No Oscar For This Year

Hollywood, CA. Protesting stars force cancellation of Academy Awards!

The list of Hollywood stars boycotting the 83rd Academy Awards has grown so long that organizers have been forced to pull the plug on Sunday’s ceremony. Unnamed sources say ABC will air a re-broadcast of last year’s Oscars telecast in its place.

What started out as a boycott by a few disgruntled A-listers has grown into a protest movement inspired by recent events in the Middle East. At the core of the dispute are unfair labor practices and human rights abuses that the stars are forced to endure every Oscar season. The movement reached the tipping point when the Academy announced that this year’s red carpet, which the stars are forced to walk, would be even longer than last year’s 1.75 mile-long stretch.

“Every year they make us walk a little bit farther, but this is ridiculous,” said two-time Oscar winner, Al Pacino. “When I was nominated for Serpico in ‘73, it was just a strip of carpet from the curb to the entrance of the Chandler Pavilion. Now it’s like the Bataan death march.” Nominees have complained for years about the lack of water and facilities along the route. In 2008 Javier Bardem was issued a citation for urinating in an alley off of Vine Street.

Last year’s red carpet walk took nearly three hours and delayed the start of the awards ceremony. “It wouldn’t be so bad if folks didn’t stop every three feet to sign autographs or pose for pictures,” said would-be presenter, Tom Hanks. “When I heard this year’s carpet was three and a half miles long, I got depressed. Then I saw the YouTube video of Natalie tagging big Oscar, and I knew there was hope.”

Hanks is referring to the viral video of best actress nominee, Natalie Portman, spray-painting the slogan, “Hell No, We Won’t Show,” on a giant Oscar statue outside the Kodak theater, site of the canceled ceremony. “When a first-time nominee has the balls to do that, it gives you the courage to speak up,” said Jeff Bridges. “I’m out of here.”

Publicly, executives at ABC have denied the existence of the boycott and continue to air promos for Sunday’s telecast, even as workers dismantle sets at the Kodak theatre. The network has employed several strategies to lure the actors back to the event, including using stars’ mothers as bait. Musical numbers were dropped from the show at the last minute, to make room for the moms, who were to be featured with their offspring during “special” segments. In lieu of the ceremony, winners will be announced via Twitter on the morning of February 28.

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FACEBOOK WILL END ON MARCH 15th! - incident 2day

PALO ALTO, CA –Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook will be shut down in March. Managing the site has become too stressful.

“Facebook has gotten out of control,” said Zuckerberg in a press conference outside his Palo Alto office, “and the stress of managing this company has ruined my life. I need to put an end to all the madness.”

Zuckerberg went on to explain that starting March 15th, users will no longer be able to access their Facebook accounts.

“After March 15th the whole website shuts down,” said Avrat Humarthi, Vice President of Technical Affairs at Facebook. “So if you ever want to see your pictures again, I recommend you take them off the internet. You won’t be able to get them back after Facebook goes out of business.”

Zuckerberg said the decision to shut down Facebook was difficult, but that he does not think people will be upset.

“I personally don’t think it’s a big deal,” he said in a private phone interview. “And to be honest, I think it’s for the better. Without Facebook, people will have to go outside and make real friends. That’s always a good thing.”

Some Facebook users were furious upon hearing the shocking news.

“What am I going to do without Facebook?” said Denise Bradshaw, a high school student from Indiana. “My life revolves around it. I’m on Facebook at least 10 hours a day. Now what am I going to do with all that free time?”

However, parents across the country have been experiencing a long anticipated sense of relief.

“I’m glad the Facebook nightmare is over,” said Jon Guttari, a single parent from Detroit. “Now my teenager’s face won’t be glued to a computer screen all day. Maybe I can even have a conversation with her.”

PALO ALTO, CA –Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook will be shut down in March. Managing the site has become too stressful.

“Facebook has gotten out of control,” said Zuckerberg in a press conference outside his Palo Alto office, “and the stress of managing this company has ruined my life. I need to put an end to all the madness.”

Zuckerberg went on to explain that starting March 15th, users will no longer be able to access their Facebook accounts.

“After March 15th the whole website shuts down,” said Avrat Humarthi, Vice President of Technical Affairs at Facebook. “So if you ever want to see your pictures again, I recommend you take them off the internet. You won’t be able to get them back after Facebook goes out of business.”

Zuckerberg said the decision to shut down Facebook was difficult, but that he does not think people will be upset.

“I personally don’t think it’s a big deal,” he said in a private phone interview. “And to be honest, I think it’s for the better. Without Facebook, people will have to go outside and make real friends. That’s always a good thing.”

Some Facebook users were furious upon hearing the shocking news.

“What am I going to do without Facebook?” said Denise Bradshaw, a high school student from Indiana. “My life revolves around it. I’m on Facebook at least 10 hours a day. Now what am I going to do with all that free time?”

However, parents across the country have been experiencing a long anticipated sense of relief.

“I’m glad the Facebook nightmare is over,” said Jon Guttari, a single parent from Detroit. “Now my teenager’s face won’t be glued to a computer screen all day. Maybe I can even have a conversation with her.”

SIGN THE “SAVE FACEBOOK” PETITION HERE

Those in the financial industry are criticizing Zuckerberg for walking away from a multibillion dollar franchise. Facebook is currently ranked as one of the wealthiest businesses in the world, with economists estimating its value at around 7.9 billion.

But Zuckerberg remains unruffled by these accusations. He said he will stand by his decision to give Facebook the axe.

“I don’t care about the money,” said Zuckerberg. “I just want my old life back.”

The Facebook Corporation suggests that users remove all of their personal information from the website before March 15th. After that date, all photos, notes, links, and videos will be permanently erased.

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Libyan leader blames al-Qaeda for uprising - incident2day

LIBYAN LEADER Muammar Gadafy has blamed al-Qaeda for the unrest which is threatening his regime of more than 40 years.

“It is obvious now that this issue is run by al-Qaeda,” he asserted in response to a statement of support from the network’s north African franchise. He said that young people staging the uprising are being manipulated by al-Qaeda and reiterated a claim made on Tuesday that they were on drugs. He warned that the organisers of the rebellion would be prosecuted in the country’s courts and scolded parents for failing to keep their children at home.

Col Gadafy said Libyans had “no reason to complain” about their lives – unlike Tunisians and Egyptians who overthrew their rulers – and argued that the people exercised political power in Libya and he was only a “symbolic” fixture like Britain’s Queen Elizabeth. He said if Libyans do not return to work, “the flow of oil will stop”. Before the broadcast, Libyan state television announced that he would deliver his address from Zawiya, a city near oil export facilities and refineries. But that city was engulfed in clashes between pro- and anti-government forces throughout the day. He did not appear and spoke on the phone from an undisclosed location.

Helicopter gunships firing missiles and loyal troops of the Hamza brigade armed with heavy machine guns attacked a mosque in Zawiya during the morning – bringing down the minaret, killing 10 and wounding 150 rebels. During subsequent fighting, forces loyal to Col Gadafy were said to have been routed.

While Tripoli remained largely locked down, pro-Gadafy militia- men and African mercenaries raided homes, making arrests, and took bodies from hospital morgues. However, Col Gadafy’s hold on cities and towns around the capital came under challenge. In addition to the clashes in Zawiya, 45km to the south, demonstrations erupted in Zuwarah, 120km west of Tripoli near the Tunisian border and fighting took place at Sabratha near Tripoli and Sabha in the south. Gadafy’s for- ces launched an offensive on rebel-controlled Misrata, east of Tripoli.

The southern oil fields were said to be under rebel control and production has stopped.

Col Gadafy’s second son, Saif al-Islam, appeared on TV to accuse “Arab brothers” of mounting a “conspiracy” against the regime and asked Egypt not to join. He claimed “life in Tripoli is normal” and invited journalists and human rights organisations to visit and see for themselves. But government offices, schools and businesses remained closed while grocery shops and bakeries were open only for a few hours. Prices of staples have trebled and petrol is in short supply.

On arrival in Cairo, a close aide and cousin of Col Gadafy, Ahmad Qadaf al-Dam, said he had defected because the crackdown has involved “grave violations of human rights and international law”.

In Benghazi, epicentre of the revolt, elders have established committees to run the city and to interrogate captured “mercenaries” from southern Libya and sub-Saharan Africa who fought on the regime’s side. Regular army soldiers stationed in the east have joined the revolt but in some cities under rebel rule pro-Gadafy militiamen are said to roam the streets at night.

At a meeting of tribal elders in rebel-held Bayda, former minister of justice Mustafa Abul Jalil said: “No negotiation, no solution, until Gadafy and his sons leave.” Weapons captured from pro-Gadafy forces are being distributed in the battle for Tripoli.

In an interview with a Swedish newspaper, Mr Abu Jalil also said Col Gadafy had ordered the 1988 bombing of a US civilian airliner that exploded over Lockerbie in Scotland, killing 270 people.

Opposition parties in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco issued a joint statement calling on their governments to intervene to halt the crackdown in Libya. “It is a genuine extermination effort that has been unleashed. We must . . . stop this massacre.”

Thousands of Tunisians have fled to their homeland in the west while in the east 20,000, mainly Egyptians, have crossed the border into Egypt over the past two days. The bodies of three Egyptians killed in clashes were repatriated.

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Oscars to continue on ABC TV through 2020

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - ABC television will broadcast the annual Oscar ceremony until 2020, extending its current agreement by six years, the TV network and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said on Thursday.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - ABC television will broadcast the annual Oscar ceremony until 2020, extending its current agreement by six years, the TV network and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said on Thursday.

ABC, a unit of the Walt Disney Co, has broadcast the Academy Awards -- traditionally the most-watched non-sporting event of the year -- to U.S. viewers for decades.

"This contract ensures that the Oscar show will be an ABC tradition for 45 consecutive years," Academy president Tom Sherak said in a statement.

ABC television group president Anne Sweeny said that ABC has aired 46 of the annual telecasts honoring the best movies and performances of the year "so we're thrilled to announce that this tradition will continue."

The 83rd Academy Awards will be aired live from Hollywood on Sunday.

Last year, the ceremony was watched by 41.7 million Americans -- the largest TV audience in five years.

The Oscars are also watched by millions of people around the world under a separate agreement with Walt Disney International, which runs through 2014.

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Priyanka warms up to Kareena

Mumbai Mirror reported on December 21 on ceasefire between Kareena and Priyanka. At the Mumbai Police Mela organised then, Piggy made the first move and called Bebo on stage. A six-year-long cold war ended.

Technically, Bebo should have made the second move but it seems Piggy is keener. So be it. At the Filmfare Awards rehearsals on Friday night, Priyanka went up to Bebo and gave her a warm hug. Kareena, who was scheduled to rehearse after Piggy, had to wait for a long time because a lot of changes were being added to Piggy's performance. Kareena was apparently getting very restless in the interim and she walked down to the rehearsal hall.

Furious for having had to wait for so long, Bebo was apparently pacing up and down the hall. In a little while, she even had to rush to Pune for the shoot of Bodyguard.

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Sachin Tendulkar New house 1200 crores

It's official. Master-blaster Sachin Tendulkar may be tossing a coin before he puts his money on this. The Little Master is close to buying a villa in the Rs 1,200-crore Champion Reef Golf Country located near Kolar. Promoted by Bangalore-based realty major Confident Group, the sprawling villa project running alongside an 18-hole golf course is spread across 371 acres.

Sachin was seen teeing off in style at the Champion Reef golf course on Tuesday. Sources told TOI that Sachin has set his eyes on the Presidential and Imperial range of mansions at Champion Reef measuring 4,000-6,000 sft and costing anywhere between Rs 2-3 crore.

"Sachin has shown serious interest in buying either the Imperial or Presidential villa. Right now, he's busy with the World Cup. He may freeze the deal after that," said Roy CJ, chairman and managing director, Confident Group.

Casa Imperial villa comprising 4-5 bedrooms tucked with lavish entertainment spaces costs Rs 3 crore, while the Casa Presidential range of villas overlooking the golf course comes with a price tag of Rs 2 crore. It's built on plots measuring 6,000 sft with villas measuring 2,400-4000 sft. The first phase of the project comprising of 200 units will be completed in the next six months. The second phase housing 202 units will take two years for completion.

The proposed buy comes close on the heels of Sachin buying a 7-acre plot in Kensville Golf and Country Club located in Ahemdabad. He may be associated with Kensville Golf to promote its academy. He also bought Dorab Villa, an old bungalow in suburban Bandra, for Rs 39 crore a few years back.

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