Are the new Camel Crush cigarette ads aimed at children? The American Heart Association and several other health groups have asked state attorneys to investigate the new campaign to see if it in violation of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement.

The American Heart Association, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Legacy, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and the American Lung Association are urging state attorneys to investigate the new campaign. The health groups believe that the company R.J. Reynolds has violated its agreement not to target youth smokers with its new Camel Crush cigarette ads.

The health groups wrote a letter to the Tobacco Committee Co-Chairs of the National Association of Attorneys General, writing:

“We believe that R.J. Reynolds’ new ad campaign does directly or indirectly target youth because the entire ad buy is reaching millions of youth and several of the individual magazines have large youth readerships.”

The new Camel Crush cigarette ads appeared in at least 24 magazines between April and June. The health groups noted that many of the magazines, including ESPN the Magazine, Rolling Stone, People, Sports Illustrated and Entertainment Weekly have large teen readerships. People Magazine, which also ran the new ad, has more than 3 million teen readers.

Tobacco companies have been prohibited from taking “any action, directly or indirectly, to target Youth” since 1998.

The health groups wrote in a press release:

“From 1987 to 1997, R.J. Reynolds marketed Camel cigarettes with a cartoon character, Joe Camel, including through magazine ads.  Studies showed that Camel’s share of the youth cigarette market soared after the campaign began, and Joe Camel at one point was nearly as recognizable to 6-year-olds as Mickey Mouse.  R.J. Reynolds finally ended the Joe Camel campaign in 1997 in the face of lawsuits, Congressional scrutiny, a Federal Trade Commission investigation and public outrage.”

R.J. Reynolds isn’t using Joe Camel in the new ad campaign but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t marketing to children. What do you think? Should cigarette ads be allowed in magazines like Entertainment Weekly?

New Camel Crush Cigarette Ads Are Aimed At Kids, Says American Heart Association is a post from: The Inquisitr

Another ricin letter to Obama has been intercepted by the White House mail screening service. A spokesman with the Secret Service has confirmed that the letter was quite similar to one sent to New York Mayor Bloomberg last week.

The letter was reportedly postmarked in Shreveport, Louisiana. Officials have stated that the ricin was “crudely made and of poor quality.” As reported by CBS News, this is the third similar letter received in the past week. In addition to President Obama and Mayor Bloomberg, another ricin-laced letter was received at the headquarters for Mayors Against Illegal Guns, addressed to director Mark Glaze.

All three letters were intercepted and handled carefully to avoid contamination. Three people who came into contact with the letter addressed to Bloomberg displayed minor symptoms, but nobody was seriously harmed by the substance.

As explained by CDC.gov, ricin is a naturally occurring poison found in the beans of a castor plant. Oil from the Castor bean is not toxic. Ricin is waste material left after the oil is extracted. Ricin can be made into a powder, spray mist, or a pellet.

Ricin can be spread by casual contact, through the skin. The ricin invades the body’s cells, halting the production of essential proteins that keep the cells, and the entire body, alive.

As reported by NBC New York, all three letters were postmarked on May 20 in Shreveport. The envelopes did not contain a return address. All three letters contained text referring to gun control:

“You will have to kill me and my family before you get my guns. Anyone wants to come to my house will get shot in the face. The right to bear arms is my constitutional God given right and I will exercise that right till the day I die.”

Just last month ricin letters were mailed to President Obama and Senator Roger Wicker. Both letters were intercepted. James Everett Dutschke, of Mississippi, was arrested and charged with the crime.

The ricin letters to Obama and Bloomberg were both intercepted before they reached their intended target. The third letter was opened by Mark Glaze, but he did not report any illness.

[Image via Flickr]

Ricin Letter To Obama Intercepted is a post from: The Inquisitr

James Lipton as a pimp may have been one of the more shocking stories in entertainment this week, but the Inside The Actors’ Studio host is not ashamed of his pimptastic past.

Actually, James Lipton wasn’t a pimp per se, the star explains — he was a “mac” in Paris during the 1950s.

While the term may be new to you (and us), Lipton explains that his function with sex workers was far removed from that of a pimp — a figure who is by and large an abuser.

He says he was more like an agent in the acting business than a sex peddler, and said in a subsequent interview:

“A pimp exploits and abuses the women who work for him … A macquereau does nothing of that sort. I’m talking about then. The macquereau works for the women. He’s a procurer. He’s an agent, so-to-speak.”

Recalling his relationship with a woman in France (which he describes as platonic) who had worked as a prostitute, he says:

“I’m not ashamed of it … She was my friend. I was of help to her. And we had some amazing adventures. And I did go through my ‘rit de passage’ in Paris.”

James Lipton even says it was she, and not he, who proposed the arrangement — when his seemingly impending return to the U.S. loomed due to lack of money.

Lipton recalls:

“Months went by, finally, I ran out of money, and one night, I went back there and said, ‘I have to go back to America.’ And she said ‘Why,’ and I said, ‘Oh, I just have to go back.’ And she said, ‘You’re broke, aren’t ya?’ And I said, ‘Yes.’ And she said, ‘The problem is solved. You’re going to be my mac.’ ”

Were you surprised that James Lipton had a pimp-like past in the 50s?

James Lipton: Pimping ‘Is’ Easy, No Regrets is a post from: The Inquisitr

Memphis Grizzlies guard Quincy Pondexter is making headlines and it has nothing to do with his ability to shoot a basketball.

Just days after being eliminated from the NBA playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs, Pondexter took to Twitter to score a date with Miss Tennessee 2012, Chandler Lawson.

The exchange started with Pondexter simply pointing out that he was single and in need of a girlfriend.

“Now that season is over I need 2 find a gf,” Quincy wrote. He later asked, “Who won Miss Tennessee this year?”

Only a few hours later, Lawson replied, “@QuincyPondexter hi! Heard you were looking for me? #gogrizz”

“Yup!! single? Lol,” was his reply.

When the 22-year-old Lawson acknowledged that she was, in fact, single, Pondexter saw his opportunity and skipped all the small talk, boldly asking the leggy blonde out.

Then she accepted the NBA player’s date invitation.

“We’ve got an audience waiting apparently!” Lawson wrote.

Regardless of whether Lawson is truly interested in Pondexter or is simply using the now-public exchange as a publicity stunt, she has given hope to hundreds of single men who lack the courage to ask out a woman in person.

Here is a picture of Miss Tennessee 2012, Chandler Lawson:

Pondexter wasn’t the only NBA player to ask out a beauty pageant via Twitter.

Shortly after Quincy’s successful date request, Philadelphia 76ers’ guard Nick Young took a shot of his own, presumably asking out Mabelynn Capeluj, the current Miss California.

Check out their Twitter exchange below:

@nickswagypyoung Hey! Just got into Vegas for Miss USA. & you?

— Mabelynn Capeluj (@RealMissCAUSA) May 31, 2013

Hahahahahaha just trying this new quincy dating game out RT @quincypondexter: @nickswagypyoung haha I see you bro

— Nick Young (@NickSwagyPYoung) May 31, 2013

No word yet on whether Young will have the same luck as Pondexter.

Grizzlies’ Quincy Pondexter Lands Date With Miss Tennessee Via Twitter is a post from: The Inquisitr

Chloe Moretz is looking all gussied up as Carrie as shown in the new image that highlights the start of the terrifying third act. As some of you know, it’s at the prom where Carrie rips through her entire gymnasium after a horrendous prank is pulled. The third act is one of the most climatic scenes from any horror film, and it’ll be interesting to see how this second remake captures a truly cinematic moment within the film.

The still released of Moretz, who plays tormented teenager Carrie, sees the young woman on her way to prom, and this prom isn’t something worth missing as it is truly one of the most unforgettable proms in cinema. Also seen in the still is her ‘hunk” prom date, who is played by Ansel Englort. Director Brian De Palma is taking Stephen King’s novel up to task, and we’re hoping it’s a lot better than the 2002 television movie with Angela Bettis (Girl Interrupted).

Late last month Moretz spoke about how different and challenging the role of Carrie was, saying:
“It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, but it was one of the darkest, and I’m terrified to see the movie because it’s the most vulnerable I’ve ever been.”

Surprisingly the studio released a still of Moretz in one of the most important scenes in the film. Earlier this year we were able to see a bit of the climatic moment that features Carrie covered in pig’s blood. It’s surprising seeing as that’s the scene everyone will be waiting for, but perhaps the studio is considering that the scene is so famous that it doesn’t matter if they give away the goods a bit early.

In addition to Moretz in the iconic role, Julianne Moore will play her overprotective mother. In the 1976 film the role of Carrie was played by Sissy Spacek.

Here’s a look at the original Carrie (Sissy Spacek) during the prom scene:

Take a look at the trailer for the 2013 Carrie film:

 

Chloe Moretz Goes To Prom In Latest ‘Carrie’ Still is a post from: The Inquisitr

Nearly a decade and a half after the original film was released, M. Night Shymalan has hinted that a sequel to Unbreakable could be coming soon.

For those of you don’t remember the 2000 film, Unbreakable starred Bruce Willis as a security guard named David Dunn who was once a star football player, but has to give up the sport after a car accident. David is then involved in a train wreck in which he is the sole survivor. David then meets Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), who was born with a rare disease that makes his bones break very easily. As a kid, Elijah spends his many hospital stays reading comic books, and believes that David is a superhero. In classic Shymalan fashion, Elijah turns out to be a supervillain to David’s superhero.

Because of the way the original film was done, the possibility of a sequel to Unbreakable was left open, and rumors circulated shortly after the film’s release that Willis and Jackson would eventually face each other. However, Shymalan initially denied that he wrote the film as the first part of a trilogy. Jackson said he would be interested in a sequel in 2008, and Willis said in 2010 that Shymalan was still thinking about a “fight movie” between him and Jackson. That same year, Shymalan revealed that he had a villain in mind for a sequel, but the character was used for a different film.

Now it appears that Unbreakable 2 may be released after all. While promoting After Earth,  Shymalan said that he is getting closer to revisiting the story.

“As long as it can be connected to something that I’m feeling right now, then it’ll work for me. It’ll be valid and I’ll enjoy it,” Shymalan told MTV News’ Josh Horowitz. ”If I feel like it’s a mechanical thing and I’ll be doing it because it’ll be profitable or successful, that will just be so hollow.”

Shymalan added, “My agenda is to make another one, I just have to figure out a plot that makes sense. I’m close, though. On my dressing table, I have a whole list of notes about it.”

Did you like the first Unbreakable? Would you like to see a sequel?

M. Night Shymalan Teases ‘Unbreakable 2′ is a post from: The Inquisitr

The monkey formerly known as Justin Bieber’s pet “Mally” has been moved to a German wildlife park.

The now 23-week-old capuchin was seized by Munich customs officials back in March when the 19-year-old was on tour after he failed to provide necessary documents.

Mally, who had been cared for in an animal shelter in the interim, can now call the Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen, northern Germany its new home.

The monkey became German property when Bieber and his team missed — or let lapse — a deadline to provide required paperwork to reclaim the animal.

Mally will remain quarantined for a further five weeks before park owners are able to integrate him in with the other monkeys.

“He is a very, very brave little monkey,” said Fabrizio Sepe, head of the wildlife park.

He continued: “He is very curious which has helped him to integrate here at the Serengeti Park because many animals normally remain in the transport box for three days at first. He came out straight away and jumped onto the carer’s head and was immediately curious about everything.”

Sepe said the transportation and location of the monkey had been kept a secret until now to protect the animal, adding that they hadn’t yet heard from Bieber.

However, he also said the park was ready to give Bieber information about the monkey if he was interested. The park head has extended an invitation to fans, saying they were welcome to come and look at Mally.

“He will go into our capuchin monkey enclosure where there is a lovely island that is 40 metres long and 20 metres wide. It has lots of trees so it will be a bit of a game to try and recognize him and that will be the case in about five weeks,” he said.

Dare we say it, but after the recriminations and international brouhaha it looks like an unfortunate situation has actually turned out for the best — in the end.

Justin Bieber’s Monkey Gets A New Home, Singer Gets Invitation is a post from: The Inquisitr

The days of Sam Mendes turning down the Bond sequel seems to be light years away. Back in the spring Mendes said that he simply wouldn’t have the time to dedicate himself to another Bond film, but now it seems like he’s changing his story.

It all started a few days ago when it was announced for a few hours that Nicolas Winding Refn was in talks to direct the next sequel with Daniel Craig. Shortly after that unofficial announcement Sam Mendes apparently got over his illness, and was  able to fit the new Bond film into his busy schedule. This deal will see the director take on two Bond films.

According to Showbizz 411 Mendes is “mostly likely” directing Bond 25. Does this mean he will shoot the two films back to back? Are the films going to be a two-parter? While nothing it known about how Mendes plans to fit in the Bond movies, it sure does reignite rumors of the latter.

Either way it is said that the producers have been very cooperate with Mendes about his busy schedule. As far as we know Mendes is going to finish up his King Leer project and his obligations for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory at the West End stage, before he jumps back into the Bond franchise.

Back in the spring Mendes even suggested that the thought of directing another Bond film would make him ill. In an interview, Mendes said, “Was I willing to go back into a room with a writer and start work on the same set of characters and the same scenarios as I’ve been working on for the last three years. The idea made me physically ill.”

Are you excited to see Sam Mendes will be back for at least one Bond film?

Sam Mendes Is Now Directing Two ‘Bond’ Films is a post from: The Inquisitr

Matthew Perry said he was “a sick guy” during his acting stint on the sitcom Friends as drug and alcohol addiction took over his life.

Perry’s battles with drugs were well known during his run on the hit show, and several times he went to rehab for treatment. But Perry unveiled the depths of his addictions during a recent interview with ABC News, saying that problems with drugs and alcohol followed him throughout the tenure of the show.

“Mostly it was drinking, you know, and opiates,” Perry told ABC. “I think I was pretty good at hiding it but, you know, eventually people were aware.”

Though the media often reported on his trips to rehab and weight fluctuations caused by drugs, Matthew Perry said he became good at hiding the true depths of his addictions.

Eventually the media attention came to help, Perry said. The constant attention led him to try to get help, and ultimately caused him to team up with addiction specialist Earl Hightower. With the new help, Perry transformed his home in Malibu, California, to a sober living home for men called Perry House.

He and Hightower have even been honored for their work, receiving the Champion of Recovery award from the Obama Administration’s Office of National Drug Control Policy.

“We’re award-winning alcoholics,” Perry joked.

Though he has been living clean since Friends went off the air in 2004, Matthew Perry’s career has failed to gain traction. Despite a number of popular movies, the comedian has failed to latch on to a long-lasting sitcom. He has appeared in a series of shortlived shows, including Go On, which was canceled this year by ABC.

Though it was his last success on television, Matthew Perry has said he’s not planning on going back to Friends. Rumors have circulated at various points in the past few years that the cast is reuniting, but Perry told fans it’s not happening.

Matthew Perry Opens Up About Drug Addiction During His ‘Friends’ Days is a post from: The Inquisitr

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reportedly put together his own all-girl pop band.

The group, which consists of five girls who wear an array of sparkling outfits, have already cranked out a few tunes. Their songs include “Let’s Study” and “Our Dear Leader.”

The Moranbong Music Band members were selected by the Supreme Leader himself. The group’s creation is North Korea’s attempt to inject some popular culture into a country that generally doesn’t focus on such things.

Kim Jong Un reportedly formed the band back in 2012. They have already performed a handful of times for the North Korean leader, including last year’s New Years event.

The Dear Leader himself is particularly proud of his all-girl group. Their five-part harmonies and 60s-inspired dance choreography is apparently pleasing to Kim Jong Un, who has already sung the band’s praises.

“(He praised) Seon-u Hyang-hui, leader of the band, for her splendid directing. He underscored the need to steadily develop the traditional music and popular music in a balanced manner to suit the thoughts and feelings of Koreans and their aesthetic taste while meeting the need of the times and the people’s desire,” a report from KNCA explained.

The members of the Moranbong Music Band use synthesizers, guitars, and strings to create their sound. The songs have been described as light rock with hints of 80s pop.

In order to spread the word about his group, Kim Jong Un has put together a few promotional sites on social media. Not only does the band have their own DPRK-sanctioned YouTube channel, the girls’ also have a Facebook page dedicated to their music and performances.

Judging from the video below, the group’s vibe is decidedly old-fashioned. However, in a country where pop culture is practically non-existent, the band’s approach probably feels indescribably new to the people of North Korea.

What do you think about Kim Jong Un and his all-girl band? Is this just harmless fun, or is it another way for the Dear Leader to control his people?

Kim Jong Un Has His Own All-Girl Pop Band [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

It was just the other day that Whoopi Goldberg made a surprising appearance on the set of the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film. Now we can reveal just who she’ll be playing in the new TMNT reboot.

When we first reported on the Whoopi Goldberg sighting it wasn’t immediately known who Goldberg would play in the reboot. However, now we have word on who she will play in the turtle movie. Whoopi’s character will be connected to the Channel 6 news team.

According to Comic Book Movie, a source let the news leak that Goldberg’s character’s name is Bernadette Thompson, who’s a Channel 6 news editor and the boss of April (Megan Fox). If the name doesn’t really ring a bell in the franchise, it’s been said that the character is a modern spin on Burne Thompson, who at the time was played by a Caucasian man in the 1987 animated television show.

The role in the original series was that of an outsider. Comically, Burne was often blaming the turtles for crimes they didn’t commit. However, the bigger role was the employee relationship he has with April, who often reported on the turtles’ adventures. So far we aren’t sure just what will change from the old character, but if anything it’s safe to assume that Goldberg will bring her special brand of sarcastic comedy to the role.

The first news of Goldberg’s appearance in the film hit a few days ago, when the actress was seen wearing a big puffy jacket on set. From the actresses’ cover up, we can see that underneath her cover up is a suit, which now we know is probably part of her regular wardrobe for her new character.

Whoopi Goldberg en el rodaje de Las tortugas ninjas twitter.com/cdc_cinefilo/s…

— Info_cine (@cdc_cinefilo) May 28, 2013

So far the eclectic cast for the new TMNT movie includes Alan Ritchson, Pete Ploszek, Noel Fisher, Jeremy Howard, Megan Fox, and it’s rumored that William Fichtner will be playing Shredder.

[Image credit: Featureflash / Shutterstock.com]

Whoopi Goldberg’s ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle’ Role Revealed is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 did not infringe on the design of the Apple iPad according to a new ruling by a Dutch Supreme Court.

Apple holds a European design patent for the iPad but the court limited the applicability of the Apple patent to prior art.

If you have been following the Apple design case you are probably aware that other similar tablets were designed well before the iPad. For example, the Knight Ridder concept which was designed more than a decade before the Apple iPad shared a similar design concept.

In its ruling the court says that while the Apple iPad offers its own “unique character” the Galaxy Tab is “sufficiently different” enough that an informed person can tell the difference.

With the Dutch supreme court ruling against Apple the company will likely face an uphill battle in getting the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 banned from import into the Netherlands.

While Apple has managed to win iPhone court cases versus the Samsung Galaxy smartphone series, the tech giant has suffered in terms of proving tablet infringement.

Apple’s claim to the “rounded rectangle” design concept has failed to impress members of the court who have generally called the design factor a basic part of a tablets creation.

After receiving good news regarding the Dutch lawsuit the team at Samsung Netherlands released the following statement:

“Apple was not the first tablet designed with a rectangular shape and rounded corners. No company should have a monopoly on general design.”

Perhaps caught off guard by the courts decision the team at Apple has not yet released a public statement regarding the Dutch courts decision.

Do you think the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a direct rip-off of the Apple iPad design?

Samsung Wins iPad Design Infringement Case In Dutch Court is a post from: The Inquisitr

This week’s Disneyland blast in Toontown was traced back to a device hidden in a trash can and made with dry ice, and a worker in the park was charged in connection with the small explosion.

While the Disneyland blast did not injure any guests or employees and no damage was done to Toontown, the area of the park in Anaheim was forced to close for two hours in the aftermath.

After the explosion, Disney twitter accounts confirmed that the blast had prompted an evacuation from the area of the park in an abundance of caution.

Later this week, Disney employee Christian Barnes, 22, of Long Beach, was arrested in connection with the Disneyland blast.

Barnes was charged with one felony count of possession of a destructive device in a public place. After his arrest, police disclosed that not only did they find the trash can explosive, but that Barnes had hidden a second dry ice device in his vending cart.

Anaheim police Sgt. Bob Dunn said of Barnes’ actions after the arrest:

“We’re not certain that he understood the full weight of what would happen when this did go off in those trash cans … Is it possible that it was a prank? Absolutely … Are we investigating it as a crime? Absolutely.”

Raymond Barnes, the young man’s father, told local news sources that the Disneyland blast was “an unfortunate mistake” and added of his son:

“He’s not someone that would do something to hurt anyone or anything like that … He’s not violent at all.”

The elder Barnes continued:

“They have a right to check into things thoroughly, and I understand that … But when the smoke clears, they’ll see that he’s a very good kid.”

After the Disneyland blast, bail for Barnes was set at $500,000, down from $1 million. if convicted, he faces six years in prison.

In Disneyland Blast, Worker Pleads Not Guilty is a post from: The Inquisitr

Dolphins are scary. They want to eat your children.

Dolphins Are Scary is a post from: The Inquisitr

A staged kidnap of a missing teen in Maine had a tragic outcome, and a man has been charged with murder after the girl died during the botched crime.

During the staged kidnap earlier this month, 15-year-old Nichole Cable was lured by a fake Facebook account to meet with Kyle Dube, 20. Dube is said to have intended to kidnap the girl, but with the goal of “rescuing” her and being hailed as a hero.

Police are still trying to figure out how the horrible plan went wrong, but Cable’s body was found in a wooded part of Old Town a week after she disappeared.

USAToday cites court documents describing the plan and Cable’s death, but how the teen died during the staged kidnap has not yet been determined:

“When Nichole came along, Dube jumped out and snatched her, duct-taped her and put her in the back of his father’s pickup truck, the affidavit said. The 20-year-old Dube later discovered that she was dead, so he dumped her body and covered it with branches, it said.”

In the subsequent investigation, it was discovered that Dube had propositioned Cable numerous times and been spurned, and that the 20-year-old man later posed as a friend of hers named Bryan Butterfield,

Cable had been speaking to Dube, who had been posing as Butterfield, before she disappeared on May 13. Butterfield discovered that someone had been posing as him on Facebook, and told police he suspected the man impersonating him was Dube.

Seacoast Online says that Dube was quickly located as the source of the fake account, and his brother and girlfriend told police what they knew about the crime:

“When a detective interviewed Dube’s girlfriend, Sarah Mersinger, she reported that Dube told her where he left Nichole’s body. Dube’s brother, Dustin Dube, then told police what he knew.”

Following the staged kidnap, Dube was indicted on charges of kidnapping and murder.

Staged Kidnap Ends In Missing Teen’s Death is a post from: The Inquisitr

Are you ready to see Breaking Bad’s Jesse Pinkman up on the big screen? While reports are still very early, you may want to brace yourself.

The second half of its final season is prepared to start airing in August, and fans are already wondering how they will replace Breaking Bad, or if it can be expanded into something more. So far the second half of the season is under wraps, and fans do not know how Walter White and Jesse Pinkman will meet their ends. Now we’re learning that we may not even find out the end of the story until it’s up on the big screen.

Director Steven Soderbergh, who in the past has given us his opinion on the state of television and film, and how they effect one another, opened up about what he would like to do for the series finale of Breaking Bad. If he had it his way, the last two episodes may end up on the big screen.

Speaking with Empire, Soderbergh unleashed his hopeful plans for Breaking Bad:

“I thought it would be really cool to have the final two episodes of the show as a movie that aired the Friday after the penultimate episode. You’d sell that during the season – ‘See the season finale in theatres!’ – and just run it for a week, but I feel like you’d clean up. It’s never been done before. It’s [in cinemas for] one week, then you can download it, but for the fans to have a communal viewing experience that week, that’d be super-cool.”

So far there’s no official word if AMC will partner up with anyone to give the last two episodes a theatrical release. We’re thinking it wouldn’t be that big of a leap seeing as all of the final episodes are already in the can.

Life after Breaking Bad looks pretty sweet for its creator Vincent Gilligan. As we reported a few days ago, the series creator is thinking about branching off into a spin-off for Walter White’s sleazy lawyer Saul Goodman.

Would you be up for a Breaking Bad movie?

Is A ‘Breaking Bad’ Movie In The Works? is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Expendables 3 is looking to add some serious talent to its roster.

Sylvester Stallone is trying to get every action-oriented actor under the sun to join up for the next installment in the franchise. According to reports, Stallone is currently eyeing Nicolas Cage and Milla Jovovich for roles in the flick.

Sources are telling Deadline that the folks behind The Expendables 3 are currently in “advanced negotiations” with both Cage and Jovovich for parts in the sequel. The website also reports that Stallone is pursuing Jackie Chan and Wesley Snipes, but Stallone has been hinting about their involvement for a while now.

Sylvester Stallone previously stated on Twitter that he was interested in getting a “young Sigourney Weaver” to play a part in the next movie. Could Milla Jovovich be the solution to his problem? The actress is one of the few female actresses who are consistently cranking out action movies, so she would be an ideal candidate.

Rumors about Nicolas Cage’s involvement have been hot and cold since Stallone first started talking about The Expendables 3. Since nothing much has been said about the actor’s involvement in The Expendables 3, reports about these negotiations are a pleasant surprise.

As for Wesley Snipes, Stallone has been keeping his Twitter followers abreast of the situation since the Passenger 57 star was released from prison. Judging from Sylvester’s tweets, Snipes is particularly excited to get things rolling on the project.

Finally, Jackie Chan has been in talks for The Expendables 3 since, well, The Expendables 2. He was originally offered a role in director Simon West’s flick, though obligations to Chinese Zodiac ultimately prevented him from signing on.

Nothing about Cage or Jovovich’s involvement has been confirmed by either party. Given the fickle nature of Hollywood, these negotiations could fall apart at the drop of a hat. Since this writer is a fan of all of the current prospects, here’s hoping that Stallone gets them to join up.

Unfortunately for Steven Seagal fans, it’s still unknown if the action star will be a part of the cast or not. Although Stallone said he has reached out to the Under Siege star, details are still few and far between.

Are you looking forward to The Expendables 3? What do you think about Stallone courting Nicolas Cage and Milla Jovovich for roles in the movie?

‘Expendables 3′ Looking To Add Nicolas Cage, Milla Jovovich is a post from: The Inquisitr

Does the red planet have rats? A photo taken by the Mars Curiosity Rover of the martian landscape appears to show a small creature hiding among the rocks of the alien planet.

NASA hasn’t commented on the mars rat (they were too busy finding evidence of water on the planet) leaving the photo open to interpretation. According to UFO Sightings Daily, creature is either a lizard or a rat.

The site writes: “This one also seems to resemble a rodent but also may be a lizard. With water existing on Mars in small amounts, its possible to find such desert animals wandering around.”

NASA believes that they have discovered evidence of water on Mars so it is possible, I guess, for animals to be living on the planet. The UFO website notes that it may also be possible that NASA is releasing small animals onto the planet to conduct experiments.

Of course, you know, it could just be a photo of a rock.

John Grotzinger, Mars Science Laboratory project scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., didn’t comment on the rat on Mars but he did say that he was excited about the discoveries made by the Curiosity Rover.

Grotzinger said: “We have characterized a very ancient, but strangely new ‘gray Mars’ where conditions once were favorable for life … Curiosity is on a mission of discovery and exploration, and as a team we feel there are many more exciting discoveries ahead of us in the months and years to come.”

Here’s the photo of the rat on mars.

Did you see it? No? Here’s the photo from UFO Sightings Daily.

A Rat On Mars? Blogger Spots Animal On Red Planet is a post from: The Inquisitr

Toronto mayor Rob Ford has allegedly been caught on tape smoking crack cocaine, but he continues to deny the allegations and refuses to step down despite losing many of his top staffers.

Ford has seen the loss of five staff members since reports of the video emerged last week, including his chief of staff, who was fired by Ford. Two more top aides quit on Thursday — chief policy adviser Brian Johnston and executive assistant Kia Nejatian.

Rob Ford has remained steadfast in defending his office.

“There is nothing going on in my office,” Ford said. “Everything is going fine.”

“I’m not stepping aside,” Ford added Thursday.

Cook compared it to another photo of Rob Ford from the National Post where he is wearing the same sweatshirt and concluded that the two appear to be the same.

Cook later flew to Toronto, meeting with the alleged tipster, who is said to be connected to the Toronto drug trade. He wrote:

“Here is what the video shows: Rob Ford, the mayor of Toronto, is the only person visible in the frame. Prior to the trip, I spent a lot of time looking at photographs of Rob Ford. The man in the video is Rob Ford. It is well-lit, clear. Ford is seated, in a room in a house. In one hand is a a clear, glass pipe. The kind with a big globe and two glass cylinders sticking out of it. In the other hand is a lighter.”

Two Toronto Star reporters also saw the supposed Rob Ford video, but turned down the chance to buy the video. It has not been released publicly, though Cook tried to start a crowdfunding campaign to pay the $200,000 asking price.

Rob Ford briefly addressed the alleged crack smoking video during a radio appearance, saying it doesn’t exist.

Rob Ford: Toronto Mayor Refuses To Step Down Amid Crack Smoking Scandal is a post from: The Inquisitr

Michele Bachmann announced on Wednesday that she won’t run for re-election in 2014, and today her chief political rival Jim Graves has dropped out of contention too.

Graves was gearing up to run against Bachmann in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, after narrowly losing to her in 2012. But today he announced that his campaign is suspended indefinitely, which means that he is bailing.

The Democrat claims that he has accomplished his mission of getting Bachmann out of Congress, but there is probably more practical considerations. The district is considered a Republican stronghold which GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney won by 15 points. A less-polarizing Republican without Bachmann’s baggage is very likely to win the general election in November 2014.

According to Graves, “There’s no way anyone could run and win who would be worse than Michele Bachmann.” A Bachmann spokesman fired back that Graves “exposed himself as a pathetic fraud who never cared about serving the people of Minnesota. The only mission Jim Graves accomplished was wasting $500,000 of his own money on a race that he lost once and he would have lost again.”

In her YouTube retirement message on Wednesday, Bachmann didn’t give an exact reason for her decision, but noted that eight-years of service was more than enough. Graves made an interesting observation about Bachmann’s surprise retirement announcement, however. “All through Memorial Day weekend, she was in the district, working the crowds. Obviously something happened to cause her to believe that she shouldn’t run again. We’re very happy she dropped out. The country can do better.”

Potential GOP candidates for Bachmann’s  House seat include former state Rep. Tom Emmer, State Rep. Peggy Scott, Former state Rep. Phil Krinkie, Anoka County Commissioner Rhonda Sivarajah, State Rep. Linda Runbeck, State Sen. Michelle Benson, State Sen. Michelle Fischbach, and Former Minnesota Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer. Before today’s announcement, there were no Democrats waiting in the wings because it was assumed that Graves was running.

Bachmann, a Tea Party favorite and outspoken Obamacare opponent, made some outlandish claims while running for president in 2012, but the mainstream media tends to demonize any attractive, pro-life female Republican who develops a sizable national following.  In bad news for the Bachmann haters, high-profile politicians always find a way to stay in the limelight even after leaving office, too, and Bachmann will no doubt find her megaphone.

Michelle Bachmann and her husband have five children and have also helped raise 23 foster children.

Bachmann’s campaign committee today agreed to pay an $8,000 civil fine to the Federal Election Commission for campaign finance violations in 2010.

Michele Bachmann Foe Jim Graves Won’t Run Either is a post from: The Inquisitr