Hulton Archive, Getty Images / Folger Shakespeare Library

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:

1609 – Shakespeare’s sonnets are first published (More info)

1873 – Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive a US patent for blue jeans with copper rivets (More info)

1932 – Amelia Earhart takes off from Newfoundland to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic (More info)

1956 – The first US airborne hydrogen bomb is dropped over Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean (More info)

1983 – The first publications of the discovery of the HIV virus that causes AIDS appear in the journal ‘Science’ (More info)

Pascal Le Segretain / Carlos Alvarez, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today:

Joe Cocker
Age: 68
Occupation: Singer and Songwriter
Known For: His Grammy-winning duet ‘Up Where We Belong,’ much better singles like ‘Unchain My Heart’ and ‘You Can Leave Your Hat On,’ his rather spastic movements while on stage, and great covers of the Beatles’ ‘With a Little Help from My Friends’ and ‘She Came In Through the Bathroom Window,’ which earned the blessing of even the most stalwart Fab Four fans

Cher
Age: 66
Occupation: Singer, Actress and Activist
Known For: Forming Sonny & Cher with her late ex-husband, Sonny Bono, their eponymous TV variety show and the hit single ‘I Got You Babe,’ her Oscar-winning performance in ‘Moonstruck,’ solo hits like ‘Believe,’ being the only artist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard charts in each of six decades, her status as a gay icon, and being the mother of daughter-turned-son Chaz Bono

Bronson Pinchot
Age: 53
Occupation: Actor
Known For: Playing Balki on the sitcom ‘Perfect Strangers,’ movie roles in ‘Risky Business,’ ‘Beverly Hills Cop,’ ‘The First Wives Club’ and ‘True Romance,’ and currently hosting the DIY Network’s ‘The Bronson Pinchot Project,’ in which he restores old homes using salvaged materials

Ted Allen
Age: 47
Occupation: Writer and Television Personality
Known For: Being the food and wine expert on ‘Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,’ authoring two cookbooks, being a longtime contributing writer to Esquire magazine, hosting the Food Network’s ‘Chopped,’ and regularly appearing on the channel’s other cooking shows

Busta Rhymes
Age: 40
Occupation: Rapper and Actor
Known For: Eleven Grammy nominations for hit singles like ‘Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See,’ ‘What’s It Gonna Be?!’ and ‘Pass the Courvoisier Pt. 2,’ work with other artists including Eminem and Janet Jackson, and film roles in ‘Shaft,’ ‘The Rugrats Movie,’ ‘Halloween: Resurrection’ and ‘Higher Learning’

Chad Buchanan / Frazer Harrison, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today:

Pete Townshend
Age: 67
Occupation: Singer, Songwriter and Musician
Known For: Being the guitarist for the legendary rock group the Who, known for scores of songs like ‘I Can See for Miles,’ ‘Pinball Wizard’ and ‘Baba O’Riley,’ his guitar-destroying antics at the end of their shows, solo singles including ‘Let My Love Open the Door,’ and being on just about every list of the greatest guitarists of all time

Dusty Hill
Age: 63
Occupation: Singer, Songwriter and Musician
Known For: Being the bassist and one of the bearded vocalists from ZZ Top, known for 40 years of hits including ‘La Grange,’ ‘Tush,’ ‘Gimme All Your Lovin’,’ ‘Sharp Dressed Man’ and ‘Legs’

Jim Lehrer
Age: 78
Occupation: Author and Television Journalist
Known For: Being the executive editor and former news anchor for ‘PBS NewsHour,’ his role as a frequent debate moderator during elections, and his non-fiction and fiction writing that draws from his experiences and interests in history and politics

Peter Mayhew
Age: 68
Occupation: Actor
Known For: Putting his 7-foot-3-inch frame to good use as Chewbacca in the ‘Star Wars’ movies, a role that earned him a Lifetime Achievement Award from the MTV Movie Awards

Grace Jones
Age: 64
Occupation: Singer, Model and Actress
Known For: Being a muse to Andy Warhol, having a string of dance club hits including ‘Pull Up to the Bumper,’ ‘Slave to the Rhythm’ and ‘I’m Not Perfect (But I’m Perfect for You),’ her often androgynous appearance, and appearing in movies like ‘Conan the Destroyer’ and ‘A View to a Kill’

Hulton Archive, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:

1536 – Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII of England, is beheaded (More info)

1897 – Writer Oscar Wilde is released from Reading Gaol Prison (More info)

1921 – The US Congress passes the Emergency Quota Act, establishing national quotas on immigration (More info)

1962 – Marilyn Monroe croons ‘Happy Birthday’ to President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden (More info)

1994 – Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis dies in New York (More info)

YouTube

A small group of seniors at Cascade High School in Clayton, IN celebrated their upcoming graduation with a prank, covering school doors, offices and windows with more than 12,000 colorful Post-It notes.

But the school superintendent apparently didn’t think it was so funny — he suspended almost 60 students, and a janitor accused of helping during the prank could lose her job.

Five seniors and one junior were suspended for two days, and superintendent Patrick Spray also recommended the custodian be fired. Dozens of outraged students took to the school gym to stage a sit-in protest — which resulted in scores of more one-day suspensions.

“Disrupting the school day and causing a disruption during the school day is not justified,” Spray said. “It’s part of every school’s code of conduct, and I believe it’s very consistent.”

Kim Rouse, the custodian whose job is at risk, said she didn’t let the students in the building as Spray believes, but is “overwhelmed with all the kids’ support. That does help me a lot.”

Watch a news story about the episode below.

[RTV6]

jar0d, flickr

Researchers now say they can tell whether people are depressed without even talking to them first — all they have to do is watch how those individuals use the internet.

In a study conducted at Missouri University of Science and Technology, researchers watched the internet habits of more than 200 students who were later tested for signs of depression.

The researchers then cross-referenced the information, and found that the depressed group had markedly different ways of using the internet than everyone else.

Specifically, those who were depressed frequently switched among applications, used email and chat programs more often, watched more online videos, and played more online games. Study researcher Sriram Chellappan said the haphazard nature of the students’ internet usage may indicate trouble concentrating — a characteristic associated with depression.

Chellappan said he’d like to use his findings to develop software that could analyze internet usage patterns to predict the onset of depression, adding that such software may be useful to counselors on college campuses.

[LiveScience]

zoutedrop, flickr

Attention, dieters: stop counting calories and start watching the clock.

That’s the takeaway from a new study that says what you eat doesn’t matter as much as when you eat it.

Research conducted by Satchin Panda from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, CA and his colleagues found mice that ate an unrestricted diet for eight hours and fasted for the remaining 16 hours didn’t have higher rates of obesity, diabetes or high cholesterol than mice that ate a healthy diet.

“For millions of years, we humans spent our lives as diurnal species — eating most of our calories only in the daytime and fasting overnight,” Panda said, adding that over the past century, we’ve stayed up later and eaten more at night, leading to excess weight.

“The gist of this study is that the timing and the number of hours you fast impact your weight gain,” he said. “Watch the times of day you eat as opposed to what exactly you eat. You don’t have to be as strict in counting calories.”

But some doctors aren’t convinced, saying that what works in mice doesn’t always translate to humans. Keith Ayoob, associate professor in the department of pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, also said telling people they can eat whatever they want — even for a restricted time period — could be dangerous advice.

[ABC News]

Thinkstock

When you think about “the news” do you think of war, national unemployment figures and President Obama? Because in local news, there’s so much more, ranging from crime to weather to the latest on the school board.

In fact, according to a Pew Research Center study of 2,251 adults, 72 percent follow the local news closely most of the time. Twenty-five percent only follow the local news when something important is happening around their town, and three percent didn’t answer the question.

In what should be music to the ailing newspaper industry’s ears, the survey also found that most people still get their local news from their local paper.

[Pew Research Center]

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

Everyone’s been buzzing about Facebook’s IPO for weeks. But as shares of the social networking site began trading on Friday, analysts warned that not everyone should jump into the fray.

“Yes, it’s the biggest investing storyline of the year, but I would tell the average investor: stay away from Facebook,” said Andrew Tonner, financial editor of the Motley Fool. “Sit on the sidelines. Having interest in the IPO doesn’t necessarily mean you need to participate in it.”

Facebook’s stock offering, initially priced at about $38 a share, is expected to raise $16 billion and value the company at $104 billion. But for investors, experts say there are dangerous risks, pointing to recent technology IPOs like LinkedIn, Zynga, Pandora and Groupon in which only one — LinkedIn — has recently traded above its IPO price.

Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Investments in Chicago, said there was “no way” she’d buy Facebook shares as an individual investor on the first day of trading. “The institutions have gotten there first,” she said. “And we’re getting their sloppy seconds.”

As of this writing, shares of Facebook are trading at just under $41 — about 7.5 percent higher than the opening price.

Watch Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg ring the NASDAQ bell from the company headquarters on Friday.

[ABC News]

Sara D. Davis, Getty Images

According to a controversial new biography about the Obamas, ‘The Amateur: Barack Obama in the White House,’ author Edward Klein claims the president and his wife, Michelle, nearly divorced over a decade ago — but is it true?

Klein, whose previous works include books about Hillary Clinton and the Kennedy family, says he interviewed nearly 200 people before writing the unauthorized Obama biography. In it, Klein writes that in 2000, Michelle advised Barack not to run against Democratic congressman incumbent Bobby Rush for a Chicago House of Representatives.

Barack ran against Rush anyway and lost — badly.

“During the dark days that followed his defeat, he turned to Michelle for comfort. But she was in no mood for sympathy,” Klein reportedly writes, saying that Michelle was so infuriated that he hadn’t listened to her warnings and “put his family in a precarious financial position” that she “actually had divorce papers drawn up.”

But presidential spokesperson Eric Schultz says not a word of the account is true. On Monday, Schultz said, “Ed Klein has a proven history of reckless fabrication in order to sell books. Nobody in their right mind would believe the nonsense in this one.”

[The Washington Examiner]

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

You might want to think twice about consuming that Big Mac and fries or that Whopper with cheese.

A new study has revealed that nine out of 10 fast food chain entrees fail to meet federally recommended nutrition standards and exceed their imposed limits. You might want to hold back on that Happy Meal for your kids, too, since the study indicates that the meals for both adults and children are not up to snuff.

Ninety-six percent of the entrees sold at the leading fast food establishments exceed the daily limit for calories, sodium, fat and saturated fat. One meal provides more than what is recommended by the Department of Agriculture.

None of this is actually shocking, if you’ve ever watched ‘Supersize Me,’ Morgan Spurlock’s entertaining and informative documentary about the fast food industry, where he consumed three squares per day from Mickey Ds and saw a rapid decline in his overall health, in addition to weight gain.

According to USA Today, the 18-month study scoured the nutritional content of 30,923 menu items from 417 restaurant brands across the country.

Even with the addition of calorie counts to the menu board and the offering of supposedly healthier items, there are other “hidden” caloric additions in things like appetizers. Family restaurants showed themselves to be even worse than fast good, which seems obvious, since those types of dining situations mean large portions and extra items.

[USA Today]

dreamsjung, Flickr

With the popularity of eBay and craigslist, it has become very easy to get great deals on “gently used” items without leaving the comfort of your home, but as the weather warms up, we can’t deny that there is just something much more exciting about finding those great deals while on the hunt at garage sales all over town.

In order to make sure you’re getting the best deals possible, and not wasting time and money, this isn’t something you should just rush into and do without some planning.

You, too, can spend the next six months getting great stuff for ridiculously small amounts of money, but you need to be ready. Here are 10 ways to get the best deals during the 2012 garage sale season.

Learn the Market

macinate, Flickr

First of all, if you’re going to shop efficiently, bargain smartly and save money on garage sale items that you don’t have to purchase for retail, then you need to know the market. In order to know what kinds of things you should be looking out for, you need to know what useful items you’ll be able to find at garage sales. You can usually get great garage sale buys for baby items, kids’ clothes, shoes, jewelry, accessories, tools, camping gear, games (both board and video), DVDs, CDs, off-season holiday items, speakers, spare parts, craft supplies, gift items and furniture. Make sure you stay away from computer and electronic items that you can’t test, or pricey “antiques” with interesting histories that you can’t verify. Then, do a little research early in the season and while you shop. Check prices for items you want online and pay attention to the prices people have on their garage sale items. If you always see books priced at about 25 cents apiece, you know not to pay $1 apiece for them somewhere else. This is also a good way to know if you’re at a garage sale where everything is way over-priced and you’ll just be wasting your time.

Have a Plan

John Beagle, Flickr

The next thing you have to do to be sure you’re getting the best deals possible at garage sales is to have a plan. For one thing, you don’t want to spend a fortune in gas driving randomly all over town just to save a few bucks on an old table. Use an app like YardSaleMapper that maps sales listed on Craigslist, or any mapping program to help you find the most efficient route to your selected sales. Also, to find the best stuff at low prices, make sure you’re shopping in a relatively upper middle class area. These garage sales usually have nicer items that are less used and they are usually trying to just get rid of them, rather than make their livelihood. Also, look for group sales where you’ll be able to shop for more items in less time. Finally, your plan must be well-timed. It’s common knowledge among the pros that the good stuff goes early. Things will be cheap at the end of a sale, but it will also be picked over. You may have a harder time negotiating the lowest price for something early on, but if you wait too long, it’ll be gone. Check for sales that start during the week and don’t wait until Saturday or Sunday if you can avoid it. Plan your route according to when people are starting their sales. Don’t show up early, though. Nobody wants to make deals with the early bird, because now you’ve made them cranky.

Don’t Look Like You Have Money to Burn

m.gifford, Flickr

Now that you’re ready to actually get out and shop, you need to think about your presentation. If you want to be able to negotiate prices down, don’t show up in your expensive car with your expensive clothes and your expensive accessories. Nobody wants to lower prices for someone who looks like they could easily pay retail without blinking an eye. You’ll get better deals if you look like it would help you to get them. This seems obvious, but it’s an easy mistake to make. Leave the Coach bag and BMW at home. Wear your Old Navy and drive the clunker you’re saving for when your toddler’s a teen. You’ll definitely get the best deal possible if you look the part.

Bring Notes & Tools

Bob n Renee, Flickr

The best way not to waste your money at a garage sale is to know exactly what you need and exactly what will work for you. At the start of the season, make a list of the items you’re hoping to find during your sale quests. It doesn’t matter what the list contains, it just matters that you make a list so you don’t get sidetracked by interesting stuff that will only turn into clutter later. Then, make notes. If you’re looking for clothing, have everyone’s sizes with you. If you need a gift for Aunt Matilda, note what she likes. If you’re getting video games for the kids, know what system and games they have. Then, bring a garage sale kit. You need to have a tape measure for furniture, batteries to test battery-operated items, a small screwdriver to open battery compartments, a portable CD player to test CDs, a CD to test CD players, a DVD to test DVD players, an extension cord to test electric items, a working light bulb to test lamps, bags to carry items, newspapers to wrap breakables and a rope to tie large things to your car.  Also, make sure you bring munchies so you can keeping ‘saling even if it’s lunch time.

Show Interest in the Stuff You Like

Bob n Renee, Flickr

Don’t be afraid to show a seller that you’re interested in the items for sale. If you are interested in more than one item, the seller will like you more because his taste will be validated. Also, if you’re interested in what you see on the tables, you can strike up a conversation about certain items, further forming a bond with the seller. This means he’ll be more likely to negotiate a good deal with you because he’ll like you. If he has things out that are similar to other items you’ve been searching for, but not exactly what you want, ask about the items you’re looking for. For example, if you know your husband needs a certain tool and the sale has some tools, let the seller know what you’re looking for because he might be willing to part with it. Maybe he has something inside that he didn’t put out because he thought it wouldn’t sell, but would be willing to sell it if asked. Or, maybe he’s seen it somewhere else in his garage sale excursions and can give you a tip.

Take Small Bills

BrownPolyester, Flickr

This is something, as a beginner, you may not have considered, but having small bills when you hit the sales is a must. It’s hard to make a deal if you’re whipping out a 20, especially if you’re early and the seller can’t make change. You can negotiate better prices if you can make exact change, and if you’re pulling out fives and ones, it won’t look like you have tons of money to spend. Here’s another important money idea — keep your bills in separate pockets. This way, if you’re offering $3 for an item, you don’t have to flip through a bunch of tens to get to your ones. You simply reach in your ones pocket and grab what you need without looking. Again, it won’t appear you have tons of money to spend and you can score better deals. Also, it adds to your efficiency and you can move on to the next sale that much faster.

Be Ready to Negotiate…Nicely

BrownPolyester, Flickr

People expect to negotiate at garage sales, so you need to have your skills polished. The first thing to remember is that negotiating goes much smoother if you are polite and complimentary to the seller. Whatever you do, don’t insult the products. Telling someone her items are second-rate will not help you negotiate. Instead, tell her how much you are interested in the item and then let her know the price just isn’t in your budget. If you can’t get to a good price, try buying things in groups. The seller will appreciate that you’re going to clear a lot of the things she’s trying to get rid of and may be willing to let things go for a bulk discount. Above all, be reasonable, non-confrontational and polite. And, be ready to walk away. Know what value the item has for you and don’t overspend if you don’t want to. You can always check back at the end of the sale.

Leave Business Cards Before You Go

giuliana_miranda, Flickr

If it turns out that you can’t get the price you want for an item and it’s early in the day, have a card on you that you can leave with your best offer written on it. If the item is still unsold at the end of the sale, the seller may just want to get rid of it at a bargain price and will contact you. Sellers are especially eager to get rid of large items they don’t want to drag back into the house at the end of a long day. You can go to sites like VistaPrint.com and have basic cards with your name and number on them printed for a very low price, or even free. It’s well worth it for that perfect piece of furniture that you know you can get for a steal.

Thoroughly Check Items Before You Buy

Dick Penn, Flickr

Test. Test. Test. Taking home an item that doesn’t work is more of a waste of money than buying something for retail that you can get at a sale. Paying $3 for garbage is not smart at all. Turn things on. Plug things in. Check board games for all the parts. Use your smartphone to look up items and see what a complete version of it looks like. Make sure decks of cards contain every card. Don’t buy a puzzle unless you know for sure it has all its pieces. Ask the seller if she can play a CD or DVD for you to make sure it plays, and then check for scratches yourself. It’s not rude to make sure something works properly before you buy it. Just make sure you get permission to start taking stuff apart before you do it. No seller should have an issue with you saying, “Do you mind if I put batteries in this and see if it works first?” If they do, put it down, thank them for their time and walk away.

Be Picky

colros, Flickr

Finally, you aren’t saving money if you’re going around buying things you don’t want or need, or couldn’t sell for a profit. Garage-saleing isn’t about getting things at cheap prices, it’s about getting the things you need at bargain prices. Having a house full of useless junk isn’t the best way to stretch your dollar. Keep track of your list and make sure you have a plan for everything you purchase. Is it something you’ve wanted for a long time? Is it something you or someone in your family needs or could use? Or, is it something you could clean up and mark up and then sell it at your own garage sale for a profit? If you can’t answer “yes” to any of these questions, walk away. Don’t get caught up in the moment. You aren’t going to buy something at every sale, so keep your money in those pockets until you find something on your list.

Watch This

Just so it all sinks in, here’s a quick howdini.com clip describing the best ways to get fantastic deals at garage sales. Happy ‘saleing!

randy.house.gov

On Friday’s edition of Lubbock’s First News, Congressman Randy Neugebauer talked with Chad and Rex about his re-election campaign and some of the criticism he’s received.

Neugebauer addressed some of his opponent’s accusations concerning his involvement with Fannie Mae. He said that many people were deceived by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and had they known the truth, there would have been a lot of changes made to these organizations.

“In hindsight, I think we should have done reform a lot earlier, and our reform should have been much broader and more punitive. Butobviously, we didn’t realize until…things had completely frozen up to the extent of their lending and investing practices.”

Neugebauer said that he was working to reform Fannie Mae, voted against the bailout funded by taxpayers, and that he was proud of his voting record.

Neugebauer also talked about his feelings concerning the Volker Rule. He said that he wasn’t necessarily opposed to the rule, but that he would like to see it be more clearly defined before he puts his full support behind it. He also discussed the NDAA and his endorsements.

For more information of Randy Neugebauer’s campaign, visit his website at randy.house.gov. You can also listen to Congressman Neugebauer Mondays at 7:35 during Lubbock’s First News.

Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

There are few people who can’t get through their busy day without a cup of strong black coffee. It gets the blood moving, make your brain work faster and keeps you from falling down face first at your desk in a puddle of your own drool.

Some don’t drink it at all because they think it’s not good for them. However, it may not be as unhealthy as you think. A new study from the National Cancer Institute found that guys who drank six cups or more a day actually a 10 percent lower chance of dying prematurely. It’s 15 percent lower among women. Some can even take this good thing too far. Here’s how to tell if you’re one of them.

1. Your blood pressure finished in single digits.

2. You’re so jittery that Sherman Williams hired you as a paint shaker.

3. Your three children are named Venti, Grande and Tall.

4. You’ve showered, made breakfast, fixed a flat tire on the car, read the entire newspaper, fixed lunches for the kids, res-sewn the buttons on all of your shirts, given the house a second coat of paint, finished your taxes and painted a perfect reproduction of the fresco Palazzo del Te by Giulio Romano for the bathroom wall and you’ve only been awake for five minutes.

5. You ask the guy at Starbucks if they can serve your latte in an IV drip.

6. After sex, you go for a one-mile run — and you’re a guy.

7. Your heart beats so fast that you can lay on your stomach and do push-ups without using your arms.

8. You’ve replaced your cocaine habit with nutmeg.

9. You save time so you can drink more coffee by drinking it black, injecting yourself with half-and-half and snorting a line of Sweet’N Low.

10. Your doctor says you’ve got the foamiest blood he’s ever seen.

11. Your favorite coffee mug says, “I’d rather be drinking coffee.”

eralon, Flickr

Recent college graduates may have a rough time finding a job, but a new survey has revealed the companies where they’d most like to work — and a few may surprise you.

Every year, employer branding organization Universum surveys tens of thousands of American college students for its IDEAL Employer Rankings. And although stalwarts like Google and Apple are always at the top, it’s the companies a bit further down the list that caught everyone by surprise.

Ford, General Motors and Chrysler all made the top 100, with GM ranking as high as number 19 among engineering students. That’s a shocking turnaround for companies that were all but dead just a few years ago, and industry analysts say it shows just much the big three automakers have not only revamped their companies, but their image, as well. What’s more, they’re all starting to focus on recruiting college grads.

Overall, here are the top 10 firms for which recent college grads say they’d most like to work (see the full report for more):

1. Google
2. Apple
3. Walt Disney Company
4. Ernst & Young
5. Deloitte
6. J.P. Morgan
7. Nike
8. PwC
9. Goldman Sachs
10. KPMG LLP

[Time]

Ross Land/Lintao Zhang/Evan Agostini, Getty Images

It’s that time of year again when all the soon-to-be brides get just a tad bit stressed from all the spring wedding preparations. Not to mention they want to look perfect in their dresses, no matter how over-the-top or extravagant they are.

Some brides will go to great lengths to draw everyone’s attention towards them, even if that means wearing a two-mile-long train and a bust made from toilet paper instead of the traditional wedding attire. Just to prove how much of a statement can be made while walking down the aisle, here are the top 15 out-of-the-ordinary wedding dresses.

Pink Is the New White

Lintao Zhang, Getty Images

The Truffle Shuffle

Lintao Zhang, Getty Images

Award-Winning Wedding dRESS?

Ross Land, Getty Images

164-Feet-Long Wedding Train

China Photos, Getty Images

Better Than a Veil

Guang Niu, Getty Images

Beyonce, We Can See Your Underwear

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Toilet Paper Wedding Dresses

David Silverman, Getty Images

Two-Mile-Long Wedding Dress

Telegraph

The Statement Head Piece

China Photos, Getty Images

It’s All About the Hair

Lintao Zhang/Feng Li, Getty Images

Cake Walk

Cancan Chu, Getty Images

Wedding Dress From China’s Fashion Week

Cancan Chu, Getty Images

Walk-of-Shame Wedding Dress

Adam Rountree, Getty Images

How Much Flair Can We Add?

Cancan Chu, Getty Images

Mariah Carey’s Halloween Wedding Dress… But It Still Counts

Evan Agostini, Getty Images

Source: TheFW.com

Makaristos, Flickr

The upcoming 2012 Summer Olympics marks 40 years since 11 Israeli athletes were killed by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.

In commemoration, the Israeli government and two US Congressmen asked for a moment of silence at this summer’s event, only to have the International Olympic Committee reject the proposal.

Danny Ayalon, the deputy foreign minister of Israel, sent a letter requesting the minute of silence to Jacques Rogge, the president of the IOC, on behalf of two widows of the murdered athletes. In addition, representatives Eliot L. Engel and Nita M. Lowey, both Democrats from New York, sent a letter of their own to Rogge.

In rejecting the requests, Rogge said, “We strongly sympathize with the victims’ families and understand their lasting pain,” adding that the IOC “has officially paid tribute to the memory of the athletes on several occasions and will continue to do so in close coordination with the National Olympic Committee of Israel.”

Ayalon called the response “unacceptable” and said in a statement, “The terrorist murders of the Israeli athletes were not just an attack on people because of their nationality and religion; it was an attack on the Olympic Games and the international community. Thus it is necessary for the Olympic Games as a whole to commemorate this event in the open rather than only in a side event.”

[The New York Times]

TNT / Marvel

In spite of the bazillions of dollars it’s already earned, ‘The Avengers‘ hasn’t been in theaters all that long, yet naturally every star and movie executive wants a piece of the sequel.  Not only that, but most every source indicates that the superhero roster would likely expand for the follow-up, leaving a wealth of potential characters for Hollywood, particularly women to nab.  So which TV star wants to smash her way onto the big screen next time around?

Speaking at the TNT Upfront presentation brunch for her returning series ‘Rizzoli & Isles, Angie Harmon gushed over her desire to one day play Marvel superhero She-Hulk, particularly noting how well The Hulk had been handled in Joss Whedon‘s recent big-screen effort.  Speaking to reporters, Harmon gleefully proclaimed, “I have to be her! You don’t understand, I have to be her. It’s the best quote ever when The Hulk turns around and goes ‘I’m always angry.’ I was like, Oh my god! I stood up in the theater and literally cheered, I did.”

As Jennifer Walters, a cousin to Bruce Banner who gained similar abilities from a gamma-infused blood transfusion, She-Hulk remains a prime candidate for a future ‘Avengers’ movie, what with her acerbic attitude, skimpy attire, and notoriously bed-hopping history.  Not to mention, future ‘Avengers’ sequels would definitely benefit from additional women on the team.  Harmon even professed her willingness to strip down, saying:

I would rock that like there is no tomorrow. I would kill that outfit. I’d put these 36Cs on display. Boom!

And what about her libido? That’s my favorite part. She-Hulk, bed! She-Hulk, screw! Can you imagine? Then she just picks him up and throws him around the room like the Hulk did with [Loki]. But apparently, she’s normal size.

‘Rizzoli & Isles’ continues for a third season on TNT, but who’s to say that She-Hulk might not end up on TV some day?  After all, ABC’s ‘The Hulk’ adaptation is still being eyed for the 2013 season, and there have been attempts to put She-Hulk in live-action before.

If nothing else, we’ll always have the below photo, which Harmon first took to her Twitter account, before a fan generously returned it to her with the proper skin-tone.  Check it out, and tell us if you’d like to see Angie Harmon as She-Hulk in the comments below!

Instagram

Source: ScreenCrush.com

Bryan Bedder / Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today:

George Strait
Age: 60
Occupation: Singer, Songwriter and Musician
Known For: A slew of country hits including ‘Fool Hearted Memory,’ ‘Ocean Front Property,’ ‘She’ll Leave You with a Smile’ and ‘You’ll Be There,’ dozens of industry awards, holding the record for the most No. 1 hits on the Billboard Country charts, and holding the record for most No. 1 albums, gold albums, and platinum albums in the history of country music

Tina Fey
Age: 42
Occupation: Actor, Writer and Comedic Genius
Known For: Her brilliant work as both a writer and performer on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ’30 Rock,’ penning the screenplay for the movie ‘Mean Girls,’ her spot-on portrayal of Sarah Palin on ‘SNL,’ writing the hilarious bestseller ‘Bossypants,’ being the youngest-ever winner of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and being an icon for smart, funny women everywhere

Joe Bonsall
Age: 64
Occupation: Singer and Author
Known For: Being one of the singers for the Oak Ridge Boys, which had country and crossover singles like ‘Elvira,’ ‘Bobbie Sue’ and ‘American Made,’ and writing books like ‘The Molly Books’ children’s series and ‘GI Joe and Lillie’

Chow Yun-fat
Age: 57
Occupation: Actor
Known For: His role as Li Mu-bai in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,’ his Asian film collaborations with filmmaker John Woo in the heroic bloodshed genre films ‘A Better Tomorrow,’ ‘The Killer’ and ‘Hard Boiled,’ and voiceover work for the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’ and ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ video games

Jack Johnson
Age: 37
Occupation: Singer, Songwriter and Musician
Known For: His successful debut album, ‘Brushfire Fairytales,’ his work on surfing movies and soundtracks, being the organizer of the annual Kōkua Festival, and songs like ‘Better Together,’ ‘Flake’ and ‘You and Your Heart’

Dimension Films

Good news for those of you who have been waiting years and years for that ‘Sin City’ sequel to finally start production — it will and two of the big name stars from the Robert Rodriguez film will be coming back for the sequel.

Jessica Alba and Mickey Rourke will return for the now officially titled ‘Frank Miller’s Sin City: A Dame To Kill For.’ The sequel is going to start shooting this summer with Rodriguez returning to direct based on a script by ‘The Departed’ writer William Monahan. Rodiguez will start shooting once he wraps work on ‘Machete Kills’ which is currently filming.

According to the Dimension Films, the movie will start shooting this summer and big names are expected to be announced soon which means more of the original cast is likely to return. The sequel has a release date of October 4th, 2013, which puts it up against the yet-to-be announced Disney project by Henry Selick (probably ‘The Graveyard Book’).

Whether or not Bruce Willis, Clive Owen, Benecio Del Toro or Elijah Wood return remains to be seen. As long as Alba wears super tight inappropriate tops, it doesn’t really matter who else comes back.

Source: ScreenCrush.com