Preservation board to decide on Herald building




















The city of Miami’s historic preservation office has compiled a lengthy, detailed report that substantially bolsters the case for designation of The Miami Herald’s “monumental’’ bayfront building as a protected landmark based on both its architectural merits and its historic significance.

Somewhat unusually, the 40-page report by city preservation officer Megan McLaughlin, which is supplemented by 30 pages of bibliography, plans and photographs, carries no explicit recommendation to the city’s preservation board, which is scheduled to decide the matter on Monday.

But her analysis gathers extensive evidence that the building’s history, the influential executives and editors associated with it, and its fusion of Mid-Century Modern and tropical Miami Modern (MiMo) design meet several of the legal criteria for designation set out in the city’s preservation ordinance and federal guidelines. A building has to meet just one of eight criteria to merit designation.





A spokeswoman for the city’s historic preservation office said there is no obligation to make a recommendation and the city’s preservation board didn’t ask for one.

Supporters of designation, including officials at Dade Heritage Trust, the preservation group that has received sometimes withering criticism from business and civic leaders for requesting designation, said they felt vindicated by the report, even as they concede that persuading a board majority to support it remains an uphill battle.

“It’s important that an objective expert is saying basically the same thing we’ve been saying, particularly in an environment where there is so much pressure,’’ said DHT chief executive Becky Roper Matkov. “It’s very hard to refute. When you look at the building’s architecture and history, it’s so blatantly historic, what else can you say?’’

The report also rebuts key pieces of criticism of the designation effort leveled by opponents of designation, including architects and a prominent local preservation historian hired by Genting, the Malaysian casino operator that purchased the Herald property last year for $236 million with plans to build a massive destination resort on its 10 acres. The newspaper remains in the building rent-free until April, when it will move to suburban Doral.

Citing federal rules, McLaughlin concluded that the building dates to its construction in 1960 and 1961, and not to its formal dedication in 1963. That’s significant because it makes the building legally older than 50 years. Buildings newer than that must be “exceptionally significant’’ to merit designation under city regulations. Opponents of designation have claimed the building does not qualify because it’s several months short of 50 years if dated from its ’63 opening.

The property also has a “minimal’’ baywalk at the rear but there is room to expand it, the report indicates. The building is considerably set back from the edge of Biscayne Bay, between 68 feet at the widest point and 23 feet at its narrowest, the report says. That’s comparable to what many new buildings provide, thanks in part to variances granted by the city, and could blunt criticism that the Herald building “blocks’’ public access to the bay.





Read More..

Are Online Degrees as Valuable as Traditional College Diplomas?












Millennials are the first generation to grow up with constant technology and personal computers. That might explain why they see such a value in online education.


A recent poll by Northeastern University showed that 18 to 29 year olds had a more negative view about attending college because of the high cost, and a more positive opinion about online classes than their older counterparts. The survey also showed more than half of the millennials had taken an online course.












Online education is attracting hundreds of thousands of students a year. Perhaps this is why more brick-and-mortar universities are searching for an online identity.


This week Wellesley College announced that it will offer free online classes to anyone with an Internet connection as part of the nonprofit project edX. Earlier this year, Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology teamed up to fund and launch the online platform.


More: Harvard and MIT Want to Educate You for Free


Online education was even the talk in Washington this week when a group of panelists convened to discuss Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC), which is an open source network like edX. These courses are very much like correspondence classes in the early 20th century.


But there are still those universities that only exist in a virtual world and students pay to attend. Are they as beneficial to students as attending a two- or four-year college?


“It depends at what level and what subject,” says Isabelle Frank, dean of Fordham College of Liberal Studies. “In general, fully online degrees are not valued as highly as degrees from brick-and-mortar institutions. This is because online-only universities do not have the faculty quality and interaction that occurs with full-time faculty and secure positions.”


She says that Fordham has online master programs and some online courses, but the model is “that of a small seminar style class with a lot of faculty feedback and involvement.”


Just like a physical college, a quality online education depends on the institution.


For example, students at Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business take online classes and communicate with other students around the world—something students 25 years ago couldn’t have dreamed of doing.


“This affords the opportunity to learn leadership, team-building and managerial skills by solving problems and coordinating efforts for projects through the process of establishing real-time meetings, coordinating time zones and dealing with potential language issues,” Sher Downing, executive director of online academic services at the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, said. “This value cannot be mirrored as easily in a traditional classroom, and for many companies with offices located around the world, this is a valuable skill, when the workforce is required to handle these types of situations.”


Downing said that students can save money by taking online classes because they no longer have to commute, live on or near a campus or relocate.


The millennials surveyed by Northeastern University are keen to take online courses. In fact, nine in 10 said online classes should be used as a tool and mixed with other teaching methods. The poll also found that students want flex­i­bility, which is exactly what online colleges offer.


Employers may not yet see an online degree in the same light as a traditional university but that is likely to change in the near future. It may just be that millennials, who don’t want to go in debt for an education like some of their parents did, are just a bit ahead of educators and employers.


Related Stories on TakePart:


• Top Universities Want You to Take Free Online Classes in Your Pajamas


• Military Gives ‘F’ to Online Diplomas


• 2012 List: The Most Expensive Colleges in America



Suzi Parker is an Arkansas-based political and cultural journalist whose work frequently appears in The Washington Post and The Christian Science Monitor. She is the author of two books. @SuziParker | TakePart.com 


Linux/Open Source News Headlines – Yahoo! News


Read More..

How They Pulled Off 'The Impossible'

The true story of the devastating 2004 tsunami that consumed the coast of Phuket, Thailand -- and how one family survived it -- is reenacted by Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor in The Impossible. Watch the video to go behind the scenes...

Video: Tsunami Survivor Petra Nemcova Reacts to Latest Disaster in Japan

In theaters December 21, The Impossible finds Naomi as Maria and Ewan as her husband Henry, who are enjoying their winter vacation in Thailand with their three sons. On the day after Christmas, their relaxing holiday in paradise becomes an exercise in terror and survival when their beachside hotel is pummeled by an extraordinary, unexpected tsunami.

Video: Watch the Trailer for 'The Impossible'

The Impossible tracks just what happens when this close family and tens of thousands of strangers must come together to grapple with the mayhem and aftermath of one of the worst natural catastrophes of our time.

Read More..

Speeding SUV slams into Jeep, which then runs over family of four in Brooklyn








Benny J. Stumbo


This jeep flipped over and hit a family of four during a terrible accident in Brooklyn sparked by a speeding SUV.


An out-of-control SUV driver blew a stop sign and caused a domino effect of destruction — hitting a jeep that flipped over and struck a group of pedestrians in Brooklyn this afternoon, witnesses and authorities said.

Horrified onlookers watched as Jeep hit a family of four standing on a sidewalk, leaving one member clinging to life, witnesses and authorities said.

At least four others were injured in the massive accident.




“My mother and I heard screaming and a huge explosion coming from [the street.] I immediately thought my brother could be out there,” said Diana Babbo, 18.

“I ran up the street and saw that a Jeep was flipped over. An entire family was pinned between the jeep and a parked car on the street, she said.

“A lady was completely dead or passed out. It was horrifying. An infant and two other people were under the car. It was so terrible. I’m trembling thinking about it.”

Babbo bawled as they pulled the car off the woman, she said.

“She was turning blue,” the teen recalled.

“The guy driving the Jeep had his head cracked open. He was walking towards the police after they cut him out of his car.”

The man passed out on the street, she said.

“I pray to god everybody is okay. I can’t get their faces out of my head.”

Other residents like Mohammed Umair, 17, said accidents have happened at this location many times before.

“This cross street is a death trap,” he said.

“A car smashed into a house. This isn’t going to stop until there are more lights and signs put up. More people are going to die if something isn’t done.”

cgiove@nypost.com










Read More..

Events showcase Miami’s growth as tech center




















One by one, representatives from six startup companies walked onto the wooden stage and presented their products or services to a full house of about 200 investors, mentors, and other supporters Thursday at Incubate Miami’s DemoDay in the loft-like Grand Central in downtown Miami. With a large screen behind them projecting their graphs and charts, they set out to persuade the funders in the room to part with some of their green and support the tech community.

Just 24 hours later, from an elaborate “dojo stage,” a drummer warmed up the crowd of several hundred before a “Council of Elders” entered the ring to share wisdom as the all-day free event opened. Called TekFight, part education, part inspiration, and part entertainment, the tournament-style program challenged entrepreneurs to earn points to “belt up” throughout the day to meet with the “masters” of the tech community.

The two events, which kicked off Innovate MIA week, couldn’t be more different. But in their own ways, like a one-two punch, they exuded the spirit and energy growing in the startup community.





One of the goals of the TekFight event was to introduce young entrepreneurs and students to the tech community, because not everyone has found it yet and it’s hard to know where to start, said Saif Ishoof, the executive director of City Year Miami who co-founded TekFight as a personal project. And throughout the event, he and co-founder Jose Antonio Hernandez-Solaun, as well as Binsen J. Gonzalez and Jeff Goudie, wanted to find creative, engaging ways to offer participants access to some of the community’s most successful leaders.

That would include Alberto Dosal, chairman of CompuQuip Technologies; Albert Santalo, founder and CEO of CareCloud; Jorge Plasencia, chairman and CEO of Republica; Jaret Davis, co-managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurig; and more than two dozen other business and community leaders who shared their war stories and offered advice. Throughout the day, the event was live-streamed on the Web, a TekFight app created by local entrepreneur and UM student Tyler McIntyre kept everyone involved in the tournament and tweets were flying — with #TekFight trending No. 1 in the Miami area for parts of the day. “Next time Art Basel will know not to try to compete with TekFight,” Ishoof quipped.

‘Miami is a hotbed’

After a pair of Chinese dragons danced through the audience, Andre J. Gudger, director for the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs, entered the ring. “I’ve never experienced an event like this,” Gudger remarked. “Miami is a hotbed for technology but nobody knew it.”

Gudger shared humorous stories and practical advice on ways to get technology ideas heard at the highest levels of the federal government. “Every federal agency has a director over small business — find out who they are,” he said. He has had plenty of experience in the private sector: Gudger, who wrote his first computer program on his neighbor’s computer at the age of 12, took one of his former companies from one to 1,300 employees.

There were several rounds that pitted an entrepreneur against an investor, such as Richard Grundy, of the tech startup Flomio, vs. Jonathan Kislak, of Antares Capital, who asked Grundy, “why should I give you money?”





Read More..

Senate President Don Gaetz cancels on governor to avoid rule violation




















Gov. Rick Scott invited Senate President Don Gaetz to dinner Thursday and the senator gladly accepted, before realizing that going might violate Senate rules and the Florida Constitution.

Scott invited legislators to a holiday reception at the Mansion and Gaetz said he and his wife were invited to stay for dinner.

“They’ve asked Vicki and I to stay afterwards,” Gaetz said. “I guess he wants to talk to me.”





Scott often favors substantive discussions over small talk, and the success of his agenda in the second half of his term will depend in large part on Gaetz’s support.

Gaetz said the two men have not spoken since he became Senate president Nov. 20.

Reminded that Senate rules and the Constitution prohibit the Senate president and governor from discussing official business in private, Gaetz said: “I’ll try not to.”

But soon after,Gaetz canceled.

It may have looked like an innocent get-together at the most festive time of the year, and a spokeswoman for Scott said the event was “purely social.”

But under rules re-enacted by the Senate two weeks ago, the Senate president cannot meet privately with the governor without first issuing a four-hour notice to the public and news media.

No notice was given before Thursday’s event.

The Senate counsel, George Levesque, interprets the rule to cover social occasions between the two leaders, according to Gaetz’s spokeswoman.

“It was definitely our fault,” spokeswoman Katherine Betta said. “Next time, we will notice it.”

The Constitution contains a provision, approved by Florida voters, that says discussions of official business between the governor and Senate president or House speaker must be “reasonably open to the public.”

House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, was also invited to the reception, but said he could not attend.

Gaetz, a Niceville Republican, has set a tone different from his predecessors by calling for higher ethical standards for elected officials in Florida — especially legislators.

In his Nov. 20 acceptance speech as Senate president, he told the Senate: “You and I will be judged ... by what we do to reform the way we run elections and raise the standards of ethical conduct from the courthouse to the state house.”

Barbara Petersen of the First Amendment Foundation, a group that monitors government compliance with open meetings and public records laws, praised Gaetz for cancelling on the governor.

“I think this is the appropriate response and hopefully it sets the tone for the upcoming legislative session,” Petersen said. “Even though this meeting may have been less formal than others, clearly Sen. Gaetz takes the responsibilities of his office very seriously.”





Read More..

iPad mini fails to draw crowds for China launch












Either Apple’s (AAPL) reservation-only system works better than anyone could have expected, or consumers in China have little interest in the company’s new iPad mini. Apple’s tiny tablet launched on schedule on Friday but according to IDG News Service, the turnout for Apple’s new slate was minimal. At Apple’s new flagship store in the well-trafficked Wangfujing district in Beijing, for example, turnout was “nearly nonexistent” according to the report, with no lines forming at all on Friday.


We’ve seen Apple rack up big numbers despite small launch-day turnouts in the past, but Apple’s reservation system does not appear to be responsible for the seemingly slow launch — according to IDG, many consumers who did turn up at Apple stores looking to purchase an iPad mini were unable to do so because they weren’t even aware that the reservation-only system existed.












Apple’s iPhone 5, which will presumably draw more of a crowd, launches in China next Friday.


Get more from BGR.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook


Gadgets News Headlines – Yahoo! News


Read More..

Fergie Plays Santa Baby for Soldiers

Fergie is certainly in the holiday spirit these days – the songstress and entrepreneur hosted the Cell Phones for Soldiers Voli Light Vodka Party at the SkyBar in Hollywood Thursday night, and she shared her big holiday plans with ET.

Video: What Turns Fergie on About Husband Josh Duhamel

"My plans are to go to my mom's for Christmas, have a nice Voli cocktail and her homemade lasagna. " said Fergie with a smile. "She makes turkey lasagna with low-fat mozzarella cheese. It's still indulging a little bit, but without all the guilt."

As for her big end-of-year appearance, she says, "My plans for New Year's Eve is I will be co-hosting the Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest, counting down to the New Year, to 2013. Cheers!"

As for the evening's great charity, she says, "I get to present to the troops tonight a big calling card … It's a very special hosting gig I have tonight. It means a lot. … Cell Phones for Soldiers is such an amazing organization. … [For every old or broken cell phone donated], they give minutes to the troops, so tonight we are raising at least 500,000 minutes for the troops so that the troops can call home for the holidays. It's such a great cause, and I'm just a huge supporter of our troops."

Related: Fergie's Growing Business Empire Revealed

Of course, Fergie got to celebrate with her favorite drink, the Voli Cinnamon Kiss, using the first low-calorie vodka on the market. Watch the video to see which Voli drink is hubby Josh Duhamel's favorite!

Here's the recipe for that delicious-looking Voli Cinnamon Kiss:

Voli original

sugar free cinnamon syrup

fat free half and half

mixed with ice and served in a rocks glass

with a dash of cinnamon on top.

APPROX: 95 CALORIES

Read More..

'Split right down the middle': Released juror would have acquitted Hasidic leader in underage sex trial, others torn








One of the alternate jurors released today from serving on the explosive sex trial of a prominent Hasidic leader said she would have voted to acquit — and two other dismissed jurors said they would only have voted to convict him on some of the charges.

“I didn’t have enough evidence to nail the person. No video, no DNA,” said the juror, a middle-aged black woman. “There wasn’t enough evidence for me. Both sides were a little shady.”

Nechmya Weberman, 54, allegedly forced himself on a 12-year-old Brooklyn girl for three years after she was sent to him for counseling, prosecutors charge.





Spencer Burnett



Nechemya Weberman, a prominent Hasidic leader accused of sex crimes against a 12-year-old girl, leaves Brooklyn Supreme Court today. The jury, still deliberating, is reportedly torn.





The 12-person jury who will decide his fate began deliberations today, so the five alternate jurors were released from duty.

Two other alternate jurors said they would have voted to acquit Weberman of some of the 60 counts he faces.

“I still think there is enough evidence to convict — some of the charges at least,” said a white male juror in his 30s, who said he would have voted Weberman guilty of sex abuse and child endangerment, but not on the top count of sexual conduct against a child.

Weberman could face 25 years on the top count alone.

“I don’t know what the jury’s going to do. I think they are split right down the middle. I was split down the middle as well. It’s a tough one,” the juror said. “I thought there was a lack of evidence there. At the same time the Hasidic community does hide a lot. You can see it.”

Another alternate juror said he believed Weberman did abuse the girl in his office, but would not have voted to convict on every charge.

“I think he’s guilty, but it’s a matter of what he’s guilty of,” the dismissed juror said.

Deliberations halted early at 2:30 p.m. so Weberman could head home for the Jewish Sabbath. The jury will resume deliberations Monday.

jsaul@nypost.com










Read More..

Heico increases special dividend




















Technology company Heico Corp. said Thursday that it would increase a previously announced special dividend by $1 per share after an enthusiastic reaction from shareholders.

The new special cash dividend will be $2.14, combined with a regular payment of six cents per share. A single $2.20 per share amount will be paid on or before Dec. 31.

Heico moved up the date of the regular dividend, which would have typically been paid in January, and declared the special payment because of tax increases expected in 2013.





The company, which has headquarters in Miami and Hollywood, makes replacement parts for airplanes and components for the space, defense, communications, medical and computer industries.





Read More..

A Pearl Harbor veteran remembers the horror




















On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, Abe Stein, a 21-year-old solider from Wilkes Barre, Penn., was asleep in the U.S. Army’s Schofield Barracks on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

The post was established in 1908 as home to the 25th Infantry Division, assigned to protect the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor.

But that day, no one could protect the ships docked there or personnel at surrounding installations from the Japanese sneak attack that took at least 2,400 American lives.





Sgt. Stein found himself running toward a base hospital, unsure what had made his bunk shake so hard that it woke him up.

“I was helping a colonel who was cursing: ‘The Japanese just bombed the hell out of us!’’ he recall today, more than seven decades later.

Stein, 92, an Aventura widower and retired hotel manager who dabbles in the travel business, says that the sights and sounds of that horrible day still haunt his memory.

“It’s like yesterday,’’ he says. “It’s not going away for me.’’

That’s both a blessing and curse for Stein: a blessing because he can speak about it as an eyewitness to history, a curse because whenever he hears “Taps,” he thinks about the dead and cries.

It’s thought that about 1,000 World War II veterans die every day, that by next year, only 1.25 million will remain, and that by 2036, all will be gone.

Pearl Harbor survivors like Stein are so rare that he believes himself one of only two left in South Florida. He belongs to the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, which used to meet every five years in Hawaii, but hasn’t since 2006.

“We’re getting about as extinct as the dodo bird,’’ the group’s president told a New York Times reporter at the time. “The way it’s going, our next national convention here we could hold in a phone booth.’’

Stein, who attended a 50th anniversary ceremony at Pearl Harbor, also participated in the Normandy invasion, for which he’ll receive the French Legion of Honor award on Dec. 19 at The Shul of Bal Harbour, where he prays.

Abe Stein had been a high school wrestler before he enlisted in the Army on Nov. 2, 1940, 13 months before the “date which shall live in infamy,’’ as President Franklin D. Roosevelt called the attack on Pearl Harbor, which brought the United States into the world war.

The seventh of 10 children, Stein followed a sister to Florida and signed up at a Miami recruiting office. He had his pick of posts and told the recruiter: “Hawaii looks good.’’

Had his family been able to afford it, he’d have become a doctor, Stein said. Instead, he trained in medical supply with the army, arriving at Schofield Barracks in January 1941.

He remembers sunny afternoons playing army/navy baseball during “11 months of peace.’’

The night of Dec. 6, 1941, Stein worked late.

“I was fast asleep when my bed started to shake,’’ he recalls. “Without opening my eyes I said, ‘Don’t bother me; I am off today.’ Then it shook again and I was ready to bop someone when I saw all of the soldiers running to the balcony. The clocked showed 7:55 a.m.’’

He saw fighter planes, which later strafed the barracks, but he didn’t realize they were Japanese.





Read More..

Shakira's Boyfriend Shares Ultrasound Photo

He's not even born yet, but Shakira's son already has a good side.

The 35-year-old singer's footballer boyfriend, FC Barcelona's Gerard Pique, posted a picture to his WhoSay account today, introducing his son to the world.

RELATED: Shakira Pregnant with First Child

"His first pic!" Gerard, 25, wrote as a caption to an ultrasound photo of his baby boy.

Shakira confirmed the news of her pregnancy in September via her website, writing, "Gerard I are very happy awaiting the arrival of our first baby! At this time we have decided to give priority to this unique moment in our lives and postpone all the promotional activities planned over the next few days."

The mom-to-be has since returned to the stage, showing off her baby bump during a concert at Baku Crystal Hall in Azerbaijan in October.

Read More..

Jurors convict former NYPD detective in fatal Bronx DWI








Jurors today convicted a former NYPD detective of manslaughter for mowing down a Bronx grandmother three years ago, but let him slide on a more serious charge because they thought evidence he was driving drunk was tainted.

Kevin Spellman, 45, faces 5 to 15 years in prison on the second-degree manslaughter charge, but he’d faced 25 years had he been convicted on the top charge of vehicular homicide charge.

Prosecutors said Spellman, an off-duty officer at the time, was boozed up and driving erratically when he plowed into a pedestrian, Drane Nikac, 70, on Oct. 30, 2009 with a city-owned Chevrolet Impala..





Robert Kalfus



Kevin Spellman.





Spellman was charged with vehicular manslaughter after his blood alcohol level was determined to be .21 — more than twice the legal limit of .08.

But jurors said they were swayed by defense arguments that blood tested after the accident was contaminated.

After the verdict was read in a Bronx court, Spellman’s wife broke down in tears, as did the victim’s family.










Read More..

New equity options exchange owned by Miami company starts trading on Friday




















MIAX Options Exchange, a new fully electronic, equity options trading exchange, said it will begin trading on Friday.

MIAX Options Exchange is based in Princeton, N.J., but its parent company is Miami International Holdings. While MIAX’s executive offices, technology development center and national operations center are based in Princeton, additional executive offices, and a multi-purpose training, meeting and conference center will be located in Miami, the company said.

MIAX Options Exchange’s trading platform has been developed in-house and designed for the functional and performance demands of derivatives trading, the company said.





INA PAIVA CORDLE





Read More..

Fla. university leaders want to avoid tuition hike




















The presidents of Florida’s state universities have an offer for the Legislature: Give us $118 million and we won’t raise tuition.

“What we’re asking for this year is a significant investment from the state, tied to specific goals to universities,” said University of West Florida President Judy Bense during Wednesday’s news conference. “With an investment provided for our students, we promise not to seek one penny of a tuition increase this year.”

This new funding would be on top of restoring a $300 million cut the Legislature imposed last year, something lawmakers are already building into the budget. The $118 million would be distributed to the 12 state universities according to performance-based goals, the presidents propose.





Gov. Rick Scott, returning from a Colombian trade mission Wednesday, issued a statement praising the universities’ position against tuition increases without mentioning their request for more tax dollars.

“We are pleased to share this important goal with many of Florida’s finest higher education leaders who are committed to holding the line on tuition,” Scott said. “We look forward to working closely with them as we put together a proposed budget and other policies for the upcoming legislative session.”

University of South Florida President Judy Genshaft said the state is moving away from previous efforts to increase Florida tuition so that it is closer to the national average. Scott’s opposition to tuition hikes means that is no longer feasible, she said.

“We’re in a situation where the governor is very opposed to an increase in tuition and we understand,” she said. “And we’re also concerned about the strains” on students.

Sen. Joe Negron, who chairs the Senate’s budget committee, said he supports boosting university funding although it’s too early to say how it will be done or how much.

“I have believed for a long time that the state spends too much money in health and human services and not enough in higher education,” said Negron, R-Stuart. “And I believe that we should budget additional resources for our universities, which I believe don’t get the credit that they deserve for economic development and the well-being of our state.”

House Appropriations Chairman Seth McKeel said the state’s budget is expected to improve but there are pressures and challenges.

“We look forward to working with the presidents on any proposals they have on the floor,” the Lakeland Republican said.

The universities’ offer is separate from another money-related issue likely to be raised by the University of Florida and Florida State University. Both universities again are advocating for “pre-eminence” status that will allow them unlimited ability to increase tuition. Scott vetoed such a bill earlier this year because he’s against tuition hikes.

FSU President Eric Barron said “pre-eminence” is “a different topic that should be addressed differently” than the no-tuition pledge the universities agreed to. UF President Bernie Machen added that the “pre-eminence” proposal is more complex than just the tuition component.

“In fact, the major benefit of that bill for the state was to set up guidelines and benchmarks to identify excellence in our state universities,” Machen said. “We’re in favor of that, the Board of Governors remains in favor of that. The tuition aspect of it was simply one mechanism that could be used to receive new resources.”





Read More..

Worn Out? Stars Step Out in Same Style


Kristin Cavallari vs. Dania Ramirez


The Hills star Kristin Cavallari sported this festive red skater dress at the Chinese Laundry launch party for her new shoe collection in NYC Tuesday night, though Dania Ramirez beat her to the punch -- she stepped out in the same memorable dress (which she chose to pair with a black belt) at Variety's Power of Women event back in October. 


Read More..

Unidentified skeleton found on Jamaica Bay island








Skeletal remains that appear to belong to a teenage girl were discovered on an uninhabited island in Jamaica Bay, authorities said.

A boater passing the Canarsie Pol, across from Canarsie Pier around 4:45 p.m., Tuesday spotted the bones and notified police, sources said.

Fog, darkness and choppy waters prevented the NYPD Harbor Patrol from investigating the find on the marshland until yesterday, police said.

The Medical Examiner’s Office has not identified the remains but sources said at least one document belonging to a girl who has been missing since last year was found nearby, sources said.



It wasn’t immediately clear whether the person suffered any trauma and investigators are still trying to determine a cause of death.










Read More..

Innovate MIA puts spotlight on startup community




















If you think the next week is all about art, you may be surprised to learn there are also six entrepreneurship events vying for your time.

And that is all by design.

In much the way that Art Basel helped put Miami’s arts community on the international map, organizers of the first Innovate MIA hope their weeklong grouping of events will shine a light on the city’s growing tech startup community and its position as the gateway to Latin America.





Many of the events — ending with Florida International University’s Americas Venture Capital Conference — are after Art Basel. That’s also why the third annual AVCC was moved to Dec. 13-14 from its previous mid-November dates.

“Our message is come for Art Basel, and stay for AVCC,” said Juan Pablo Cappello, a lawyer, entrepreneur and investor who is on the steering committee of the venture capital conference and several other Innovate MIA events. And all week, there will be plenty of opportunities for Miami’s entrepreneurs, creatives and investors to mingle with their counterparts from all over the Americas and beyond.

In addition to the AVCC, there’s Incubate Miami’s DemoDay, where its class of startups present their companies, the martial arts-inspired TekFight and HackDay, which dangles a $50,000 cash prize. Endeavor, the global nonprofit that promotes high-impact entrepreneurship in emerging economies, is bringing its two-day International Selection Panel to Miami, and Wayra, an international accelerator, is holding a one-day event to showcase its promising startups from Latin America and Spain. It’s all part of Innovate MIA week: “I don’t think anything like it has ever been organized here in South Florida,” Cappello said.

The AVCC will be the big draw, with about 300 people expected to attend the two-day event at the JW Marriott Brickell. The conference, themed “Data, Design & Dollars,” will feature thought leaders from all over the world, particularly Latin America, and presentations by 29 selected companies. This year, the format has been overhauled and energized, with lots of short talks and more time for question-and-answer sessions and networking, said Jerry Haar, associate dean of FIU’s College of Business, director of the Pino Global Entrepreneurship Center and AVCC co-chair.

The AVCC’s 36 speakers include Martin Varsavsky, Argentine tech entrepreneur, investor and founder of Viatel, Ya.com, Jazztel and FON; Hernan J. Kazah, co-founder and managing partner at Kaszek Ventures and co-founder of Mercadolibre; and Jason L. Baptiste, CEO and co-founder of Onswipe. There’s also Michael Jackson, former COO of Skype and now a venture capitalist; Albert Santalo, founder and CEO of Miami-based CareCloud; and Bedy Yang of 500 Startups.

Chosen from more than 100 applicants, the 29 presenting companies hailing from all over the Americas will be giving either two-minute or five-minute pitches, fielding questions from a panel of judges and competing for prize packages valued at about $50,000. Eight of the startups are from South Florida: itMD, Kairos, Trapezoid Digital Security, Esenem, LiveNinja, OnTrade, Rokk3r Labs and Zavee.

The presenting companies have “proven innovation, proven management teams and the ability to scale well and be a pan-regional player,” said Faquiry Diaz Cala, president of Tres Mares Group and co-chair of AVCC. “The word is out this is a great place to come and pitch to great investors in addition to potentially being one of the prize winners.”





Read More..

Miami-Dade Commission postpones Jackson Health System decision




















Miami-Dade County Commissioners postponed Tuesday voting on a resolution concerning the future shape of the governing board of the Jackson Health System.

Commissioner Rebeca Sosa asked for the delay and no one opposed the move.

In October, the commission voted 6-5 to make permanent a seven-member Jackson board, selected by a nominating committee of nine persons, five of whom would be board members. The commission would then approve the nominees.





That resolution was pushed hard by Commission Chairman Joe Martinez. Martinez, who lost the mayoral race, left the board in November, and Commissioner Barbara Jordan led an effort to reconsider.





Read More..

Stars Return to Middle-earth for 'The Hobbit'

Are you ready to return to Middle-earth? Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is coming to theaters and IMAX everywhere in 3D on December 14, and the extensive cast of Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs and Wizards features a pleasant mixture of new and returning faces to new, first installment of the growing, six-movie franchise.

Video: An Unexpected Journey to the NZ 'Hobbit' Premiere

"It's been 10 years since Lord of the Rings and we had no interest in making a sequel," says Peter Jackson about the new movie, which serves as a prequel to Rings. "But fortunately J.R.R. Tolkien had written this incredibly charming children's fairytale. … It's a much more charming, humorous story, and that was really the attraction for us -- the fact that we were able to go back and be the same storytellers, the same filmmakers, going back into Middle-earth again, but following a different story with a different group of characters largely. And a different tone – a lot more humor."

The long-awaited big-screen adaptation follows the adventures of the diminutive Hobbit Bilbo Baggins (played by Martin Freeman) as he journeys with a group of 13 Dwarves to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. On the way, they must battle treacherous Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and sly Sorcerers. And when Bilbo gains possession of Gollum's (the returning Andy Serkis) "preciousss" ring, the fate of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

"We've seen Bilbo already with the brilliant Ian Holm, and [in this movie] you start with the younger Bilbo. Suddenly it's the beginning of his journey, and it's the classic sequel," explains Martin Freeman, who adds that the newcomers to the franchise were welcomed with open arms by the family-like cast and crew: "We were made to feel like we had every right to be there, and we were well looked after."

Richard Armitage, who plays exiled Dwarf king Thorin Oakenshield, says, "I do think Peter has done something really interesting by kind of connecting the blood flow from the Rings trilogy into The Hobbit, very much in the prologue and all of the other characters that sort of link the two films together, and that has given it some sort of oxygen that fans will really enjoy."

Video: Precious Gollum Moments in New 'Hobbit' Trailer

Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving and Elijah Wood never imagined that they would return to Middle-earth to put on Hobbit feet and pointy Elven ears, and Elijah says, "The whole notion of coming back, it was a gift. It isn't something that any of us really expected. … It was an amazing experience."

And how different is Gollum this time around? "Well, he's 60 years younger, so he's only 540, and I think pretty sexy," jokes Serkis, who also served on The Hobbit as second-unit director: "It was doubly thrilling," he said of the unexpected offer from Jackson, joking of the opportunity, "He's known I've wanted to direct for a long time, and so it was really like being given a Maserati when you haven't passed your driving test. … It was a fantastic experience and hugely challenging."

The epic film also features returning The Lord of the Rings cast members Ian McKellen, Ian Holm and Christopher Lee alongside new faces Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Barry Humphries, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Sylvester McCoy, Bret McKenzie, Graham McTavish, James Nesbitt, Dean O'Gorman, Conan Stevens, Ken Stott and Aidan Turner.

Pics: 'The Hobbit' Photo Exclusive

So why will The Lord of the Rings fans love The Hobbit? "Because they'll be totally surprised by it," says Weaving, who especially loves the scene in which the Dwarves sing. "It was transporting … and moving." Cate agrees, "I found it really rich and surprising," pointing out that she's "really cool this month" to her three boys!

Read More..

Two more former LIRR workers cop to disability pension scam








They're hopping off the gravy train.

Two more LIRR retirees pleaded guilty today to scamming disability pensions -- and promised to pay back all the money they stole by faking career-killing injuries.

Former conductor James Reiser, 59, also cut a deal to cooperate with the feds in a bid to stay out of the slammer, admitting in court that he schemed with an indicted orthopedist to create phony paperwork that claimed he was unable to continue working.

Reiser -- who came to Manhattan federal court sporting a tie emblazoned with a cartoon train -- pretended that he suffered from back and neck pain that made it hard for him to sit, stand, walk, bathe or even dress himself.




But the feds say that after his 2006 retirement, Reiser, who now lives in Florida, played basketball daily and worked as a referee, and was spotted playing golf and carrying bags of groceries up the stairs to his home.

Reiser, who pocketed more than $225,000 in bogus benefits, declined to comment afterward, but his lawyer said Reiser "would love to go back in time" and uncouple himself from the massive, $1 billion fraud scheme.

Co-defendant Philip Pulsonetti, who isn't turning rat, agreed to spend up to 30 months behind bars for swindling more than $175,000 from the Railroad Retirement Board.

Both he and his lawyer declined to comment.

Yesterday's guilty pleas brought to eight the number of crooks who have pleaded guilty in the widespread scam, in which more than 1,500 LIRR retirees are suspected of taking part.

During his court appearance, Reiser implicated Dr. Peter Ajemian, one of three doctors the feds have said helped perpetrate the scam by taking payoffs to falsely verify retirees' purported ailments.

Ajemian's lawyer, Tom Engel, said Ajemian maintained his innocence, noting that he only reported "what he was told by his patient."

bruce.golding@nypost.com










Read More..

The business behind the artist: Miami’s art gallery scene still evolving




















This week, thousands of art collectors, museum trustees, artists, journalists and hipsters from around the globe will arrive for the phenomenon known as Art Basel Miami Beach. The centerpiece of the week: works shown at the convention center by more than 260 of the world’s top galleries.

Only two of those are from Miami.

While Art Basel has helped transform the city’s reputation from beach-and-party scene to arts destination in the years since its 2002 Miami Beach debut, the region’s gallery identity is still coming into its own.





“Certainly Miami as an art town registers mightily because of the foundations, the collectors who have done an extraordinary job,” said Linda Blumberg, executive director of the Art Dealers Association of America. “I think there’s a definite international awareness there. But the gallery scene probably has a bit of a ways to go. That doesn’t mean it’s not really fascinating and interesting.”

The gallery business, especially where newer artists are concerned, is a game of risk, faith and passion. Once a gallery takes on an artist who shows promise, they become an evangelist on their behalf, showing their work in-house and at fairs, presenting it to museums and curators and potential collectors and bearing the cost of that promotion.

For contemporary artists, most galleries take work on consignment, meaning they get a cut of as much as 50 percent when works sell. While local art galleries have been growing in number and popularity in the last several years — just try to find parking during the monthly art walk in Miami’s hot Wynwood neighborhood — even some of the area’s top art dealers say that while business overall is good, they struggle in the local marketplace.

“Our problem is that we have to do lots of art fairs in order to connect with the market that we need to connect with to sell the work that we have,” said Fredric Snitzer, a Miami-Dade gallery owner for 35 years. “The better the work is, the harder it is to sell in Miami. And that ain’t good.”

A handful of serious collectors call Miami home and store their own collections in Miami, including the Braman, Rubell, Margulies and de la Cruz families. But outside a relatively small local group, many gallerists say, their clients come from other parts of the country and world.

And some gallerists point out the troubling reality that even the powerhouse Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin could not stay open in Miami for more than a few years.

“The fact that big galleries have not been able to sustain their business models in South Florida tells you we’re obviously not at this high established point,” said gallery owner David Castillo. “It’s not like we’ve arrived, let’s sit back and watch Hauser & Wirth open down the street.”

Still, Miami’s gallery business has come a long way since the early 1970s, when a few dealers on Bay Harbor Island’s Kane Concourse were selling high-end pieces but the local scene was hardly embraced.

Virginia Miller, who owns ArtSpace/Virginia Miller Galleries in Coral Gables, first opened in 1974 to showcase Florida artists, though her focus soon added an international scope. She and other longtime observers credit several factors for Miami’s transformation, including the community’s diversity, the establishment of important museums, the Art Miami fair that started 23 years ago, the presence of major collections and, of course, Art Basel Miami Beach.





Read More..

Commissioners to reconsider board structure for Jackson Health System




















Struggling to find the best long-term solution on how Miami-Dade’s public hospitals should be governed, county commissioners are expected Tuesday to reconsider a resolution that a deeply divided commission approved six weeks ago to permanently shrink the Jackson Health System’s governing board to seven members.

The motion passed in October, pushed hard by Commission Chairman Joe Martinez, with the key vote 6-5 in favor. Martinez left the commission in November, and as soon as he left the board brought up the issue of reconsidering.

Marcos Lapciuc, Jackson board chairman, has urged commissioners to keep the board at seven because it would be “more engaged and more nimble.” Martha Baker, president of SEIU Local 1991, blasted the proposal as a “power grab,” because the majority of the nominating council would be current board members, with the nominees then being approved by the County Commission.





Chief Executive Carlos Migoya, while not formally endorsing any board proposal, has said previously that a smaller board makes it easier for him to brief members by meeting one-on-one with each of them before public board meetings.

“That’s Sunshine 101,” Migoya said at one board meeting, referring to the state law that bans private meetings between two or more members of a public governing body.

Jackson’s board used to have 17 members, an unwieldy number that often resulted in 12-hour meetings with a lot of talk and delayed decisions. In the spring of 2011, Martinez pushed through a temporary Financial Recovery Board of seven members to help the financially troubled system get back on secure footing. Meetings became much shorter and decision-making faster. The FRB was scheduled to end in May until Martinez proposed making the board permanent.

Under the FRB, the general practice has been for Migoya, Chief Operating Officer Don Steigman and Chief Financial Officer Mark Knight to meet with each board member for an hour, a day or two before the monthly board committee day. The board members have commented at public meetings that they are happy to have the briefings.

Baker, who represents Jackson’s nurses and other healthcare professionals, says the results of the briefings are apparent in the public meetings: “The amount of open discussion is greatly reduced which causes a very concerning lack of transparency.”

Barbara Petersen, president of the First Amendment Foundation in Tallahassee, says that if the briefings are intended “to avoid discussion of the issues at a public meeting, or is relaying information from one board member to another, that’s a potential violation of the Sunshine Law, not just the spirit of the law.”

Migoya issued a statement Tuesday: “The board members, all of whom are volunteers, have expressed that one-on-one briefings help them understand the complexities of healthcare policy and the nuances of our recommendations. This helps them have thoughtful and informed public discussions that adhere to both the letter and the spirit of Florida’s sunshine laws.”

Migoya is not alone in his use of one-on-one meetings. Commissioners at the city of Miami -- where Migoya was city manager -- and Miami-Dade school board members, among many others, receive regular pre-meeting briefings.

Jon Kaney, general counsel for the First Amendment Foundation, calls the one-on-ones a difficult issue. “Every manager or director follows the practice to some extent. Up to a point, it is necessary and appropriate. But when the meetings... supplant public discussion, there is a problem. Of course, the members and executive always swear there was no polling of the members or relaying views from one to the other.”

Sometimes briefings backfire, as they did at last month’s Jackson committee meetings during a discussion on contracting with an outside pharmacy service. When Baker said the service could be provided better and cheaper with Jackson pharmacists, board member Joe Arriola complained that he had not been “totally informed” in his executive team briefing. “It is very troubling,” he said. He voted against the item.

Linda Quick, president of the South Florida Hospital and Healthcare Association, said that briefings make sense for any board, public or private. “Any book you pick up on board communications and board management recommends that managers have individual conversations with board members prior to board of director meetings.”





Read More..

ET Confirms Jamie Foxx in 'Spider-Man' Sequel

Jamie Foxx has some electrifying news for ET: He will definitely be starring in the sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man!

Related: Did 'Spidey' Director Just Reveal New Villains?

"Electro is a great character," Jamie tells ET's Nancy O'Dell when she asks him if he's confirmed to be in the next installment of the blockbuster franchise "I met with the director, Mark Webb, I met with Andrew Garfield, and we talked. … I think Electro will be an exciting character to play because he's a … genius electrician-type person, and he gets the short end of the stick from the whole world, and the next thing you know he turns it on."

Rumors had been swirling for quite some time that Jamie would be taking on the role of Spidey's nemesis, and he fueled the fire the day after Halloween when he tweeted that he dressed up as the character.

Plus, Webb alluded to the super-villain being a part of the next movie while promoting the upcoming release of The Amazing Spider-Man on Blu-ray and listing his favorite villains: "I like Green Goblin. I like Electro a lot. I think Electro is pretty fantastic."

Earlier today it was announced today that Chronicle and Lincoln star Dane Dehaan will join the super sequel as Harry Osborn, with Webb tweeting, "Meet Harry Osborn. So excited to have him on board. @danedehaan."

Of course, Spidey fans know that Harry Osborn is the son of Norman Osborn, who becomes The Green Goblin, and Harry himself eventually becomes the super-villain Hobgoblin. So who are the official baddies of the next Spider-Man film? No actual names have been announced, but the information is all there for those who want to connect the dots.

Video: 'Spider-Man' Sequel Secrets Hidden in Blu-ray?

Also starring Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx and Shailene Woodley, the new film in the Spider-Man saga is set for release in 3D on May 2, 2014. Production will begin in early 2013.

Read More..

J & Z trains resume full service tomorrow








The MTA will resume J/Z service tomorrow to Fulton and Broad Street stations, both of which have been closed due to damages sustained during super storm Sandy.

Service begins at the two Lower Manhattan station at 6 am.

The trains had been stopping at Chambers Street.

The service suspension was necessary so workers could repair hundreds of signal wires damaged during the storm.











Read More..

The business behind the artist: Miami’s art gallery scene still evolving




















This week, thousands of art collectors, museum trustees, artists, journalists and hipsters from around the globe will arrive for the phenomenon known as Art Basel Miami Beach. The centerpiece of the week: works shown at the convention center by more than 260 of the world’s top galleries.

Only two of those are from Miami.

While Art Basel has helped transform the city’s reputation from beach-and-party scene to arts destination in the years since its 2002 Miami Beach debut, the region’s gallery identity is still coming into its own.





“Certainly Miami as an art town registers mightily because of the foundations, the collectors who have done an extraordinary job,” said Linda Blumberg, executive director of the Art Dealers Association of America. “I think there’s a definite international awareness there. But the gallery scene probably has a bit of a ways to go. That doesn’t mean it’s not really fascinating and interesting.”

The gallery business, especially where newer artists are concerned, is a game of risk, faith and passion. Once a gallery takes on an artist who shows promise, they become an evangelist on their behalf, showing their work in-house and at fairs, presenting it to museums and curators and potential collectors and bearing the cost of that promotion.

For contemporary artists, most galleries take work on consignment, meaning they get a cut of as much as 50 percent when works sell. While local art galleries have been growing in number and popularity in the last several years — just try to find parking during the monthly art walk in Miami’s hot Wynwood neighborhood — even some of the area’s top art dealers say that while business overall is good, they struggle in the local marketplace.

“Our problem is that we have to do lots of art fairs in order to connect with the market that we need to connect with to sell the work that we have,” said Fredric Snitzer, a Miami-Dade gallery owner for 35 years. “The better the work is, the harder it is to sell in Miami. And that ain’t good.”

A handful of serious collectors call Miami home and store their own collections in Miami, including the Braman, Rubell, Margulies and de la Cruz families. But outside a relatively small local group, many gallerists say, their clients come from other parts of the country and world.

And some gallerists point out the troubling reality that even the powerhouse Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin could not stay open in Miami for more than a few years.

“The fact that big galleries have not been able to sustain their business models in South Florida tells you we’re obviously not at this high established point,” said gallery owner David Castillo. “It’s not like we’ve arrived, let’s sit back and watch Hauser & Wirth open down the street.”

Still, Miami’s gallery business has come a long way since the early 1970s, when a few dealers on Bay Harbor Island’s Kane Concourse were selling high-end pieces but the local scene was hardly embraced.

Virginia Miller, who owns ArtSpace/Virginia Miller Galleries in Coral Gables, first opened in 1974 to showcase Florida artists, though her focus soon added an international scope. She and other longtime observers credit several factors for Miami’s transformation, including the community’s diversity, the establishment of important museums, the Art Miami fair that started 23 years ago, the presence of major collections and, of course, Art Basel Miami Beach.





Read More..

Two dead after bus crash at Miami International Airport




















What began as a day of prayer and fellowship turned into a surreal scene of stunned, bloodied passengers and twisted metal.

There was the sickening sound of crunching metal early Saturday as a busload of Jehovah’s Witnesses was low-bridged by a concrete overpass at Miami International Airport, peeling back the top of the vehicle “like a can of sardines.”

Airport workers running to the scene found shocked passengers thrown into the aisle or trapped in their seats by the wreckage.





Riders in the front rows were crushed — two of them killed, others seriously injured.

The driver of the bus, 47-year-old Ramon Ferreiro, took a wrong turn off LeJeune Road, entering the airport by mistake, then rolled past multiple yellow signs warning tall vehicles. He drove on, approaching an overpass whose sign said “8ft-6in”. The driver either didn’t see it, couldn’t read it, or realized it too late.

The bus stood 11 feet tall.

“The last thing he should have done is to keep going,” said Greg Chin, airport spokesman. “That goes against all logic.”

Ferreiro, whose driver’s seat was lower than those of the passengers, was not injured.

One passenger, 86-year-old Miami resident Serfin Castillo, was killed on impact, and all 31 others were taken by ambulance to local hospitals. Thirteen ended up at Jackson Memorial’s Ryder Trauma Center, where one of them, 56-year-old Francisco Urana of Miami, died shortly after arriving.

Three remained in critical condition Saturday night, and three had been released.

Luis Jimenez, 72, got a few stitches on his lip and hurt his hand. He said the group left the Sweetwater Kingdom Hall about 7 a.m., bound for West Palm Beach.

“I was sitting in the back when it happened,” Jimenez said. “We were on our way to an assembly and lost a brother today. I’m very sad.”

Delvis Lazo, 15, a neighbor and member of the same congregation, described Castillo as a “nice, old man.” He often saw Castillo at religious gatherings, and their families have known each other for more than 15 years.

The last time Lazo saw him was about two months ago, as he prepped for a talk before his congregation.

“He gave me a thumbs up, told me that everything was going to be all right,” he said.

The bus, one of three traveling to the Spanish-language general assembly on Saturday, had been contracted by the congregation, which has fewer than 150 members.

According to public records, the bus belongs to Miami Bus Service Corporation, a Miami company owned by Mayling and Alberto Hernandez that offers regularly scheduled service between South Florida and Gainesville, often used by University of Florida students. At the home address listed for the company and the owners, Mayling Hernandez told The Miami Herald that passenger safety is her primary concern.

“At this time I’m worried about the driver and the families of the victims. I’m praying for them,” she said. “My job is to worry about the safety of the passengers who are our clients. What we do requires a lot of responsibility. I didn’t know the passengers but that doesn’t mean I’m not suffering.”

Neighbor Armando Bacigalupi described the owners as “caring people” and said he had seen buses park briefly in front of the house.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the company has two drivers for its three passenger motor coaches.





Read More..

Angry Birds Star Wars updated with 20 additional levels, Princess Leia cameo












Rovio on Thursday updated its immensely popular Angry Birds Star Wars game to include 20 additional levels. The latest game in the bird-slinging franchise was released earlier this month and was an instant hit, topping the iTunes App Store in less than three hours. In the most recent update, gamers must help the birds escape from the AT-ATs and Pigtroopers on the remote ice world of Hoth. Luckily, the rebel birds have a secret weapon — Princess Leia.


“It is a dark time for the Rebellion,” Rovio wrote on its website. ”Evading the dreaded Imperial Starfleet, a group of freedom fighters has established a new secret base on the remote ice world of Hoth. Unfortunately the evil Lord Vader discovers their hideout, and the desperate Rebel birds must escape the AT-ATs and Pigtroopers hot on their trail. But the Rebels have an ace up their sleeve with the debut of PRINCESS LEIA and her attractive new power!”












Angry Birds Star Wars is available for Android, iOS, Macs and PCs. The Hoth trailer follows below.


Get more from BGR.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook


Gaming News Headlines – Yahoo! News


Read More..

Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part 2 Tops Box Office Again

In its third week of release, Breaking Dawn: Part 2 continues to dominate the box office.

Related: The Ultimate 'Twilight' Guide to 'Breaking Dawn' Actors & Their Characters

The final film in the Twilight Saga series raked in $17.4 million in ticket sales over the weekend, putting the vampire drama ahead of Skyfall, which earned $17 million for second place.

The spy thriller beat out Steven Spielberg's biopic Lincoln ($13.5 million) and the family friendly flick Rise of the Guardians, which took in $13.5 million.

Ang Lee's Life of Pi rounds out the top five with $12 million.

Read More..

Chiefs linebacker Belcher struggled with head injuries, alcohol and painkillers before he snapped and killed girlfriend, friends say








Kansas City Chiefs linebacker and former Long Island high-school star Jovan Belcher was allegedly battling football-related head injuries and booze, painkiller and domestic problems when he snapped and murdered his girlfriend before killing himself in front of two coaches Saturday.

A pal of Belcher’s told the Web site Deadspin.com that Kasandra Perkins, the mother of Belcher’s 3-month-old daughter, had threatened to leave him for good amid fighting between the pair.

The couple had only recently reconciled after Perkins left their rented house in Kansas City with the baby at one point to stay with friends. Perkins had returned, but friends said the relationship was still volatile.







Kansas City Chiefs running back Jovan Belcher (right) battled head injuries, drugs and alcohol before he snapped and killed his girlfriend Michele Perkins (left), friends said.





It didn’t help that he was drinking every day and taking painkillers while dealing with the effects of debilitating head injuries, the friend said.

Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said today that Belcher was "a player who had not had a long concussion history.’’

Belcher, 25, and Perkins, 22, had argued for the last time when she returned home late from a concert Saturday morning. But the Belcher friend said the concert was only a “tipping point.”

“This was the result of a long-term conflict,” the pal said. “She made it clear that she was leaving and would contact a lawyer’’ to fight for custody and child support.

Cops today revealed that Belcher shot Perkins nine times before committing suicide with a different gun. His mother witnessed the slaying; she had been in town to help Perkins with the new baby, sources have said.

Belcher’s mother, Cheryl Shepherd, will now take custody of the couple’s infant daughter and plans to return with the child to the family’s West Babylon home, where her troubled son grew up, his relatives said.

The kin said the baby was in another room when Belcher snapped and unloaded on Perkins.

“[Shepherd’s] taking it as anyone else would've taken it,” said Belcher’s cousin, Eric Oakes, 20, who lives in the mom’s renovated house where Belcher grew up. “She just lost a son. We're all coming together.”

Oakes, wearing a game-warn Chief’s jersey with Belcher’s number 59 on it, said his cousin was his role model.

"[He's] always trying to steer me right. That's the only person I wanted to be like. A role model, basically my father. He's the person who made me play football,” said Oakes, who played running back for West Babylon HS.

In Kansas City, relatives trickled in an out of the home that had become a murder scene.

“I think she was home alone a lot,” said Kristen Van Meter, 31, a neighbor who went to community college with the victim. “He was kind of quiet. he would come and go.”

When he was there, she said, there were lots of parties.










Read More..

Boat Show may block Miami’s 2016 Super Bowl bid




















This winter, the biggest NFL match-up in South Florida might be Super Bowl versus Boat Show.

As South Florida readies a bid for the 2016 Super Bowl, it must contend with a major potential conflict on the tourism calendar. The National Football League may move the Super Bowl to Presidents’ Day weekend, already home to the five-day Miami International Boat Show since the 1940s.

It’s a significant enough conflict that, in the past, local tourism officials have declined to pursue a Super Bowl if it fell on boat show weekend. But this time around they may have no choice. For the first time, the NFL is requiring that potential host cities agree to a Presidents’ Day weekend Super Bowl if they want to pursue the big game at all, said two people who have seen the NFL request for Super Bowl bids.





The NFL “invited South Florida [to bid] knowing there was going to be an issue with Presidents’ Day weekend and the boat show,” said Nicki Grossman, Broward’s tourism director. “In the past, South Florida has not responded to a Super Bowl date that included Presidents’ Day weekend. This package is different.”

South Florida vies with New Orleans as the top Super Bowl host, with government and tourism leaders touting the game as both a boon to the economy and a publicity bonanza. But the notion of accommodating both Super Bowl and boat show — not to mention a major arts festival in Coconut Grove — strikes some top tourism officials as a bad idea.

“There is not sufficient hotel inventory available in Miami that weekend to host a Super Bowl,” said William Talbert, president of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We have taken a close look at that weekend, and it’s not physically possible in Miami to host Super Bowl during the Presidents’ Day weekend because of the boat show and the Coconut Grove Arts Festival. The hotel inventory is all being used for these two great events.”

His comments are at odds with the region’s top Super Bowl organizer and reflect the burden that the boat show may be to South Florida’s Super Bowl hopes for 2016 and 2017. The NFL invited Miami and San Francisco to bid for the 2016 Super Bowl by April 1, with the loser vying with Houston for the 2017 game. Talbert said the bid package states both decisions will be made in May.

For now, South Florida’s Super Bowl organizers face a largely hypothetical challenge, because the current NFL schedule has the Super Bowl occurring two weeks before Presidents’ Day weekend. The bid requirements for the ’16 and ’17 Super Bowls include three consecutive weekends as possibilities for the game, with the latest falling on the Presidents’ Day holiday.

Still, possible logistical hurdles may combine with political obstacles if the Miami Dolphins resume their push for a tax-funded renovation of Sun Life Stadium, the Super Bowl’s South Florida home.

Last year, the Dolphins proposed that Broward and Miami-Dade counties subsidize a $225 million renovation at Sun Life as a way to keep the region competitive for Super Bowls and other large events. The renovation includes a partial roof that would prevent the kind of drenching Super Bowl spectators suffered in 2007 when a rare February downpour hit Miami Gardens.





Read More..