Katharine McPhee 'Smash-es' Into 'The Voice' (Video)

The "American Idol" alum drops by the NBC show and delivers some music news.

Ruh roh, is Katharine McPhee crossing to the enemy’s side? The American Idol Season 5 runner-up dropped by Idol's rival singing competition The Voice on Tuesday to talk about her new series, Smash, plus she announced she would be doing her own version of one of the coaches' hits.

STORY: 'The Voice': Stevie Nicks, Train's Pat Monahan and OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder to Perform

It’s never too early to get some promotion out there – especially with 12 million viewers tuned in. McPhee talked up NBC’s new musical drama, which she’s costarring in with Will & Grace’s Debra Messing and FlashForward’s Jack Davenport. The series will be the lead in to The Voice on Mondays this winter.

She also talked about doing her own version of Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” on her new show, which the coach performed with her team’s finalist, Beverly McClellan, on Tuesday’s show. Now, that’s synergy.

Watch Aguilera and McClellan's duet on "Beautiful" below.

Michele Bachmann confuses John Wayne Gacy with The Duke

Michele Bachmann had planned for Monday to be a very special day.

The conservative Minnesotan representative expected to triumphantly return to her hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, to formally announce her candidacy for president.

Fate had blessed her with a strong showing in the most recent local poll, and her confidence was so mighty that she didn't even find it necessary to accept the apology of a veteran newsman who apologized for asking her if she felt she was a flake in the wake of so many gaffes and incorrect statements leading up to her bid for the GOP nomination for president.

And then it happened. A microphone was placed in front of her, and a statement that should have been ingrained in her head came out all wrong. She said that like the famous rugged cowboy star,John Wayne, she too was from Waterloo which was why she was picking the small town to announce her candidacy.

"Well what I want them to know is just like John Wayne was from Waterloo, Iowa. That's the kind of spirit that I have, too," Bachmann told a Fox News reporter.

One small detail: John Wayne Gacy, the infamous mass murderer is from Waterloo. The Duke, although his parents met in Waterloo, is from Iowa, but from Winterset, nearly three hours away by car.

Gacy had his first run-in with the long arm of the law in Waterloo. The man who killed dozens of young men and boys over a six-year murder period was locked up in Waterloo for a year and a half for an attempted sexual assault.

It was when he moved to Illinois that Gacy began killing, which he was later executed for.

Add this to the growing list of gaffes from the only woman (so far) in the presidential race.

Cee Lo Green dresses as Patti LaBelle at BET Awards

© WENN / Hugh Dillon

Cee Lo Green paid tribute to Patti LaBelleby dressing as the singer for the BET Awards 2011.

The Voice mentor took to the stage in a sparkly jacket and wig to honour LaBelle at the music ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday night.

LaBelle was the recipient of this year's BET Lifetime Achievement Award at the event, which was broadcast live from the Shrine Auditorium.

After an introduction, which included tributes from Beyoncé and Gladys Knight, Cee Lo launched into a rendition of LaBelle's 'Somebody Loves You'. He brought a can of hairspray on stage with him and stopped to spray his spiky black wig on occasion.

© PA Images / Matt Sayles/AP

Shirley Ceaser and Marsha Ambrosius also performed musical tributes to LaBelle. Ceaser sang 'You Are My Friend', while Ambrosius took on 'If Only You Knew'. LaBelle also performed, treating the audience to her tracks 'Love, Need and Want You' and 'Lady Marmalade'.

"I would like to thank everybody for everything you've done for me," said LaBelle. "I plan to hold myself higher because I have gotten this wonderful award."

Chris Brown was the evening's big winner, taking home prizes including 'Best Male R&B star' and 'Best Collaboration' and 'Video of the Year' for 'Look at Me Now' featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes.

Mexico wins Gold Cup soccer, beating US

Mexico has won a sixth CONCACAF Gold Cup title by rallying to score four unanswered goals and defeat the United States 4-2 in the championship game at the Rose Bowl stadium.

Pablo Barrera scored his second goal of Saturday's game in the 50th minute to break a 2-2 deadlock, and Giovani Dos Santos added an insurance goal in the 76th minute for the Mexicans, who trailed 2-0 after only 23 minutes.

Mexico won their second title in a row in the biennial North American regional tournament, defeating the US in the final as they did in 2009, and qualified for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Mexico and the US have won 10 of the 11 Gold Cups contested since the tournament took its current form in 1991.

Dos Santos netted one of the prettiest goals of the tournament, dancing around US goalkeeper Tim Howard, who had charged out of his net for a loose ball, then spun past two stunned defenders and chipped the ball over a leaping Eric Lachaj into the upper right corner of the net.

A sold-out crowd of more than 93,000 was clad mainly in green and cheering for the Mexican squad despite the match being played on US soil.

American fans tried to get chants of "USA, USA" going in the first half but they were quickly drowned out by the "El Tri" supporters with a chorus of "Ole, Ole".

Michael Bradley scored in the eighth minute and Landon Donovan added another goal in the 23rd minute as the Americans jumped out to a 2-0 lead.

Barrera then scored his first goal in the 29th minute and Andres Guardado netted the equaliser in the 36th minute, setting the stage for a second half dominated by the Mexican squad.

Team Fortress 2 Über Update: Day 3

The hits just keep on coming. By now, you know the drill: Team Fortress 2′s upcoming Über Update is unloading new items for every class, with the latest two being the Scout and Soldier. Crafty types will know that the Scout pack was hidden in the Timbuk Tuesday post, but we’re all seeing the Soldier items for the first time. Check ‘em out, if for no other reason than to lay eyes on the first weapon to buff your allies when you smack them with it (medi-gun heals don’t count).

PCG’s Gut Reactions™:

The Soldier

• The Liberty Launcher: Three rockets per clip that travel faster when fired. Pretty straightforward, though this seems like the perfect compromise for someone who can’t decide if they prefer the default Rocket Launcher or the Direct Hit.
• The Reserve Shooter: With all the Buff Banners being used these days, it’s less likely that you’ll bear witness to the expert technique of popping an enemy into the air with a rocket, then peppering their bodies with lead while they fall helplessly to the ground. This shotgun could bring back a resurgence of this Soldier strategy; I’d say it’s about time.
• The Market Gardener: Now you can give special delivery shovels-to-the-face, even if your target’s soaring through the air. A melee crit is no joke, and this’ll be a hoot when rocket jumping up to ledges like those found on 2Fort. I mean, what? I don’t play that silly map anymore! Who said that?!
• The Disciplinary Action: Hyah! Mush, medic, and get your keister to the frontlines! Now you can finally contribute to your team by endlessly smacking your teammates during a match, which, up until now, had accomplished diddly. I’ll gladly take a 25% reduction in melee damage in exchange for a speed boost that greatly benefits myself and others.
• The Mantreads: Say hello to some new footwear with absolutely no downside. With these combat boots equipped, you’ll turn into a walking tank, laughing off turret rockets during an ubercharge or crushing your enemies beneath your feet like an enraged Incredible Hulk.

 

The Scout

• The Soda Popper: Apparently, energy drinks make for excellent shotgun barrels. Just go with it. The “hype” mechanic sounds perfect my a Scout with my kind of playstyle: sticking low to the ground, rarely jumping lest I get nailed in mid-air. You’ll only get two shots, but you’ll fire and reload much quicker—think of it as a Force-A-Nature without the pushback.
• The Atomizer: Triple. Jump. BOOYAH! With this superbat equipped, you’ll be hopping all over the place like a jackrabbit on methamphetamine. Your melee damage output will go down the tubes as a result, but it’ll all be worth it when you score a kill by triple-jumping on top of someone’s noggin, Mario style.
• The Winger: Meh. This is more of a preference thing: would you rather spray pistol shots all over the place, or be more frugal with your ammo clip in favor of increased damage?

 
I was so sure today would be Wacky Wednesday, but Valve proves once again that they have superior wordplay skills. Who’s pumped that the Soldier gets a whopping five items (or even ten, if this is in fact the first of two item sets)? If all this talk of TF2 action is getting you hot and bothered (and who could blame you), join the PC Gamer Steam group and you’ll find that we’re hosting TF2 events constantly.

Live Nation prepares for landmark Hard Rock Calling

While Glastonbury kicks off today in the heart of Somerset, organisers of the Hard Rock Calling festival in London are expecting similar crowds for this weekend’s extravaganza in Hyde Park.

Promoters Live Nation are expecting 145,000 to visit the event, which this year has The Killers, Bon Jovi and Rod Stewart lined up as headliners.

“Because it’s the 40th anniversary of Hard Rock this year, they are going to town and spending a lot of money on the event,” said Live Nation vice president of promotions Toby Leighton-Pope.

“Having Bon Jovi is huge for us. Similarly The Killers loved it last time they played and wanted to come back. As far as I'm aware they are not doing any other summer shows.” He added, “The Rod Stewart Stevie Nicks package is exciting as well as Rod is doing his rock n roll set that we haven't seen for a while.”

And while the grandfather of festivals steals much of the limelight this weekend in Glastonbury, Leighton-Pope said the two events often work in tandem when it comes to booking acts.

“Glastonbury notoriously doesn't pay very well but it does attract some of the biggest name acts so when they come to the UK we can offer them another show on the back of playing Glastonbury,” he said.

“The pull of Glastonbury can't be overstated and I know I've paid quadruple for an act that Glastonbury does and they simply come in on the back of what we've been doing. But it works both ways, so I can’t complain - Hard rock is artist led. Glastonbury is not.”

And while the world’s media concentrates on the depth of the mud on Michael Eavis’s farm, the reputation Hard Rock Calling has built over the years now means that most tickets are sold out long before the event kicks off, making it an ideal addition to the programme of events Live Nation programmes in Hyde Park.

“While we all hope for dry weather, our walk-up business is minimal at Hard Rock Calling,” added Leighton-Pope. “The biggest we've had was 800 people and that is massive these days.”

Hard Rock Calling gets under way tomorrow when Michael Kiwanuka takes to the main stage and The Heartbreaks open the Pepsi Max stage. They will be followed by Transfer, The Good Natured, The Kills, James, Kaiser Chiefs and the Killers.

'Marley & Me' House for Sale $1.25m

If you've ever wanted to own a piece of Hollywood movie history, here's your chance.

The Birmingham, Pa. house featured in the movie “Marley & Me” is up for sale, according to the Daily Local News.

The Daily Local News reports that the 175-year-old stone structure, which is located at 1175 Meetinghouse Road, is listed at $1.25 million.

The owners tell the newspaper that they are looking to downsize from the 16-acre property with a five-bedroom and three-and-a-half bath farmhouse, and four outbuildings because their three daughters have left home.

The movie is based on John Grogan’s memoir, “Marley & Me,” and tells the story of a fun-loving yellow Labrador retriever.

Scouts for the movie’s production company decided on the Chester County home after looking through Pennsylvania and Connecticut, the Daily Local News reports.

But if you are looking to buy the home, be prepared for gawkers.

“A whole load of kids and parents will jump out of the car and snap photos in front of Marley’s house,” John Ennis, the homeowner, told the Daily Local News.

Summer solstice - Winter solstice - First day of summer

Can anyone tell us when the sun is coming up? 18,000 gather at a cloudy Stonehenge for all-night summer solstice party...

Tens of thousands of revellers gathered at Stonehenge for an all-night party to celebrate the longest day of the year this morning - despite grey clouds that obscured sun rise in the early hours. 

English Heritage say 18,000 revellers descended on the site that is usually roped off to the public to witness dawn at exactly 4.43am. 

The event is significant for druids, who were joined by hippies, pagans, tourists as well as hordes of younger visitors in search of a good party. 

Daybreak: Revellers watch the sunrise of the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge in Wiltshire. The ancient monument is usually roped off to vistors

Ancient ceremony: A druid plays a guitar during incantations at the summer solstice ceremony at the Stonehenge. The solstice was a key date in the pre-Christian calendar

 Before dawn: Crowds gather in darkness at Stonehenge on the evening of Summer Solstice in Wiltshire.

The annual event at Stonehenge, near Salibsury, Wiltshire, is a modern twist on solstice celebrations which were once a highlight of the pre-Christian calendar.

Festivities concentrates on the the Heel Stone, a pock-marked pillar just outside the famous circle, which aligns with the rising sun and conssist largely of bonfires, maypole dances and courtship rituals

The solstice is one of the few times access is granted inside the stone circle, which has been roped off since 1978, following years of erosion and vandalism.

Those taking advantage of the opportunity included committed druids, who were led in ceremony by their chief Arhtur Pendragon and gathered in a variety of colourful outfits. 

But there were also revellers less interested in spirituality and more interested in an all-night party. 

Although the event was largely peaceful,  two young men were photographed fighting and Wiltshire police said 20 people were arrested for minor drug offences.

Stonehenge's origins remain a mystery, but theories suggest the grounds were part of a huge astronomical calendar.

Others say an ancient sun worshipping culture aligned the structure with the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset.

The site was used as a cremation cemetery since its inception, archaeologists say, but it is unclear if that was its principal function.

Whatever its origins, the construction of Stonehenge - built with massive stones drawn from up to 150 miles away - gives insight into an ancient culture. 

The World Heritage site was built in three phases between 3000 B.C. and 1600 B.C.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2006112/Summer-solstice-18-000-gather-cloudy-Stonehenge-night-summer-solstice-party.html#ixzz1PtvcRXLq

Netflix pulls online Sony movies on Starz issue

Netflix Inc. has pulled Sony Pictures Entertainment films from its on-demand online services due to a contractual issue between Sony and Liberty Media Corp.’s Starz cable channel, according to a Netflix blog post.

The author of the post, dated Friday, identified herself as Pauline Fischer, vice president of content acquisition for Netflix NFLX -1.46% .

“You may have noticed that Sony movies through StarzPlay are not currently available to watch instantly,” the blog post said.

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Ad cash flows to TV

Despite the torrent of dollars marketers are pouring online, big advertisers aren't expected to cut back their television budgets anytime soon.

“This is the result of a temporary contract issue between Sony and Starz,” the post said, “while these two valued partners work through their differences.”

Sony-produced movies could still be rented on DVDs through Netflix’s mail rental business.

The terms of an agreement between Sony and Starz stipulates that the studio’s movies can’t be shown on Netflix once that service reaches a certain number of subscribers, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Natalie Portman welcomes son with Benjamin Millepied

Natalie Portman and her fiancé Benjamin Millepied  are celebrating the arrival of a baby boy.

People magazine broke the news of the birth, but no other details have been released.

The couple, who met on the set of the film Black Swan, have made no secret of their delight at the thought of becoming parents.

New parents: Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied last month; the pair have welcomed a baby boy

Although usually protective about her private life, Portman, 30, started to speak more openly since announcing her pregnancy.

When she accepted her Best Actress Oscar earlier this year, she paid tribute to her French husband-to-be, saying: 'My beautiful love, Benjamin, who has now given me my most important role of my life.'

Speaking about motherhood, she admitted: 'I'm sure I'll make lots of mistakes, but I'm open to learning.'

Portman also revealed that she has relaxed her strict vegan diet in order to nourish her growing child properly.

'I actually went back to being vegetarian when I became pregnant, just because I felt like I wanted that stuff,' she said.

'I was listening to my body to have eggs and dairy and that sort of stuff.

'I know that there are people who do stay vegan. But I think you have to just be careful, watch your iron levels and your B12 levels and supplement those if there are things you might be low in in your diet.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2003683/Natalie-Portman-baby-Actress-welcomes-son-fianc-Benjamin-Millepied.html#ixzz1PL3O5xks

Flag Day History Planted in Wisconsin Day - June 14

A young American flag holder
Wikipedia

In the annals of American history, Bernard J. Cigrand is a virtually unknown figure. But with June 14 being Flag Day, it's an appropriate time to give Cigrand some "props."

After all, he is father of Flag Day. As an elementary school teacher at Stony Hill School in Waubeka, WI (some 30 miles north of Milwaukee), Cigrand staged what's considered the first observance of Flag Day in 1885.

Cigrand thought June 14 would be the perfect day to honor the flag, because it was on that day in 1777 that the Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes.

Cigrand's quest didn't end in Waubeka. He spoke around the country in support of the holiday, eventually moving to a bigger stage, Chicago, to attend dental school. It was there that that Cigrand made a public proposal for a Flag Day, which was picked up by local magazines and newspapers. Cigrand was managing editor of a magazine called American Standard, created to promote patriotism.

Further getting the Flag Day train rolling was a series of public school children's celebrations in Chicago in 1894. More than 300,000 kids took part. Another important development in Flag Day took place in 1889 in New York City, when teacher George Balch staged a ceremony for students at his school.

The idea of observing Flag Day was adopted by the State Board of Education of New York a few years later. It was decreed in New York that all state buildings be adorned with the flag on June 14 in 1894.