The Latest I Know America And World News: March 2013

Kobe Bryant Says Dahntay Jones Sorry intentionally

INDIANAPOLIS - No Kobe? The Indiana Pacers will believe it when they don't see it Friday night.
Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant is listed as "out indefinitely" with a severely sprained left ankle suffered in a Wednesday night loss at Atlanta. But the Pacers are preparing as if the 15-time NBA All-Star will play.

"I knew the Lakers. I still know Kobe," said assistant coach Brian Shaw, a Lakers assistant from 2004-11. "I've seen him come back from some injuries that you would never think he would be able to come back from the next game. If anybody can bounce back from something like that, he can."

The Lakers play Friday in Indiana, and it'll be a challenge for Bryant to knock out the swelling in his ankle in time. He's trying, though.
Bryant posted to his Twitter account how many movies he was watching to stay awake late Wednesday night to maximize his ankle treatment: "Compression. Ice. Django. Zero Dark Thirty. This is Forty and 1 hour of sleep.

"That's very disheartening and that's not the way I play the game right now," Jones said of Bryant's displeasure with the play. "Obviously, we had two incidents that happened in the Western Conference finals (in 2009), and those two were totally separate from what's happening now. We played 48 minutes of basketball (Wednesday) and we didn't have any instances there at that point in time. It's just the last shot just happened to come down with an unfortunate incident. I didn't try to do anything to hurt him. I have too much respect for him to try to hurt him."
If Bryant doesn't suit up, it's not like the Lakers have nothing else. Center Dwight Howard scored a season-high 39 points in Tuesday's road win against his former team, Orlando. Point guard Steve Nash is one of the league's best ball-handlers.

"More spread pick-and-rolls for Nash and Howard?" said Pacers coach Frank Vogel. "That's not an interesting proposition, either. That's every bit as lethal.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Hardware Specs Review

After sitting through the glitziest product introduction I’ve ever been to followed by a few minutes of hands-on with the Galaxy S4, I came away impressed but not blown away.

I’ll get into details in a moment, but my overall sense of this phone is that it firmly establishes Samsung as a leading innovator — if not the leading innovator — in the smartphone space. It’s kind of ironic that Apple won a lawsuit last year after a jury found that Samsung had copied iPhone features and designs. The Galaxy S4 — like the Galaxy S3 — could never be called a copycat. Samsung came out with specs and features that we’ve never yet seen in a smartphone, including any phone.

True, the S4 runs Google‘s latest Jelly Bean Android software, but Samsung has done a lot to make it different from other Android phones.

Hardware specs

Like Apple, Samsung is a hardware company that innovates mainly through software. But the hardware specs are worth noting. The 5-inch full HD Super AMOLED; 1,920×1,080 screen, at 441 pixels per inch, is both bigger and higher resolution than the iPhone 5, although the HTC One has an equally high resolution — though smaller — (4.7 inch) screen. Samsung also upped the ante with a faster processor and unlike Apple it lets users expand the phone’s storage (internal storage ranges from 16 to 64 GB) to plug in a MicroSD card for up to another 64GB. And the phone has a mega-battery. Samsung didn’t say how long the battery will last, but it does have 2,600 mili amp hours, which is a lot more than the competition. I refer you to a handy CNET chart comparing the S4′s specs with those of the iPhone, HTC One and the Blackberry Z10 if you want more details.

New Carnival cruise has problems

This time around the toilets are working and there is plenty of food. But passengers will have to fly, not cruise, home in what is likely to be an abbreviated vacation.

The news of another stranded ship rekindled memories of the Carnival's nightmare voyage home through the Gulf of Mexico a few weeks ago on the Triumph. On that ship, 3,141 passengers were stuck at sea with no power or working toilets.

The Dream has it much better. The faults with the generator were discovered while the ship was docked in St. Maarten, a beach haven in the northeastern Caribbean. The company has offered to fly passengers home and reimburse them for the three remaining days of the cruise, which began in Florida on Saturday.

“Yesterday, during regularly scheduled testing of the ship’s emergency diesel generator, a malfunction occurred,” the statement read. “At no time did the ship lose power and the ship’s propulsion systems and primary power source was not impacted. The ship is at dock in St. Maarten. All guests are safe and comfortable. There were periodic interruptions to elevators and restroom services for a few hours last night. However, all hotel systems are functioning normally and have been functional since approximately 12:30 a.m.”

The ship’s next voyage, scheduled for Saturday, has also been canceled. Guests scheduled to sail on that cruise will receive a full refund and 25 percent off a future seven-day cruise. Any non-refundable transportation related expenses will also be reimbursed.

Multiple passengers aboard the Carnival Dream of the unpleasant unfolding situation while docked in port at Philipsburg, St. Maarten.

"We are not allowed off of the boat despite the fact that we have no way to use the restrooms on board," Jonathan Evans of Reidsville, N.C., said in an email early Thursday. "The cruise director is giving passengers very limited information and tons of empty promises.

What was supposed to take an hour has turned into seven-plus hours."

Harlem Shake ReMix Review by America

Jeff Gordon Test Drive Fake

When Jeff Gordon told this oblivious car salesman to buckle up, he meant it. The NASCAR driver, clad in dorky glasses and a fake beard, was undercover for a Pepsi MAX prank, and the poor salesman had no idea what was about to go down. (How could he with Gordon awkwardly ogling the Camaro and explaining he drives a minivan?) After the salesman "talks him into" taking the sports car for a spin, the ensuing minutes of rubber doughnuts, high-speed ramp launches and strings of expletives are sheer practical joke perfection. Of course, some folks are buzzing the video is a fake, but watching the guy's horrified facial expressions is so funny we don't care either way.

1. Unlike Kyrie Irving, Jeff Gordon's alter ego looks exactly like his real self, only with a goatee.

2, Like Kyrie Irving, Jeff Gordon is a surprisingly good actor.

3. I've been recently told I'm a wet blanket when it comes to evaluating the legitimacy of viral videos, so I'll keep my opinions about this one to myself.

4. Either way, the salesman should have been suspicious when "Mike" put an unopened Pepsi Max in the cup holder. That's always a sign things are about to get nuts

"You are liable for any damages, sir, so please stop the car!" Priceless. The hilarious, thrill ride was posted by Pepsi who write about the hidden-camera prank:

Jeff Gordon and Pepsi MAX go to a car dealership where a disguised Jeff Gordon takes an unsuspecting car salesman on the test drive of his life.

Sure, it's a marketing gimmick, but it's the kind I can get behind. I mean, did you see the look on that poor salesman's face? I honestly felt bad for him, but was still laughing hard. How about all of you? As always, feel free to leave me some comment love below with your thoughts.

World reacts to new pope Francis of America

World reacts to new pope Francis America

Obama said he looked forward to working with the pope to advance peace and dignity for people, regardless of their faiths.

"The election of a pope from the 'new world' is an occasion of genuinely historic proportions," Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said in a statement.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a leading Muslim civil rights group based in Washington, offered its support.

"We congratulate Pope Francis on his election by the College of Cardinals and offer the Muslim community's support and cooperation in every positive effort he will undertake for peace, justice and the betterment of humanity," Executive Director Nihad Awad said in a news release.

In Asia, Father Raymond O'Toole, the Hong Kong-based secretary general of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences said, "It is great news to see that he's a very humble man, one who is dedicated to reach out to the poor, has a very simple lifestyle himself. Those things can be very, very positive for the Holy See."

In Australia, Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart said the Vatican had chosen a pope committed to social justice and Catholic doctrine.

"As Archbishop of Melbourne and President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, I joyfully welcome the glad news of the appointment of Pope Francis," he said in a statement. "For two weeks, the Catholics of the world have been without the spiritual father of their family. We have been looking forward to this special moment when our new Holy Father, chief teacher and shepherd would be announced."

But not everyone was thrilled by the choice of this pope.

Pope Francis is seventy-six. He reportedly came in second when Benedict XVI was elected. He was born in Buenos Aires, in 1936. There have been African Popes, a millennium and a half ago, but Francis is the first non-European since then, and the first ever from what old Popes call the New World. One of the first details mentioned after his name became known was that he takes public transportation. As with kings, we like to imagine Popes in disguise, walking in dark streets. That is not so likely, whatever Francis’s preferences: when he came out, after a moment in which the curtain on the balcony overlooking the square seemed to quiver, he smiled in a way that made him hard to forget. It made him seem, really, like someone who had been known to the crowd for a long time. That may just be the daze of a first-glance surprise, but it is different from the reaction to Benedict.

Los Angeles Earthquake, 4.7 Magnitude Southern California

The 9:55 a.m. quake had an estimated magnitude of 4.7, said Nick Scheckel, seismic analyst at the California Institute of Technology's seismological laboratory in Pasadena.

The epicenter was about a dozen miles from the Riverside County desert community of Anza, about 100 miles southeast of Los Angeles, and it was felt strongly at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament happening in nearby Indian Wells.

Monday morning's magnitude 4.7 earthquake in Riverside County was the largest temblor to hit the Los Angeles region in three years and has produced more than 100 aftershocks.

It caused no major damage, but it was felt over what seismologists said was an unusually large area.

There was no damage at the store, and authorities said there were no reports of damage or injuries in the region. Quakes of that magnitude are unlikely to do much harm to modern buildings, said Lucy Jones, a seismologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Pasadena.

Lawson, who lives in Anza, got a call from her teenage son soon after, reporting that there had been a sudden, loud crack of sound before the shaking began. Their home, a manufactured house, experienced small cracks after a similar earthquake about a year ago.

Meanwhile, campers in nearby RVs came one by one to ask if there had been an earthquake “or if they were just going crazy,” Lawson said.

Mary Ann McKennon, a volunteer camp host and Idaho native, said she didn't know what was going on at first.

“My first thought was that we've been having some funky winds, and sometimes they blow pretty hard,” she said. Soon she saw the truck outside rocking, too.

“I didn't like it at all,” said McKennon, who has worked on and off at the camp for six years. “Do you ever get used to them?”

DeAndre Jordan’s Reaction to dunk on Brandon Knight

This is perhaps more true for the sports community than any other. Which brings us to last night’s proceedings.

The Big Lead runs down the various memes that emerged in the aftermath, many with an “RIP Knight” slant.

Brandon Knight, the Piston who, in a moment of panic, chose to jump and contest the impending disaster, responded in the only way he could: with humor. No matter, though. It is in these moments that we see how cold and unforgiving the Internet can be. In the immediate aftermath, someone went so far as to update Knight’s Wikipedia page to reflect the dunk: “On March 10, 2013 Knight died in a game vs the Los Angeles Clippers. The cause of death was determined to be DeAndre Jordan.”

Would that have been difficult to do? Absolutely. But it’s not an altogether impossible defensive rotation to make, because proper scouting would have given Knight the knowledge to snuff out the play.

Let’s be honest: 2013 hasn’t been kind to Brandon Knight. Just a month ago, his ankles were the victims of a Kyrie Irving crossover during All-Star Weekend’s Rising Stars Challenge. Were it not for Miami Heat center Chris Bosh, Knight’s sixth sense for being in the wrong place at the wrong time would be legendary.

Percy Harvin Seahawks acquire from Vikings for first-round pick

As if the Scot McCloughan "beat the hell out of them" episode, the Jim Harbaugh honking incident and the Sunday Night Slaughter at CenturyLink Field last December hadn't created enough drama between these NFC West foes, Monday's news that the Seahawks have agreed to trade their 2013 first-round selection and two other draft picks for Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin officially took things to the next level.
The Seattle Seahawks have acquired Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin in exchange for multiple draft picks (including a first rounder) pending a physical, a person with knowledge of the transaction told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the move had not been announced by either team.

When 49ers owner Jed York told me, in the immediate aftermath of his team's NFC championship game victory over the Atlanta Falcons, that he wasn't sure San Francisco should be favored to win the division in 2013, he wasn't speaking in hyperbole.

But the wideout, who spent the second half of the season on injured reserve with a sprained ankle and had a testy exchange with coach Leslie Frazier while rehabbing, received the trade he initially requested last summer.

The Harvin trade was not without risk: Seattle, according to Glazer, will give up its first-round pick in the 2013 draft (25th overall), its seventh-round selection this year and a mid-round pick in 2014. That's not the only cost for the Seahawks: Harvin, who has reportedly been unhappy with his rookie contract for more than a year, has reached terms on a lucrative extension as part of the transaction, according to Yahoo! Sports colleague Jason Cole. Terms of the deal were unavailable. He clearly wanted out of Minnesota and has a reputation for being difficult, and at 5-11 and 184 pounds, he doesn't have the physical stature of most elite wideouts.

The Seahawks and 49ers will meet twice in 2013, and though a lot can happen between March and next January, a third meeting – perhaps in the NFC championship game – seems highly plausible.

“I'm almost positive there will be,” Sherman said.

Anquan Boldin Ravens trade to 49ers for sixth-round pick

The trade ends the back-and-forth drama between Boldin and the Ravens. Boldin, who is scheduled to earn $6 million this season, balked at a pay cut, telling USA TODAY Sports he was unwilling to reduce his salary in order to stay with the team. He caught 22 postseason passes for 380 yards with four touchdowns, including six catches for 104 yards and a score in the Super Bowl.

This time, however, it just doesn't feel the same. The Ravens will regret getting rid of Boldin for a sixth-round pick. Yes, a sixth-rounder. That shows you how little the Ravens valued Boldin or how much the Ravens needed the cap room. Baltimore gains $5.5 million in cap room with the move, but the team loses much more in the process.

The deal also adds fuel to the NFC West rivalry between the Seattle Seahawks and 49ers. Only hours after the Seahawks pulled off a trade with the Minnesota Vikings for wide receiver Percy Harvin, the Niners countered with Boldin.

He has also scored six touchdowns in eight playoff games with the Ravens. Boldin came up big in big games, showing he was just as tough mentally as he was physically.

Boldin, 32, caught 65 passes for 921 yards last season, and was scheduled to count $7.531 million against the salary cap in 2013. The Ravens have been looking to create cap space to re-sign linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, a projected free agent, while also filling other needs.

The NFL is a business, but this is the tough part of it. A player can help lead a team to the Super Bowl and be gone five weeks later. And, unless the Ravens can absorb a loss of another veteran like they've done so many times in the past, Boldin won't soon be forgotten this year.

When you first step into the 2014 Chevrolet Impala

When you first step into the 2014 Impala, you immediately notice how roomy and quiet it is. Yet, at the same time, you also feel uniquely connected to the environment. That’s because the design of the interior is deliberately driver-centric. The instrument panel flows around the cockpit. The controls are ergonomically placed. Rich chrome and wood accents, sumptuous available leather-appointed seating and unique available ambient lighting elevate the luxurious feel. Overall, it’s the type of experience that makes driving truly rewarding.

2014 Chevrolet Impala

Smart, proactive safety features
Impala also gets numerous safety enhancements for 2014. Its structure incorporates more high-strength steel than before along with 10 standard air bags† to help mitigate the impact of a collision. Advanced safety technologies are also available, including Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Alert and Full-Speed Range Adaptive Cruise Control with Collision Mitigation Braking,† Rear Park Assist with Rearview Camera and Side Blind Zone Alert with Cross-Traffic Radar Alert. These available features proactively help protect against the unexpected.

Coming in early Spring 2013
The arrival of the 2014 Impala is a milestone for Chevrolet, as it demonstrates how the brand’s longstanding commitment to excellence is advanced by uncompromising vision and continuous innovation.

“The momentum at Chevrolet continues to build with the debut of the 10th generation of the Impala, one of the brand's most enduring and cherished nameplates,” says Chris Perry, vice president of Global Chevrolet Marketing. “The new Impala further strengthens Chevrolet’s passenger car lineup by giving consumers a full-size sedan that balances the desire for distinction with engaging driving dynamics.”

Oz the Great and Powerful is more than good enough Yes or No

Oz the Great and Powerful. Say that name aloud and you will smile, I guarantee you: It will conjure up so many images, characters, actors, songs. Then hold that smile as long as you can, because you won't be doing much smiling at the movie called Oz the Great and Powerful, the so-called "prequel" to The Wizard of Oz from Disney Studios.

Presumably they were wary of messing with a solid gold classic, but while "Oz" does present a wide target for critics, they shouldn't have worried: director Sam Raimi ("The Amazing Spider-Man"; "The Evil Dead") takes care to honor the original in spirit and in style. It may be an impossible job, but he's surpassed reasonable expectations.

Oscar takes in the indigenous river fairies and sky-scraping flora with relative aplomb and soon has made friends — first with Theodora (Mila Kunis), a pretty, empty-vessel of a young witch who moves from telling Oscar that he has arrived in fulfillment of a renowned prophecy to suggesting that they reign together as king and queen of Oz faster than you can say Is she really wearing leather hot pants and stiletto-heeled spank-me boots with that red-velvet Edwardian hat? Together, the pair begin the journey down the yellow brick road to Oz, dancing by a night-time camp fire and rescuing Finley the flying monkey (also voiced by Zach Braff) from a cowardly lion along the way.

BUT THINGS ARE NOT AS THEY SEEM! Of course. Resourceful, dewy-eyed Glinda (Michelle Williams, again) is good, practices only vegan, non-violent magic, and reigns empathically over a kingdom of seamstresses, engineers, and pint-sized cabaret singers. She believes that Oscar is the wizard of her dead father’s prophecies. Believes, too, that together, using only

Will our flawed hero measure up to the fix in which he finds himself? And how, with nothing but an army of peaceniks to counter the witches' Winkies?

But to prove he's a wizard, he has to kill a certain wicked witch, along the way picking up a sidekick monkey that flies and talks in the voice of Zach Braff. I've seen few actors as unconvincing as James Franco when it comes to staring down and talking to a creature to be computer-generated later — and Franco doesn't just have to act opposite that insufferable monkey, but there's a sassy talking China Doll, too.

Danielle Fishel poses for Maxim April 2013

Danielle Fishel is the "Maxim" cover girl for April 2013 (check out the full cover and more images below) and the "Boy Meets World" alumna is sharing some strange '90s TV secrets.

The actress, who likely last appeared on the glossy page of "Teen Beat", talked about her early years as Topanga, a role she'll reprise in Disney's "Girl Meets World" spinoff, and a time the entire T.G.I.F. gang ("Full House" and "Family Matters" folks included) flew together.

Danielle Fishel is opening up about a rather awkward encounter with "Full House" patriarch Bob Saget that happened while she and others from the "T.G.I.F." crew — ABC's '90s Friday-night lineup comedies — were en route to the Magic Kingdom.

The same for Ben, he doesn’t go anywhere without people asking about Topanga and I don’t go anywhere without people asking about Cory ... You know we’re very close. We talk very openly. I think we share a lot of similar characteristics to a couple that’s been together for a long time. We know each other so incredibly well and we love each other and it’s just the best.

Aside from revealing her killer curves, the actress also disclosed where the name Topanga actually came from and cleared up some romance rumors involving her and co-star Ben Savage. Fishel is quick to shut down the claims that she and her on-screen husband dated. "That rumor was entirely my fault because I once said, on 'The Tyra Banks Show,' that Ben and I went on a date, and that turned into 'Danielle and Ben dated.' We went on one date, when I was about 15, and by the time the dinner was over we realized mutually that we were more like family than lovers."

Now, the 31-year-old actress has met several little girls who are her character's namesake: "People will tweet me, and I've had family members who have met other Topangas. It's crazy and it's flattering, but I never know what to say when they're showing me their beautiful little girls.

North Korea War Claims Nuclear Missiles

The new measures, adopted unanimously by the 15-member council, require nations to crack down on North Korean financial transactions and check cargo suspected of containing nuclear and missile-related contraband, among other actions that before were only voluntary.

The regime also announced early Friday that it plans to cut off phone hotlines between North and South Korea. It was part of a defiant response to tough new sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council.

North Korea had claimed success in making a lighter and smaller nuclear device after testing it last month, and in December successfully launched its Unha-3 long-range rocket with enough range to reach Alaska and, perhaps, the West Coast of the United States. But weapons experts in the region have said they believe it will still be several years before the North Koreans have a nuclear warhead small enough to be carried by one of their long-range missiles.

"North Korean threats of provocations will only further isolate North Korea and undermine international efforts to ensure peace and stability in Northeast Asia," Pentagon spokeswoman Lt. Col. Cathy Wilkinson said.

The targets of the latest round of sanctions included in the latest round of sanctions include top officials at a company that is the country's primary arms dealer and main exporter of ballistic missile-related equipment, and a national organization responsible for research and development of missiles and probably nuclear weapons.

North Korea defied international warnings and conducted a third nuclear test in February, setting off a device that yielded a stronger blast than its previous test in 2009. It claimed it had made progress in miniaturizing an atomic weapon.

Experts are skeptical of such a claim, and the threat this week to attack the United States, seeing them more as an attempt to boost its security leverage in the face of deepening diplomatic isolation and growing military pressure from the United States and South Korea, which are conducting joint military drills to deter any armed aggression from Pyongyang.

South Korea and U.S. forces are conducting large-scale military drills until the end of April. The North is also gearing up for a massive state-wide military exercise.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez dead

Vice President Nicolas Maduro's voice broke and tears ran down his face as he appeared on national television to announce that Chavez died at 4:25 p.m. local time 3:55 p.m EST "after battling hard against an illness over nearly two years."

Chavez's illness prevented him from taking the oath of office after he was re-elected to a new term on Oct. 7 and under the constitution, National Assembly chief Diosdado Cabello apparently would take over as interim president.
But there was no sign of Cabello on the podium as Maduro announced Chavez's death.

Chavez's inner circle has long claimed the United States was behind a failed 2002 attempt to overthrow him, and he has frequently played the anti-American card to stir up support. Venezuela has been without a U.S. ambassador since July 2010.

On the other side of Venezuela's political divide was Carlos Quijada, a 38-year-old economist who said he was sad that death rather than an election defeat had written Chavez's political obituary.
"Now there is a lot of uncertainty about what is going to happen," he said.

“He’s the best president in history,” said Andrés Mejía, 65, a retiree in Cumaná, an eastern city, crying as he gathered with friends in a plaza. “Look at how emotional I am — I’m crying. I cannot accept the president’s death. But the revolution will continue with Maduro.”

Last May, the former army paratrooper said he had recovered from an unspecified cancer, after undergoing surgery and chemotherapy in 2011 and a further operation in February 2012.

However, in December, he announced he needed further cancer surgery in Cuba, and named Mr Maduro as his preferred successor. Mr Chavez returned to Venezuela in February, but was confined to hospital.

Real Madrid Vs Manchester United Flash of Red Leaves United Speechless

real madrid vs manchester united Flash of Red Leaves United Speechless

Real Madrid Vs Manchester United Flash of Red Leaves United Speechless

It was, in many ways, surprising. After all, this was Ronaldo’s first game at Old Trafford since he left United, and his goal with about 20 minutes remaining gave Madrid a 2-1 lead on the night, a 3-2 aggregate lead in the two-game series and essentially secured its passage to the Champions League quarterfinals. If ever there was a situation to celebrate, this would seem to be it.

But Ronaldo stayed calm, as if not wanting to rub it in on his former team. And on the sideline, his manager, José Mourinho, who memorably sprinted along the touchline after his team scored an important goal here nine years ago, stayed under control, too. For both, the reticence seemed a tacit acknowledgment of the bizarre and contentious circumstances that led to Real Madrid’s victory.

Rooney finally entered in the 73rd minute, and he helped United press for a miracle in the final moments. But Real Madrid goalkeeper Diego López was stout as Los Blancos — who are essentially out of the Spanish league title race — advanced to this tournament’s final eight.

Of course, none of the players’ performances will be remembered as much as that of Cakir, whose decision brought a stream of vitriol from the United players at the final whistle. Rio Ferdinand led a charge of United players who stamped after Cakir, with Ferdinand sarcastically applauding in the official’s face before being led away by his teammates.

Afterward, none of the United players spoke to reporters, reportedly on instructions from management. Ferguson also stayed away, remaining in a dressing room that Phelan described as “very distraught.”

He added: “Playing Madrid with 11 men is very difficult. We feel very disappointed that we ended the game with 10 men.”

The 'Iron Man 3' trailer is here!

Iron Man 3

The 'Iron Man 3' trailer is here!

Marvel released a new trailer for Iron Man 3 today that is positively brimming with new stuff: New scenes, new mysteries, a surprisingly new tone of dark romanticism. (You can watch the trailer here.) The film marks the official beginning of Marvel’s Phase 2, which also means that it marks the official beginning of “The Phase Where Marvel Has To Prove These Solo Movies Are Just As Good As Avengers.” Let’s take a closer look at the trailer and see what we can uncover, shall we?

I realize it hasn't been that long since we've seen Tony Stark, but man, I've really missed the guy.

Today Yahoo posted the new theatrical trailer for Iron Man 3, and I like what I see. This time around, Tony (Robert Downey Jr.) wrestles with some inner demons, faces a new villain named The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) and unleashes a team of Iron Men to help him save the world.

I know not everyone was on board with Iron Man 2, but I think this footage looks pretty intriguing. Maybe a new director (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang's Shane Black) is just what the franchise needs to freshen it
The trailer focuses lots of attention on Tony’s relationship to lady love Pepper Potts. The two had a nice sparkly Hepburn-Tracy chemistry in the first couple movies, but it’s clear that Iron Man 3 takes their relationship very seriously. Obviously, nothing can go wrong!

A close-up on her necklace. THEORY: At some point in Iron Man 3, Iron Man will walk through a destroyed building, discover this necklace, hold it up in the air, and say “Noooooooo!” Or maybe “Pepperrrrrr!” Or possibly “Goooooooooop!“

SCHOOL CLOSINGS: Why did Minneapolis and St. Paul stay open?

WHY ST. PAUL SCHOOLS STAYED OPEN

St. Paul Public Schools spokeswoman Toya Stewart Downey released the following statement on Tuesday's decision:

The decision to close the school system is no simple matter. The safety and well being of students and staff is our top priority. The expectation is that schools will remain open, if at all possible, for uninterrupted student learning on scheduled school days. Before making the decision to close school due to extreme weather, Superintendent Silva consults with a variety of experts both within and outside the district. SPPS transportation personnel travel various bus routes to confirm accessibility. The district makes it a practice to decide by 5:30 a.m. whether school will be dismissed that day.

In this instance, all sources indicated that travel to school was safe and in the best interest of our students. Many families do not have child care, family leave or the resources to provide a safe setting for their children if school is canceled. The safety and well being of students and staff is the school district's top priority.

All student absences and/or tardies related to today's weather will be considered excused.

'American Idol' women's semifinal: The recap

Some girls attempt Beyonce. Some sing Whitney Houston. And some women channel Kim Burrell.

That last name may not mean much to everybody who watched American Idol's female semifinals show Tuesday, but it does to female singers with gospel and R&B in their backgrounds. And I'd lay cash money it means something to Candice Glover.

Glover, who performed last Tuesday, finished the show with the kind of performance that resets how all the ones before her were perceived. Suddenly, performances that originally had made big impressions -- like Breanna Steer's sultry but cool take on Beyonce's Flaws and All or Amber Holcomb's nearly note-perfect rendition of Whitney Houston's I Believe in You and Me -- suddenly seemed like mere attempts to measure up.

The show's producers may have put Glover last for a reason. With performances that generally ranged from strong to fantastic -- Zoanette Johnson's trainwreck on What's Love Got to Do With It excepted -- it would have been easy for nearly anyone to get lost in the middle of the show.

When the results come in Thursday, one or two women who would make a solid finalist almost surely will go home too soon. It likely won't be Glover, though. And it certainly won't be Angie Miller.

Miller's looking more and more like this season's odds-on favorite. Tuesday, she sat down behind the piano and took possession of Never Gone, the original song that Season 11 finalist Colton Dixon introduced on the American Idols Live tour last summer. "The trumpets should sound when you walk in the room," Nicki Minaj told her, as she assured her a spot in the finals.

Here's how I ranked Tuesday night's performances (with some of them agonizingly close):

Ordinary People, Candice Glover
Stronger, Kree Harrison
Never Gone, Angie Miller
I Believe in You and Me, Amber Holcomb
Big Girls Don't Cry, Aubrey Cleland
Flaws and All, Breanna Steer
If I Can Dream, Janelle Arthur
Stand Up for Love, Adriana Latonio
Lost, Tenna Torres
What's Love Got to Do With It, Zoanette Johnson
I'll be a little surprised, though, if my Top Five wind up being the five female finalists. I hope you'll put your rankings in the comments section.

SimCity Players Overload Origin Servers

SimCity returned today after a 10-year hiatus, and gamers were eager to dig in, prompting delays on Electronic Arts's Origin platform.

Some users who tried to download SimCity via Origin today encountered a "Not yet released" message. Earlier today, an EA rep said on the company's forum that there are two possible reasons for the delays: the game is actually not yet released in your country; or your credit card payment failed or was unable to be charged.

"We have also identified a very small number of North American players for which neither case applies and are investigating directly with Origin to resolve. We will continue to post updates in this thread as more information becomes available," EA said earlier today.

At this point, SimCity is - in theory - available via Origin in North America, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Russia. It will go live in Europe (except the U.K. and Ireland), Australia, and Japan on March 7 and New Zealand, South Africa, India, the U.K., Ireland, and Portugal on March 8.

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag
If Ubisoft's leak-ridden reveal of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag was a ship, it would have already sunk to the bottom of the ocean. While hundreds of journalists queued last week for their first official peek, details of the game's what, where and who were already available online: product art showing a new assassin buccaneer, a map of the Caribbean and a name - Edward Kenway, grandfather of Assassin's Creed 3's Connor.

So it was with expectation and an air of predictability that the lights dimmed and the show began. It was started, bizarrely, by an extended monologue remembering the series to date, delivered by the actor who played Finchy in The Office. Remember the original game's Masyaf, we were told. Remember the tall spires of Renaissance Italy, the crowded streets of Boston. Well, we do - for gamers, these events happened fairly recently. AC3's launch still seems particularly fresh in the memory - Ubisoft is only a third of the way through releasing that game's episodic King Washington DLC.

After the theatrics and a sales pitch, after the Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag name was announced and banners unfurled bearing its skull-adorned logo, then - finally - a more detailed and encouraging picture of the game emerged.

Black Flag appears to be a hybrid of the series' more charismatic early-Ezio era set within a truly open world of land and sea, on a scale reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. Gone are the boundaries marking ground and ship-based missions. The transition from one to the other is "seamless", Ubisoft promised, with the "reckless and charismatic" Edward Kenway able to jump onto his ship, sail off with his crew, board another vessel, plunder their booty and pull back into harbour for a spot of grog at the local tavern - all in the same huge map.

Lauren Silberman's bid to become the first woman to play in the NFL

Lauren Silberman's bid to become the first woman to play in the NFL

The 28 year-old Silberman hurt her right quadriceps while preparing for the try-out earlier in the week, and attributed her struggles to that injury.

"I tried staying off it and waited for today," she said. "I didn't even take kicks in warm-ups, and, it's pretty hard to know that you'll be in pain, and I wanted to work through it and I certainly tried to, but I just couldn't do it today.

"I'm just really happy I had this amazing experience. I might be the first woman trying out for the NFL, but I certainly hope I'm not the last."

With the 36 other kickers - all male - a handful of scouts and more than two dozen media watching in complete silence at the New York Jets' practise facility, Silberman winced as she attempted her first kick-off and the ball travelled only 19 yards.

She grabbed at her right leg, and then struggled for about 20 seconds to place the football on the tee before measuring her steps and trying a second kick. It went about 13 yards.

Casey Anthony Says She Lives 'Off the Kindness of Others'

questions for the first time today when she appeared in Florida bankruptcy court.
"I don't pay rent. I don't pay utilities," Anthony said, according to the Associated Press. "I guess you could say I'm living free off the kindness of others."

Anthony, 26, has gone into hiding since 2011 when she was acquitted of murdering her toddler Caylee. She was the victim of a barrage of threats and was dubbed the most hated woman in America. Aside from a few stray photos, Anthony has succeeded in staying out of sight.

Anthony has been unemployed for the past four years and filed for bankruptcy in January. She's almost $800,000 in debt and has less than $1,100 worth of assets, according to her bankruptcy filing.
She said at the meeting that she lives with friends. When a federal bankruptcy trustee asked her if she bought her own food, she said, "I try to contribute when I can."

Anthony also repeated what her lawyers have said since she was acquitted that she has not received any offers for book, movie or television deals.

Anthony spoke calmly in court, the AP reported, and said she has been living off of money given to her by former attorney Jose Baez as well as unsolicited cash and gift cards.
Baez denied that he personally supported Anthony.
"All monies testified to at today's hearing were obtained during the course of legal representation," Baez told ABC News. "The media reports or interpretation that I personally provided financial support to Ms. Anthony are false."
It was the first time Anthony has been forced to answer questions in public. She never took the stand to testify in her own defense during her murder trial. And efforts to get her on the stand in a lawsuit by a woman named Zenaida Gonzales have been delayed be the bankruptcy hearing.