USA NEWS NETWORK: 12/30/12

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Kobe Bryant on jersey retirement: 'I'd probably force Shaq to do it'

When someone can make a joke about a painful past, it's generally considered a step forward. We're not sure if that's the case with Kobe Bryant here, but we hope he's found some measure of healing.

NBA All Star voting has been released for this week and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James of the Miami Heat have received the most votes. Voter's guide to NBA All Star game: Info on how to vote as well. EASTERN CONFERENCE

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant inched past Heat forward LeBron James as overall leading vote-getter, but the second round of NBA All-Star returns didn't offer many other major developments. Bryant tallied 977,444 votes to

It was a special night in L.A. as the Lakers rolled and some people were left wondering how a jersey retirement of the current great Laker, Kobe Bryant, might look. Serena Winters asked Kobe if he had imagined his own jersey

When someone can make a joke about a painful past, it's generally considered a step forward. We're not sure if that's the case with Kobe Bryant here, but we hope he's found some measure of healing.

Case McCoy: Realistic Expectations for Texas Longhorns QB in 2013

ST LOUIS (LALATE) - Case McCoy, Colt McCoy's brother, and Jordan Hicks were listed in two Alamo Bowl suspensions Friday. Alamo Bowl suspensions.

Multiple reports on Friday afternoon revealed the names of the two Texas players who have been sent home after being accused of sexual assault.

UT suspends Case McCoy, Jordan Hicks for Alamo Bowl. Mike Finge, Express-News Copyright 2012 Express-News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Things can't get much worse for Texas quarterback Case McCoy, on the field or off of it. Four weeks after throwing two interceptions against Kansas State in a losing effort in his only start of 2012, the junior signal-caller was sent home one day

Texas quarterback Case McCoy and linebacker Jordan Hicks were suspended and sent home a day before the Valero Alamo Bowl for breaking team rules, a source within the school's administration told ESPN.com on Friday. A person with knowledge of the

Tricky Android malware fools users with Google Play icon

Android Central Stocking Stuffers So we're kind of starting to wind down this contest a little bit. We say "kind of" because we're actually a week or so behind, and we're going to make up for that before the end of the year.

I think I found my new favorite game. Recently launched onto Google Play, the game is called Ant Raid. It pits a colony of cute little ants (who have awesome little catchphrases), against mutated bugs and creatures in your garden. It gives off a

A new Android threat uses a Google Play icon to trick users into believing it is legitimate. It can be used to conduct DDoS attacks and send spam.

Android Central Stocking Stuffers Now some of you may think that we forgot about today's $10 Google Play Gift Card giveaway. And that's not entirely true. We remembered it. About 6 hours ago. And then we forgot about it.

Epic 'Les Misérables' runs out of steam

Caption Anne Hathaway poses at the'Les Miserables' New York premiere at Ziegfeld Theatre on December 10, 2012 in New York CityThere has been much talk about Anne Hathaway's weight loss to play the prostitute Fantine in “Les Miserables,” including

“Les Miserables” should have feminists like me up in arms. The musical takes the female characters from a 150-year-old novel about a French rebellion and makes them bit players — even though they figure prominently in the book (and in the marketing

Anne Hathaway has received some of the best reviews of her career for "Les Miserables," just not necessarily from herself. In Tom Hooper's new film, Hathaway stars as Fantine, a doomed single mother-turned-prostitute who

/news/les-miserables-bows-at-no-1-on-soundtracks-1008062642.story. 'Les Miserables' Bows at No. 1 on Soundtracks Chart. It's "Les Miserables" mania on the Billboard charts this week. "Les Miserables: Highlights From the Motion Picture Soundtrack"

It's no surprise that “Les Misérables” can still hold an audience. Hugo believed in, relished, luxuriated in, contradiction—he thought that we show ourselves most truly when we are seemingly most opposed to our double

Former President George HW Bush improving, out of intensive care

After spending nearly a week in the intensive care unit at Methodist Hospital in Houston, former President George H. W. Bush has been moved out of the ICU. "President Bush's condition has improved, so he has been moved today from the intensive care

The Bush family let everyone know that George H.W. Bush has finally been moved out of intensive care and into a regular patient's room. We were a little worried about the former President for a brief minute. Bush was secretly checked in to a Houston

George H.W. Bush was moved out of the intensive care unit of a Houston hospital on Saturday, as his condition improves following what had been described as a “stubborn fever.” The 41st President of the United States, who

HOUSTON — Former President George H.W. Bush's condition continued to improve Saturday, prompting doctors to move him out of intensive care, a spokesman said. “President Bush's condition has improved, so he has been moved today from the intensive

NCAA Football: Cincinnati 48 vs. Duke 34 - Belk Bowl Pre-Game

The football helmets worn by the Bearcats in the 2012 Belk Bowl will be made available to UC fans. The new-look helmets will go for a $1,000 special contribution to UCATS, the proceeds of which will be earmarked for an

Cincinnati forced a fumble deep in its own territory with under two minutes to play, drove the length of the field and then forced another fumble to secure a 48-34 win over Duke in the Belk Bowl. Thanks to a pair of late scores by the Bearcats, the

The Carolina Panther statue outside of the stadium decorated for the holidays (NCAA Football: Belk Bowl, Cincinnati 48 v Duke 34, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC. December 27 2012). keithcoward.com-7611.jpg. Inside of Bank of America Stadium

For the second straight season, Cincinnati finished the year as one of multiple teams tied for the Big East lead, and just like last season the Bearcats found themselves on the wrong end of the conference tie-breakers. It's the fourth time in five

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings' Salary Will Double In 2013

A new approach to networking could make video delivery faster and more reliable.

Netflix has confirmed to Talking Points Memo that it will introduce social sharing features for U.S. users in 2013, following the passage of a bill that will..

Netflix Inc. raised Chief Executive Reed Hastings's compensation package to $4 million for 2013, essentially doubling his pay this year.

Coinstar (NASDAQ: CSTR) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ) are only weeks away from launching the beta to Redbox Instant, their long-awaited venture into the world of video streaming. The service is already featured as a downloadable app from both Google Play

Kobe Bryant on jersey retirement: 'I'd probably force Shaq to do it'

After a year featuring plenty of divorce rumors, Kobe Bryant and his wife and kids posed for a Christmas card that featured a rather expensive gown.

Samuel L. Jackson and Kobe are the best of friends. Check them out sharing a nice, sweaty high-five as Kobe heads to the locker room.

That moment was when we surprised 16-year old Tuloso-Midway student Chris Gelinas with a personal message from NBA Star Kobe Bryant. Chris if you didn't know, is battling a very rare form of cancer called Epitheliod Sarcoma, but no longer has any

This topic has been much discussed in my circles in recent days, as Kobe Bryant, who doesn't have a personal account on Twitter, tempted us by taking over Nike Basketball's Twitter handle for the past couple of days. So I asked my Twitter followers

Long among the sports world's biggest Twitter holdouts, Kobe Bryant has finally joined. But he hasn't opened an account, and won't be around for long.

Former President George HW Bush Moved From Intensive Care Amid Country ...

Former President George H. W. Bush remained in the intensive care unit of a Houston hospital on Friday, but "continues to improve" and his exchanges with medical staff now include singing, according to a statement from a

Former President George H. W. Bush's condition has improved and he has been moved from an intensive care unit to a regular patient room, according to a spokesman. "President Bush's condition has improved, so he has been moved today from the

Former President George H.W. Bush was moved out of the intensive care unit of a Houston hospital today where he has been a patient for over a month, his spokesman said. “President Bush's condition has improved, so he has been moved today from the

Avery Johnson Was A Dead Man Walking Even As He Accepted His Coach Of ...

The Nets have fired coach Avery Johnson after a disappointing 14-14 start. Brooklyn has lost 10 of their last 13 games.

Some thoughts on the Nets' decision to fire coach Avery Johnson on Thursday: • Brooklyn's decision to dismiss Johnson after a 14-14 start seems to reflect a disconnect between the team's expectations and the realities of its

On Thursday, Avery Johnson became the first head coach fired by the Brooklyn Nets because he failed to reach Deron Williams and because the Nets had slipped to 14-14 after a promising 11-4 start — and these things were most certainly related.

I'd watch an animated squirrel speaking in Avery Johnson's tongue. But after Hollywood, Johnson has the same few options as every other coach who gets canned. Option One: Take a studio job, wait for a head coaching job to open. Johnson was great in the

The Nets have fired coach Avery Johnson after a disappointing 14-14 start. Brooklyn has lost 10 of their last 13 games.

Norman Schwarzkopf 1991 'This Week' Interview

Retired Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, the blunt, bulldog-like commander of U.S.-led coalition forces in the first Persian Gulf War, died Thursday in Florida. He was 78.

Time is relentless. Just as an aide to the ailing former President George H. W. Bush was warning his would-be obituarists to hold off, at least for now, news came that one of old Poppy's comrades in arms, Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf, the irascible

H. Norman Schwarzkopf didn't care much for his popular "Stormin' Norman" nickname. The seemingly no-nonsense Desert Storm commander's reputed temper with aides and subordinates supposedly earned him that rough-and-ready moniker. But others

Norman Schwarzkopf 1991 'This Week' Interview. The U.S. General is interviewed during the first Gulf War. 18:17 | 12/29/2012. Share: Transcript for Norman Schwarzkopf 1991 'This Week' Interview. General Schwarzkopf in Saudi Arabia thank you very much

Retired general Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf has died. He was 78 years old, and passed away in Tampa, Florida.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings' Salary Will Double In 2013

Netflix has been lobbying to change a law that prevents it from using Facebook to reveal what movies people are watching. It has finally won in Congress but, by this point, doubts about the value of frictionless sharing mean

He chose his salary to be $2 million, up from $500,000, and his stock options allowance to be $2 million, the online streaming company said in a regulatory filing Friday. Last year, he got stock options worth $1.5 million, half of what he had received

A new approach to networking could make video delivery faster and more reliable.

He's getting $4 million, up from $2 million this year.

A new approach to networking could make video delivery faster and more reliable.

David Letterman Kennedy Center Honors 2012: Tina Fey, Jimmy Kimmel, Ray ...

2012 Kennedy Center Honoree Natalia Makarova, front row, second right, reacts to all the photos being taken during a group photo after the State Department Dinner for the Kennedy Center Honors gala Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012 at the State Department in

The prestigious 35th Annual Kennedy Center Honors aired Dec. 26 on national television, highlighting the awesomeness of rock gods Led Zeppelin.

"Kennedy Center Honors": Honorees include David Letterman, Buddy Guy, Dustin Hoffman, Natalia Makarova and Led Zeppelin members John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. Caroline Kennedy hosts, and those paying tribute include Alec

The annual Kennedy Center Honors are always a heartening reminder that amid the din of day-to-day pop culture, real and enduring artistic achievement is taking place, even if we forget to notice. But the 35th installment of the awards, which will be

Netflix doubles down on CEO Reed Hastings' pay package

Netflix has risen 29 percent in 2012, with one trading day left in the year. The shares peaked at $298.73 in July 2011 before sliding on investor concern over looming competition, a series of marketing missteps, losses overseas and fewer than expected

(CNN) -- Aah, Christmas Eve. A time for family and friends, eggnog and mistletoe, carols and cookies and catching up on "Downton Abbey"? Apparently, that's what legions of us had in mind when -- humbug! -- the Netflix Instant streaming service went

Netflix has doubled the compensation package CEO Reed Hastings will receive in 2013 over the current year, the streaming and video rental company revealed today in a regulatory filing. Hastings will receive $2 million in salary and another $2 million

Netflix will introduce 'social features' for its U.S. users in 2013, following a bill passed by Congress on December 21 that removes older restrictions on companies sharing customer video rental histories. That bill was passed

Kate Winslet Marries Ned Rocknroll in Secret: New Details!

Kate Winslet has tied the knot with Richard Branson's nephew, Ned Rocknroll, her rep tells PEOPLE. "I can confirm that Kate Winslet married Ned Rock'nRoll in NY earlier this month in a private ceremony attended by her two children and a very few

ACTRESS'S wedding to RocknRoll - nephew of Virgin tycoon Richard Branson - was kept so secret even the couple's parents did not know about it. Kate was given away by her Titanic co-star Leonardo DiCaprio.

Winslet met Ned RocknRoll, who changed his name from the more prosaic surname Abel Smith, on Richard Branson's Necker Island in July 2011. A likeable charmer who had gone to the island to get over the failure of his first marriage to Sussex landowner

British actress Kate Winslet and her boyfriend Ned Rocknroll attend a promotional event for the Hong Kong international races in Hong Kong December 9, 2012. Credit: REUTERS /TYRONE SIU /LANDOV. Now that the world knows about Kate Winslet and

Kate Winslet married boyfriend Ned Rocknroll earlier this month in New York. Read on for more details.

Weather-weary NJ dealing with another winter storm

Among those of us who forecast the weather for a living, one of the most frustrating complaints is a call or email asking why you busted the forecast. Imagine how much more frustrating it is when you actually hit it spot on!

SB Nation weather contributor and meteorologist Brian Neudorff gives his weather forecast for Week 17 across the NFL.

A wicked winter storm was sweeping east across the United States Wednesday, creating a post-holiday travel nightmare with more than a foot of snow in some places and thousands of flights canceled or delayed. "Blizzard

Light snow was falling Saturday night in Asheville, and the National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory in effect until 6 a.m. Sunday in Madison, Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties, along with the higher elevations of Haywood, Swain and

While 2011 established a record for the number of individual U.S. weather disasters that caused at least $1 billion in damage, 2012 is expected to eclipse 2011 in terms of the aggregate amount of damage done.

WWE Live Event Results From Minneapolis (12/28) - Fandango In Action, Steel ...

The Comcast-owned company adds former Disney executives Adam Rockmore and Dana Henry Benson to its ranks.

Fandango Returns, New Age Outlaws Note, Ryback Correction, Eve & Miz Build Snowmen. - As noted earlier, Fandango returned to action at last night's WWE SmackDown live event in Chicago, IL, defeating Ted Dibiase. Full results for last night's live event

WWE.com has an article with Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Tito Santana, Hillbilly Jim and Harley Race discussing the first-ever televised Royal Rumble match. During the article, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan,

Hi, Is there anyway that I can install fandango on my PRE2 unlocked Europe. I know its for US only but I'm currently in the US and would have great.

Kobe Bryant on jersey retirement: 'I'd probably force Shaq to do it'

After a year featuring plenty of divorce rumors, Kobe Bryant and his wife and kids posed for a Christmas card that featured a rather expensive gown.

Kobe Bryant has a very, uh, interesting sense of style. Don't believe me? Check out this super awesome fur coat that he's rocking for the Los Angeles Lakers game against the New York Knicks on Christmas Day.

LeBron James wins more often when he scores 40.

When someone can make a joke about a painful past, it's generally considered a step forward. We're not sure if that's the case with Kobe Bryant here, but we hope he's found some measure of healing.

After Christmas Sales Attract Large Numbers

Retailers are hoping today was a big day for people out looking for some deals. Because so far this holiday shopping season has been the weakest since 2008.

Skip the After Christmas Sale in Nokia Shares. By TERESA RIVAS | MORE ARTICLES BY AUTHOR. The cell phone maker's stock is falling again as retailers slash prices on its Windows-based devices. Article; Comments. Email; Print; Reprints. smaller; Larger

If Christmas presents didn't have to be given on Dec. 25, we could all save a considerable amount of money. Because many items go on sale well after the holiday. The delay doesn't necessarily make

Now that we've covered your best bets at all of the department and mall store after-Christmas sales, it's time to hunt down the bargains at local indie boutiques. After the jump, we've got eight of your favorites, like Creatures of Comfort, Opening

Typically, stores anticipate that shoppers armed with gift cards or looking to exchange presents will flood into stores on the day after Christmas, making it one of the top five retail-sales days of the season. But, just as it did during the pre

Kate Winslet Marries Ned Rocknroll in Secret: New Details!

"It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment thing, but they wanted to keep it secret," a source tells The Daily Mail.

Posted Dec 28th 2012 11:20AM. 0 Comments. Share Share on Tumblr submit to reddit. Kate Winslet has just married her third husband, Ned RocknRoll, but we wonder, does she still have that pesky penthouse she owned with ex Sam Mendes on her hands?

Oscar-winning actress reportedly married British beau earlier this month in New York.

“Kate Winslet married Ned Rock'nRoll in NY earlier this month in a private ceremony attended by her two children and a very few friends and family,” the rep said in a statement. “The couple had been engaged since the summer.” Rocknroll is the nephew of

The Oscar-winning actor wed Ned Rocknroll, Richard Branson's nephew, in front of her two children and a small number of friends. She was given away by Leonardo DiCaprio, her co-star in the films Titanic and Revolutionary Road. According to reports

Jessica Simpson Shows Off Weight Loss On Weight Watchers Magazine

David Kirchhoff, CEO of Weight Watchers, told The Daily Ticker that Simpson's pregnancy won't impact their business arrangement. (Note: the interview was taped before Simpson's announcement). "Jessica is appearing in our TV spots come this January," he

Jessica admits she's pregnant with her second child in this new Weight Watchers commercial — it was filmed when she was just a couple weeks along — and she shows off her 50-pound weight loss! Watch the new ad below! Jessica Simpson worked hard to

Singer will take her twitter announcement to the next level with a Weight Watchers commercial. 01:54 | 12/27/2012. Related Links: Watch: Jessica Simpson Pregnant Again: US Weekly · Watch: Jessica Simpson Weight Loss: How Did Star Lose 60 Pounds?

By Alexis Tereszcuk - Radar Entertainment Editor Jessica Simpson dropped a whopping 50 pounds after she gave birth to her daughter Maxwell Drew Johnson and she's showing off her hard work on the cover of Weight

So much for rumors Weight Watchers will dump Jessica Simpson now that she's pregnant again the company is actually expanding her role in hocking the…

Get Churchill's “Change” free on iTunes

Fred Sitkins explores some of the benefits of using what iTunes U has to offer schools, teachers, and administrators.

With over 1,300 votes from iLounge readers, our most recent poll—“What is your favorite new feature in iTunes 11?”—has ended. Readers were asked what feature they liked most—if any—about Apple's latest iTunes release. A significant 48 percent of

I'm trying to parse a iTunes media library file, which is a plist file using python & plistlib. I wrote a simple python script: import plistlib plist = plistlib.readPlist('tunes.xml') print(plist['Tracks']). But when I try and run it an error

“Get #PushAndShove in the @iTunesMusic store right now for only $7.99″ the No Doubt Twitter account updated earlier in the day. Be sure to head over to iTunes now and buy your copy at this super great discounted price if

If you are still trying to get in on the 20% off iTunes gift cards, two new options sprung up over the break. GiftCardMall via Ebay Daily Deal offers a $50 iTunes gift card for $40 with tax only in Colorado, today only. Without tax

Kate Winslet Marries Ned Rocknroll in Secret: New Details!

"It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment thing, but they wanted to keep it secret," a source tells The Daily Mail.

Dating for more than a year, the couple exchanged vows "in early December"

The actress has married Ned Rocknroll, her rep confirms to CNN. “Kate Winslet married Ned Rock'nRoll in NY earlier this month in a private ceremony attended by her two children and a very few friends and family,” the rep

Review: 'Django Unchained' is brilliantly acted across the board

Tarantino is possessed by two emotions—love and revenge—and the over-all subject of the movie is essentially a counterfactual historical warning: that the South got off easily with the Civil War when, in a proper balance of

the-hobbit-box-office.jpg Newcomers "Les Misérables" and "Django Unchained" couldn't unseat "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" from atop the Friday box office. After a record-setting debut, Peter Jackson's fantasy flick raked in another $10.7 million

EW critics Owen Gleiberman and Lisa Schwarzbaum tackle Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained in the latest “Movie Talk with Owen & Lisa.” “There are moments when I think it is really juicy and fun,” Owen says, but overall he isn't pleased. “I think it

If you love Quentin Tarentino, you will be thoroughly entertained by "Django Unchained." It moves the audience from curiosity into a spaghetti western, from cheeziness into blaxploitation and outright fun, and then into the gut-wrenching reality of

Unlike "Lincoln," "Django Unchained" affords room at the heart of its narrative for compelling and assertive African-American characters, both heroic (Foxx in the title role) and otherwise (Samuel L Jackson, memorably repellent as a house servant who

Get Churchill's “Change” free on iTunes

Fred Sitkins explores some of the benefits of using what iTunes U has to offer schools, teachers, and administrators.

When you are restoring the backup, iTunes asks for a password. Sure, if you have selected “encrypt iPhone backup” check box, you will have to enter the password. But what if you haven't selected this checkbox, yet iTunes pops up a window waiting for

It was a very appy Christmas for Apple, which saw an 87 percent rise in Christmas Day app downloads. The season's giving spirit meant loads of new iOS devices, which obviously needed to be stocked with applications and games. New owners didn't wait

Avery Johnson Was A Dead Man Walking Even As He Accepted His Coach Of ...

The short version: Star guard Deron Williams, playing well below his capabilities on a mildly underachieving team, says he isn't as comfortable with Avery Johnson's system as he was with that of Jerry Sloan, his Hall of Fame former coach; the team

Deron Williams said he was taken aback when Billy King approached him at the Nets' training facility Thursday, personally delivering the news that Avery Johnson had been fired. "I was shocked. I didn't expect it," Williams said Friday. "I was over

When the Nets fired Avery Johnson this past Thursday after he compiled a .500 record with a new and newly talented roster, many people noted that Johnson had suffered a particularly dramatic reversal of fortune: After going 11-4 in November, Johnson

The Nets have fired coach Avery Johnson after a disappointing 14-14 start. Brooklyn has lost 10 of their last 13 games.

Netflix doubles down on CEO Reed Hastings' pay package

Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX ) CEO Reed Hastings will see a sizable increase in compensation in the new year, according to an SEC filing the company made on Friday. Hastings will receive $2 million in pay for the year, a fourfold increase from the $500,000 he

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even those in the lighthearted holiday fare you were plann..

Tricky Android malware fools users with Google Play icon

Google's recently launched scan-and-match feature for Google Play has drawn early criticism from users who say the tool is weeding out explicit lyrics.

KimberyDeiss, a user on Google Play, seems to be the creator of a host of similar Android apps, including "Make me Russian," "Make me fat," "Make me bald" and "Make me Irish." "This is just a fun app [that] lets you indulge you and your friends!" the

Google's recently launched scan-and-match feature for Google Play has drawn early criticism from users who say the tool is weeding out explicit lyrics. The new Google Play Music Manager feature, which scans your online music library and stores Google

Mobile app analytics firm Distimo annually publishes a review of the past year's growth and trends in the app space. For 2012, Distimo compared Apple's App Store vs. Google Play on Android handsets. While both

Posted by Ellie Powers, Product Manager on the Google Play team. Google Play is your way to reach millions and millions of Android users around the world. In fact, since the start of 2011, the number of countries where you

Jessica Simpson Shows Off Weight Loss On Weight Watchers Magazine

Jessica Simpson's knocked up again, and Weight Watchers is totally cool with it -- even though they're paying her $4 million to LOSE weight! We think…

The rumor that actress and singer Jessica Simpson is pregnant again was confirmed Christmas morning when she tweeted a photo of seven-month-old daughter Maxwell Drew sitting in a patch of sand marked "BIG SIS.

Even though she's expecting again, Jessica revealed her impressive 50-pound weight loss on the cover of the January/February issue of Weight Watchers Magazine — and the secret to her success! Read on to find out what she said. Jessica Simpson

So much for rumors Weight Watchers will dump Jessica Simpson now that she's pregnant again the company is actually expanding her role in hocking the…

George HW Bush improving, 'singing' with medical staff

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Former President George H.W. Bush is in the intensive care unit of a Houston hospital and is in "guarded condition," family spokesman Jim McGrath said Wednesday. "The President is alert

HOUSTON — Former President George H.W. Bush remains in intensive care at a Houston hospital, but he's improving. Bush family spokesman Jim McGrath said Friday that the 88-year-old former president is continuing to improve. He says Bush is "alert and,

(Reuters) - Former President George H. W. Bush remained in the intensive care unit of a Houston hospital on Friday, but "continues to improve" and his exchanges with medical staff now include singing, according to a statement from a Bush family spokesman.

Former president George H.W. Bush remains in intensive care at a Houston hospital on Friday, where he has been since developing a fever since Sunday. A spokesman for the family says that Bush's condition is improving and that he is alert and in good

Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant lead surging Lakers to blowout of Portland, 104-87

LeBron James wins more often when he scores 40.

Samuel L. Jackson and Kobe are the best of friends. Check them out sharing a nice, sweaty high-five as Kobe heads to the locker room.

Lakers Rumors: Kobe Bryant Hints At Joining Twitter. By Daniel Buerge | December 28, 2012. So, if you're one of those tweeters the kids know about these days, you probably heard about Kobe Bryant taking over Nike Basketball's account for the last 72

THE WEEK AHEAD, Dec. 29-Jan. 4: Christmas Story and Bring It On Close ...

Every Christian loves the story of Christmas. We love to hear about the angels and the shepherds. We love the think about noble Joseph and humble Mary. We love the wise men and the star of Bethlehem. We love the whole

Some years, the bad news outweighs the good, and the Christmas season doesn't feel all that joyous. But the message of Christmas has always been about finding new hope. The Grapengeter family of Fairbanks, Alaska, didn't have much hope, back on Dec.

Related Photos. Illustration/Les Cosgrove Paul didn't relish the idea of a six-hour car ride to Plattsburgh, but he had taken only that afternoon and Christmas Day off and wanted to be back in the office early on the 26th. --

Kate Winslet Marries Ned Rocknroll in Secret: New Details!

"It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment thing, but they wanted to keep it secret," a source tells The Daily Mail.

A representative for the Oscar-winning actress confirmed that Winslet, 37, wed Ned Rocknroll, the 34-year-old nephew of billionaire Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson in a private ceremony attended by Winslet's two children and a few friends and

Kate Winslet is officially off the market! Last night, her publicist confirmed that Kate had married her boyfriend of just over a year, Ned Rocknroll (more.

Oscar-winning actress reportedly married British beau earlier this month in New York.

Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant lead surging Lakers to blowout of Portland, 104-87

So, if you're one of those tweeters the kids know about these days, you probably heard about Kobe Bryant taking over Nike Basketball's account for the last 72 hours or so. He created some hashtags, showed a picture of him

After a year featuring plenty of divorce rumors, Kobe Bryant and his wife and kids posed for a Christmas card that featured a rather expensive gown.

Kobe Bryant is the proud owner of five championship rings, two Finals MVP trophies and one league MVP award—given his incredible prowess as a scorer, occasional set up man and closer. As the pressure mounts, so does Bryant's game as he looks to take

Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant lead surging Lakers to blowout of Portland, 104-87

Samuel L. Jackson and Kobe are the best of friends. Check them out sharing a nice, sweaty high-five as Kobe heads to the locker room.

Sam Amick, USA TODAY Sports6:27p.m. EST December 28, 2012. CommentsShare. 122512 kobe and nash. Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant, left, and point guard Steve Nash are starting to mesh well after just two games. (Photo: Gary A. Vasquez, USA

LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant's streak of 10 straight 30-point games ended only because he spent the fourth quarter on the bench alongside Dwight Howard and Steve Nash in a blowout win. The way the Los Angeles Lakers are playing lately, Bryant has

Jessica Simpson Taking Break From Weight Watchers During Second Pregnancy

It's not goodbye to Jessica Simpson's Weight Watchers program ñ it's simply until they eat again. In light of the news that she is indeed pregnant, Simpson will suspend use of the food point system that helped her shed a reported 60 pounds after the

Jessica Simpson's knocked up again, and Weight Watchers is totally cool with it -- even though they're paying her $4 million to LOSE weight! We think…

From the blog Daily Ticker: On Christmas Day, pop singer and fashion designer Jessica Simpson confirmed rumors that she is pregnant with her second child. Simpson, who recently lost more than 50 pounds on Weight

After Jessica Simpson announced via Twitter that her 7-month-old daughter, Maxwell Drew, is going to be a “big sis”—settling pregnancy rumors once and for all—questions about her Weight Watchers deal quickly emerged. The 32-year-old singer attained a

David Letterman Kennedy Center Honors 2012: Tina Fey, Jimmy Kimmel, Ray ...

The Kennedy Center Honors ceremony, broadcast on CBS on Wednesday night, is the annual event in which celebrities in various fields get all gussied up, travel to Washington, D.C., rub shoulders with the President, and

The ceremony, which was held at the beginning of the month, honored David Letterman, Dustin Hoffman, Buddy Guy, Natalia Makarova and the rock band Led Zeppelin.

DC area forecast: Today's wintry weather more a nuisance than a big mess

From unprecedented heat waves that shattered "Dust Bowl" era records from the 1930s, to Hurricane Sandy, which devastated coastal New Jersey and New York, 2012 was the year Mother Nature had it out for the U.S..

(CNN) -- Another wave of winter weather -- this time smaller -- will dump more inches of snow Saturday in the East Coast, forecasters said. Snow covers most of the lower 48 states after a week of wicked weather, but it is not over yet. The storm in the

Ronnie D Should we pray for bad weather to maybe hamper The Redskins scrambling abilities? Rick Gosselin: Not when you're playing the best ground game in the NFL. Alfred Morris is as great a concern with his legs as Griffin. Griffin may gash you

SB Nation weather contributor and meteorologist Brian Neudorff gives his weather forecast for Week 17 across the NFL.

Mikhail Prokhorov planned Avery Johnson firing last week

AP Photo/Morry Gash. NEW YORK Avery Johnson was fired Thursday as coach of the Brooklyn Nets, who have fallen to .500 in their season of new surroundings and elevated expectations. General manager Billy King announced the dismissal in a statement.

This is from Avery Johnson's press conference in Brooklyn after being let go by the Nets on Thursday. He sounds like a coach who isn't happy but knows this is part of the business and knows that he is taking the fall for failings of the some players

From the blog Ball Don't Lie: Avery Johnson Jr. is the son of former Brooklyn Nets coach Avery Johnson, and a sophomore in high school. All things considering, based on some of the more ribald responses we've seen from

Heart's 'Stairway to Heaven' rendition gets standing ovation from Led Zeppelin

Heart - Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin - Kennedy Center http://amzn.to/TFuvtc.

Check out Heart paying tribute to Led Zeppelin by playing Stairway to Heaven! Watch here!

Watch the Foo Fighters play "Rock and Roll" in front of Led Zeppelin and Barack Obama at the Kennedy Center Awards.

Review: 'Django Unchained' is brilliantly acted across the board

Quentin Tarantino and Jamie Foxx redress the horrors of American slavery.

Django Unchained represents the best and the worst of Quentin Tarantino. The film is replete with his signature mix of clever, inventive dialogue, fresh cinematic techniques, gripping drama, and extreme violence. As entertainment, no doubt the film

Director Spike Lee called the movie "disrespectful" to slavery and says he won't see it. PEOPLE's Alynda Wheat, who is, incidentally, a black woman, said "The first hour is brilliant."

DC area forecast: Today's wintry weather more a nuisance than a big mess

There are only a few minor weather concerns this weekend across the NFL for Week 17. Across western New York and into western Pennsylvania there could be a few light, scattered snow showers but I expect mostly dry conditions for those games in Buffalo

SB Nation weather contributor and meteorologist Brian Neudorff gives his weather forecast for Week 17 across the NFL.

10 REDSKINS TO KNOW FOR THURSDAY: Despite a loss to New Orleans on Sunday, the Cowboys are still in the NFC East hunt, but a loss to the Redskins would eliminate Dallas from playoff contention. Add in a Cowboys/Redskins rivalry that is already

The storm system that will be moving into the area overnight will bring a brief period of wet snow to central Virginia, and accumulations of 1-4" across far western sections of the state, along and west of I-81.

However, the New England coach once again has his team acclimated for whatever inclement weather may swoop in Sunday for the season finale against Miami. Rather than shifting practice indoors as they have before, the Patriots practiced outside

Cincinnati: Brendon Kay Throws Four Touchdowns in Belk Bowl Win

This this was the greatest punt I've ever witnessed.

The Cincinnati Bearcats take on the Duke Blue Devils in the NCAA college football's Belk Bowl at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on December 27, 2012. Close. Cincinnati head coach Steve Stripling, center, gets doused by players

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Travis Kelce took his fifth catch of the game 83 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 44 seconds remaining to lift Cincinnati past Duke, 48-34, in the 11th annual Belk Bowl in front of a crowd of 48,128 in Bank of America Stadium.

Shoveling 6-inch-deep snow from his driveway Wednesday in Henderson, Ky., Curt Hamilton knew he had a decision to make.

Heart's 'Stairway to Heaven' rendition gets standing ovation from Led Zeppelin

The prestigious 35th Annual Kennedy Center Honors aired Dec. 26 on national television, highlighting the awesomeness of rock gods Led Zeppelin.

Heart - Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin - Kennedy Center http://amzn.to/TFuvtc.

Heart fans who have seen the Wilson sisters in concert know that Ann Wilson can wail Led Zeppelin tunes like no one since, well, Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant, so it's no surprise that the group brought the house down at the annual Kennedy Center Honors,

The surviving members of Led Zeppelin spent a whole lotta quality time together in 2012, although they still left fans wanting more. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones didn't get together to perform or record, but rather to celebrate the last

Jessica Simpson Shows Off 50-Pound Weight Loss on Weight Watchers ...

Weight Watchers spokeswoman Jessica Simpson recently confirmed her second pregnancy with fiancé Eric Johnson, and although that wasn't part of her contract with the weight loss brand, Simpson still dons the cover of their January/February issue looking

One of the first things I thought about after Jessica Simpson came out with the news that she is expecting her second child, one of the first things I thought about was whether this would hurt her very lucrative deal with Weight Watchers. But it

After Jessica Simpson seemed to confirm her second pregnancy Christmas Day on Twitter, via a photo of baby girl Maxwell on the beach with "big sis" written in the sand, the Weight Watchers spokeswoman made it extra official Wednesday in a new ad that

Huge Christmas for iTunes, App Store

iTunes is both a mainstream juggernaut, destroying the competition in market and mind-share, and a great discovery tool, arguably just as good as any local indie record store. Often the store gets overlooked simply as a music store where people, who

iLounge news discussing iTunes 11 poll ends, Apple in 2013 poll begins. Find more Site News news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Review: 'Django Unchained' is brilliantly acted across the board

Django Unchained: What Kind of Fantasy Is This? Two years before the Civil War, a freed slave named Django becomes a bounty hunter because he can't think of any job more awesome than killing white guys for money. Wearing anachronistic sunglasses

Director Spike Lee called the movie "disrespectful" to slavery and says he won't see it. PEOPLE's Alynda Wheat, who is, incidentally, a black woman, said "The first hour is brilliant."

It's funny, offbeat, and brutal. Based in the American South during the times of slavery, Jamie Foxx straps on a six-shooter or two, some cowboys boots and hat in "Django Unchained." Foxx's Django character is taken by a bounty hunter, played by

Transcript for Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf to Saddam Hussein: 'Get Outta Town'

General Norman Schwarzkopf passed away at the age of 78.

Share. General Norman Schwarzkopf. Lynne Sladky / AP. General Norman Schwarzkopf waves to the crowd after a military band played a song in his honor during a welcome home ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla. on April 22, 1991.

General H. Norman Schwarzkopf -- the commander of U.S. forces during the first Iraq conflict -- has died in Tampa, Florida.Schwarzkopf became popularly…

Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., the hard-charging U.S. Army general whose forces smashed the Iraqi army in the 1991 Gulf War, has died at the age of 78, a U.S. official said on Thursday.

General H. Norman Schwarzkopf -- the commander of U.S. forces during the first Iraq conflict -- has died in Tampa, Florida.Schwarzkopf became popularly…