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Saturday, July 22, 2017

Kyrie Irving on trade request, explained

Kyrie Irving on trade request, explained
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Kyrie Irving reportedly requested that the Cavaliers trade him this summer after six seasons in Cleveland. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports that Irving made the request last week. NBA.com’s David Aldridge reports that Irving requested a trade to the Bulls so he could play with Jimmy Butler before the NBA Draft in June. (Butler has since been traded to Minnesota.)


This is a shocker with major ramifications around the league. Let’s explain the basics.

Why is Irving requesting a trade?

ESPN is reporting that Irving no longer wants to play alongside LeBron James, the four-time MVP and arguably one of the three best players in NBA history. Windhorst indicates that Irving is looking for an opportunity to be a focal point for an offense.

LeBron is only under contract through the end of the 2017-18 season, but has previously indicated he plans to finish his career in Cleveland. Irving is under contract through the 2018-19 season.




 Is Kyrie crazy?

It all depends on where your values lie.

As a Cavalier, he’ll be on national TV a million times and probably make the NBA Finals. He has a shot at winning a championship. But if Irving values personal excellence and becoming an all-timer under his own shingle over being LeBron’s top sidekick, that’s understandable.

Irving, like James, came in as an undisputed No. 1 overall pick with grand designs. Historically, those types of players willing to be sidekicks are in the minority. Most want to be the alpha dog.

Do the Cavaliers have to honor the request?

Since Irving is under contract for two more seasons, technically speaking there’s nothing forcing the Cavaliers from keeping Kyrie. But given that leaks have specifically singled out LeBron as the reason Irving wants to leave, it would seem highly unlikely Cleveland would be comfortable bringing him back for an awkward reunion without some sort of major sitdown between the pair. As such, you’d expect the Cavs to pull off a trade before training camp begins in late September.

Can the Cavaliers trade LeBron instead?

No.

LeBron has a no-trade clause, meaning he can veto any trade Cleveland proposes. The weird mix of his value, his contract situation (including the no-trade clause), and the extant likelihood he wants to remain in Cleveland makes it basically impossible to find a proper trade.
How good is Irving, anyway?

How dare you ask the question on the internet. Are you trying to start a war or something?
Sorry.

Here, read this piece I wrote during the NBA Finals about what a maddening riddle Irving’s career has become. The bit about LeBron’s barbershop comments takes on new life with Irving’s trade request.

How does LeBron feel about Kyrie’s request?

He is “devastated” according to ESPN.


Have any other Cavaliers responded?

Kevin Love, previously the subject of rampant trade rumors, had a hilarious tweet commenting on the situation in a typically Love-ian fashion.

What are the likely trade destinations?

Irving has given Cleveland four preferred choices, per Windhorst: the Spurs, Knicks, Heat, and Timberwolves. But, while Irving is likely to be traded, he has no real leverage on where he’ll be traded because he’s under contract for two more seasons. San Antonio would not appear to have the pieces to make a move for Irving in a straight-up deal — Cleveland doesn’t need LaMarcus Aldridge. Minnesota is too messy a trade partner at this point. Miami is flexible, and a New York trade would likely center on Carmelo Anthony.

Kevin Pelton suggests a win-win trade scenario with the Phoenix Suns, who would offer Irving the central role he desires while offering Cleveland a win-now piece in Eric Bledsoe (a friend of LeBron’s) and some youth. There are a few personal wrinkles here, too: Bledsoe is a Klutch Sports client. Klutch is run by Rich Paul, LeBron’s close friend and agent. Also, the Suns this week hired James Jones as vice president of basketball operations. Jones is LeBron’s longtime teammate and friend. There are a lot of personal strings to pull on here for both sides.

The Suns truly do seem like the most likely option at this point, barring a Melo trade.

Are the Warriors still going to win the 2018 NBA Championship?

Yes, probably.

Is LeBron’s NBA Finals streak going to end?

Possibly. The Celtics added Gordon Hayward and Jayson Tatum while losing Avery Bradley. Toronto swapped out Cory Joseph and DeMarre Carroll for C.J. Miles. All of the other high-end Eastern challengers stayed static or got worse. Odds are Cleveland will replace Irving with a major producer and remain the best in the East, but Boston, Toronto, or Washington could pull off an upset.

Does this all mean LeBron is leaving Cleveland next summer?

This has been one internet fever theory: that Kyrie saw the writing on the wall and tried to get out before LeBron bolts. To be honest, that makes no sense given the stated rationale for Irving’s trade request. Kyrie is going to be criticized for requesting a trade to escape LeBron’s shadow. If he were truly requesting a trade to be the first man off a sinking ship, his camp would have leaked that instead. It would sound better to the masses and create a distraction.

Unless the Cavaliers completely botch this thing, it’s unlikely Irving’s request will affect LeBron’s decision one way or the other. Some people think LeBron is totally bailing. Some people (including myself) think he’s finishing his career in Cleveland.

You said “unless the Cavaliers completely botch this thing.” What are the odds that the Cavaliers completely botch this thing?

Given how this summer has gone for Cleveland, the odds that they completely botch this thing are definitely non-zero.


Source:  https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2017/7/22/16014068/kyrie-irving-trade-request-explainer-cavaliers
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Descendants 2: Dove Cameron and Sofia Carson's Costume - Behind-the-Scenes


‘Descendants 2’: Behind-the-Scenes Look at Dove Cameron and Sofia Carson’s Costumes (Watch)


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Disney’s hotly anticipated film “Descendants 2” makes its grand debut Friday night across five networks, and aside from more-than-likely bringing big ratings, the whimsical sequel is sure to showcase larger-than-life costumes.


Stars Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, and China Anne McClain chat about the fashion of “Descendants 2,” along with costume designer Kara Saun who gives a behind-the-scenes tour of her designing space in this video, exclusively obtained by Variety.

“I knew coming back that we needed to come back bigger and brighter, more breathtaking,” Saun says. “There’s a lot more action, there’s a lot more dancing and physicality that you have to really take note of that when you’re designing the wardrobe.”

“Descendants 2” revolves around the offspring of Disney villains Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, Jafar, the Evil Queen, Ursula, Captain Hook, and Gaston.

Cameron, Carson, and McClain star with Cameron Boyce, Booboo Stewart, Mitchell Hope, Thomas Doherty, Dylan Playfair, and Anna Cathcart. Kenny Ortega is director, executive producer, and choreographer. Sara Parriott and Josann McGibbon wrote the flick and exec produced with Wendy Japhet.

“Descendants 2” airs Friday at 8 p.m. on the Disney Channel, Disney XD, Freeform, Lifetime, and ABC.

Source: http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/descendants-2-costumes-video-dove-cameron-sofia-carson-1202503135/


The stars of Descendants 2 have descended upon Disneyland.

In between appearances at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, Calif., last weekend, Cameron Boyce, Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, China Anne McClain and Booboo Stewart left Auradon and the Isle of the Lost to surprise their fans at Disneyland, Disney California Adventure Park and the Disneyland Hotel—and now E! News has your exclusive first look at all the wicked fun they had.

Disguised as a PhotoPass photographer, Stewart snapped pictures of people posing with their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. It didn't take long for fans to recognize the actor, who plays Jafar's son, Jay, in the musical sequel. "Oh, my gosh! I know who that is!" a woman said. "That's Booboo!" Then, the younger guest's eyes lit up. "You're Jay!" she shouted. "You're my favorite!"


One family was so into their photo shoot with the Marvel superhero that they didn't recognize Stewart until he asked, "Have you guys seen Descendants?" The looks on their faces said it all, and before long they were taking photos with the actor. "Come on and give me a hug!" he said.

Source: http://www.eonline.com/news/868377/descendants-2-stars-cameron-boyce-dove-cameron-sofia-carson-china-anne-mcclain-and-booboo-stewart-surprise-fans-at-disneyland

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Friday, July 21, 2017

Kit Harington's rep denies report he and Rose Leslie are engaged

 
Kit Harington's rep denies report he and Rose Leslie are engaged

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Kit Harington and Rose Leslie reportedly being engaged is a bit like the HBO hit show where they met — you never know who to believe.


The couple got enaged this week after Harington supposedly popped the question to his "Game of Thrones" co-star and on-screen love interest over a cozy dinner, according to Life & Style. But hours later, a rep for Harington shut down the rumors, telling Metro UK, "They are not engaged."

But the details in Life & Style's report are right out of "Thrones" fans' fantasies.

"Kit recently cooked Rose a romantic candlelight dinner and proposed to her," the tabloid magazine reported. "She burst into tears and immediately said yes."

 The couple met while filming the hit HBO show in 2012 and finally announced their relationship after four years of speculation and an on-again, off-again courtship. Harington and Leslie, who had recurring roles in "Downton Abbey" and "The Good Fight," recently moved in together after purchasing a 15th-century home in East Anglia in the English countryside for $2.27 million. And even though Harington's publicist now says there's no engagement, the couple is clearly getting close.





“We are very, very happy,” Harington told Esquire in May.
The love affair stems from the pair's work together on the show. In Season 2 of "Thrones," Harington's Jon Snow takes wildling Ygritte (Leslie) captive as his prisoner, but the two end up falling in love. The subsequent sex scene is replete with nudity, animal skins and a blazing hearth deep in a secluded cave.





Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/kit-harington-rose-leslie-reportedly-engaged-article-1.3344968


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Sean Spicer Resigns as White House Press Secretary

Sean Spicer Resigns as White House Press Secretary


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Update: July 22, 2017
 WASHINGTON — Sean Spicer fought on two fronts each day: With the press and with President Donald Trump.

On his first day as press secretary just over six months ago, things got off to a memorable start when Spicer accused the press of "dishonesty" in covering Trump’s inauguration, incorrectly claiming the president had "the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period." At Trump's behest, he labeled the media "shameful and wrong" — for reporting the facts.

That set the tense and sometimes ugly tone for the remainder of his short-lived tenure as White House press secretary.

 As the weeks and months went on, he was obviously out of step with his boss — both in substance and in style. At the outset, Trump reportedly didn't like Spicer's fashion sense, specifically bringing up his ill-fitting, light-colored suit jackets. The press secretary began sporting darker threads soon after.

The hits kept coming. Spicer insisted Trump’s legally challenged "travel ban" was not a ban at all. He found himself humbled after a briefing-room gaffe about Hitler overtook that day’s news cycle and required clarification and an apology. Spicer drew rebukes from female journalists and even Hillary Clinton after snapping at longtime White House reporter April Ryan to "stop shaking your head" during a heated line of questioning. And his mispronunciations of world leaders names, like Syria's Bashar Al-Assad, went viral.

 Spicer's manner, gaffes, and claims made him a household name. His briefings, filled with hostile interactions with reporters, were must-see TV. He was mercilessly spoofed on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," where the parody became a sensation. Melissa McCarthy’s "Spicey" had an explosive temper, a moving lectern, a hatred of The New York Times and other outlets, and wads of chewing gum. Suddenly Spicer was a household figure, an amusing symbol of the Trump administration's permanent combat with the media.

Perhaps he could have survived his duels with the White House press corps. But not with the president.

In the early-morning hours came the presidential tweets, frequently detonating whatever messaging Spicer’s communications team had carefully set for the day ahead. Long-planned and scripted "theme weeks" about infrastructure or jobs were often upended by the president’s tweets about the latest revelations in the Russia investigation or random over-the-top attacks on the media and critics.

It was only after Spicer had quit on on Friday that the president offered what was perhaps his strongest and most public praise of his former aide, calling him a "wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media - but his future is bright!"

That was a stark contrast for a president who often contradicted his own spokesman's statements, contributing to the erosion of trust between the White House and the media. The most glaring instance came in the days following the president’s surprise firing of FBI Director James Comey, when Trump's account of the reasons behind his fateful decision ran counter to what Spicer had told reporters the night before.

And Trump laid the blame for scrambled messaging and contradictory explanations about Comey at the feet of his communications team, prompting grumbling from the press about whether Spicer was in the know and further damaging his credibility. The enduring image from the Comey debacle was Spicer ending up in the bushes outside the White House to avoid reporters’ questions.

"That was so bad last night," a White House official told NBC News at the time.

Reporters and White House watchers saw clearly the central and ultimately insurmountable problem that Spicer faced: Speaking on behalf of a president who believes he is his best spokesman, who thinks that no one else is up to the task, and who isn't afraid to remind the staff of it.

 Post-Comey, Trump, according to sources inside and outside the White House, polled confidantes on their thoughts about Spicer’s job performance. And sources said Trump began to realize he had another option in then-Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who was named press secretary on Friday. That drove the president, as one person put it, "to consider whether or not it makes sense…to change the face of the administration."

And that face did begin to change. The White House more often banned cameras from the press briefings, sparking an uproar from the press. And Spicer was now infrequently at the podium, having been replaced by Sanders.

When he did make what turned out to be his final return to the podium earlier this week, a reporter commented: "We miss you, Sean."

"Well, I miss you, too," he pantomimed.

Traveling reporters knew that Spicer, a devout Catholic, had fallen from favor when he was excluded from the group of White House staffers given an audience with the Pope when the president was visiting Vatican City. Spicer's days seemed numbered. Trump was irked that the press briefings were getting such high ratings, and even that Spicer was portrayed by a woman on SNL. The question in the White House became not whether Spicer would be replaced, but when.

Spicer’s exit came after he had told confidantes that if Trump brought in Anthony Scaramucci as communications director, he would leave. Minutes after Spicer slammed the door in the face of a veteran reporter, news of his departure broke on Twitter.

Later Friday, Spicer appeared on Fox News to end his tenure much as he began it, complaining about media bias, accusing the press of being increasingly concerned with "their clip or their click than they are about the truth and the facts," and insisting, despite the distractions, that the White House had just had a "very successful" Made in America week.

Months in the wings watching Spicer’s follies paid off for Scaramucci, who gushed from the podium Friday about how much he loved and respected the president, how his policies were right for the country, and he preened about Trump’s media savvy and understanding of the voters. It was as if he’d learned the lesson that Spicer couldn't quite master: The person speaking to the American public and press on behalf of the White House is really playing to an audience of just one.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/how-sean-spicer-went-horribly-wrong-n785496

Date: July 20, 2017

WASHINGTON — Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, resigned on Friday after denouncing chaos in the West Wing and telling President Trump he vehemently disagreed with the appointment of the New York financier Anthony Scaramucci as communications director.


After offering Mr. Scaramucci the communications job Friday morning, Mr. Trump asked Mr. Spicer to stay on as press secretary. But Mr. Spicer told Mr. Trump that he believed the appointment of Mr. Scaramucci was a major mistake and said he was resigning, according to a person with direct knowledge of the exchange.

In one of his first official acts, Mr. Scaramucci, who founded the global investment firm SkyBridge Capital and is a Fox News contributor, joined Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Mr. Spicer’s chief deputy, in the White House briefing room and announced that she would succeed Mr. Spicer as press secretary.

He said he had great respect for Mr. Spicer, adding, “I hope he goes on to make a tremendous amount of money.” But he acknowledged the awkwardness of Mr. Spicer’s resignation. “This is obviously a difficult situation to be in,” Mr. Scaramucci said.

Ms. Sanders said Mr. Trump was grateful for Mr. Spicer’s service and that the president believes Mr. Spicer will succeed going forward. “Just look at his great television ratings,” Mr. Trump said in a statement read by Ms. Sanders.

Mr. Spicer’s rumored departure has been one of the longest-running internal sagas in an administration brimming with dissension and intrigue. A former Republican National Committee spokesman and strategist, Mr. Spicer was a frequent target of the president’s ire — and correctives — during the first few months of the administration.

His turbulent tenure as the president’s top spokesman was marked by a combative style with the news media that spawned a caricature of him on “Saturday Night Live.” He had hoped to last a year. He lasted six months and a day.

The resignation is a serious blow to the embattled White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, the former Republican Party chairman who brought Mr. Spicer into the West Wing despite skepticism from Mr. Trump, who initially questioned his loyalty. Mr. Scaramucci described his relationship with Mr. Priebus as a brotherly one where they “rough each other up.” He called Mr. Priebus a “good friend.”

Mr. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has grown critical of both Mr. Spicer and Mr. Priebus, whom he regards as party establishment figures who operate out of self-interest.

Mr. Kushner also supported Mr. Trump’s decision to supplant Marc Kasowitz as his lead attorney on matters pertaining to Russia, according to people familiar with the situation.

Mr. Scaramucci was to meet with Mr. Priebus on Friday, according to a West Wing official — and applause could be heard in the second-floor communications hallway when Mr. Scaramucci was introduced. Mr. Priebus denied that there is friction with Mr. Scaramucci.

For his part, Mr. Spicer said it had been an “honor” and “privilege” to serve Mr. Trump.

Senior officials, including Ms. Sanders, Mr. Spicer’s top deputy, were said to be stunned by the sudden shuffle.

Mr. Spicer has agreed to stay on for two weeks to a month, and Mr. Trump has told his advisers he is open to rotating new people into the briefing room, including one of the president’s personal favorites, Sebastian Gorka, a blustery foreign policy official who has been accused of having ties to far-right groups in Europe.

During the transition, Mr. Trump had planned to appoint Mr. Scaramucci, a 52-year-old Harvard Law graduate from Long Island, as director of his office of public liaison, but the offer was pulled at the request of Mr. Priebus over concerns about Mr. Scaramucci’s overseas investments.

His appointment Friday came two months after the previous communications director, Mike Dubke, stepped down. Mr. Trump was frustrated with Mr. Priebus over the slow pace of finding a replacement, according to a half-dozen people familiar with the situation.

Mr. Trump made the appointment over the objection of Mr. Priebus, who thought Mr. Scaramucci lacked the requisite organizational or political experience. But the president believed Mr. Scaramucci, a ferocious defender of Mr. Trump’s on cable television, was best equipped to play the same role in-house, and he offered him a role with far-reaching powers independent of Mr. Priebus’s.

Mr. Spicer flatly rejected the president’s offer of a position subordinate to Mr. Scaramucci, according to two administration officials familiar with the exchange.

The appointment of Mr. Scaramucci, a favorite of Mr. Trump’s earliest campaign supporters, was backed by the president’s daughter Ivanka, his son-in-law and adviser Mr. Kushner and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, the officials said.

Ms. Sanders will inherit one of the toughest public relations jobs in modern political history. The job of press secretary, once regarded as among the most coveted slots in Washington, a steppingstone to fame and a big post-government payday, has lost much of its allure under a president who tweets his opinions and considers himself to be his best spokesman.

Mr. Spicer, according to several people close to him, was tired of being blindsided by Mr. Trump, most recently this week when the president gave a lengthy interview to The New York Times in which he questioned his appointment of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. He was also weary of the daily dressings-down and instituted the highly contentious practice of holding off-air briefings, less so to snub reporters than to avoid Mr. Trump’s critiques of his performance, according to one of Mr. Spicer’s friends.

Shortly after Mr. Spicer’s resignation became public, the White House press office announced Ms. Sanders would hold the first on-air briefing since June 29.


Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/us/politics/sean-spicer-resigns-as-white-house-press-secretary.html

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Thursday, July 20, 2017

British Open Leaderboard: Spieth, Koepka and Kuchar Tied at the Top


SOUTHPORT, England — The wind off the Irish Sea pushed away the rain clouds and bathed Royal Birkdale in sunshine, Stars and Stripes.

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The British Open began Thursday with an All-American flavor.


Jordan Spieth, chomping away on gum as he watched one putt after another pour into the center of the cup, worked some bunker magic late in the round to keep his card filled only with birdies and pars for a 5-under 65.

Brooks Koepka, with no competition and barely any practice since winning the United States Open a month ago, ran off three straight birdies and holed a tough shot from a pot bunker for eagle on the par-5 17th hole for his own 5-under 65.

Joining them at the top of the leaderboard was Matt Kuchar, who first endeared himself to these British fans as a 19-year-old amateur in 1998 at Royal Birkdale. He tied the course record with a 29 on the front nine, only to fall into a routine of pars the rest of the way. He still shot 65, his best score ever in a major.


They had a one-shot lead over Paul Casey and Charl Schwartzel on a day that started nasty and ended with 39 players breaking par. The biggest question after a long day on the links was what was in store for Friday, when high wind and occasional showers were in the forecast.

“I thought today’s round was extremely important, as they all are,” Spieth said, atop the leaderboard at a major for the first time since last year’s Masters. “But given the forecast coming in, I thought you really needed to be in the red today. You can certainly make up ground in a round tomorrow, and we’ll see it happen. But being able to kind of play with shots, or play a little more conservative because you don’t try to do too much on a day like tomorrow, that’s nice and very helpful.”

Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy fall into that category.

The top-ranked Johnson, who has not played the weekend at a major since the British Open last year, managed only one birdie on a decent day for scoring and shot 71. McIlroy also shot 71 and was relieved. Coming off three missed cuts in his last four events, he was five-over through six holes when his caddie gave him a pep talk. McIlroy closed with three birdies over the last four holes to stay in the game.

Phil Mickelson failed to make a birdie, the first time that has happened in a major in five years, and shot 73.

Kuchar was the only one at 65 who played in the afternoon. The wind remained strong, though the course was manageable for everyone who holed putts and stayed out of bunkers and deep grass.

“I watched some of the golf this morning on TV, ” Kuchar said. “It looked awfully challenging. It looked like anything under par was going to be a good score. Seemed like the later your tee time, the better draw you got.”

Charley Hoffman had the best start of all, holing out from the rough on the daunting opening hole for an eagle. He was poised to join the leaders when he reached five-under with a birdie on the 15th, only to drop shots on the next two holes. Hoffman shot 69 and was in a group that included Ian Poulter and Rafa Cabrera Bello.

The defending champion, Henrik Stenson, who played with Spieth, had a 71. Stenson also played with Spieth the first two rounds of the 2015 Masters, which Spieth won wire-to-wire.

“He was rolling it superbly that week, and I don’t think it was that far behind today,” Stenson said.

But Spieth’s best shot was with his feet in the sand. He was in thick rough to the right of the 16th fairway when his shot crept into the back of a pot bunker. Not only was the ball on a slight slope, the rake marks left his ball between two ridges.

“This is dangerous,” Spieth said to his caddie.

He aimed to the right of the hole to avoid it going off the green on the other side and into another bunker, and it came off perfectly about 10 feet away.

“That was awesome,” were Spieth’s next words to his caddie.

He made the par putt. He followed with a two-putt birdie on the 17th and narrowly missed a 7-foot birdie putt on the last. It was his best start in a major since he shot 66 at the Masters a year ago. Spieth rated it among the top five or six rounds he has ever played in a major, not bad for someone who came close to the Grand Slam two years ago.

“I couldn’t have done much better today,” he said.

Royal Birkdale was much more kind than it was nine years ago in raging wind and rain. The 146th Open began in cool temperatures, a light rain and a strong wind. Mark O’Meara, a winner at Royal Birkdale in 1998 who is playing in his last British Open, hit the opening tee shot.

And then he hit another one.

O’Meara’s first shot was lost in the gorse, he made a quadruple-bogey 8 and was on his way to an 81. His threesome required 18 shots to play that hole. But the weather settled down a few hours later, and the scorecards filled up with plenty of birdies and eagles.

Just not for McIlroy until late in the round, or Johnson and Mickelson all day.

“With the weather we’re expecting tomorrow, I still feel I’m in the golf tournament,” McIlroy said. “If I can go out and play a good, quality round of golf in the morning and try to get in the clubhouse somewhere around even par, under par, I’ll still be around for the weekend.”

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/20/sports/british-open-first-round-leaderboard.html

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Chester Bennington: Linkin Park vocalist - Killed Himself

Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington has died aged 41, LA County Coroner says.

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Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington has died aged 41, LA County Coroner says.

The coroner said Bennington apparently hanged himself. His body was found at a private home in the county at 09:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on Thursday.

Bennington was said to be close to Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell, who took his own life in May.

Formed in 1996, Linkin Park have sold more than 70 million albums worldwide and won two Grammy Awards.

The band had a string of hits including Faint, In The End and Crawling, and collaborated with the rapper Jay-Z.

The album Meteora topped the Billboard 200 chart in 2003 and is regarded as one of the biggest indie rock records of all time.

The band had been due to begin a tour next week.

Voice of a generation: By Steve Holden, BBC Newsbeat

For a generation growing up in the early 2000s, it would have been hard not to find someone who didn't own a copy of the band's debut album Hybrid Theory.

It's sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and remains one of the biggest selling albums released since the start of the millennium.

Linkin Park's successful trick was to fuse elements of metal and rock with rap and hip-hop to shape the nu-metal genre on songs such as Crawling, In The End and Numb.

Arguably their biggest asset was Chester's powerhouse voice. He had a huge, raspy vocal which suited their stadium-filling, singalong anthems.

Whilst his vocal persona could be described as angry and harsh, in person he was warm, articulate and funny.

The band's most recent album, One More Light, saw a different direction as they worked with prolific pop songwriters Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter - and collaborated with UK grime artist Stormzy.

He leaves a wife, and six children from two marriages.

The singer is said to have struggled for years with alcohol and drug abuse, and has talked in the past about contemplating suicide as a result of being a victim of abuse as a child.

    The story behind Linkin Park's collaboration with Stormzy
    Linkin Park: New album raw and dirty

Who was Chester Bennington?
  •     Born March 1976 in Phoenix, Arizona, son of a police officer
  •     Performed with Phoenix post-grunge band Grey Daze 1993-98
  •     Joined Linkin Park in 1998; Hybrid Theory was released two years later
  •     Fronted the Stone Temple Pilots between 2013 and 2015
  •     Also performed with supergroups Dead by Sunrise and Kings of Chaos

Bennington wrote an open letter to Chris Cornell on the latter's death, saying: "You have inspired me in ways you could never have known... I can't imagine a world without you in it."

Cornell would have celebrated his 53rd birthday on Thursday. He hanged himself after a concert in Detroit on 17 May.

Band member Mike Shinoda confirmed the news of Bennington's death on Twitter: "Shocked and heartbroken, but it's true. An official statement will come out as soon as we have one."

Tributes to Bennington flooded in soon after news of his death.

The band Imagine Dragons tweeted: "no words, so heartbroken. RIP Chester Bennington."

Grime artist Stormzy, who collaborated with Linkin Park earlier this year, tweeted: "Bruv I can't lie I'm so upset serious."


Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-40676530

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Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Funny man Kevin Hart to perform in Shreveport - get your tickets now!


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Actor Hart says writing his memoir - "I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons" - was "therapeutic." AP




Comedian and entertainer Kevin Hart will perform in Shreveport at the Municipal Auditorium at 7 p.m. Oct. 21.


Tickets start at $45 and are on sale beginning at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 19. Tickets are available at the Shreveport Convention Center Box Office, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,at all Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com and livenation.com, or charge by phone 800-745-3000. All tickets subject to applicable service charges and fees.

2017 has already been a banner year for Hart, his memoir I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons debuted at number one on the New York Times Bestseller list and has remained on the list for five consecutive weeks. The book also topped records on the Audible platform, selling over 100,000 copies in the first five weeks.

Also this year Hart voiced a title character in "Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie." To close 2017, Kevin will appear in the Sony reboot of the classic film "Jumanji" alongside Dwayne Johnson and Jack Black.

Entertainment: Shreveport cover band is shaking up '90s tunes

Hart’s newest business venture is his digital platform the LOL NETWORK - Laugh Out Loud, the comedy brand and multi-platform network founded by Hart in partnership global content leader Lionsgate. The streaming video service will launch on Aug. 3 featuring a slate of original scripted and unscripted comedy series, stand-up specials, licensed programming, and live broadcasts.

Hart’s recent movie projects include the animated film "The Secret Life of Pets"(Illumination Entertainment) and the live action comedy "Central Intelligence" (New Line Cinema and Universal Pictures), Universal’s "Ride Along 2", which grossed over $100 million worldwide, Screen Gems’ "The Wedding Ringer" and Warner Brothers’ "Get Hard."

Source: http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/entertainment/2017/07/19/funny-man-kevin-hart-perform-shreveport/492191001/

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John McCain Has Brain Cancer, His Office Says - Hoping for Fast Recovery


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WASHINGTON — Senator John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee known for his independent streak over more than three decades representing Arizona in the Senate, has brain cancer, his office disclosed Wednesday night in a statement from the Mayo Clinic.


The statement said the medical condition was discovered after Mr. McCain, 80, who was re-elected to a sixth term in November, underwent surgery to remove a blood clot above his left eye at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix.

“Subsequent tissue pathology revealed that a primary brain tumor known as a glioblastoma was associated with the blood clot,” the statement said. “Treatment options may include a combination of chemotherapy and radiation.”

Medical experts said his condition was extremely serious. Eugene S. Flamm, chairman of neurosurgery at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx, said that “a glioblastoma is the most common and most malignant of brain tumors.”

The median survival is about 16 months, he said. Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, died in 2009 from this kind of aggressive brain tumor, which almost always grows back even after chemotherapy and radiation.

The illness of Mr. McCain, a former Navy pilot who was captured and held as a prisoner during the Vietnam War, had implications this week for the health care debate. His absence caused Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, to postpone a floor fight until Mr. McCain returned to Washington.

The diagnosis shook the Senate, where Mr. McCain is a popular figure despite his occasionally heated disputes with colleagues in both parties. About a dozen lawmakers who on Wednesday night were gathered in the Dirksen Senate Office Building to explore a health care compromise asked Senator James Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican who is a Baptist minister, to lead them in prayer for their colleague.

“It was very emotional,” said Senator John Hoeven, Republican of North Dakota, who was present. He said finding a solution to the health care impasse was “more challenging without him.”

Mr. McConnell called Mr. McCain a hero to both Senate Republicans and the nation at large.

“He has never shied from a fight, and I know that he will face this challenge with the same extraordinary courage that has characterized his life,” Mr. McConnell said Wednesday night. “We all look forward to seeing this American hero again soon.”

The disclosure on Wednesday suggested that Mr. McCain’s condition was more serious than initially believed, although the statement said that “he is recovering from his surgery ‘amazingly well,’” according to his doctors, “and his underlying health is excellent.”

President Trump on Wednesday night issued a statement urging Mr. McCain to quickly recover.

“Senator John McCain has always been a fighter,” Mr. Trump said.

As the Republican health care bill teetered in recent days, Mr. Trump referred affectionately to Mr. McCain as a “crusty voice” in the capital. But their relationship has been fraught. In July 2016, during the presidential campaign, Mr. Trump denigrated Mr. McCain’s military record, saying he was considered a war hero only because he was captured. “I like people who weren’t captured,” Mr. Trump said in a comment that many suggested had gone too far. Mr. McCain, who at the time was facing conservative opposition in his re-election to his Senate seat, remained a supporter of Mr. Trump throughout the campaign.

However, Mr. McCain has pressed for a deep investigation into any interference into the presidential campaign that was conducted by Russia, which he considers an adversary. On Tuesday, and despite his condition, Mr. McCain issued a statement warning about Russian intrusion in Ukraine and calling for new sanctions against Moscow.

On Twitter, former President Barack Obama, who defeated Mr. McCain in the 2008 election, called the senator a “hero & one of the bravest fighters I’ve ever known. Cancer doesn’t know what it’s up against. Give it hell, John.”

Mr. McCain, who had failed to win his party’s presidential nomination in 2000, faced an uphill battle in 2008 given public discontentment with the United States-led war in Iraq and overall fatigue with the administration of President George W. Bush. Mr. McCain picked Sarah Palin, then the governor of Alaska, as his vice-presidential running mate in an effort to reinvigorate a flagging campaign with a woman on the ticket.

A crucial moment in the race occurred in late September 2008 when he suddenly suspended his campaign and returned to Washington for an economic summit meeting at the White House that was also attended by Mr. Obama, then a Democratic senator from Illinois. Mr. McCain’s 11th-hour effort to focus on the economy was generally considered a lost opportunity, and the financial collapse helped propel Mr. Obama to the presidency.

Mr. McCain currently leads the Senate Armed Services Committee and is a top proponent of using military force overseas. The Senate is preparing to take up the annual Pentagon policy measure produced by the committee.

In Congress, he is probably best known for his efforts to champion changes in campaign finance laws over the fierce objections of some of his Republican colleagues, particularly Mr. McConnell.

Mr. McCain’s office said he “appreciates the outpouring of support he has received over the last few days.” The statement added: “He is in good spirits as he continues to recover at home with his family in Arizona. He is grateful to the doctors and staff at Mayo Clinic for their outstanding care, and is confident that any future treatment will be effective. Further consultations with Senator McCain’s Mayo Clinic care team will indicate when he will return to the United States Senate.”

The standard of care includes surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible, and then radiation and chemotherapy. In the past, radiation sometimes diminished patient’s brain function, but techniques have improved so that more healthy brain tissue is spared and patients fare better, said Dr. Mitchel S. Berger, a neurosurgeon and glioblastoma expert at the University of California, San Francisco.

Senator Jeff Flake, the junior Republican senator from Arizona, acknowledged the seriousness of Mr. McCain’s diagnosis in a still-hopeful Twitter post. “Tough diagnosis, but even tougher man,” Mr. Flake wrote.

 Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/19/us/politics/john-mccain-brain-cancer.html

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