Read this Before Help Nepal !

Read this Before Help Nepal !

You may want to help victims of the earthquake, but they don’t need unskilled volunteers or aid they can’t use. Here’s what you can do that won’t get in the way

As someone who has considered Nepal home for many years, the shock on hearing the news of the earthquake that has devastated the country was extreme. I felt pained at being away from home – cut off in rural Cambodia – at a time like this, impotent and powerless.

The quake has left thousands dead, many more injured and even more without shelter. What we also know from tracking events in natural disasters all over the world is that the situation only gets worse in the weeks following the event, as hospitals become overwhelmed, basic supplies become scarce and those living in temporary shelters succumb to exposure and disease. The example fresh in everyone’s minds is the 2010 earthquake in Haiti – a country in a similar economic condition to Nepal and which, despite an enormous influx of international aid, is still recovering from the disaster five years later.
Nepal earthquake: how to donate
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Something that has been much discussed in the international aid community is the lack of coordinated response to the Haiti disaster. Ragtag brigades of well-intentioned do-gooders flooded the country: students, church congregations, individuals who had previously vacationed in the area, all clambering over one another looking for a way to make their mark and do good, but lacking either the skills or coordination to have an impact. Indeed, many ended up slowing down the aid efforts.

There were even reports of teams of doctors who arrived to help but were unable to feed themselves. This wave of unsolicited and poorly planned shipments of untrained people and donated goods was dubbed by some humanitarians “the second disaster”.

One of the biggest problems with relief work is that it is a free-for-all. Anyone who wants to, and who is privileged enough to afford a plane ticket, can pitch up. Unlike doctors or engineers, who need to train for years to gain qualifications that prove they probably know what they’re doing, no such qualification exists for aid workers.

What Nepal needs right now is not another untrained bystander, however much her heart is hurting. Nepal has one international airport for the entire country, which has itself sustained damage. That airport needs to be used for emergency supplies, immediate aid for the victims, and qualified, professional relief workers. My trip back to commiserate with loved ones can wait a few weeks.
Nepal earthquake: fears grow for remote villages as over 4,000 confirmed dead
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I have been inundated with offers of help and contributions from friends and family. Everyone is asking: “What do you need? What can I do?” Here are some practical ideas that will not hamper the aid effort:

• Remember that it is not about you. It is not about your love for the country and its people. Your feelings of guilt and helplessness may be difficult to deal with, but you may not be what is needed right now. Do not rush to go there, at least for the next couple of weeks while the country is reeling. The exception to this is if you are a qualified professional with much-needed skills to offer. If you are, join up with an international relief agency that can place you in a position where you are needed most.

• Do not donate stuff. Secondhand goods are difficult to distribute in a disaster area and are hardly ever what is actually needed. It is easier, and often in the long run cheaper, for organisations to procure goods themselves and distribute based on need. If you want to give away things you no longer need, sell them and donate the money to the relief fund. Or give them to a local charity shop, which can convert them into cash on your behalf.

• Give money. More than your plane ticket or your collection of old T-shirts, what is most needed in Nepal right now is money. Donate what you can, to a reputable relief organisation, and do research to find out where your money will go. If you can, compare a few organisations with aid appeals and ensure that you agree with their approach.

• In the short term, handouts are necessary. I have previously questioned this as a method of long-term development. However, in the immediate wake of such devastation, handouts are necessary to give victims the essentials for survival.

    More than your plane ticket or your collection of old T-shirts, what is most needed in Nepal right now is money

• In the long term, rebuild sustainably. If in the coming months you want to contribute to the rebuilding efforts and the longer-term development of the country, consider sustainability as a factor. There will be many programmes to repair and rebuild destroyed houses. Nepal is an earthquake-prone country, so the buildings most likely to withstand another quake are not those that are cheapest, or those made by foreign volunteer labourers for “free”.

• And if you do decide to go ... Please look at the resources we have produced on the Learning Service website before you get on the plane. I am not against volunteering; I am imploring you to wait a while and think carefully about where to use your skills. Volunteering can have a wonderful impact on the world, when done mindfully. But it is not easy or automatically beneficial. Before signing up for a programme, spend time learning about Nepal and the complex nature of its recovery and development, and continue to be open to learning during your time there.

Cr.The Guardian

Jon Jones' absence ?

Jon Jones' absence ?

Jon Jones being stripped of the UFC light-heavyweight championship creates opportunities for contenders just as it puts them in an unenviable position. On the one hand, Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson will fight for the official 205-pound world title May 23 in Las Vegas.

However, if Cormier becomes champion by beating "Rumble," many fans will focus on the fact that just one fight ago he was not able to beat Jones. If Johnson wins, he'll be champ, but he would have done so not by beating a defending title-holder, but simply another challenger like himself.

As such, the entire light-heavyweight division will remain in the shadow of its effectively undefeated, but deposed, champ Jon Jones until "Bones" comes back from his indefinite UFC suspension.

Of course, Cormier vs. Johnson is still an amazing fight.

So too would Cormier vs. Gustafsson be, or Ovince Saint Preux vs. Johnson or Ryan Bader vs. Cormier (what, afte rall, will be done with poor Bader, now?). As great as these fights will or could be, however, they will serve as teasers for Jones' come back.

That's not a bad thing. In fact, the UFC should be able to make the most of that, promotion wise, once Jones does come back.

After all, questions of rust (for Jones) and improvement (for contenders like Cormier) will be fascinating X-factors to consider once the 27-year-old makes his return to competition. For now, all we can do is guess wildly what will happen in Jones' absence.

One major reason for the speculation is that there really is no telling just how long Jones will be out. He currently faces serious criminal charges after a hit-and-run accident that left at least one driver -- a pregnant woman -- with a fractured wrist and arm

If convicted, it is hypothetically possible that Jones could receive prison time. That unlikely scenario is probably the only way Jones will have a very long lay-off from competition.

A few months of no bad news, contrition and a possible acquital of criminal charges or even conviction without prison time may go a long way toward looking like improvement and sufficient punishment, for Jones, to the UFC. So, don't be surprised if we see Jones fight again within a year.

If he does end up out of competition for long enough, however, the light-heavyweight division could very well move on. Take, for example, Dominick Cruz's unfortunate absence from the bantamweight division, due to injuries.

Since no fighter took Cruz's crown from him, for a while every other top fighter and bantamweight title fight seemed a bit diminished. After more than a year, and two new excellent champions, however, Cruz is still certainly missed. But no one is claiming that TJ Dillashaw or Renan Barao were anything less than full champions.

That division has moved on, and so too would light heavyweight, eventually. If that happens, there are many top fighters who are good enough to become champion.

However, none seem well-suited to be as dominant as Jones. For example, based on his 2013 performance against Jon Jones, Alexander Gustafsson could make an arugment to being the second-best fighter in the division.

With his wrestling skills and own solid fight against Jones, Cormier could arguably make the same claim. Heck, in many ways, Cormier could be viewed as a favorite against Johnson at UFC 187.



After all, Cormier has more championship-level experience than "Rumble," and may have the quickness, striking and takedown ability to take Johnson out of his comfort zone, on his feet. Johnson's striking power is an equalizer for him, however, as he showed against Gustafsson.

On paper, Gustafsson could have posessed the length, boxing and wrestling skills to hang with Johnson or beat him. In practice, he couldn't stay standing once the Blackzilian got his fists on him.

Perhaps the same will happen to Cormier. Johnson is hotter than anyone in the division and was the most dangerous person at light heavyweight, even with Jones available.

On any given night, Johnson has the ability to knock out anyone in the world and is extremely dangerous in the first and second rounds. That said, he's a brutally dangerous fighter, not a perfect one.

There are people in the division who could take Johnson down (Cormier, Gustafsson, maybe Bader) and there are many who may feel confident their conditioning and ground ability are superior to his. Johnson is most dangerous, but it remains to be seen how he'll do in the championship rounds against the best at 205.

In short, Johnson's one-punch knockout power gives him the opportunity to run the table until Jones returns. But we could also see guys like Cormier or even Gustafsson, once he has plenty of time to recover a bit, drowning him in deep water if they avoid his initial onslaught.

On the topic of unpredictability, there are others beyond the big three of Johnson, Cormier and Gustafsson who could get on a roll and possibly become champ. If Bader beats whomever the UFC gets to replace Cormier, and if Cormier wins the belt, we could forsee "Darth" being Cormier's first title-defense opponent.

While Cormier would have to be considered a solid favorite, Bader has improved a great deal in the past couple of years, beating top fighters like Phil Davis and Ovince Saint Preux during his current four-fight win streak with excellent takedown defense and offense, as well as big power-striking. You'd better believe that he felt he had a chance at beating Cormier when they were initially paired up.

That wouldn't change should Cormier become champ. Another long-shot future possible champ is Saint Preux.

In short, we're done underestimating the fighter out of Tennessee. He's won two straight by KO, and seven of his last eight overall.

The only man to beat OSP recently, in fact, is Bader. Saint Preux has a crazy-good ability to end fights with lightning-quick and thunder-powerful counter punches, as he proved violently to Patrick Cummins and former champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.

More importantly, however, Saint Preux showed that he's become very hard to take and keep down. He got Cummins to rush in with punches only after he frustrated the wrestler with his takedown defense and ability to get up quickly.

With that type of improved grappling, and always dangerous one-punch KO power, Saint Preux could be two wins away from a title in the suddenly wide-open division.

Cr.Fox Sports

Freddie Gray conflict in Baltimore

Freddie Gray conflict in Baltimore :Toya Graham

Amid Monday's Freddie Gray-related ugly conflict in the streets of Baltimore, TV found a winning and upbeat story line in Toya Graham, who publicly reprimanded her 16-year-old son after she saw him wearing a hoodie and a mask and throwing rocks at police.

As much as television gets accused of only looking for violence and negative stories, the truth is there's nothing the medium loves more with big news stories like this than finding and celebrating heroes.

When TV does it right, the audience is huge.

After recognizing her son in the Monday afternoon battle between police and what appeared to be a predominantly teenage crowd, Graham came after him and started dragging him home. The video of her slapping him about his head as she pulled the mask from his face and berated him for being on the street went viral with monsters like CBS News doing its best to drive it.

Scott Pelley's Tuesday night newscast featured an interview with Graham and she was back on "CBS This Morning" today. Her quote saying that her anger at her son was the result of her not wanting him "to be another Freddie Gray," was the soundbite of the day Tuesday.

But her appeal runs deeper than that quote. As she unmasked and took control of her adolescent son, she made viewers feel empowered. Finally, an adult authority figure was saying, "enough," without worrying how she looked or sounded on video – or whether she was being too strong in her response toward the boy.
She also made the frightening images of conflict seem a lot less scary by showing us the scared teenage face of one of the rock throwers.

Of course, the suggestion that more hands-on parenting alone could solve the centuries-old issues that underlie what's happening in Baltimore's streets is also the kind of easy answer TV likes. And that suggestion is made in the last question in the interview below.

Still, Graham is certainly one of the most positive figures to emerge from the conflict so far.

Here's some of her interview with CBS:

TOYA GRAHAM: “I could see the objects being thrown at the police, and I was, like, in a awe, like, oh my God, this is really happening right here with me. And low and behold, I turn around and I look in this crowd, and my son is actually coming across the street with this hoodie on and a mask. At that point, I just lost it, and he gave me eye contact, and at that point – not even thinking about cameras or anything like that. That’s my only son, and at the end of the day, I don’t want him to be a Freddie Gray. But to stand up there and vandalize police officers, that’s not justice. I’m a single mom, and I have six children, and I just choose not to live like that no more, and I don't want that for him.”
CBS NEWS: “What were you thinking when you saw him? Were you shocked? Were you angry?”

TOYA GRAHAM: “I was shocked. I was angry. I was shocked because you never want to see your child out there doing that. There’s some days that I’ll shield him in the house just so he won’t go outside, and I know I can’t do that for the rest of my life. He’s 16 years old. He’s into the streets.”

CBS NEWS: “What was his reaction when he saw you, when you kind of pulled him out of the crowd? What was that ride home like?”

TOYA GRAHAM: “He said to me, ‘Ma, when I [saw] you, my instinct was to run.’ I’m a no tolerant mother. Everybody that knows me knows I don’t play that. He knew he was in trouble.”

CBS NEWS: “Do you think strong mothers can keep this kind of thing from happening?”

TOYA GRAHAM: “I think so. I think it wouldn’t have been as worse as it was. But once again, we don’t know where those mothers [were] at. A lot of mothers have to provide for their children. You can make that phone call, ‘get home, get home right now.’ At the end of the day, they’re going to make their own decision. As parents, we just have to follow through to make sure that’s where they’re supposed to be at. Is he the perfect boy? No he’s not! But he’s mine. I’m just grateful that I was able to get him home,e and we actually sit back and watched the news and everything. He has Facebook friends, and everybody making comments and saying you know, you shouldn't be mad at your mother, you should give her a hug, and by him seeing everything what’s going on I just hope, I’m not sure, but I hope that he understands the seriousness of what was going on last night.”

Cr.The Baltimore Sun

Suzanne Crough Dies

Suzanne Crough, Youngest Partridge Family Star, Dies at 52

It was not immediately clear what caused her death

Suzanne Crough, who starred as the youngest member of the “Partridge Family,” died Monday in her Nevada home, according to reports.

Crough, 52, died suddenly, a family member told TMZ.com. It was not immediately clear what caused her death, which was not independently confirmed by NBC News.
Clark County Coroner John Fudenberg said an autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.

Crough portrayed Tracy Partridge, the tambourine-playing redhead, during the classic sitcom’s 1970 to 1974 run. She had several guest-star appearances on shows after the show’s end.

She last reunited with her co-stars during a "Partridge Family" reunion on TODAY in 2010.

Cr.Time Magazine,ABC News

Michelle Keegan : Sexiest Woman

Michelle Keegan Named Sexiest Woman In The World By FHM Magazine

FHM has named its Sexiest Woman In The World for 2015 and it's ... someone you've probably never heard of before.

The magazine gave actress Michelle Keegan the title this year, and we're guessing our lack of familiarity with her might stem from the fact that she's mostly known for a handful of roles on British TV shows.

Kendall Jenner, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, British TV personality Caroline Flack and Ariana Grande also made the magazine's 2015 list.

Cr.Huffington Post

2015's TOP 100

---

• 100. Danielle Sharp
  
• 99. Jessie J
  
• 98. Emma Rigby
  
• 97. Gal Gadot
  
• 96. Lea Michele
  
• 95. Jennifer Lopez
  
• 94. Hannah Davis
  
• 93. Bryana Holly
  
• 92. Georgia May Foote
  
• 91. Kat Dennings
  
• 90. Emily Blunt
  
• 89. Daisy Lowe
  
• 88. Val Keil
  
• 87. Melanie Iglesias
  
• 86. Gemma Merna
  
• 85. Georgia Salpa
  
• 84. Demi Lovato
  
• 83. Jourdan Dunn
  
• 82. Christina Hendricks
  
• 81. Cara Delevingne
  
• 80. Kate Abdo
  
• 79. Robyn Lawley
  
• 78. Nicki Minaj
  
• 77. Ashley Roberts
  
• 76. Charlotte McKinney
  

• 75. Nathalie Emmanuel
  
• 74. Emma Stone
  
• 73. Mary Berry
  
• 72. Angelina Jolie
  
• 71. Kerry Washington
  
• 70. Daisy Pettinger
  
• 69. Rose Byrne
  
• 68. Cheryl Fernandez-Versini
  
• 67. Anna Kendrick
  
• 66. Gisele Bundchen
  
• 65. Chloe Goodman
  
• 64. Selena Gomez
  
• 63. Gemma Arterton
  
• 62. Kourtney Kardashian
  
• 61. Laura Haddock
  
• 60. Melissa Rauch
  
• 59. Emma Watson
  
• 58. Felicity Jones
  
• 57. Iggy Azalea
  
• 56. Naya Rivera
  
• 55. Olivia Wilde
  
• 54. Charlotte Crosby
  
• 53. Rachel Stevens
  
• 52. Sam Faiers
  
• 51. Kaley Cuoco
  

• 50. Khloe Kardashian
  
• 49. Foxes
  
• 48. Jacqueline Jossa
  
• 47. Ashley Benson
  
• 46. Rita Ora
  
• 45. Demi Rose Mawby
  
• 44. Mila Kunis
  
• 43. Olympia Valance
  
• 42. Ellie Goulding
  
• 41. Louise Thompson
  
• 40. Jorgie Porter
  
• 39. Rachel Riley
  
• 38. Stephanie Pratt
  
• 37. Laura Whitmore
  
• 36. Candice Swanepoel
  
• 35. Holly Willoughby
  
• 34. Zoella
  
• 33. Pixie Lott
  
• 32. Miley Cyrus
  
• 31. Lucy Watson
  
• 30. Nadia Forde
  
• 29. Arianny Celeste
  
• 28. Jenna Marbles
  
• 27. Jen Selter
  
• 26. Rosie Jones
  

• 25. Katy Perry
  
• 24. Nicole Scherzinger
  
• 23. Rihanna
  
• 22. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
  
• 21. Susanna Reid
  
• 20. Meg Turney
  
• 19. Beyonce
  
• 18. Emily Ratajkowski
  
• 17. Sofia Vergara
  
• 16. Natalie Dormer
  
• 15. Taylor Swift
  
• 14. Amy Willerton
  
• 13. Kim Kardashian
  
• 12. Britney Spears
  
• 11. Keeley Hazell
  
• 10. Kelly Brook
  
• 9. Emilia Clarke
  
• 8. Lucy Mecklenburgh
  
• 7. Margot Robbie
  
• 6. Ariana Grande
  
• 5. Caroline Flack
  
• 4. Kate Upton
  
• 3. Jennifer Lawrence
  
• 2. Kendall Jenner
  
• 1. Michelle Keegan
  

Annapolis police : Man Charged

 

Annapolis police make arrest in attempted rape

ANNAPOLIS, Md. —Police said a 23-year-old Severn man has been arrested and charged in connection with an attempted rape.

Annapolis Police Department officers were called to the back parking lot of St. Mary's Church at 2:17 a.m. Saturday for a report of a woman screaming for help.
Police said officers found a woman, 31, from Pasadena being helped by several people. The woman told officers she was out with friends that evening when she became acquainted with Marcus Snipes Jr. He followed her and her friends when they visited several bars, police said.

Snipes offered the victim a ride home and walked her to the parking lot behind 109 Duke of Gloucester St. Once in the parking lot, Snipes attempted to rape the victim next to an unrelated vehicle parked on the lot, police said.

The victim began screaming and a person who heard the screams called the police. Also, two women heard the screaming and went to help the victim, police said. They tried to hold Snipes until officers arrived, but Snipes was able to run away.

Officers canvassed the area, but could not find Snipes for some time. They eventually found him sitting in a chair in the backyard of a home in the unit block of Shipwright Street, police said.

Police said Snipes was identified as the suspect, arrested and charged with attempted first- and second-degree rape, first- and second-degree assault, attempted first- and second-degree sex offense, reckless endangerment and false imprisonment.
Snipes is being held at the Jennifer Road Detention Center without bond.

"The quick and decisive actions of our citizens helped stop this attack and with their help, our officers responded swiftly to find the suspect," Annapolis Police Chief Michael Pristoop said.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Detective John Murphy at 410-268-9000, ext. 7268, or jhmurphy@annapolis.gov.

Cr.ABC News

Strong Demand : Apple Watch !

 

Strong Demand : Apple Watch !

Apple (AAPL) Watch to Ship to More Countries in June After Strong Demand Outstrips Supply

The Apple logo hangs in the glass box entrance to the company's Fifth Avenue store in New York, Sept. 5, 2014.

Apple stock (NASDAQ: AAPL) hit an all-time high after Apple's second full earnings period since the iPhone 6 launch fueled the company's "best March quarter results ever."

But sales of iPads disappointed investors. 

About the Apple Watch, Apple CEO Tim Cook said, "Right now, demand is greater than supply and we're working hard to remedy that." Cook said the company "made progress over the last week or so" and delivered more Apple Watches to customers over the weekend "than we originally anticipated."

Strong Demand : Apple Watch !

"It is a new product, and as with any new product you take time to fully ramp," Cook said. "Having said that, I think we're in a good position. ... Sometime in late June, we anticipate to be in a position when we can sell the Apple Watch in additional countries."

"We’re learning customer preferences," Cook said about the Apple Watch, adding that there's a "much bigger breadth of possibility here than in our other products." 

The company said it will return $200 billion to shareholders through dividends and buybacks over the next two years "to reflect strong confidence in what lies ahead for Apple," Apple CEO Tim Cook said during the company earnings conference call today. 

Apple's cash pile is a whopping $194 billion after it announced revenue of $58 billion from January to March of this year and net profit of $13.6 billion. That's a jump from the same quarter a year ago: $45.6 billion in revenue and net profit of $10.2 billion last year. The company attributed "all-time record performance" of its App Store, with a record quarter of customer App Store purchases, plus sales of the iPhone and Mac.

Apple's revenue and profit beat expectations by Wall Street analysts. Apple stock was trading at $132.65, up nearly 2 percent at the close of trading in New York. Its stock was trading around $134.66, up more than 1 percent. 

International sales accounted for 69 percent of Apple's revenue this quarter, and Cook said during the earnings conference call that the success of the iPhone was especially strong in emerging markets. The company sold 61.2 million iPhones, 12.6 million iPads and 4.6 million Macs in the three-month period. 

"We’re making many strategic investments in Apple’s future," Cook said during the conference call, noting Apple's "biggest data centers in the world" in Ireland and Denmark.

The quarter's performance wasn't the record-breaking $18 billion it made in profits during its first quarter of this year and iPad sales fell 23 percent from last year, but Cook was still smitten. 

“We are thrilled by the continued strength of iPhone, Mac and the App Store, which drove our best March quarter results ever,” Cook said in a statement. "We’re seeing a higher rate of people switching to iPhone than we’ve experienced in previous cycles, and we’re off to an exciting start to the June quarter with the launch of Apple Watch."

Cr.ABC News,แบตสำรอง ipad,พาวเวอร์แบงค์

Wilson creeping on Chrissy Teigen

Russell Wilson creeping on Chrissy Teigen

So the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner was Saturday. And yes, no one is quite sure exactly what it is. It's a dinner with the president and a bunch of rich, maybe powerful people.

Among those popular, powerful people in attendance were Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and New England Patriots, and the hilarious part — not pictured here — is that they were sitting at the same table apparently. No truth to the rumor they were led to their seats by the White House Butler. #seewhatididthere

But what is pictured here, in the Instagram account of Belichick's girlfriend Linda Holliday, is something far more amazing, more wondrous than we ever could have hoped for. Yes, the Obama translator skit was funny. But this photo is truly the best thing to come out of the evening.

Where to start?

Let's go left to right, where Wilson has borrowed James Worthy's goggles, or perhaps had just come from powerwashing his deck. And, LOL, he thought people couldn't see which direction his eyes might be wandering. Yes, Wilson is rumored to be dating a famous person (not in attendance of said dinner, but still reportedly famous) named Ciara, but right at this moment he's ogling the very fine Chrissy Teigen.
So is Wisconsin's Frank "The Tank" Kaminsky, fresh off losing to Duke in the NCAA finals. He's a college kid; he gets a pass.

And so is Belichick, who most certainly does not. Holliday might not mind, but this might open up a new investigation into Spygate with the way Belichick is checking out her, ahem, formation.

That's what we call offsetting illegal procedure penalties.

Cr.Yahoo

Black Ops 3 will launch on ?

Black Ops 3—will launch on November 6th

The next Call of Duty video game—Black Ops 3—will launch on November 6th, Activision has confirmed—a Friday.

Friday is an unusual day for a Call of Duty release. Traditionally, most video games, including the Black Ops games, have released on Tuesdays in North America.

“We thought  it would be really fun for the fans to kick-off Black Ops 3 on a weekend,” Rob Kostich, Senior Vice President at Activision Publishing told me, explaining the change. “The Black Ops series is the most played in Call of Duty history with nearly 100 million players to date. With Black Ops 3, the team at Treyarch is really taking things to a new level. There’s so much in this game across every mode of play. Campaign has been reimagined and can now be played cooperatively with your friends. Zombies, of course, are back. And multiplayer is bringing a ton of depth and new ideas to the experience. So giving fans as much time as possible out of the gate to experience all the game has to offer just made a lot of sense.”

In other words, getting the game out on a Friday let’s players who might have work or school constraints throughout the week, really dive into the game over the weekend. When you think about it, that makes a lot of sense. So why does Activision usually launch games on a Tuesday? For that matter, why does the industry so often release games in the middle of the week instead of when most players can jump in and start playing on a Friday?

“Traditionally, here in the States, Tuesday has been a date that has worked really well for our retail partners,” says Kostich. Tuesday is also the day of the week that CDs and DVDs typically hit retail, a somewhat antiquated brick-and-mortar tradition.
Of course, video games can trace their Tuesday release roots to Sega’s release of Sonic 2 on the Sega Genesis. That game was the first major global launch of a video game, and Sega’s marketing team called the release “Sonic 2sday” according to the book “Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation” by Blake Harris. That was on November 24th, 1992—23 years before the launch of Black Ops 3.

Will this mark a new trend of Friday release dates at Activision? Kotisch can’t say for sure. “As a company, we have released on different dates in the past. It really depends on the game and what works best for it. Again, for Black Ops 3, a Friday release to kick-off a weekend celebration was just something we thought our fans would really enjoy.”
There’s also a bit of a marketing pun in the Black Ops 3 Friday release.

Sonic got Sonic 2sday; Black Ops 3  gets its own Black Ops Friday, a not-so-subtle nod to the craziest shopping day of the year.

Cr.Forbes

Celebrating Mom's day with dinner out

Celebrating Mom with dinner out

Central Florida has many options for celebrating Mother's Day on May 10. Here is just a sampling of local restaurant specials. Prices do not include tax and gratuity:

The Alfond Inn's Park Avenue Ballroom: 

From 11 a.m.-3 p.m. guests will experience chef-attended stations (paella, salad, carving, omelet, dessert and more), free mimosa or champagne and live music. Cost is $69 adults, $24 children ages 5 to 12.
300 E. New England Ave., Winter Park; 407-645-6605; TheAlfondInn.com

American Q: 

From 10 a.m.-3 p.m. a buffet brunch features barbecue, brisket mac & cheese, whole roasted king salmon, Gulf shrimp, Louisiana crawfish, chocolate fondue and peach cheesecake shooters. Every mom also gets a Mason jar filled with goodies. Cost is $44.95 adults, $24.95 for moms, $10 for kids under seven chickens high.
B Resort & Spa, 1905 Hotel Plaza Blvd., Lake Buena Vista; 407-827-3080; americanq.com

The Capital Grille:

The celebration starts at 10 a.m. featuring the full menu as well as a three-course brunch that includes asparagus soup, lobster frittata, dry-aged sirloin with fried egg, creme brulee and seasonal berries. Cost is $49 adults, $15 children.

Mall at Millenia, 4200 Conroy Road and 9101 International Drive, both Orlando; 407-351-2210 (Millenia), 407-370-4392 (I-Drive); thecapitalgrille.com

Columbia: 

Regular menu and specials such as sautéed chicken breast with lobster and wild mushrooms ($28.95), coffee- and chili-rubbed pork tenderloin ($25.95).

649 Front St., Celebration; 407-566-1505; columbiarestaurant.com

Dubsdread Historic Ballroom: 

From 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. the buffet will include prime rib, crab cakes, smoked salmon and eggs Benedict. Reservations are required with seatings every half-hour from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Cost is $41.95 adults, $12.95 children age 10 and younger.

549 W. Par St., Orlando; 407-650-0100; dubsdreadcatering.com

Duffy's Sports Grill: 

Mother's Day surf-and-turf special (6-ounce flat-iron steak and a lobster tail) plus one side for $17.99.

Various locations including 4158 Conroy Road, Orlando; 407-930-2960; duffysmvp.com

Garden Grove:

From 7-10 a.m. a special Mother's Day breakfast menu includes open-faced crab sandwiches, potato gratin and yogurt mousse parfaits. The brunch menu will be served from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., featuring herb-crusted prime rib, quiche and green been almandine. Both menus are $35.99 adults, $19.99 children ages 3-9.

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, 1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd., Lake Buena Vista; 407-934-1618; swandolphin.com

Luma on Park:

From 11 a.m.-3 p.m. the a la carte lunch menu will include modern spins on traditional special-occasion fare.

290 S. Park Ave., Winter Park; 407-599-4111; lumaonpark.com

The Mansion at Highland Manor: 

From 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. the buffet will include prime rib, crab cakes, smoked salmon and eggs Benedict. Reservations are required with seatings every half-hour from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Cost is $41.95 adults, $12.95 children age 10 and younger.

604 E. Main St., Apopka; 407-650-0100; dubsdreadcatering.com

Ocean Prime: 

From 11 a.m. the brunch menu will include blood orange mimosa ($9), quiche ($14), blueberry French toast ($14), braised short rib ($16), crab and eggs ($18) and blackened salmon salad ($18).

Ocean Prime, 7339 W. Sand Lake Road, Orlando; 407-781-4880

Roy's Restaurant: 

Two-course brunch menu includes house-made brioche sticky bun, choice of appetizer and lobster vol-au-vent entrée (puff pastry filled with lobster, scrambled eggs, heirloom tomatoes, brie cheese and cream). Cost is $35.95 per person. Diners will receive a $20 dining card for an upcoming visit to Roy's.

7760 W. Sand Lake Road, Orlando; 407-352-4844

Taverna Opa: 

A la carte menu plus Mother's Day special of a free meal for moms with the purchase of three other meals (total of four guests) at the table.

Pointe Orlando, 9101 International Drive; 407-351-8660; opaorlando.com

Todd English's bluezoo: 

From 5-10 p.m. moms can enjoy a la carte specials and fresh seafood. Diners receive a $25 gift certificate and a rose for every two adult entrees purchased on Mother's Day.

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, 1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd., Lake Buena Vista; 407-934-1111; thebluezoo.com

Cr.Orlando Sentinel

How a McDream dies ?

Patrick Dempsey and Ellen Pompeo on ABC's 'Grey's Anatomy'

And that's how a McDream dies.

Not with a bang, but with a broadside from a truck. And to add to the ironic injustice, Dr. Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd wasn't killed by the accident itself but by the incompetence of the poorly trained doctors at the small hospital where the ambulance left him.

If only that ambulance had taken him to Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital, Derek might still be alive. And Patrick Dempsey, whose last Grey's Anatomy episode aired Thursday night, might still be a regular on a show he starred in for 11 seasons — and was signed for another.
To be sure, there were a few warning signs of his departure, from last week's where-is-Derek alarm bells to this week's writing credit for creator Shonda Rhimes, who hasn't written a Grey's episode since 2012 and generally only steps back in for big events. Still, if it wasn't a carefully guarded secret along the lines of Josh Charles's shocking exit from The Good Wife, it was still most likely an unwelcome surprise for many viewers.

After all, Dempsey was more than just one of the few remaining original stars, along with Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers, Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. He was the male lead, and his character's up-and-down relationship with Pompeo's Meredith Grey has always been the show's central romantic driving force, from their Joe's Bar hook-up in the series premiere to Thursday's final bedside goodbye.

In typical Grey's fashion, viewers were left to guess through most of the episode what, if anything, would happen to Derek -— and how bad what happened might be. (Sure, that broadside looked bad, but Derek and Meredith have survived worse.) Last week, we learned that he never made his flight to Washington, D.C. This week, we found out why: He stopped to help people involved in a car crash, going about his doctor business and promising everything was going to be OK.

"No one's going to die, Winnie," he said to a young girl.

"You're not God, so you don't know," she answered — making Winnie a bit too prescient for her own (and viewers') good..

It looked like he would be right. He patched up everyone's wounds as best he could and got them all on their way in ambulances. And then, while leaving the crash scene, he fiddled with his phone in the middle of the road - and got smashed by that truck.

Which is when the episode became more interesting. The tragedy helped, of course, but so did a well-chosen narrative device: letting us hear an unable-to-speak Derek's thoughts as he realized he was not getting the treatment he needed: "I'm going to die because there people aren't properly trained."

We haven't seen much of Dempsey this season, so let this episode serve as a reminder of what we've been missing — and what we'll now miss with his departure. Derek could, at times, seem like two people, warm and funny one minute, cold and self-involved the next. Dempsey's gift was in making those two sides seem like part of the same person, while keeping us rooting for that person as a whole. ​

Yet in some ways, the episode was even more of a showcase for Pompeo. She didn't play a prominent part until late in the hour, but she had some of the more memorable and well-played scenes, from her angry response to the doctor who tries to tell her what her choices are, to her resignation when she realizes she has to comfort and motivate the young doctor whose mistakes cost Derek his life.
And then there's that deathbed scene, as moving as any Grey's has done. As we watched flashbacks of their happiest moments together, Meredith told her husband "It's OK. You go. We'll be fine."

Well, sure. But not soon.
Cr.USA Today

Sawyer Sweeten Dies : Suicide ?

Sawyer Sweeten Dies : Suicide ?

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Sawyer Sweeten, an actor best known for his role as one of the young twins on hit sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond," has died of a possible suicide, his manager Dino May has confirmed. He was 19.

According to Radar Online, who first reported the news, he was visiting family in Texas, where he is believed to have shot himself on the front porch.

Sweeten played Geoffrey Baron on "Everybody Loves Raymond," which ran from 1996-2005 on CBS. He acted alongside his twin brother, Sullivan, and their real-life sister, Madylin, who played Ally Baron.

Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, Brad Garrett, Doris Roberts, Peter Boyle and Monica Horan also starred in the comedy.

More to come...

Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Cr.Huffington Post

Calbuco volcano UP-TO-Date

Calbuco volcano: Two earthquakes caused by fracturing rock

Calbuco volcano: Two earthquakes caused by fracturing rock, officials say

A missing hiker was found alive late Thursday as ash from Chile's Calbuco volcano continued to fill the air, piling on roadways and closing borders in the region.

The volcano first erupted Wednesday, marking the first such activity in more than 42 years, billowing a huge ash cloud over the sparsely populated, mountainous area in southern Chile. 

Calbuco's second blast overnight was stronger and lasted longer

A second, more powerful eruption hit around 1 a.m. Thursday, creating swarms of lightning storms. Stunning photos captured the phenomenon, known as “dirty thunderstorms,” which illuminated the night sky.

The eruption rained down as much as 15 to 20 inches of ash in the nearby town of Ensenada, officials said, closing schools and canceling flights. Several surrounding towns, including Alerce, Colonia Rio Sur and Correntos, were also evacuated.

About 7 p.m. local time, two earthquakes associated with fracturing of rock occurred. The largest happened less than 3 miles east of the main crater, with a magnitude of 3, officials said in a 9 p.m. update. An additional "minor" eruption is possible, officials said.

The volcano could erupt again, possibly within hours, officials say

The country’s National Service of Geology and Mining said Thursday that the region remains on red alert, meaning there could be a third eruption within hours. President Michelle Bachelet has warned the volcano could soon emit lava. About 5,000 residents were evacuated, and towns within a 13-mile radius of the volcano were declared "exclusion zones."

No injuries or deaths were reported. A mountain climber reported missing earlier had been found, officials said. A government spokeswoman identified the hiker as 21-year-old Waldo Flores. Interior Undersecretary Mahmud Aleuy tweeted that Flores had been found by a local. He was then taken to a hospital to be checked, the spokeswoman said.

Calbuco had been dormant for more than 40 years

According to the Associated Press, the Calbuco volcano hasn't erupted since 1972. It erupted violently and without warning Wednesday afternoon, sending a massive column of ash and smoke into the air.

Chile's president has declared a state of emergency

President Bachelet declared a state of emergency and was scheduled to travel to the region Thursday.

Officials said they did not anticipate any water, food or fuel shortages. Volcanic ash can contain heavy metals and toxic substances such as arsenic. According to a statement from the Ministry of the Interior, the region draws its drinking water from underground sources.

If lava begins to flow, however, it could melt snowpacks in the region and bring the threat of landslides or rising rivers to surrounding towns.

Crews equipped with large machinery worked to clear roadways of piles of soot and ash, photos showed. Military forces have been sent to the region to keep order and guard against looting.

The government has issued a health advisory within the 13-mile radius of the volcano, and officials plan to distribute 46,000 face masks to area residents to combat the ash.
Ash fell nearly 70 miles away

Volcanic ash was falling in the Argentine resort city of Bariloche, about 68 miles east of Calbuco, the Associated Press reported. Officials there were analyzing the ash to see if it posed a threat to drinking water.

Officials closed several border crossings between Argentina and Chile, after "poor environmental conditions" made the roads impassable.

In 2008, the Chaiten volcano in Palena province erupted, forcing the evacuations of thousands and sending ash as far away as Buenos Aires, the Argentine capital more than 900 miles to the northeast.

Special correspondents D'Alessandro reported from Buenos Aires and Kraul from Arica. Times staff reporter Mai-Duc reported from Los Angeles.

UPDATES

7:14 p.m.: This story has been updated with information about earthquakes following the eruption.

4:23 p.m.: This article was updated with information that a missing hiker had been found alive.

11:17 a.m.: This article was updated throughout with additional details about a missing hiker and the state of emergency.

The first version of this article was published at 9:49 a.m.

Cr.LA Time

Bruce has to speak for Bruce

That, according to an ABC staffer, is the network's strategy as it prepares to televise what will probably be a blockbuster interview with Bruce Jenner.

Jenner, known around the world as a former Olympian and a star of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," is widely assumed to be transitioning from male to female. On Wednesday the New York Daily News joined the tabloid fray, splashing photos on its cover with the words "Bruce in a dress." 

If confirmed by Jenner on Friday night, it will be a landmark moment for the transgender community, as Jenner will be identified as one of the most famous transgender people in the world.

Up until now, Jenner has stayed silent amid the entertainment media's incessant speculation.And ABC has pretty much stayed silent too.

Sawyer's conversations with Jenner were taped in February. ABC announced the date for the special on April 6 and has been airing short commercials for the past two and a half weeks.

The first promo showed Jenner in a ponytail while a narrator referred to "The journey. The decisions. The future."

In the second promo, Jenner is heard saying, "My whole life has been getting me ready for this." 
And in the third promo, released on Sunday night, Jenner is shown speaking about his famous family: "They're the only ones I'm concerned with."

Bruce Jenner gave an exclusive interview to ABC's Diane Sawyer.

In some ways, the interview promotes itself, given all the external press speculation.
The ABC staffer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, which is revealing in itself, said the network is trying to be sensitive and "respect Bruce."

ABC isn't going to release any clips or sound bites ahead of time that answer peoples' questions about gender transition. But Sawyer will promote Friday night's interview in a series of appearances on ABC on Friday -- "Good Morning America," "Live with Kelly and Michael," "The View," and "World News Tonight." 

She will apparently be careful about what she says. Sawyer might reveal who else besides Jenner she interviewed for the special, but not what they said.

It is not a coincidence that Friday is the second day of the May "sweeps season," a time of year when television ratings are monitored even more closely than usual, especially at ABC's local stations and ABC's rivals.

Cr.ABC 

Earth Day 2015 Today

Earth Day 2015 Today

SAN ANTONIO - Wednesday is Earth Day 2015, a celebration honoring nature and the role we play in keeping the planet clean. 

Earth Day's history dates back to the 1970's. It was created as a day of "education of environmental issues."

Earth Day also coincided with the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency along with acts such as the Clean Air Act.

President Obama will head to the Florida Everglades Wednesday to promote his climate change policies.

Meanwhile, the financial website Wallethub.com has ranked the most and least eco-friendly states. 

It links eco-friendliness to long-term financial stability in areas such as energy consumption and disaster cleanup costs.
Wallethub looked at things like air quality, water quality and gasoline consumption.

Vermont got the top spot with high scores in both environmental quality and eco-friendly behavior categories. 

Texas we came in near last -- ranked 49th out of 50. Louisiana was at the bottom of the list.

Cr.Ksat

Water Day ??

Florence is or what she has to offer the world

Dirty water doesn't care who Florence is or what she has to offer the world.

Florence is the class president at Shisango Girl's School. She's bright, charismatic and full of life. You're better for knowing her.

It took Florence and her classmates 2 hours to walk to the school's previous, polluted, water source.

She calls the walk "too dark... where you could encounter dangerous animals or men." Her water was just as dangerous.


Florence Okomo celebrates her Water Day, every day.

Last September a group of donors rallied together to make this Water Day possible. They cared who Florence is and what she has to offer the world. They finished raising funds on September 30, 2014 and their Water Day would soon provide safe water for Florence and her classmates.
On March 2, 2015, Florence's Water Day came in the form of a new water well and ongoing monitoring and support through The Water Project's team in Kenya.

Like all our supporters do, this group of fundraisers watched it all happen, in photos, on maps and through story. And they committed to The Water Promise to ensure it lasts.

We're proud to celebrate with Florence, and welcome you to join us @ water project

Cr.The Water Project

The unique connections : Child & ?

As a small experiment of women’s uniqueness and the special bond between a mother and child, we met up with 6 wonderful women, and asked them to let us blindfold their most precious loved ones. Their children!

Baby TimberBiel ?

newborn baby Silas Randall Timberlake

Justin Timberlake shows off a photo of wife Jessica Biel holding the couple’s newborn baby Silas Randall Timberlake. (Photo: Justin Timberlake/Instagram)

Baby Timberbiel is here! Not only did we get an up-close glimpse of Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel’s newborn son Silas Randall on Sunday, his photo was unveiled without fanfare only one week after his birth. Most notably though, was the medium in which his famous parents chose to introduce him to the world: A simple shot uploaded to Instagram. 

Timberlake posted the photo of a smiling Biel holding the couple’s son who was wearing a Memphis Grizzlies T-shirt. Biel was makeup-free, wearing a baseball cap and a simple tank top with visible bra straps. The shot was refreshingly understated and seemingly candid and Biel looked like any other proud new mama who would appear on your newsfeed.

Back in the day, celebrity babies were introduced to the world on the cover of glossy magazines, all of which clamored to make high-price offers to A-list parents such as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Christina Aguilera, and Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony. Bidding wars still wage for those dreamy airbrushed depictions of new parenthood but million-dollar payouts are declining in popularity in favor of social media debuts, according to Richard Ayoub, founding editor-in-chief of the celebrity website Rumor Fix. “Celebrity parents know they’ll chased by the media for that exclusive baby photo — often times in bad lighting—  so they release it themselves as a way to control their image,” he tells Yahoo Parenting. “It’s very savvy.”

Other celebrities who introduced their newborns online include Ivanka Trump who took to Tumblr to post a photo of herself lying in a hospital bed holding her son Joseph Kushner and Michael Bublé who posed with wife Luisana Lopilato (who lay in a hospital bed), and their newborn son Noah for a photo on Instagram. Even Kate Middleton, due to give birth any minute to her second child with Prince William, is no exception. The notoriously private couple will dutifully pose for photos with their newborn child as they leave St. Mary’s hospital this week for crowds of hungry photographers, as they did after the birth of Prince George.

Others take a controlled but equally powerful approach by posting close-up images of their newborn’s faces on social media. Fergie and Josh Duhamel, Jimmy Fallon, and John Krasinski and Emily Blunt are just a few examples. “Pics of kids should only come direct from parents. So I’m thrilled to introduce you guys to Hazel,“ Krasinski captioned the photo of his daughter on Twitter, three months after she was born.

It’s a smart move, says Fran Walfish, PsyD, a Beverly Hills based child psychologist. “Celebrities know that satiating the public right away may help reduce the sensationalism surrounding their families,” she tells Yahoo Parenting. Exposing their children — who will inevitably become celebrities by default — is a protective move, a way to say “Here is my child. Now go away.”

These photos are a far cry from that of dad Ashton Kutcher who, after Mila Kunis gave birth to their daughter Wyatt, teased fans with a baby photo mash-up and captioned it, "Can you guess which one is ours, or does it really matter? all babies are cute.” Or singer Shakira who introduced us to her and partner Gerard Piqué’s son Sasha by sharing a photo of his foot. No one could blame these parents for wanting to preserve their privacy but our first glimpse of Wyatt — a leaked holiday card sent to the couple’s friends and family — was decidedly more invasive.

Ultimately, what matters more is how celebrity babies are raised in the spotlight, not how they enter it. In the meantime, bring on the cuteness.  

Cr.Yahoo

Comcast could abandon TWC merger if ?

Comcast could abandon TWC merger if ?

Comcast could abandon TWC merger if government imposes tough conditions

Comcast and Time Warner Cable officials are scheduled to meet with Department of Justice antitrust officials on Wednesday "to discuss potential remedies in hopes of keeping their $45.2 billion merger on track," The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday.

DOJ antitrust lawyers are reportedly close to recommending that the government block the deal. Comcast might be able to save the merger by agreeing to conditions, but the cable company could also walk away from the deal if the government asks for conditions to which it objects.

When announcing the merger in February 2014, Comcast said the acquisition agreement did not include a break-up fee, noting that the lack of one reflected its confidence that the deal would be approved. With the government's merger review now having taken months longer than expected, the absence of a breakup fee would let Comcast abandon the merger without having to compensate Time Warner Cable. (In 2011, AT&T had to pay $3 billion to T-Mobile and then transfer spectrum to the company after the DOJ and FCC sunk a proposed merger between the companies.)

The Journal's sources flagged a possible net neutrality requirement as one that could cause Comcast to abandon the TWC deal. The FCC issued new net neutrality rules for Internet providers this year; a merger condition could require Comcast to follow the rules even if they are later blocked in court.

Comcast agreed to a similar condition based on an earlier version of net neutrality rules when it bought NBCUniversal in 2011. However, the new rules are stricter than the previous ones and include a reclassification of broadband as a common carrier service, which brings heavier regulation than broadband's previous classification as an information service.

As part of the Comcast/TWC review, the DOJ and FCC are examining whether Comcast has fully complied with the NBCUniversal conditions, the Journal wrote. The newspaper also raised the possibility of the FCC "designat[ing] the merger for a hearing," a procedural move that could be the first step toward blocking it.
However, recommendations by staffers at government agencies don't have to be followed by the agencies' leaders. Neither the DOJ nor the FCC have made any public statements about their intentions for the merger.

Cr.Ars Technica

We Would Not Miss It : Randy Travis

country music legend Randy Travis

Nearly two years after suffering a debilitating stroke, country music legend Randy Travis made a surprise appearance at the Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday, quietly standing as he acknowledged the thunderous applause from the audience.

Country star Lee Brice paid homage to the North Carolina native, 55, early in the show when he played a verse of Travis's hit "Forever and Ever, Amen," then shocked the audience when he introduced the recovering legend.

"That classic tune won song of the year in 1985 and the man who sang it has made an amazing comeback to be with us tonight. Ladies and Gentlemen, the great Randy Travis," Brice announced as the crowd broke out in prolonged applause.

Travis, who was seated in the audience, stood up and acknowledged the crowd with a little wave and several head nods.

"Randy's history with the ACM awards goes back over two decades," Mary Davis, Travis's fiancée said in a statement to PEOPLE. "With the awards in Dallas and celebrating 50 years, it's something Randy and I would not miss."

"Great to have you with us, Randy!" Brice added before presenting the song of the year award to Miranda Lambert for "Automatic."

Sunday's appearance was a rare one for the country legend, who suffered a stroke in 2013 following complications from viral cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure.

He underwent brain surgery and spent time in a physical therapy facility as part of his recovery.

Last year, Travis made another rare public appearance, this time at a Dolly Parton concert in Oklahoma, looking upbeat as he posed for a photo with the fellow country star.

Cr.People Post

ACM Awards 2015 : CowBoy ?

ACM Awards 2015 : CowBoy ?

The Academy of Country Music Awards goes Texan on Sunday night, but that doesn't mean the look is pure cowboy. Check out some of the ways celebs dressed up upon arriving on the red carpet.

The awards show, which had held in Las Vegas for more than a decade, has for this year moved to AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, in Arlington, Texas.
The ACM Awards 2015, which is airing live at 8 p.m. EDT on CBS, features 23 performances on two stages, including ones by Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson and Brooks & Dunn.

Presenters include Troy Aikman and Tony Romo (of course), Reese Witherspoon, Sofia Vergara and Steven Tyler, who is recording a country album.
Blake Shelton is co-hosting. His wife, Miranda Lambert, is the top contender with eight nominations, including the coveted entertainer of the year -- an award she has yet to win.

Lambert's nominations include album of the year for "Platinum" and song and single record of the year for her hit, "Automatic." She won the Grammy for best country album in February and she cleaned house at the Country Music Association Awards in November, winning four awards.

Co-host Luke Bryan, Garth Brooks, Jason Aldean and Florida Georgia Line are also up for the fan-voted entertainer of the year.

Cr.Cleveland Entertaiment