Emma Watson shows her tiny figure in clingy white dress
The actress, 23, sported a dress not many women could get away with as she arrived at Nice airport. She wore a tight white skater dress that ended several inches above her knee. And the Harry Potter star combined the figure-hugging number with dark sunglasses, black shoes and a black handbag as she made her way through the airport.
Emma Watson
Emma Watson
It’s Ellie and Cal-vid Harris - Kiss ...
Cal-ling in love ... Ellie Goulding sports Daisy Dukes in the video. The Scottish producer and singer ELLIE GOULDING play a loved-up couple in the clip for their collaboration I Need Your Love.
Calvin Harris Kiss
Calvin Harris Kiss
Smiley Cyrus Star shows her cheeky side in hot pants
Golden girl ... Miley sports chunky jewellery with pal in Los Angeles. Long and short of it ... Miley shows off slender legs in hotpants during Los Angeles stroll HAS MILEY CYRUS borrowed my Italia ’90 Scotland shorts? The singer just about squeezes into the hot pants, which would fit most ten-year-olds.
Friday 9 May 2014
Emma Watson's Official Teen Vogue Cover Shoot Video 2014
04:33
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2014 The stylish actress dishes on The Bling Ring, Harry Potter, and her favorite places to shop in this bonus interview from the set of her August 2013 cover sho
Thursday 31 October 2013
Hawaii House turns to gay marriage after Senate
HONOLULU (AP) — The fate of gay marriage in Hawaii is in the hands of the state House after smoothly passing in the Senate.
It's already been a bumpier ride for the legislation in the House.
A joint House committee involving about half the state's representatives is scheduled for Thursday, with plans to go at least 14 hours with breaks and possibly extending to Friday if enough people want to testify. Officials say about 3,000 people had submitted written testimony by midday Wednesday.
The House referred the bill to a joint committee Wednesday night, but not before a nearly four-hour session that was riddled with arguments, recesses, private caucus meetings and maneuvering by lawmakers on both sides to the issue to either move the measure along, delay it or advance a rival bill to put the matter to a public vote through a constitutional amendment.
At one point, Republican Rep. Gene Ward, who is against legalizing same-sex marriage, argued with Democratic House Speaker Joseph Souki over whether he could talk about the bill during its first reading. Souki had said he could not.
"Why are you muzzling us," Ward said.
Souki told Ward he was out of order, then quickly called a recess.
The bill passed easily, 20-4, earlier Wednesday on the Senate floor with one senator abstaining because his mother had died in the morning. The Hawaii Senate is dominated by Democrats, with only one Republican.
Democratic Sen. Clayton Hee said before voting for the bill in the Senate that the moment is career-defining and lawmakers should embrace it.
"I ask you to expand the meaning of the word 'aloha' to truly include everyone," regardless of race, creed or sexual orientation, Hee said.
House Majority Leader Scott Saiki has said it's likely the chamber will amend the bill to change religious exemptions. The Senate bill exempts ministers and other clergy — but not for-profit businesses — from having to perform gay wedding ceremonies.
"The House committees recognize that there is still a lot of public concern about the scope of the exemptions," Saiki said.
The House is made up of 44 Democrats and seven Republicans. While Souki has said he believes there's enough support to pass gay marriage, some Democrats plan to vote no on the bill.
Hee said after the Senate vote that he has spoken with leadership in the House and told them that senators may not support expanded religious exemptions if they allow gay couples to be discriminated against as a separate class of people from others.
"Those are efforts that I would caution against," Hee told reporters after the Senate vote.
Two lawmakers, Sens. Sam Slom and Mike Gabbard, spoke in opposition to the bill and criticized everything from the special session itself to the consequence they say gay marriage will have on society.
SOURCE : http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Hawaii-House-turns-to-gay-marriage-after-Senate-4941602.php
It's already been a bumpier ride for the legislation in the House.
A joint House committee involving about half the state's representatives is scheduled for Thursday, with plans to go at least 14 hours with breaks and possibly extending to Friday if enough people want to testify. Officials say about 3,000 people had submitted written testimony by midday Wednesday.
The House referred the bill to a joint committee Wednesday night, but not before a nearly four-hour session that was riddled with arguments, recesses, private caucus meetings and maneuvering by lawmakers on both sides to the issue to either move the measure along, delay it or advance a rival bill to put the matter to a public vote through a constitutional amendment.
At one point, Republican Rep. Gene Ward, who is against legalizing same-sex marriage, argued with Democratic House Speaker Joseph Souki over whether he could talk about the bill during its first reading. Souki had said he could not.
"Why are you muzzling us," Ward said.
Souki told Ward he was out of order, then quickly called a recess.
The bill passed easily, 20-4, earlier Wednesday on the Senate floor with one senator abstaining because his mother had died in the morning. The Hawaii Senate is dominated by Democrats, with only one Republican.
Democratic Sen. Clayton Hee said before voting for the bill in the Senate that the moment is career-defining and lawmakers should embrace it.
"I ask you to expand the meaning of the word 'aloha' to truly include everyone," regardless of race, creed or sexual orientation, Hee said.
House Majority Leader Scott Saiki has said it's likely the chamber will amend the bill to change religious exemptions. The Senate bill exempts ministers and other clergy — but not for-profit businesses — from having to perform gay wedding ceremonies.
"The House committees recognize that there is still a lot of public concern about the scope of the exemptions," Saiki said.
The House is made up of 44 Democrats and seven Republicans. While Souki has said he believes there's enough support to pass gay marriage, some Democrats plan to vote no on the bill.
Hee said after the Senate vote that he has spoken with leadership in the House and told them that senators may not support expanded religious exemptions if they allow gay couples to be discriminated against as a separate class of people from others.
"Those are efforts that I would caution against," Hee told reporters after the Senate vote.
Two lawmakers, Sens. Sam Slom and Mike Gabbard, spoke in opposition to the bill and criticized everything from the special session itself to the consequence they say gay marriage will have on society.
SOURCE : http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Hawaii-House-turns-to-gay-marriage-after-Senate-4941602.php
Wednesday 30 October 2013
Technology First Bitcoin ATM Installed in Vancouver Coffee Shop
21:59
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Bitcoins, now valued at over $200 a piece, were seen as the currency of the black market, back when the website Silk Road was still up and running.
But there are many people who want to cast off its shady past and make
it a legitimate currency. Robocoin, a company based in Nevada, is
looking to make that happen by installing the first bitcoin ATMs on
Tuesday at a Waves Coffee House in Vancouver, Canada.
Because the bitcoin currency itself is distributed among all of its
users, there is no centralized bitcoin bank. Instead, people buy and
sell bitcoins by visiting websites, finding a user willing to sell them
some bitcoins, and then directly wiring them money.
But new buyers are left waiting until their money transfer is cleared, a
couple of days, before they actually see the bitcoins appear in their
wallet. The same applies to sellers looking to cash out, but having to
wait for their payment to arrive.
Jordan Kelley, CEO of Robocoin, said that the ATMs are making those
money transfers much quicker. "People need to be able to get some of
their money out," he told ABC News. "Our customers can walk up to a
machine and buy and sell bitcoins for cash."
The Robocoin kiosk first verifies customers' identities by scanning
their palm prints. Customers can then feed cash into the machine to
deposit as bitcoins, or withdraw bitcoins from their electronic wallet
and get physical cash. Instead of waiting around a couple of days, the
process only takes a couple of minutes.
Though Robocoin makes the machinery responsible for doling out cash,
it's up to bitcoin enthusiasts to actually make them available to the
public. Mitch Demeter, a bitcoin broker who co-founded Bitcoiniacs, said
that he was impressed with Robocoin's machines. "The ATMs are basically
our store in a box," he said. "We bought five in total and we're
spreading them across Canada."
Bitcoins are also accepted by businesses in the United States,
but the government itself is hesitant to welcome them into the American
marketplace. "The United States requires more licensing to operate,"
said Kelley. "The barrier to entry isn't as low as it is in Canada."
Kelley has also said that Robocoin machines are compliant with both
federal and state laws. "For Canadian customers, we've set a transaction
limit of $3,000 per day," he said. "You can't just put in or take out a
million dollars."
SOURCE : http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/bitcoin-atm-conducts-10000-worth-transactions-day/story?id=20730762
The Jonas Brothers Have Broken Up 'For Now'
Jonas Brothers fans hoping the band would stay together just a little
bit longer were splashed with cold reality on Tuesday, as the siblings announced to People that they had split up.
"It's over for now," Kevin Jonas told the tabloid. (Nick and Joe Jonas also made similar statements to People.)
That announcement has been a long time coming for the Jonas Brothers. At the beginning of October, two days before the JoBros were planning to head out on a fall tour, People reported that all 19 of their concerts had been canceled.
"There is a deep rift within the band," Jesse Derris, a representative for the Jonas Brothers, told People. "There was a big a disagreement over their music direction."
On Oct. 22, both Nick and Joe Jonas made comments about the band's issues via their Twitter accounts.
Read More : http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/29/jonas-brothers-break-up_n_4173301.html
"It's over for now," Kevin Jonas told the tabloid. (Nick and Joe Jonas also made similar statements to People.)
That announcement has been a long time coming for the Jonas Brothers. At the beginning of October, two days before the JoBros were planning to head out on a fall tour, People reported that all 19 of their concerts had been canceled.
"There is a deep rift within the band," Jesse Derris, a representative for the Jonas Brothers, told People. "There was a big a disagreement over their music direction."
On Oct. 22, both Nick and Joe Jonas made comments about the band's issues via their Twitter accounts.
Read More : http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/29/jonas-brothers-break-up_n_4173301.html
Magic: Lakers facing 'tough season'
Magic Johnson is bracing himself for a rough season. He might be part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers,
who just went to the National League Championship Series, but he'll
always be a Lakers fan, and their prospects don't look as rosy.
"Laker fans are spoiled. I don't know how they're going to react now, because this is going to be a tough season," Johnson said Tuesday afternoon during an hourlong interview on the "Max and Marcellus Show" on ESPNLA 710 radio. "This is going to be one of the roughest seasons that the Lakers have ever faced. You're waiting on Kobe [Bryant] to see if he can get healthy. Nobody knows if he can be what he was. Then you've got [Pau] Gasol -- who I think is a premier big man -- but he plays better when he has talent around him.
"You've got guys who are all on one-year contracts, and all were journeymen on other teams. Laker fans are not used to that. I don't know if they're going to buy into that. We're going to see. If you want the Laker fans to really buy in and be involved, you're going to have to win right away. I don't see that happening. The West is tough this year."
What does Johnson see?
"I'm hoping that they at least make the playoffs," Johnson said. "But that's going to be tough, especially without Kobe. We have to see what Kobe we're going to get. Is he going to be that same Kobe or is he going to be hurt a little bit?"
Johnson said he thought Bryant could still come back from his ruptured Achilles tendon and be a "dominant player" but might need to "give up some of those shots" to his teammates to get them going.
"Kobe can get 30 or 40," Johnson said. "But you have to remember, you need at least three guys who can score. Right now I'm looking at that roster and going, 'Who else is going to get you 15-20 a night besides Gasol and Kobe?' "
When asked if he would be willing to be part of the Lakers' recruiting pitch to potential free agents next summer, Johnson said he would always help the Lakers if they should ever call upon him. Johnson sold his ownership stake in the Lakers in 2010 and is no longer officially affiliated with the team.
"This summer is going to be a crucial summer for the Lakers," Johnson said. "They have all that cap space. Hopefully [Lakers executive Jim Buss] has a plan. His dad [the late Dr. Jerry Buss] would've had a plan two years ago."
Read More : http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/9900777/magic-johnson-says-los-angeles-lakers-face-tough-season
"Laker fans are spoiled. I don't know how they're going to react now, because this is going to be a tough season," Johnson said Tuesday afternoon during an hourlong interview on the "Max and Marcellus Show" on ESPNLA 710 radio. "This is going to be one of the roughest seasons that the Lakers have ever faced. You're waiting on Kobe [Bryant] to see if he can get healthy. Nobody knows if he can be what he was. Then you've got [Pau] Gasol -- who I think is a premier big man -- but he plays better when he has talent around him.
"You've got guys who are all on one-year contracts, and all were journeymen on other teams. Laker fans are not used to that. I don't know if they're going to buy into that. We're going to see. If you want the Laker fans to really buy in and be involved, you're going to have to win right away. I don't see that happening. The West is tough this year."
What does Johnson see?
"I'm hoping that they at least make the playoffs," Johnson said. "But that's going to be tough, especially without Kobe. We have to see what Kobe we're going to get. Is he going to be that same Kobe or is he going to be hurt a little bit?"
Johnson said he thought Bryant could still come back from his ruptured Achilles tendon and be a "dominant player" but might need to "give up some of those shots" to his teammates to get them going.
"Kobe can get 30 or 40," Johnson said. "But you have to remember, you need at least three guys who can score. Right now I'm looking at that roster and going, 'Who else is going to get you 15-20 a night besides Gasol and Kobe?' "
When asked if he would be willing to be part of the Lakers' recruiting pitch to potential free agents next summer, Johnson said he would always help the Lakers if they should ever call upon him. Johnson sold his ownership stake in the Lakers in 2010 and is no longer officially affiliated with the team.
"This summer is going to be a crucial summer for the Lakers," Johnson said. "They have all that cap space. Hopefully [Lakers executive Jim Buss] has a plan. His dad [the late Dr. Jerry Buss] would've had a plan two years ago."
Read More : http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/9900777/magic-johnson-says-los-angeles-lakers-face-tough-season
NBA Tip-Off: 6 Business Stories To Watch This Season
The NBA season gets started Tuesday night with a trio of games
highlighted by a clash between the Derrick Rose-led Chicago Bulls and
the two-time defending champion Miami Heat. Las Vegas has the Heat
favored to win a third straight title with the Oklahoma City Thunder,
Los Angeles Clippers and Bulls among the next set of favorites. The NBA
has been on a roll in recent years thanks to a bevy of stars, success by
big market franchises and the international appeal of the game. Total
revenues for the league were expected to approach a record $5 billion last season. Here are the business stories we are tracking this season.
LeBron James
The four-time MVP is story 1a, 1b and 1c in today’s NBA. We have not seen the focus on one player in the NBA since Michael Jordan hung up his high tops for a second time in 1998 after his second three-peat with the Bulls. ESPN The Magazine devoted its entire NBA preview issue to all-things LeBron and it is hard to blame them. The immediate questions are whether James can lead the Heat to another title and win a fifth MVP (the record is six by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, while Jordan and Bill Russell each won five).
The bigger long-term question is where James will be playing next year. He is expected to exercise his early termination option in his contract to make him a free agent in the summer of 2014, setting up The Decision 2.0. Three years after James’ departure from Cleveland, the franchise value of the Cavaliers is down 9% and the value of the Heat is up 71%. James said he will not address his free agency during the season, but the Heat, followed by the Cavs are expected to be the leaders in the race for his services.
TV Contract
The NBA’s current contract with partners ABC/ESPN and TNT runs through the 2015-2016 season and is worth $930 million a year on average, but negotiations on an extension are expected to be completed over the next 12 months. Look for the NBA to double its annual take with the craving for sports programming rights at an all-time high. The addition of NBC Sports Network and Fox Sports 1 as national entities bumps up the number of players bidding on the rights packages. TV ratings were down last season, but they hit 10-year highs the previous year. The 10.4 rating for the 2013 NBA Finals was the second highest in the past decade.
David Stern’s Retirement
Commissioner Stern will retire in February after 30 years in the NBA’s top spot. The league has exploded under his watch. When he took over, CBS was paying $22 million a year for broadcast rights to games and the playoffs (outside of the Finals) were shown on tape-delay. NBA teams were worth about $400 million collectively in 1984 and now are worth more than $15 billion. Long-time deputy Adam Silver will take the reins, and he is expected to be the driving force in the next round of TV deals. Silver has been an integral part of just about every major NBA decision in recent years, including the settlement of the 2011 lockout.
SOURCE : http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2013/10/29/nba-tip-off-6-business-stories-to-watch-this-season/
LeBron James
The four-time MVP is story 1a, 1b and 1c in today’s NBA. We have not seen the focus on one player in the NBA since Michael Jordan hung up his high tops for a second time in 1998 after his second three-peat with the Bulls. ESPN The Magazine devoted its entire NBA preview issue to all-things LeBron and it is hard to blame them. The immediate questions are whether James can lead the Heat to another title and win a fifth MVP (the record is six by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, while Jordan and Bill Russell each won five).
The bigger long-term question is where James will be playing next year. He is expected to exercise his early termination option in his contract to make him a free agent in the summer of 2014, setting up The Decision 2.0. Three years after James’ departure from Cleveland, the franchise value of the Cavaliers is down 9% and the value of the Heat is up 71%. James said he will not address his free agency during the season, but the Heat, followed by the Cavs are expected to be the leaders in the race for his services.
TV Contract
The NBA’s current contract with partners ABC/ESPN and TNT runs through the 2015-2016 season and is worth $930 million a year on average, but negotiations on an extension are expected to be completed over the next 12 months. Look for the NBA to double its annual take with the craving for sports programming rights at an all-time high. The addition of NBC Sports Network and Fox Sports 1 as national entities bumps up the number of players bidding on the rights packages. TV ratings were down last season, but they hit 10-year highs the previous year. The 10.4 rating for the 2013 NBA Finals was the second highest in the past decade.
David Stern’s Retirement
Commissioner Stern will retire in February after 30 years in the NBA’s top spot. The league has exploded under his watch. When he took over, CBS was paying $22 million a year for broadcast rights to games and the playoffs (outside of the Finals) were shown on tape-delay. NBA teams were worth about $400 million collectively in 1984 and now are worth more than $15 billion. Long-time deputy Adam Silver will take the reins, and he is expected to be the driving force in the next round of TV deals. Silver has been an integral part of just about every major NBA decision in recent years, including the settlement of the 2011 lockout.
SOURCE : http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2013/10/29/nba-tip-off-6-business-stories-to-watch-this-season/
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