jimblr.com

We have a new exclusive six-minute clip from the upcoming DVD My Mom’s New Boyfriend, which hits the DVD shelves on June 17. Click below for an extended look at Colin Hanks, Meg Ryan, Selma Blair and Antonia Banderas in action.
When an uptight federal agent’s sexually liberated mother enters into an affair with a man suspected of being involved in an international art-theft ring, it’s up to the fresh-faced agent to keep an observant eye on the couple in question in writer/director George Gallo’s lighthearted romantic comedy. Colin Hanks, Selma Blair, Antonio Banderas, and Meg Ryan star in a Millennium Films production.
The Third Degree: The Making of My Mom’s New Boyfriend featurette

movieweb.com

In this May 24, 2008, file photo Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., converses with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, left, in Nantucket, Mass., after Kerry, looking every part the diplomat, met Blair at the airport. Four years after a failed presidential bid and amid a race for a fifth Senate term this fall, Kerry's moves have prompted a question: Is the Massachusetts Democrat positioning himself to be secretary of state in a potential Barack Obama administration? (AP Photo/Glen Johnson, File)
By GLEN JOHNSON – 3 hours ago
NANTUCKET, Mass. (AP) — The airplane came to a stop, the door opened and out popped Tony Blair. At the bottom of the stairs to greet the former British prime minister on Saturday was Sen. John Kerry, looking every part the diplomat.
Four years after a failed presidential bid and amid a race for a fifth Senate term this fall, Kerry’s moves have prompted some questions:
_Is the Massachusetts Democrat positioning himself to be secretary of state in a potential Barack Obama administration?
_Could a Kerry appointment create not one but two Senate openings in Massachusetts, assuming Sen. Edward Kennedy cannot complete his term after being diagnosed last week with brain cancer?
Kerry aides insist he’s not angling for the job and point to his long involvement in foreign affairs. It started with his famous testimony as a 27-year-old veteran questioning the Vietnam War before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It continues today, at age 64, as the No. 3 Democrat on the same panel.
But envisioning him in the post would hardly be a stretch given Obama’s chances at securing the Democratic nomination, a general election shaping up as a “change” campaign and Kerry’s relationship with the Illinois senator.
Kerry would likely face competition from Sen. Joseph R. Biden of Delaware, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee; Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, a former Peace Corps volunteer who also sits on the panel, and former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota, a top Obama adviser.

ap.google.com

Like many kids, one-year-and-half old Zhong Minhan loves yo-yo. At 2:28 pm of May 12, she was awakened from her afternoon nap, promptly got up and sat down at bed enjoying the two-minute swing with smiles.
And even now, she does not know that the yo-yo has claimed thousands of lives in many cities, towns and villages of her home province Sichuan. But she does know that she could not see her father Zhong Ying easily during the past two weeks as he has always been at the frontline handing out food, medicines and even worked as a guide for journalists.
Zhong, aged 28, is part of the influx of volunteers extending their helping hands to those parents who lost their kids and students who lost their parents to the quake, the aftershocks, landslides and floods of quake lakes.
With him as a guide, our China Daily reporting team reached several devastated towns in high mountains, sometimes by foot, walking on broken railways and twisted bridges and finally had talks with survivors escaping from their homes in the dense forests.
Zhong is not only a guide for our photographer and me. He was so warm-hearted that every time we came back from Deyang, our car would be filled with water, food, clothes gathered by him from his relatives or friends.
And he told me: “In this hard time, you journalists should not only work for your paper but give help and aid at the same time.”
I could not agree with him more.
Indeed, I promised to myself since the earthquake that I would work by reporting and also voluntarily joining in aid delivery efforts for the people there, especially for those kids and the old in the high mountains.
To achieve this, my friends in the UK and other countries have set up a website http://sichuanearthquake.org.uk/, calling for online donation. And we are now designing programs to spend the money donated and anyone’s input and suggestions are extremely valuable.

chinadaily.com.cn

BY RICK MASSIMO
Journal Pop Music Writer
MANSFIELD, Mass. — If there was a thread running through the KISS Concert yesterday at the Tweeter Center, it ran from teen pop sensations The Jonas Brothers in the early evening to the reformed, reborn teen pop sensations The New Kids On the Block at night.
Of course, there were musical differences between the two — The Jonas Brothers ply the kind of anthemic post-emo rock reminiscent of Fall Out Boy or The All-American Rejects, only PG-rated, angst-free and proudly punkless, while the New Kids are — well, the New Kids: the first word in the hip-hop/soul fusion that kids have been buying since the late ’80s. But it was hard not to wonder about a connection yesterday.
“Now it’s official,” said New Kid Donnie Wahlberg of the reunion that was announced Friday in New York on the Today show. The quintet’s home-state return began with a quick medley of “Step By Step,” “Hangin’ Tough” and “You Got It (The Right Stuff),” before launching into their comeback single, “Summertime” — a sweetly lazy slice of synth-soul, though how good an idea it is for them to bank on a song with the word “remember” featured so prominently in the hook remains to be seen.
In all, the New Kids’ trademarks — honeyed vocal harmonies and a choreography that ranges from razor-sharp to appealingly shaggy — are still in place. (And there were plenty of shout-outs to the Celtics, including jerseys and cameos by the Celtic dancers, to keep the hometown connection warm). In keeping with the pop-sampler format of the KISS-108 concerts, they only played 20 minutes — they headline in Boston in the late summer, and how well they’ll fill an entire evening remains to be seen.
The Jonas Brothers made a bigger impression on the teen girls in my section at least, and it was hard not to wonder what would become of them in a few years. There’s nothing harsher than the backlash against an aging teen-pop act — The New Kids could tell them that — and some of the sillier Jonas material (such as “Year 3000”) is ripe for ridicule. But there were solid pop hooks in “That’s Just the Way We Roll” and “Hold On,” which bode well for the group’s eventual staying power. And a couple of hours later, the New Kids proved to the new kids that good bubblegum never loses its flavor.

projo.com

JACK JOHNSON is far from home again, away from Oahu’s North Shore, where he grew up. He still leads a quiet, idyllic life there with his family, writing songs of hope and introspection, a low-maintenance platinum-selling rock star who lives where the pavement is scarce and the TV is rarely on.
But for a few days, Johnson, who on Friday will headline opening day at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, is in Los Angeles, swiveling in a chair at the offices of his Brushfire Records label and thinking a lot about getting back. He’s been surfing in Hawaii since he was 5. It’s not a hobby for Johnson; hitting the waves is as much a part of his daily existence as a morning cup of coffee is for others. “It’s something I’ll always do,” he says casually.
But surfing is not what he chooses to sing about. His newest album, “Sleep Through the Static,” is another smooth collection of organic, understated songs inspired by parenthood, romance and bad news from across the planet. In February it debuted at No. 1 on Billboard magazine’s top 200 chart, and it has already sold more than 1 million copies in the U.S. alone.
Songwriting is a personal and natural process, he says, and not about working to stay relevant to another generation of young fans.
“I’m not going to try to be something I’m not,” Johnson says. “As you get older, I think it’s a bad thing to try to keep writing songs about what a 21-year-old is going to relate to. It’s important to keep writing songs that have to do with what you’re going through in life at that point. Otherwise, you’re not writing what’s true to yourself.”
At 32, his tanned face still shows the scars of a teenage surfing accident on the hard corral near his home. His words come out in a gentle rush, and he offers to share his bowl of fruit and frozen yogurt. A recent Rolling Stone cover story called him “the world’s mellowest superstar,” and it fits.

latimes.com

Coming from a disadvantaged background in Houston, Texas, Pam Turner might have struggled her whole life to overcome early obstacles. Instead, her Native American heritage made it possible for her to move to Alaska to attend college, where she eventually got into nursing.
Today, Turner works for her husband’s family business, Turner Moving and Storage. Five years ago she stared her own foundation called Napa Youth.
Roberto Clemente — he possessed phenomenal skills on the field but more importantly, he was a great humanitarian who seemed to have a heart for those less fortunate. I admire successful people who use their position to make the world a better place.
Oprah Winfrey — again, she is successful and uses her influence to make life better for others. Like my first choice, she came from modest beginnings.
Johnny Carson — I know he was a shy person, but I can’t help but think after he got to know you, he would be hysterically funny.
What job would you like to try/not try?
I’m one of those people who is willing to do just about anything and can find something positive about it. I think I would like to be a docent for the Napa Valley. There are so many hidden treasures that could be shared with our own population and with our many guests.
I would not like to be a lawyer. At one time I thought I would but after a few months of law school it became apparent that was not the career for me.
What was your first job?
I mowed lawns for the neighbors as a teen. My first real job out of college was a nurse in a maximum-security prison in Alaska.
What’s the worst job you ever had?
A nurse in a maximum-security prison.
How did you get into this business?

napavalleyregister.com

Lately I have been obsessed with two things: 80’s movies and anime. I won’t be talking about anime now, but hopefully when we hear more about the Ninja Assassin film being made, it will give me a chance to go into the exciting world of anime. For now I want to talk about the films from the 1980’s and how extremely rad most of them are.
Until recently if someone had asked me my opinion of the 80’s it wouldn’t have been a positive response. I would even go as far as to say that until a few weeks ago, I hated everything about that decade. I guess I hadn’t given it that much thought and was basing my opinion solely on the music and clothing styles. I will never forgive my mom for making me wear bright neon yellow shirts and shorts with knee socks rolled down to my Velcro shoes. It turns out that the 80’s actually produced the best cartoons and toys ever! But what originally sparked my interest in reevaluating the 80’s was a conversation I had in Austin during SXSW and the realization that most of my favorite films and series found their beginning in the 80’s.
One night in Austin I found myself engrossed in a conversation about 80’s horror films. Movies like The Stuff, Cat’s Eye, The Evil Dead, Maximum Overdrive, Child’s Play, and House came rushing back to my memory and made me smile. It made me think about some of the films that are either coming out soon or that were released over the last few years. Movies or series that got their start in the 80’s and have been revived like Rambo, Indiana Jones, The Lost Boys, Short Circuit, Terminator, RoboCop, Wargames and Die Hard. All of these have either just had another film made to continue their legacy or they have one in the works. I couldn’t be more excited.

firstshowing.net

Updated: April 5, 2008, 9:44 AM ET
Kanu’s tap-in goal and a clinical defensive performance in the second half swept Portsmouth into their first FA Cup final since 1939 at the expense of West Bromwich Albion and wrecked hopes of a first all-Championship showdown.
Kanu, twice an FA Cup winner with Arsenal, continued his love affair with the competition with the only goal of the game in the 55th minute, after former Pompey goalkeeper Dean Kiely could only push out Milan Baros’ shot.
Baros had other chances to wrap it up, but with Sol Campbell and Sylvain Distin rock solid in defence, David James was barely troubled, despite a late West Brom rally in which Robert Koren hit the top of the crossbar.
Pompey arrived for their first Wembley appearance in 69 years with a record of seven wins in their previous nine games and lying sixth in the Barclays Premier League.
Apart from cup-tied striker Jermain Defoe, all their top players were in place but for a long time you could not tell Pompey apart in terms of quality from promotion-chasing Albion, playing their fourth semi-final since winning the FA Cup in 1968.
The occasion seemed to overwhelm both sides for too long, but Kanu’s scrambled goal 10 minutes into the second half gave them enough inspiration to go through.
Albion - spearheaded by prolific veteran Kevin Phillips, who has 24 goals this season and five in the previous seven games - were first to fire as Pompey made a stuttering start.
Phillips clipped a shot over James’ crossbar from 20 yards, before in the sixth minute the England goalkeeper spilled a tame effort by Gera and was thankful to see Campbell clearing up the loose ball.
Albion continued to dictate the pace, although Hermann Hreidarsson, passed fit before the kick-off after an Achilles injury, almost sent Baros clean through the inside left channel, his pass just a shade heavy.

soccernet.espn.go.com

According to VH-1, the official title of this episode is “Red, White and a Little Blue.” But I think it should have been called, “With Prosterity and Mediocricy for All.”
If you recall, Inna the Ukrainian Love Tank was nearly eliminated last week because Bret said he was feeling some distance between the two of them. Bret is lurking out by the pool in the morning, so Inna gets up early to stalk him and find out what she can do to roll over these other skanks. “I don’t need a parade,” offers Bret.
The girls are called together to a room where there are a series of props scattered about, including hula hoops, puppets and a drum. Oh, and two old biddies named Shirley Claire and Joan Arlene, who’ve been performing for the USO for over 50 years. Now, Shirley Claire is adorable. Unfortunately, Joan Arlene is clad in a blue spandex leotard with a butterfly brooch right on her chest, and when I say that the leotard is high cut in the front, I mean it. It’s obvious she’s a saucy minx, and I can tell already that this will be a problem.
The girls are told that for today’s competition, they have to perform a USO-style show for veterans. They’re paired up in three teams of two and one girl will be on her own. Of course, the winning team or solo act gets a date with Bret. Inna and Destiney decide that they are going to dance. Daisy is going to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Kristy Joe and Ambre are going to be partners in a tap routine.
Megan and Jessica are going to recite the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution while hula-hooping. Oops - Megan is having trouble remembering the words. But come on, cut her some slack. “Besides just learning the Preamble, I was learning new words.”

blogs.nypost.com

DURHAM — Wanna adopt a retired racing Greyhound?
Greyhounds are extremely quiet, with a gentle nature. The common myth is Greyhounds need extra exercise because of their love of running. It’s untrue. A walk a day is more than sufficient.
There are several groups in Ontario dedicated to the rescue and adoption of retired racing Greyhounds from race tracks in the U.S. (There are no Greyhound racing establishments in Canada).
Those groups are:
- Greyhound Relocation and Adoption Canada (GRA). www.gracanada.com
- Greyhounds in Need of Adoption (GINA). www.saveagrey.com
- Needle-Nose Greyhound Adoption. www.needlenose.ca
DURHAM — Thoroughbred race horses and Greyhounds have something in common: The need for speed.
So, it’s only fitting a group of retired racing Greyhounds meets each Sunday afternoon in one of the barns that dot the grounds of picturesque Windfields Farm in Oshawa, a horse operation renowned in thoroughbred racing circles.
With its sandy surface, the horse arena serves as a fast track for the Greys to let loose and show the bursts of speed for which they’re known. With front legs springing forth followed by back legs that stretch almost to their chin, the long, lean dogs run together on this particular Sunday outing. They chase each other, with no mechanical lure necessary to prompt them to stretch out their long, albeit powerful, limbs.
The Greyhound gathering, some 11 dogs on this particular Sunday, is the payoff for Oshawa resident Renee Cotton through her Galloping Greyhounds Play Group. Ms. Cotton, who’s owned several former racers over the years, including her new Grey named Morgan, says watching the dogs interact and, of course, run has made organizing the group exclusively for retired racers entirely worth it.
“It’s nice for them to run and they do love to run,” says Ms. Cotton of the Greyhounds, most of which have been rescued by groups in the U.S. and Canada dedicated to finding loving homes for ex-racers. “They’re sprinters, so they’ll run for a bit and then they’ll lie down.”
Finding a suitable venue in the Durham area exclusively for her newly formed group has long been a goal for Ms. Cotton and other like-minded owners, who previously had to transport their dogs to Greyhound-friendly venues in Scarborough, Acton, Brampton and as far away as Maple.
To find something suitable locally was a bonus for the group, that’s been using the Oshawa farm’s building for the past month.
“It’s something that’s really needed and we’re eternally grateful to Windfields Farm. They’ve just been wonderful,” says Ms. Cotton, who’s been aided by fellow Greyhound owners Joanne Sauve and Elaine Adams in the start-up of the group.
She notes she was surprised and delighted that, upon inquiring about the availability of one of Windfields’ barns, the staff there was only too pleased to turn one over to the Greys once a week.
Greyhounds, says Ms. Cotton, are a unique breed in that they require their own safe venue in order to run. Off-leash parks are a no-go for Greys because, as a member of the sighthound group of dogs, they cannot be allowed off-lead, and therefore need an enclosed structure to engage their passion for running.
Moreover, as the fastest dogs on the planet, reaching speeds of up to 45 miles per hour on the racetrack, they need to run with their own kind. And, having been raised and trained together without the presence of other breeds of dogs, Ms. Cotton says Greys actually prefer their own company.
“Greyhounds, when they get running, can get competitive and can be aggressive,” says Ms. Cotton, adding all the retired racing Greys come to sessions with muzzles to prevent injury. “It’s not that we’re being exclusive, but it has to do with safety.”
Ms. Sauve, of Scarborough, says she’s out each Sunday to Windfields Farm with her three Greys — Matt, Mariah and Mojo. Matt and Mariah, brother and sister, were adopted from the Rainbow’s End rescue group in Pennsylvania; Mojo came from the Second Chance at Life rescue group in Michigan.
“It couldn’t be better,” says Ms. Sauve of the Oshawa venue. “Even though they’re retired racers, they still do love to run, but they must be in a fenced area, or they’d be long gone.”
Cheryl Becker, of Oshawa, who brings her seven-year-old retired racer Charlie to the group’s outings, is a big booster of the group and its mandate.
“It’s great. They’re taking into account safety precautions, which is so important in looking out for the dogs’ welfare and happiness. It’s exercise and socialization for them. They don’t seem to socialize with other breeds the way they do with other Greyhounds.”
What brings the owners together to run their Greys each Sunday is an abiding love for the breed, which Ms. Cotton says is the ‘best kept secret’ among dogs for their quiet, calm and gentle demeanour.
“They’re gorgeous, so loving and so loyal,” explains Ms. Cotton. “They want to be with people. I just feel really good being around them. Those of us who adopt them are doing something wonderful for dogs. I just connected with them; they’re a total joy.”
For more information about the Galloping Greyhounds Play Group, e-mail Ms. Cotton at renee_cotton@rogers.com.

newsdurhamregion.com