I wonder, bossing Brian Cox around? "I think directing is like acting: it can only come from your centre. It's about weighing up the room, understanding that different people have different paces, seeing what tension you can diffuse. It's about how you notice people, and how you give attention to them. And the more you do, the more confident you are."

Rourke trained at the Donmar back in 2000, on its assistant director scheme. "I was stupidly lucky. I had this incredible compression of experience, assisting Sam [Mendes], Michael [Grandage], Phyllida [Lloyd] and Nick [Hytner]. You couldn't have a bigger range of presences within the room than that. And then Sam offered me my first show, and I was away… It was crazy. I was a very young woman when I started to tell very established actors what they should be trying, and it was scary at first. The only real wisdom I have about it is that you need a preparedness to take yourself out of the situation. There is no room for your ego as a director. Your job is to get people to rub along with each other."

Has any actor ever told her, on hearing her notes, to get lost? "Yes, all the time!" So what happens then? "You have a responsibility to follow your actors' instincts. Someone might be offering something interesting, or good. But in the end, good directors never give up. It's about rigour. It's not about knowing the note. It's about knowing when to give the note."

Rourke, small and dark and ever-so-slightly given to speechifying, isn't from a theatre background; her mother was a teacher, and her father was an accountant (useful – she sometimes gets him to look over her budgets). "I was an extremely bookish child," she says. "But I was sociable, too. I finished reading Howard's End in the toilets of the Hacienda. I was that kind of kid." Her Catholic school didn't put on plays, and she thought for a long time that she would be an academic – "maybe the kind who wrote novels, too"– though she went "obsessively" to the theatre, queuing up for cheap tickets at the Royal Exchange in Manchester. "Then I swapped my school for Eccles Sixth Form college, and I was Olivia in Twelfth Night." This was when it happened: suddenly, there came a moment of great clarity. "There I was, giving my Olivia, and I thought: I'm awful, she's really bad, he's standing in the wrong place, and that light should not be green."

She read English at Cambridge. "That was a big deal; I was the first person in my family to go to university, and the first person in the history of my school to go to Oxbridge." There, she did "loads" of directing, and by the time she left, she knew she wanted to try and have a go at doing it professionally.

Her parents were incredibly supportive, for which she will always be grateful. "First, I went back up to Manchester, where I worked off my debts temping. I used to type up letters and then put them in this kind of leather menu card that said 'for your signature' on it in gold writing. Then I thought I'd better go to London. I got a job working nights as a banking secretary in mergers and acquisitions; that gave me the mornings to try and do theatre stuff."

Nine months later, she was taken on as a trainee at the Donmar. "I was incredibly gauche. I still don't know how I got the job. In the interview, Sam admired my jumper, and I said: 'Thank you. My mother gave me £30 for an ironing board cover, and this is what I spent it on.' "

Her path since has been smooth and swift, almost embarrassingly so, she says. But this isn't the only aspect of her career that is anomalous. Her sex also marks her out. Other women in positions as senior as hers remain a rarity; a fortnight ago Nicholas Hytner announced that he will step down from his role running the National Theatre in 2015, and the runners and riders to succeed him seem mostly to be men. (Marianne Elliott, the director of War Horse and an associate director at the National, has already ruled herself out.)

"We are feeling change," insists Rourke. "When I started directing, there weren't many women directors, but now there are some fantastic ones coming through: Lyndsey Turner, Polly Findlay, Carrie Cracknell." Yes, but they're not running institutions, are they? "Well, there are directors who don't want to do the bit of the job that involves fundraising, HR, management, programming, budgets, reporting to boards, reporting to the Arts Council and talking to journalists about the cultural landscape. They're very clear about that, and I think that's OK. There isn't a requirement to do it. But I do think we need to do more around the time when people are deciding to have children. These jobs are not well paid; our theatres are driven by passion, not by financial gain. However, at the tipping point when you are going to try and have a family and work in a theatre, that might be a factor, and we need to think about it."

Rourke sees herself very much as someone who has been the beneficiary of proper public funding for the arts – and this is her favourite argument when it comes to the matter of government cuts: that they will exclude the young from the theatre. "It's about making sure we don't lose a whole generation of audiences."

She has met Maria Miller and is hopeful that the new culture secretary, having spent some time listening to those who run our theatres, will soon clear the air. "It made the sector nervous, when the government talked about philanthropy at the same time as it talked about cuts. To encourage more philanthropy, we're going to need a big cultural shift, and that will take years, and it won't plug the gaps in the meantime. We need to be honest about that. We also need to acknowledge that it is much harder in regional theatre."

In general, though, she remains optimistic; the lights aren't about to go out just yet. Partly, this is a matter of personality. Partly, it is a matter of experience (the Bush survived, didn't it?). But mostly, it's just down to common sense. "The government would be completely bonkers to decimate theatre in this country," she says. "We make theatre like the Brazilians play football – and why you wouldn't want to preserve something that precious, I just don't know. " Reported by guardian.co.uk 1 hour ago.

Bossert's Aqueduct analysis: April 21

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Caution Signprobably needed last off the bench when third sprinting; switches to the grass and gets call. Let the Kitten Runwas outrun against better in last at Gulfstream. Im a Rockstar Divahas speed and the rail; could be the one to catch. DIRT SELECTIONS: Caution Sign, Im a Rockstar Diva, Go Olivia Go. Reported by NY Daily News 8 minutes ago.

What Are The Critics Saying About Tom Cruise?

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Early in the sleek sci-fi thriller "Oblivion," Tom Cruise, as a flyboy repairman living a removed, Jetsons-like existence above an invaded and deserted Earth, intones his home sickness.

"I can't shake the feeling that despite all that's happened, Earth is still my home," he narrates.

One can't help but chortle and wonder if Cruise is speaking for himself. The chiseled blockbuster star carries so much baggage nowadays that an audience's relationship to him often feels downright alien.

But Cruise, that unrelenting bullet of headlong momentum, is undaunted. He keeps coming back with even bigger films, most of which, despite it all, he reliably propels – even if it's become harder to see Cruise as anything other than himself.

In "Oblivion," the second film from "Tron: Legacy" director Joseph Kosinski, he plays Jack Harper, a patroller of the drone-controlled skies over Earth. From a sparse dock where he lives with his supervisor and girlfriend, Victoria (Andrea Riseborough), Jack makes daily flights in his spacecraft to the Earth's barren surface. "We're the mop-up crew," he says.

He tells us that it's been 60 years since aliens invaded, first knocking out the moon (goodnight moon, indeed) and then leading to a devastating nuclear war. Though humans, he says, won out, they had to abandon the planet's surface (New York is buried up to the Empire State Building's needle), taking refuge on a moon of Saturn. On a desolate Earth, the only beings remaining are hiding bands of Scavengers ("Scavs") that look something like a cross between the Tusken Raiders of "Star Wars" and Milli Vanilli.

Monitoring the land are white, round drones that appear like giant, floating cue balls from afar, but menacing robot killers up close. Occasionally, they need servicing from Jack (Cruise as WALL-E). He avoids their blasters by authenticating himself, but as they bleep and blork, he cowers anxiously – not entirely certain they're on the same team.

His faith is greater with Victoria, who guides his movements from her computerized desk. Her superior (played with a folksy Southern accent by Melissa Leo) is seen only in scratchy video communiques.

So we are back in a post-apocalyptic world, a place to which movies lately can't help returning, all with various images of wrecked ironic monuments and unpeopled landscapes. We have seen many of the elements of "Oblivion" in countless science fiction tales before. But we've seldom seen them more beautifully rendered.

Kosinski, who based the film on the ideas of his unpublished graphic novel, is an expert in 3-D modeling and computer graphics. His "Tron: Legacy" was a critical flop for its muddled story but was nevertheless remarkable for its elegant digital architecture (including the more natural but no less exquisitely structured face of Olivia Wilde). His two movies now seem to owe as much to the iPod as anything: glossy clean surfaces with throbbing electronic scores (Daft Punk for "Tron," M83 for "Oblivion").

He filmed "Oblivion" with cinematographer Claudio Miranda, who also shot "Tron: Legacy" and since did the gorgeous filmography of Ang Lee's "Life of Pi." In "Oblivion," they achieve a symphony of otherworldly sleekness when Victoria disrobes and dives into a pool on their space station, her dark silhouette outlined on the sunset stratosphere. We, too, bath in the imagery.

This carefully organized world is thrown when a NASA shuttle crashes with an astronaut, Julia (Olga Kurylenko), who seems to recognize Jack. His own memory has been scrubbed but flickers with images from his past.

As the film builds, it plays with familiar sci-fi themes of identity, memory, faith in institutions and human nature. Little can be said about Morgan Freeman's character without giving much away, but suffice to say that he enters the film in shades, lighting a cigar and wearing a cape. Yes, a cape. Kosinski could have chucked all his visual effects and just gone with a cape-clad Freeman.

Analyzing the substance of "Oblivion," which declines – as so many science-fiction films do – as the puzzles are solved, inevitably diminishes the film. But for those who enjoy the simple thrill of handsomely stylized image-making, "Oblivion" is mostly mesmerizing.

The severe artificiality of the film's universe begins cracking with Jack's curiosity for earthly, analog things. It started with a found book, and grows in his secret mountain hideaway of old records, a baseball cap and literature.

It's a familiar trope in sci-fi that humanity breathes eternally through art. But if films like "Oblivion" are so preoccupied by the detritus of our civilization, perhaps we ought to aim a little higher than Tom Cruise blockbusters. After all, our future fate depends on it.

"Oblivion," a Universal Pictures release, is rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, brief strong language, and some sensuality. Running time: 124 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

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Motion Picture Association of America rating definition for R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Reported by Huffington Post 5 days ago.

Designer Swimwear Boys + Arrows Now Available at Plush Swimwear

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The designer swimwear label’s Resort and Spring Collections are now available at the Plush Swimwear online shop.


Plush Swimwear announced the addition of the California-based label Boys + Arrows to its designer swimwear portfolio. Available now to purchase at the Plush Swimwear website are swimsuits from the 2013 Resort and Spring lines from Boys + Arrows.

The Boys + Arrows label is the result of designer’s Meagan Scott realization that her fondest memories happened while she was wearing a bikini. These joyful moments fueled the designer with inspiration to translate these carefree instances into stylish swimwear pieces. The relatively young company is rising on a fast-track path since launching in March 2011 and it has captured the attention of Plush for introducing exciting new swimwear styles with an edgy attitude - and above all, exceptional quality. With bold names such as “Olivia the Outlaw”, “Havalah the Homewrecker”, “Helen the Hussy”, “Gladys the Gangster” and “Peggy the Party Animal”, Boys + Arrows styles embody the adventurous, unapologetically daring, free-spirited woman who is passionate about life.

For the 2013 collection, Boys + Arrows incorporates a number of stand-out details, like stacked braided strings, fringe, "ruching" and ruffles that add to the bohemian feel of the line. Multiple crisscross straps at the back of tops and aged hardware also enhance the "boho" feel of the line. The palette includes pastel hues as well as vibrant greens, purple and prints with tribal motifs. Select pieces from Boys + Arrows 2013 Resort and Spring swimwear collections are immediately available at the Plush Swimwear online boutique.

To view Boys + Arrows Swimwear collection available at Plush Swimwear, please visit:
http://www.plushswimwear.com/designer-swimwear/boys-and-arrows/

Company Contact Information
Designer Swimwear

News and Press Release Distribution From I-Newswire.com Reported by i-Newswire.com 5 days ago.

Chef Sam Cuellar Joins Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch, Loveland Colorado

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Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch, a year round Guest Ranch, Destination Wedding Venue, and Retreats & Events Center, is delighted to announce the hiring of Chef Sam Cuellar as Food & Beverage Manager.


Sam is a twenty seven year veteran of the Hospitality Industry and has been managing food and beverage operations at some of Colorado’s premier Hotels, Event Centers, Country Clubs and Ski Resorts.

Prior to joining Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch, Sam was the Manager of Catering, Banquet and Kitchen Operations at the Crystal Rose Events Center in Highlands Ranch (crystal-rose.com).

His experience also includes Food and Beverage Manager / Chef at Denver's Kennedy Golf Course (cityofdenvergolf.com/kennedy), Executive Chef, Sheraton Denver West Hotel (sheratondenverwest.com) and Banquet Chef at the Winter Park Ski Resort (winterparkresort.com) in Winter Park Colorado.

Sam received his culinary degree from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, CA, with an emphasis on Food Service & Nutrition, Kitchen Management, Classical Pastry and Food and Wine Affinities.

"Finding an experienced professional like Sam is a huge coup for Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch and we’re thrilled. We offer a wide range of menus and dining, depending on our guests' desires, and our food and beverage service has always been a highlight of the Sylvan Dale experience. Sam’s classic culinary training, attention to detail and extensive food and beverage background are the perfect fit for our product mix; and his friendly and outgoing personality is a great complement to our staff." - Susan Jessup Owner/Partner, Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch

Sam, his wife Rosie, and daughter Olivia make their home on ranch at Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch; they enjoy a great view of the Echo Rock and Green Ridge as well as the horse pastures and gorgeous foothills.

Company Contact Information
Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch
Vince Deely
2939 N COUNTY ROAD 31D
LOVELAND CO
80538-9763
(970) 667-3915

News and Press Release Distribution From I-Newswire.com Reported by i-Newswire.com 5 days ago.

Olympic sailing heroes become rivals

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As crewmates they won silver medals for Australia at the London Games, but now sailors Olivia Price and Nina Curtis have become rivals.

 
 
 
  Reported by The Age 5 days ago.
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