Tatoo Designs Online

Tatoo designs are available on the web.Many of today's top designs do provide a wide range of their designs on the web so that others can see what they can do.For those who are looking for a tattoo,it is important to be careful about online designs.It is just as important to be careful about downloading and using these designs without permission from the artist.Both the individula getting the tattoo and the individual doing the tattoo can be legally responsible for such actions.Finding tattoo designs online is quite a good way to get ideas,though.

Locating & Find Images:
To find images and designs online,just use any search  engine.There are many of them abailable on the web ,though they are not always going to show you the best available.For example.if you want something unique,dig deeper into the search engine result to find unique  pictures others have yet to see.Many tattoo artist do place some of their designs on their websites.This is perhaps the best way to get ideas (remember not to copy any design yourself without havig written permission from the artist first.)

There are others resources available online for finding images.You may  wish to search photo websites.These are locations where you can downloading images for a small fee.You will need to contact the website to find out if using the design or image for a tattoo image is within their permissions provided to you .Most of the time ,this is a simple process of just reading the terms of use on the picture you download.

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Tips for Designing Tattoos for Clients

Every tattoo artist is passionate about his or her tattoo designs.Most of the time,the client is just as excited and interested in getting just the right decision.Other times,You may feel that the client just connot make a decision about the tattoo's final design.When someone walks into your shop and requests a tattoo there are several things to do to make sure,the process goes as still e something that  you,yourself,are proud.

To help you,consider these tips when designing tattoos for clients.For every new tattoo artist,they can make working with client designs easier to do.

• 1:

Allow them to bring in images.One thing that many websites are encouraging and that many individuals are doing more often is bringing in clip art,images or even photos from the web to their tattoo artists.Some artists do not like this thought.This can be beneficial to you,though.Allowing them to bring in an image gives them the ability to put the wheels into motion.You know what they want.

• 2:

Designing mock ups is essential.Many tattoos artists will have tattoo designs on their walls displaying option for the client to choose.This is a great way to skip the design mock ups for a client,but onlyif they go,specially with what you offer.If the color scheme is off or it will change,be sure do a mock up.This eliminates many of the problems.

• 3:

Offer advice.Some tattoo artists will take the information ,pictures and ideas from a client and just get to the process of getting the design on the body.Instead,offer advice.As an expert,you know what the look will look like on the body.You know the importance of the designs'size and body location will do to the tattoo.Give them advice so that when they leave your establishment,the finished results are right on what they expect.



Designing tattoos for clients is a process that can take some time to master.Yet,it is one of the most rewarding process to know that you created something unique and special for someone.The process takes patience and an understanding of people.The most successful artists have this.

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Tips for Tattoo Design Making

To a professional tattoo artist,a tattoo is not jst another piece of art that you will never see again.It is one of the best ways to market your business.The  quality of the actual tattoo is important,but what really defines the way others see the tattoo is in the actual quality of the tattoo's design.The better you do with the design of the tattoo,the better the tattoo will serve for you business as a marketing tool.

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About Tribute Tattoo Design

Tribute Tattoo  Design have a specific goal.They hold a special place on your body for someone that you have loved and lost.Perhaps you lost a brother in the war.You may have lost a friend to drunk driving or gang violence.Regardless of who has died,they are important to you and you want to give them a significant piece of you,quite literally.T accomplish this goal,find a tattoo parlor that you trust and really have a heart about the tattoo you would like for them to design for you.there are several things to keep in mind during this process.

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what is Special Meaning Full Tatttoo Design?

sometimes it is best to choose a tattoo design that is particularly symbolic of the individual you wish to pay tribute.For example,a tattoo design for someone that has a love for wolves may be a wolf head or silhouette.you may want to consider an army or navy logo if the individual served in the army or navy and was passionate about it.Fire fighters,police officers and other such professions can be immortalized in this way,too.one thing to be cautious about is the type of  death they had.For example,if a soldier wants to remember his fallen army friend keep in mind that an army related logo may bring up memories of the events witnessed there,which could be emotionally difficult anyone.

Tribute tattoo designs are by no means limited to these items.Be creative .Choose a design that fits the individual while still being true to you and your beliefs.The tattoo artist can then add to it,such as placing a sash or other banner over the top of the tattoo or in the corner to provide you a more specific way to remember them.

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Spurs meltdown lets Thunder take control of West finals

OKLAHOMA CITY — Midway through the third quarter of the Oklahoma City Thunder's Game 4 rout of the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals, a debate broke out on press row that said everything about the drastic turn of events that continued Tuesday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

The question: Has Gregg Popovich ever looked so mad?

By the time the 105-92 win that tied the series 2-2 was over, he wasn't alone. Tony Parker, who played just six of his 26 minutes in the second half when Popovich benched his starters, sat stone-faced as he watched the one-sided affair unfold. Tim Duncan, who had a meltdown moment of his own in the third quarter when he could be seen flailing his arms and yelling toward coaches and guard Danny Green about the latest defensive mix-up, had gone from stoic to steamed as he sat helpless on the sideline. They had every reason to be angry, not to mention worried.
WESTBROOK: Joins MJ in elite club

BOX SCORE: Thunder 105, Spurs 92

Oklahoma City's win was its 12th in the past 14 games against the Spurs in which Thunder forward Serge Ibaka played, meaning this matchup is suddenly looking as one-sided as it did when the Spurs dominated those first two games in San Antonio while he was out with a calf strain. And after his dramatic return in Game 3 reminded the masses that he's the Jenga piece this Thunder puzzle just can't live without, the formula that has been so perplexing for the Spurs proved itself yet again.

The Spurs had talked endlessly after Game 3 about the need to be more aggressive, but halftime arrived with nary a fast-break point on their part (a shutout that continued in the second half). Instead, Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook was the one coming at them with his one-of-a-kind fury, turning in a 40-point, 10-rebound, five-assist performance that was an all-timer in his already-accomplished career. MVP Kevin Durant had his first MVP-type performance of the series, playing the part of aggressor while scoring 22 of his 33 points in a first half in which the Thunder led 58-43 while hitting 11 of 22 shots.

WEST FINALS: Schedule and analysis

SPLITTER: Watch his flop for the ages

"We didn't play smart on a consistent basis, and all of a sudden we were going to see if Serge could block a shot or something," Popovich said. "I thought about passing a picture out on the bench. They'd know who Serge was. But really unwise basketball all of a sudden. Instead of hitting open people that are out there, we started attacking the rim unwisely, and that turns into blocked shots. We had seven turnovers in the first half but really 14 because of the seven blocks. Those are all like turnovers.

"And so that precipitated the 20‑0 fast‑break points at game time. So you've got to play smarter against such great athletes. They're talented obviously, but the athleticism and the length gives you a small margin of error, and you'd better be smart the way you play, and you can't afford to screw that up as many times as we did. And I think we have to play harder. I think they're playing more physically than we are."

The mental games have unofficially begun.

There's simply no way the wrong kinds of questions aren't creeping into the minds of these Spurs right about now, what with the harsh reality of this situation so evident in the last two games and with so many news reporters always reminding them of the jaw-dropping statistics once the carnage comes to a close. There are two truths of this matchup that are about as close to absolute as you can come: The Thunder were done if Ibaka hadn't returned, and the Spurs — who trailed by as many as 27 points — simply can't keep up with them now that he's back.

"We have to be way smarter and sharper," said Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, who only played 11 minutes and had five points. "If we let them push us around and we're not strong with the ball, that's when they get us on our heels and we stop attacking the way we do. We know we've got to play games close to perfection (against them). We said it already, and the first two were really sharp. After that, we kind of stopped. Both games here, they just outplayed us."

He left out the Ibaka elephant in the room, of course, but that remains the epic tide-turner here. He was productive in his second game back, finishing with nine points, eight rebounds and three blocks. But as always, it wasn't about his individual line as much as it was the ripple effect he has on the rest of this Thunder roster.

The Spurs had just 36 points in the paint — four fewer in the Game 1 first half that seemed to send a doomsday message the Thunder's way before Ibaka's shocking return. Duncan had just nine points, marking the first time he scored in single digits in a playoff game since a Game 2 loss to the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals loss that haunts them still.

And therein lies the irony: it's a safe bet that collapsing against the Heat is the farthest thing from the Spurs' minds right about now.

"It's a great challenge, and they're playing well against us," Parker said. "We just have to go out there and play better. I don't know how to explain it. It's the Western Conference finals. We're playing a great team and going back home. We just have to find a way to win."




POST ORIGINATED FROM http://www.usatoday.com

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How to Use Tinder Like A Pro

inder is fast taking over the likes of OKCupid and Match.com as the go-to dating service, seeing some 750 million swipes (passes or likes) a day. The location-based app for iOS and Android serves up matches close by to make it easier to meet someone in your area. It also taps into your Facebook account. Here's how you can use Tinder to find a match.

1. Download and install the app from the App Store or Google Play.

2. Sign in with your Facebook account. You'll need this to use Tinder, since it pulls information from your Facebook,  such as your friends and likes, to set up your profile.

MORE: 8 Offbeat Social Networks

The app won't post to Facebook without your permission, so none of your friends need to know you're on the app if you don't want them to know.

Editing Your Profile

1. Tap the three-line Menu button on the top left to edit your profile.

2. Select Profile.

3. Hit Edit at the top right.

By default, Tinder pulls your profile picture from Facebook along with four other random pictures of you from the social network to adorn your page. It also imports your description from the social network. You can change all this, but images have to come from Facebook.

4. Press the X symbol at the bottom right corner of each thumbnail to remove that picture.

5. Tap the Plus sign on an empty picture slot to import a photo from Facebook. We recommend a mix of photos that show both your face and your body, as well as shots of you having fun. Big smiles also help get likes.

6. Edit your description by tapping the words in the About field. You have 500 characters for this section. Try writing something that shows off your personality, or making it clear what you're looking for from a potential match.

7. Hit Done at the top right when you're satisfied with your profile.

Setting Your Match Preferences

1. Select Settings from the left Menu.

2. Set your gender as well as your preferences for matches that Tinder shows you, including their distance from you, age range and gender.

Browsing and Matching

1. Go to the Home page to see who Tinder has found for you.

Tinder presents potential candidates in a deck of cards. Each card shows a person's first profile picture and their first name, age, number of shared friends and likes you have with them below it. Their number of pictures available is also displayed, and if you have friends in common, an alert pops up on the card.

2. Swipe left to pass on someone and swipe right if you like a match. If that's too confusing, you can also use the X and Heart buttons below each picture to pass and like someone respectively. Note: There is no Undo option, so once you've passed on someone there is no way to see their profile again.

If you need more information before deciding whether you like someone, you can see more information and pictures on their profile.

3. Tap the person's picture or the Info button in between the X and Heart symbols to view his or her profile.

On this page, you can swipe through all their pictures at the top and see who you know and what you like in common. You'll also see their description of themselves or what they're looking for. From here, you can tap the X or Heart buttons at the top right to pass or like the person.

4. Select Send Message after you've matched with someone to start chatting. A screen pops up after you like someone who's already liked you or when someone likes you back. You can only talk with people you like who've liked you too.

5. View all your matches and chats by swiping in from the right or tapping the chat balloon icon at the top right.

POST ORIGINATED FROM http://www.tomsguide.com

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Rolf Harris tells court: I betrayed everybody

Australian-born entertainer gives evidence about relationship with an 18-year-old friend of his daughter, Bindi.



Rolf Harris began a long-running relationship with an 18-year-old friend of his daughter after being flattered by her attentions, he told a court on Tuesday, but he vehemently denied a string of indecent assaults against girls and women spanning more than two decades.

"I felt I had betrayed everybody, my wife, my daughter, and her parents," the Australian-born entertainer, now 84, told Southwark crown court, saying the relationship with the teenager, 35 years his junior, left him "sickened by myself".

The woman, formerly a friend of Harris's daughter, Bindi, has told the court she was repeatedly groped by the artist and television star during the late 1970s, when she was 13. But beginning his defence case, Harris insisted that nothing happened until five years later.

Dropping his voice to a near murmur following a boisterous opening section of testimony in which he mimicked a didgeridoo and a wobble board and briefly sang one of his hits Jake the Peg, Harris said the teenager was staying at his family home in Bray, Berkshire, in the early 1980s when he brought her a cup of tea in bed. Without warning she kicked off the duvet and was half-naked, Harris said. "It seemed to me she was being very flirtatious with me. As you can imagine it was a very flattering feeling, this young lady to be suddenly having an interest in me."

The sexual contact began when the 18-year-old stayed again a few weeks later and appeared "very flirtatious, very coquettish", he told the court. Asked by his defence counsel, Sonia Woodley QC, if the teenager was willing, Harris replied: "Yes, she was. Definitely."

Harris, who told the court he was "a very touchy-feely type of person" who habitually hugs those he likes, described in sometimes graphic detail a series of subsequent encounters which lasted until the woman was in her late 20s. All of these, he said, left him deeply remorseful: "I knew it was wrong. Here I was, much older than her. A very young lady who was many years my junior. It was illicit, and a guilty feeling. As a married man it was just general guilt about the whole thing, and about her being Bindi's friend."

Such was his embarrassment, he said, that his initial statement to police in 2013 failed to mention any sexual contact before the woman was in her 20s as he could not bring himself to tell even his lawyers.

Harris described an encounter with the woman in the early 1990s, after their relationship had ended, when she was drunk and threatened to go to the media. He said: "It was like the sword of Damocles hanging over me. I was waiting each weekend for a newspaper article destroying me."

The woman has told the court the alleged assaults left her dependent on drink and prone to panic attacks. Harris said he felt partly culpable, which is why he wrote to the woman's father to beg forgiveness. "When I saw her drunken state and realised that she blamed me for all of it I took that on board and felt that maybe it was my fault, although I couldn't believe it." Harris was also asked about the family of the alleged victim, saying he had little to do with them. He said: "We had absolutely nothing in common. They were very straight up and down and did everything exactly right. We could never think of anything to say to them when we were with them. I think we were too bohemian and artistic for them."

Harris, speaking to a packed court including his wife of 56 years, Alwen, said he had another affair, this time with a woman in her mid-30s who briefly stayed rent-free with Harris and his wife when she was "down on her luck" in the mid-1990s. She began chauffeuring him to a pantomime in which he was performing and the relationship "gradually became physical", Harris said.

"I didn't feel good about it," he said, saying of his wife: "She was devastated by it, and rightly so."

Harris faces 12 charges of indecent assault, seven of which relate to his daughter's friend, with the court also hearing from a series of witnesses who allege similar attacks which did not result in charges, largely as they took place outside the UK before offences could be prosecuted here. The combined claims cover a period from the late 1960s to 1991.

Woodley led Harris through each of these, and he denied them all. Asked about an allegation that he groped her when she was eight at an appearance at a leisure centre in Portsmouth in 1969, Harris said he was then too famous to be at such modest events and was anyway in Australia at the time. Asked about an alleged assault on a girl of 11 in Australia after saying he wanted to give her a first tongue kiss, Harris replied: "First and foremost I wouldn't say that to anybody, and it didn't happen."

The opening section of testimony saw Harris take the court through a 60-year career that began when he arrived in London aged 22 to study art before getting a break on BBC children's television, appearing alongside a puppet called Fuzz.

In exchanges that caused occasional giggles Woodley took Harris at length through the invention of the wobble board, his trademark musical instrument, and his mastery of the didgeridoo, with the entertainer giving impressions of both. Asked about the genesis of one of his most famous songs, Jake the Peg, about a man with a third leg, Harris briefly sang the chorus to the court. At times, Woodley asked Harris to stick to the subject, saying at one point: "Can we just concentrate on how the wobble board came into being?"

Harris, who has been based in the UK for 60 years, denies 12 counts of indecent assault involving four girls, aged from seven to 19, between 1968 and 1986. The trial continues tomorrow, when Harris will be cross-examined by the prosecution.
Drawings confiscated

In an unusual diversion, the court was told that jury members had spotted Rolf Harris drawing while in the dock last week, and raised their concerns. It is forbidden to make any images while in a court – court artists create their sketches elsewhere from written notes – and particularly to portray jurors, who remain anonymous. Without saying what the sketches showed, the judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, assured the jurors that they had been confiscated and destroyed. They should not, he said, draw any adverse inferences from Harris's actions.




POST ORIGINATED FROM http://www.theguardian.com

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Ed Sheeran's incredible performance on Britain's Got Talent live semi-final makes the world fall in love

The singer doesn't seem able to sing anything but perfectly, and tonight was no exception as he stormed the stage with his guitar again.


Ed Sheeran is officially our favourite singer of the day - actually, possibly EVER.

The flame-haired crooner stormed the stage yet again at the Britain's Got Talent live semi-finals with a perfect performance of his new hit Sing.

We are having trouble forcing ourselves not to just keep it on repeat for ever more.

The singer sung pitch perfect for the four judges, as contestants found out the results of the second live show - follow all our live updates as the results are revealed here.

Wearing a black jumper, Ed melted our hearts almost as much as when we heard him take on Beyonce's Drunk In Love.

No surprises, he got a standing ovation from Simon, David, Amanda and Alesha.

And fans have responded in much the same way on Twitter, with one writing: "@edsheeran on BGT his voice is phenomenal."

Another added: "Ed Sheeran was amazing on bgt tonight."



POST ORIGINATED FROM http://www.mirror.co.uk

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Masters Taree officially open for business

ENTER the new Masters Taree store and it's hard to imagine that the site used to be mostly swamp and farm land.
See your ad here

In about 12 months the land has been transformed into a major retail centre that's set to change the way the Manning shops.

Masters officially opened its doors on Wednesday morning with a special ceremony, officiated by regional manager Craig Urquhart, store manager Michael Kuchel, Greater Taree City Council mayor, Paul Hogan and GTCC general manager Gerard Jose, as well as Biripi Elder Uncle Dave Russell.

Masters Taree is the ninth Masters store in NSW and the 47th in the network, with the company overwhelmed by the response from the local community already.

Craig took the opportunity to thank the Mainbrace construction crew, along with the local contractors, who successfully delivered the store on time and to a standard that "they shoud be very proud of".

While Michael thanked his team for their many hours of hardwork to see the store open.

Cr Hogan welcomed the business to the Manning and was especially pleased to note that it has resulted in more than 100 local jobs.

"The staff are all members of the community and that's a very important thing," he said.

Also on the guest list was Glenda Varela, who successfully named the entrance to the site 'Biripi Way'.

Glenda said it was "a no brainer" when Biripi came into her mind.

"It was just obvious to me, it's such an important part of our heritage and means a lot to the town so it's wonderful to see," she said.

All staff were standing firm on their commitment to customer service and Michael said they were eager to welcome the community into the store.

The opening celebrations continue this weekend with plenty of activities for the whole family between 10am and 3pm.





POST ORIGINATED FROM http://www.manningrivertimes.com.au

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Lotterywest grant to help Bunbury's King Cottage Museum

A GRANT of $23,734 will help Bunbury’s King Cottage Museum install new signage to attract visitors and help tell the stories of the past.

Bunbury MLA John Castrilli officially presented the Lotterywest grant to the City of Bunbury and the museum on Friday. 

Accepted by Bunbury Historical Society president Jennifer Lee, the grant will be used to create new signage at the entry to the Forrest Avenue site, and update the interpretive panels within the museum.

Mrs Lee said King Cottage was built in the early 1880s by Henry King and was occupied for four generations by the King family until the 1920s.

“Congratulations to everyone from the Historical Society for the part they play in preserving and safeguarding our history, so that we and future generations can appreciate and learn from it,” Mr Castrilli said.

“As well as being a museum, King Cottage serves as a prime example of a late 19th century working-class family home.

“It is a showcase of history, and a part of history itself.”



POST ORIGINATED FROM http://www.bunburymail.com.au

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One Direction members Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson admit to smoking a joint in video posted online

ONE Direction boys Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson have been caught smoking a “joint” and joking about marijuana in a controversial video posted online.

The footage obtained by the Daily Mail shows the squeaky clean boy band member Louis Tomlinson videoing Zayn Malik in the back of a smoke-filled van announcing: “So here we are, leaving Peru. Joint lit. Happy days!”

He adds: “What do you think about that kind of content?” presumably referring to the illegal nature of the substance.

To which Zayn replies: “Very controversial”.

Three members of their crew are with them in the van, but One Direction’s other band mates Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Niall Horan are not present. It is assumed they are in another vehicle.

The pair were travelling to Peru’s Estadio Nacional in Lima where the band performed on April 27 as part of their Where We Are tour.

The controversial video is at odds with the band’s clean image and may put their favour with parents and sponsors in jeopardy.

Possession of marijuana is not punishable in Peru if the quantity is less than eight grams and is used for personal and immediate consumption.

A member of the crew asked during the filming: “Are we allowed to talk contraband in this?”

To which Louis replies: “Yes, that’s what it is about.”

Later in the video, Louis spotted a policeman on a motorbike and says: “One nil b***h! Look at this b***h! He’s having a look. He’s thinking, ‘I’m sure I can smell an illegal substance in there.’ And he’s hit the nail on the head.”

It’s not the first time Zayn and Louis have been caught smoking. The pair were also pictured smoking roll-up cigarettes during a boat trip in Miami a year ago.

While there was no evidence that it was an illegal substance, some fans did speculate that it could be cannabis.

READ THE TRANSCRIPT IN FULL BELOW:

Louis and Zayn leave the underground car park as they head to the stadium in Peru for the concert

Minder: Well we got a full chicken... we can take this to Jamaica, we don’t have anything in Jamaica set up

Unknown male: Are we allowed to talk contraband in this?

Louis: Yes of course. That’s what it’s about… Where’s the lighter? Can anybody pass me a lighter please? I want to light up. You got a lighter?

After much searching, Louis can be seen lighting up and heard coughing

Louis: So here we are, leaving Peru. Joint lit. Happy days… What do you think Zayn? About that kind of content?

Zayn: I think it’s very controversial

Louis sees a police motorbike rider escorting their convoy

Louis: ‘That’s the police. That’s the po po… Nice. I’m trying to blow it into the camera. Smokescreen baby!… That’s just Zayn warming up there before the show. Zayn takes his job very seriously. He makes sure he goes through a two-hour intense warm up regime before every show, just to get himself in the zone. One very, very important factor to Zayn’s warm up, of course is Mary Jane herself. In fact I’m presenting it to him now for some fantastic singing

Louis passes Zayn the roll-up cigarette .
Louis: How is it Zayn?

Zayn: Nice

Louis: That’s the po po. One nil

Louis starts filming out the window

Louis: Get a bit of the culture. How’s that kind of culture?

Zayn: It’s great culture this. It’s going to be even greater culture when we get to Jamaica

Member of crew: I just got an update. We got chicken in Chile

Zayn: Chicken in Chile! Chile chicken

Louis: Yeh baby. That’s the po po. Two nil

Louis puts on an exaggerated dopey voice and sways the camera around

Louis: F***ing ‘ell bro, I’m chillin. Oh my God bro. My ‘ed’s a wreck

Louis: It’s green only! Nig!

Louis: I’m just wondering now. I’m sitting here in Peru wondering will this come back to me? Who knows? Maybe, maybe not

Another police bike passes

Louis: One nil b***h! Look at this b***h… He’s having a look. He’s thinking. I’m sure I can smell an illegal substance in there. And he’s hit the nail on the head

Zayn: Carl showed… me Kid Rock’s last book. And it’s about twice the size. Hard back. Black. Simple writing. No bulls***. No like ‘My favourite colour’s blue. And all just sick pictures

Louis is passed the roll up by a crew member and zooms in on it

Louis: Ooo stubbsy!



POST ORIGINATED FROM http://www.theaustralian.com.au

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Gold Coast man wins $15m in Oz Lotto

A Gold Coast man hopes his $15 million Oz Lotto haul will be a good omen for Queensland's State of Origin side.

The man, who is in his 30s and wants to be anonymous, was at work on Wednesday morning when a Golden Casket official contacted him with the news he had won Tuesday night's jackpot draw.

"With the State of Origin on tonight, this has got to be a good omen for Queensland," Golden Casket has quoted him as saying.

"I reckon the score will be 15 million to none."

The man said he would call his wife immediately with the good news.

He said he would "sit and chill" while he thought about what to do with the money, but would definitely use it to help his family.

The ticket was bought from a newsagent in Highland Park, which only 10 days ago sold another division one winning ticket worth $1.1 million.

Oz Lotto's $30 million jackpot was shared between the man and a 16-member work syndicate in Victoria.

The winning numbers were 32, 12, 3, 23, 40, 2 and 19. The supplementaries were 6 and 37.




post originated from https://au.news.yahoo.com

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French Open 2014: Schedule, TV Info and Predictions for Day 4 at Roland Garros

Before tennis fans get to watch the late-round showdowns between the top players in the world at the French Open, the marquee names have to navigate their way through the early traps.

Stanislas Wawrinka was unable to do so in his first match, but David Ferrer and Andy Murray prevailed, among others, on Day 3 at Roland Garros. There will be plenty of underdogs looking to seize the moment during Day 4 as well.
Novak Djokovic has tasted glory at every single Grand Slam event in tennis except the French Open, but that is bound to change in 2014.

However, before he dreams of becoming only the eighth man to accomplish the career Grand Slam, he has to beat Jeremy Chardy in this early matchup. Still, we are talking about arguably the top tennis player in the world right now who already has three titles under his belt in the 2014 season.
Djokovic lost in the French Open semifinals in 2011 to Roger Federer, the French Open finals in 2012 to Rafael Nadal and the 2013 semifinals to Nadal once again. All three of those heartbreaking matches were winnable at certain stages, but untimely errors and critical points from his opponents ultimately cost Djokovic.

Thanks to that recent heartbreak, the six-time major winner will bring laser-like focus to every French Open match this time around, including this one. After all, he will only get to extend his winning streak against Nadal to five if he makes it to the match.

With the momentum he has on his side from an impressive start to the year and the head-to-head success against the French Open king Nadal, Djokovic will win the 2014 French Open.

What’s more, he has managed to stay loose in the midst of all this pressure, as ESPN pointed out:

Roger Federer won the 2009 French Open and is certainly on the short list of contenders in 2014 as well.

He is sporting a 28-6 record thus far through the 2014 season, including one title in Dubai and a semifinals appearance at the Australian Open, and he will look to continue that momentum against underdog youngster Diego Sebastian Schwartzman. The two have never played head-to-head, so there is a bit of unfamiliarity in place, but Federer is clearly the dominant player in this matchup and will play accordingly.
What’s more, Federer has some fresh legs after withdrawing from the ATP World Tour Masters 1000, but it is his mental approach that he has focused on, via ATPWorldTour.com:

    After Rome, it was more just staying in the rhythm and relaxing again before Paris, Halle and Wimbledon. It's an important stretch now for me, and I don't want to come into this tournament uninspired or tired. ... For me it's really about being fresh mentally more than anything at this point.

A mentally and physically fresh Federer is too much to handle for almost every single player on the tour, let alone a youngster without much experience under the bright lights.



post originated from http://bleacherreport.com

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Kimye Wedding To Be Televised? Pics Of Cameraman Suggest Filming For E!

In the few pics we’ve seen from Kim and Kanye’s wedding ceremony on May 25, we not only see North West and Bruce Jenner but we also saw a cameraman — could they have filmed the whole thing for TV?

Kim Kardashian took to Twitter before her wedding to claim that she and Kanye West would not be filming their Italian wedding for Keeping Up with the Kardashians. However, the pictures say otherwise!

Kimye Wedding Televised? New Pic Raises Questions

Kim and Kanye looked absolutely stunning on May 24 when they walked down the aisle outside the Forte di Belvedere to exchange personal vows. While E! released wedding photos of the couple kissing after saying “I do,” and walking hand-in-hand down the aisle, other photos have surfaced that show a huge TV camera in the background!
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Kim tweeted on May 7 that she was absolutely not filming the vows.

“We are not filming our wedding for Keeping Up With The Kardashians. You will see everything leading up til and after! As much as we would love to share these memories on camera, we’ve decided to keep this close to our heart & share thru photos,” she wrote.

However, she may not be filming it for KUWTK, but what about a wedding special?
Kimye Wedding Special To Come?

“While we know the family has been shot while in Europe, I don’t have specifics at this point,” an E! insider told HollywoodLife.com exclusively. However, another source added that E! is planning a full two-part special — and we don’t blame them!

“They have filmed some things already to be on the upcoming special and will film stuff afterwards as well. But the Kim and Kanye special will be a stand-alone show on E!,” our source told us exclusively.

“E! plans on airing Kim and Kanye’s wedding as a two-part special,” another insider added. “The event is way too important to only broadcast on Keeping Up with the Kardashians.”

We can definitely agree with that. Do you want to see a Kimye wedding special, HollywoodLifers? Let us know!

– Written by Emily Longeretta, with reporting by Elizabeth Wagmeister.





post originated from http://hollywoodlife.com

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Fenix Rage Ruins IGN (In a Good Way)

By Greg MillerAfter failing Level 1-13 for the fifth time, IGN's Naomi Kyle summed up Fenix Rage: "I love this game because it frustrates me."
If you missed IGN's PAX East preview, Fenix Rage is a 2D platformer that mixes up the best parts of Super Meat Boy, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Flappy Bird. Each level's objective is to get to the blue door, you can jump infinitely, and there's an optional cookie in the level that will reward you with real world cookie recipes.

Those simple ideas then get masochistic. The "best" time for each level is mere seconds, but that comes from precise speed runs that dodge the enemies that kill you in one hit, don't touch the top or bottom of the screen, and memorize patterns.
This is where the Super Meat Boy comparison shines through. You will die in Fenix Rage. A lot. When you do, you're instantaneously kicked back to the starting point and off to do it all again. Each time, you'll learn a bit more about what to do in the next life -- like when and where to dash -- until you can string everything together in one run that actually gets you to the next level.

That's what makes failing in Fenix Rage fun. Eventually, you're going to have an "ah-ha" moment and jump your way to the goal. All the minutes that felt like wasted runs come together as the ultimate reward.

With than in mind, we grabbed a handful of IGN editors and had them try their luck at Level 1-13. The result is the video at the top of this article, but if you're just curious how many seconds their successful run was, it goes like this...

Greg: 11.76 | Destin: 17.43 | Steve: 17.53

Altano: 19.56 | Leah: 22.23 | Colin: 23.33

Jared: 22.36 | Justin: 23.36 | Naomi: 30.46

Indie developer Green Lava Studios says Fenix Rage will be out this fall on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Mac, and PC. Expect curse words to be screamed at screens shortly thereafter.


post originated from http://www.ign.com

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Maleficent, review

This Disney reimagining of Sleeping Beauty lacks true enchantment, but Angelina Jolie saves the day, writes Robbie Collin.


 Dir: Robert Stromberg; Starring: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Sam Riley, Juno Temple, Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville, Brenton Thwaites. PG cert, 97 mins

For a reminder of how wonderful Frozen is, watch Maleficent. This summer blockbuster season, Disney has turned out a live-action reimagining of their own animated version of Sleeping Beauty, from 1959.

As recently as six months ago, this might have felt subversive, even significant, although after seeing Elsa and Anna letting it go on icing-sugar mountains and finding endings happier than any standard-issue handsome prince could provide, the fun on offer here feels relatively thawed.

It is still fun, though, which counts for something – largely because, as with Frozen, the game involves returning to a well-thumbed fairy tale and muddling the distinction between evil and good. Maleficent, played by Angelina Jolie, is the wicked fairy, down to the sleek black-and-purple gown and the hat like two raised scorpion-stings.

Here, though, her wickedness is limited to that famous fit of rage at Princess Aurora’s christening – the flash of green fire, the spinning-wheel curse, reproduced here from the 1959 cartoon version almost word-for-word – for which she spends much of this film trying to make amends.

 While its common ground with Frozen is entirely coincidental, Maleficent was surely prompted at least in part by the stage musical Wicked, which also used the story-behind-the-story device to paint a well-known fairy-tale villain – in that case, Oz’s Witch of the West – in a more sympathetic light.

And sure enough, when the film opens, Maleficent isn’t wicked at all: she’s flying happily and freely across The Moors, her pick-and-mix-bright enchanted kingdom. The first-time director, Robert Stromberg, was production designer on Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and Sam Raimi’s Oz the Great and Powerful, and if you thought those films were visually sickly, here he really has his cake and sits in it. Every frame of Maleficent is abuzz with odd and not always charming computer-generated beasts, and it takes a while for your eyes to adjust to the nuclear-grade sweetness.

One day, a young trespasser from the human realm appears: this is Stefan, who breaks young Maleficent’s heart and returns, some years later on royal orders, to ensure her fairy wings suffer the same fate. Stefan, played as an adult by Sharlto Copley with the ropiest Scottish accent since Shrek, inherits the throne – and so it’s his daughter that Maleficent, fuelled by vengeance, not jealousy, turns up to curse.

For the next 16 years, on and off, she watches Aurora, who’s played as a young girl by Jolie’s daughter Vivienne, and as a teen by Elle Fanning, being raised by the three multi-coloured good fairies at their country cottage. (The good fairies’ roles are taken by Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville and Juno Temple, which makes you wish Mike Leigh had been available to direct instead.)

It’s been four years since Jolie last appeared on screen, and you’d like to think she’s having fun here, even though a smile, under the circumstances, seems physically impossible. Her mouth is ruby-bright and pursed as a rosebud, while her cheekbones, which were fine enough beforehand, here look like something from the winners’ enclosure at Aintree. The venerable special make-up effects artist Rick Baker, who won an Oscar for An American Werewolf in London, was in charge of the reshaping of the Jolie features, and his work is wildly more convincing than the digital enhancements used elsewhere.

When the time comes for Aurora to prick her finger and the curse to take effect, Maleficent has realised the error of her ways, and dashes to the castle, where a confrontation with King Stefan ensues. The action sequences are executed with rhythm and punch, and our heroine swoops and swirls around like Iron Man in a sheath dress. Maleficent may be short on true enchantment, but until we find a superhero who can pull off a black silk cocktail gown in battle, she’s very welcome.


post originated from http://www.telegraph.co.uk

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Colombian Nairo Quintana dons pink jersey as controversy hits Giro d'Italia

Colombian climber Nairo Quintana completed an epic day of racing on the Giro d'Italia by claiming victory on a controversy-hit 16th stage and the race leader's jersey from compatriot Rigoberto Uran.

Quintana's hopes of competing for the overall title this year suffered a blow when he tumbled down the standings to three minutes and 29 seconds behind Uran after the first two weeks of racing.

But on the first of several gruelling days in the mountains in this final week, the Movistar rider took command of the race from Uran and, notably, Australian Cadel Evans, who ultimately failed to follow Quintana's wheel on a rain-hit descent of the Stelvio climb.

Controversy reigned, however, as Uran's Omega-Pharma team were among those who interpreted an announcement by race organisers via race radio to mean the Stelvio descent would be 'neutralised' - effectively not raced - because of the poor conditions.

Organisers later claimed they had simply announced they were placing a motorbike rider, with a pillion passenger waving a red flag, at the front of the race to warn of any dangers on the road ahead.

Several teams complained after the stage, pointing to a tweet posted by organisers, and later erased, that they had understood the race would be "neutralised".

But race director Mauro Vegni hit back: "There was never any question of the race being neutralised."

Quintana claimed he "did not attack" on the descent and added: "I don't understand the reasons" behind the controversy.

"It was raining a lot, I couldn't see" the red flag, he said.

"All I know is he was supposed to warn us about any dangerous bends."

With three tough climbs on the menu, Uran was always at risk of being put under pressure by the more proficient climbers in the peloton.

But the heavy rain and freezing conditions which prevailed over the first two climbs - the Galvia (16.5 km) and the Stelvio (21.7 km) - did little to help the overnight leader's bid either.

Sky rider Dario Cataldo started hostilities when he attacked from a small chase group on the way to the summit of the Stelvio, whose 2,758-metre summit is the highest point of this year's race.

He came over the summit, the road flanked by walls of snow several metres deep, with a 20-second lead on two or three stragglers, with Ryder Hesjedal and Quintana among another group that had managed to pull away from Uran's main peloton on the way to the summit.

It later emerged it was this move which had proven controversial.

Riding conditions worsened on the descent but Quintana, known more for his skills going up mountains, held his nerve as the chasers kept solo leader Cataldo in their sights and left plenty of nervous riders in their wake.
Evans drops to third overall

Cataldo began the final, 22 km climb to the finish line with a one minute and 14 second lead on Quintana, Pierre Rolland and Hesjedal and a three-minute cushion on the pink jersey holder.

But the Italian was soon overhauled as Rolland and Hesjedal pressed on with Quintana before steadily dropping away from the Colombian's back wheel.

"I did the last climb at my own rhythm but I gave it everything I had," said the 24-year-old Colombian.

"Since the start of the season, I think I've shown my runner-up place at the Tour de France (in 2013) was no fluke.

"In this Giro I've encountered a few problems but I've never lost hope. The team have been right behind me and kept my confidence intact."

Hesjedal came over the finish line 7secs in arrears while Uran trailed home four minutes and 11 seconds off the pace and Evans crossed nearly 30 seconds later.

Quintana, the runner-up at last year's Tour de France, now leads Uran by one minute and 41 seconds in the overall standings although the day's biggest loser was Evans, who has dropped from second overnight at one minute and three seconds to third overall at three minutes and 21 seconds.

Evans, who was third in last year's race, said he had suffered from serious cramp in one of his legs, but added he had not given up hope of improving his placing.

"We came here with big intentions and we came here to give absolutely our best," he said.

"We have all worked very, very hard. I think we have seen in the last couple of days that anything and everything has happened in this Giro. And anything can still happen. That is what makes the Giro so dramatic."

Wednesday's 17th stage is a 208 km trek over rolling terrain from Sarnonico to Vittorio Veneto.


post originated from http://www.abc.net.au

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Review: John Cooper Clarke at the Palace Theatre, Manchester

 IT's safe to say the home-coming gig of punk poet John Cooper Clarke got off to something of a sticky start on Saturday.

The Salford-born wiry-wit stepped out on stage to rapturous welcome at the Palace Theatre and as he looked down at his pipe-cleaner thin physique, he remarked: “As you can see, I’ve piled on the pounds.”

Everyone falls about before Dr Clarke launches into one his more bizarre poems Get Back On The Drugs You Fat ****.

I’ve since learnt this poem was a homage to a heckle he once received in Manchester after he reportedly gained a few pounds post-drug rehab.

Out of context, his thoughts about eating disorders proved a tad too edgy for one audience member who persisted in shouting: “How dare you” from the balcony.

But Dr Clarke — who cut his teeth on the punk circuit in the late 70s — took it in his stride and conceded: “Come on we’ve all had a drink.”

A recital of Beasley Street soon gets the night back on track as we’re led into the brutally honest, bitter and hilarious thoughts of Dr Clarke.

From ramblings about a three-legged pig to the surreal poem: “She’s got a metal plate in her head”, the bard of Salford proved he can still stun a room with his motoring monotone delivery and wry observations.
 The refrain: “Things are gonna get worse, nurse” in Bed Blocker Blues brings home the marching inevitability of old age — a truth clearly eating away at Dr Clarke.

He actually only recites about 10 poems over the two hour performance but every one proves they still carry as much wit and candour as they did 35 years ago.

“Hire Car” and “I wanna be yours” topped the night for me.




POST ORIGINATED FROM http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk

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Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson in hospital

Hawthorn is unsure how long it will be without coach Alastair Clarkson, who has shown promising initial signs in his recovery from a rare and serious auto-immune condition.

The Hawks are preparing to be without Clarkson for three weeks or more after he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome - a form of nerve inflammation affecting the spinal cord - but will not know when he will be ready to resume work until he has undergone further treatment.

While the club has been given confidence that Clarkson, 46, will make make a full recovery, chief executive Stuart Fox said his recovery time was "open-ended'', with  the disorder affecting some people for months and even years.

Clarkson was admitted to hospital on Monday night after the back pain he had experienced in the previous week became more severe. His condition was quickly diagnosed and treatment started.

Assistant coach Brendon Bolton will step in as senior coach this week and may hold the position for several weeks, with Clarkson expected to remain in hospital for at least the next week.

Fox said Clarkson's health was the club's sole consideration, and he had been told the quick diagnosis was good news, as was his positive response to treatment on Monday night.

The symptoms of GBS can range from mild to life-threatening, depending on which nerves are affected, and include muscle weakness, numbness, muscular pain, breathing problems and dizziness. The condition causes a person's immune defence system to attack the body's nerves, and is often preceded by a viral or bacterial infection. Most people recover, but it can take considerable time.

"It is a serious condition, but he's been diagnosed very early and the medical team we have in place around Alastair are confident he'll make a full recovery. He had treatment as soon as he was diagnosed and he's responded well to that,'' Fox said.

"It's very open-ended, and we're only concerned about his health. We think it will take a few weeks for him to recover, but it may be more and we can only go by medical advice on that.

"He's had a bit of back pain in the last week and thought it was an old football injury, as most people probably do with little niggles, but the pain became quite acuteand so he was admitted and diagnosed late in the evening.

"There can be a serious recovery time involved, but he's in good spirits, he's got the best possible people around him and they've been very positive.

"The doctors have said, if you can get it early there's usually positive signs for recovery. We'll just deal with it each week. We've got a plan in place whether he's here in one week's time or 10 week's time. Continuity in the workplace won't change."

Shocked and concerned after learning of his coach's predicament, Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge expected the players to respond positively to Bolton, who has worked alongside Clarkson for six years and will be supported by fellow senior assistant Brett Ratten and the other coaches.

“He spends a lot of time with Clarko. They’re exactly the same, their mindsets are the same for the game,'' Hodge said.

“It’s different not having Clarko there, but the messages and how we’re going to play will be exactly the same.”

Hawthorn recruiting manager Graham Wright spent four weeks in hospital with the illness as a 25-year-old Collingwood player in 1993, and said later he had struggled to walk and talk when at his worst, taking around three months to recover. He returned to play five more seasons with the Magpies.

Former Richmond chief executive Steven Wright was also hospitalised with the condition late in 2006. Wright resigned from the club three years later for health reasons.

Hawthorn was last forced to replace an unwell coach in 2001, when Peter Schwab was diagnosed with a benign arrhythmia of the heart before the club's round-17 match. He was taken to hospital on the morning of the game, to have the problem corrected with mild electric shock treatment. Assistant coach Chris Connolly stepped in for Schwab, with the Hawks beating Carlton when Ben Dixon kicked a goal after the siren.

Famously, Alan Joyce coached the Hawks to the 1988 premiership while covering for Allan Jeans as he recovered from brain surgery. Jeans returned to coach in 1989 and steered the team to another flag.

POST ORIGINATED FROM : http://www.theage.com.au

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What is Guillain-Barré syndrome?

MORE a reaction than a disease, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is not entirely uncommon. It is seasonal, more frequently seen in men and is usually triggered by respiratory or gastroenterological infection.

Early detection and treatment is key, given one of the more damaging and debilitating ailments that can come with GBS is ascending paralysis.

Basically, you can start to lose the ability to move your toes – and it spreads upwards in a symmetrical fashion.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson steps aside after GBS diagnosis

A third of patients diagnosed are hospitalised after it is detected through nerve conduction studies, and often, a lumbar puncture.

And, once the syndrome is identified – which can be immediate when symptoms are present – treatment can be administered to halt and reverse the spread of paralysis.

So, what is it? It is an inflammation of the nerve that usually occurs in the arms and legs but can also appear in the chest and face.

Infections such as gut problems, coughs, colds, sore throats, runny noses and flu-type illnesses provoke the response in the body that causes the inflammation.

Basically, the body's immune system attacks its own nerves, which causes damage and can affect muscle movement.

Around 50 per cent of sufferers pick it up after the body has been affected by food poisoning or gastroenterological illnesses.

"It's not really a disease; it's a reaction of the body to some other illness," neurologist and sports physician Dr Paul McCrory told AFL.com.au.

"It's like your nervous system is overly sensitive.

"That's why we see it after infections and things like that; your body develops antibodies, which then affect the nerves."

Symptoms include back pain – like Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson suffered – pain in the large leg muscles, sometimes stomach pain, and tingles and weakness in the extremities.

While not every patient suffers paralysis, intravenous treatment can make a quick difference if the disorder is caught early.

But given its lack of awareness, patients can sometimes be slow to report symptoms.

"The public understanding of GBS is not very good. They don't actually know what it is," Professor Fary Khan, the head of rehabilitation at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, said.

"There's no education out there like there is for stroke to recognise symptoms and I think that's because it's not as common.

"It's a bit tricky to say whether everybody will have paralysis.

"It's seasonal – we see it in spasms or seasons. In Melbourne, we usually see it more towards July/August, to November.

"That's when people have bugs although there are cases that are not infective. There is a strong infective component and they often have a history of a bug here or there."

Professor Khan oversees the rehabilitation of the more severely affected GBS patients in the world's only specialised department of its kind.

Quite often, she witnesses the recovery of patients with four paralysed limbs as well as their trunk.

Paralysis can be reversed with treatment but it moves at the painstaking rate of one millimetre a day.

She said the recovery for those seriously disabled by the syndrome could be long and arduous, and patients could also suffer from the psychological fear of a repeat diagnosis.

"It can be pretty horrible," he said.

"Rehabilitation can be the most challenging part of their recovery."

Dr McCrory said GBS wasn't a totally rare complaint with Hawthorn list manager Graham Wright spending a month in hospital with it in 1993 when he was a Collingwood player. 

"It's not an unusual thing, it's very common," he said.

"Everybody's different but if your legs are weak enough they need treatment, we put them on some immunoglobulin, IV treatment, and then over a couple of weeks of physio, they usually get back to their normal self again."

Wright suffered limited paralysis and lost 11kg but played in round one the following season.




POST ORIGINATED FROM http://www.afl.com.au

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Tara Moss on Q&A: Why I'm talking about sexual violence

Tara Moss has recently broken her silence about being a survivor of sexual violence, with her latest book (and first non-fiction work), The Fictional Woman, detailing a story she's "kept locked up for 20 years".

The 10-time author recently shared some of this story with the Good Weekend, explaining that her book describes her experience as a survivor of sexual assault and rape, something she has chosen not to speak about publicly until recently, despite being a vocal advocate of women and children's rights.

So what prompted her to expose these very personal experiences in her book?

As a panelist on Q&A last night she explained that her story is part of a broader attempt to tackle the idea that speaking out about violent crime and sexual assault is still taboo, and shatter the "toxic silence" that protects perpetrators of violent crimes and silences the victims from speaking out.

She explained that her book aims to examine the fictions we currently have about women.

"What I found was that when you're talking about the experience of women and girls there are fictions that we hold that things like sexual violence happen to other people. Things like miscarriage happen to other people," she said.

"I'm someone who wants to be speaking out and becoming an advocate for some of these issues for women and girls. I really felt like I couldn't talk about some of these issues for women and girls without talking about sexual violence and I couldn't talk about sexual violence without putting my hand up and showing solidarity with other victims of crime and saying. 'I'm one of you'."

Moss added that as sexual violence affects one in three women as well as many men, there would be people in the Q&A audience and at home who are affected by it and need to know that they're not alone. "I think there is a toxic silence surrounding this issue and we need to get a lot better at talking about it and one of the reasons is because the silence protects the predators. It also shames the victims. It also robs us as a community of the tools to be able to support people adequately when these things happen to them."

As for being labelled as "brave" for sharing her experiences, Moss says that while she's grateful for the support she was never labelled as "brave" in the aftermath of the violence. "They don't tell you that at the time.They don't tell you you're brave, you're a role model, that you've survived something. They often tell you that you should be silent. They tell you that it's your fault. They tell you that you were asking for it, that you did something wrong."

"Viewers at home: You will get through this. This will pass. You are strong. You do not need to be silent."




POST ORIGINATED FROM http://www.womensagenda.com.au

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What Miami Heat Must Do to Close Out Indiana Pacers

The Miami Heat have a commanding 3-1 lead in the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals following a dominating 102-90 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.

Considering the Heat are back-to-back champions and the Pacers looked semi-incompetent in Game 4, it might feel to some as if this series is over.

However, as great of a position as Miami is in right now, there's still work to be done against Indiana. The Heat can't shift their focus to the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder just yet.

So, let's take a look at exactly what the Heat need to do if they want to deliver the finishing blow to the Pacers' season on Wednesday night.



LeBron James Must Attack

There's no wing player in the NBA who's as good finishing at the rim as LeBron James is. LBJ converted an absurd 78.2 percent of his shots within five feet of the basket this past season, according to NBA.com.

However, LeBron has generally been resistant to take advantage of this skill and attack against Indiana's tall and physical front line.

Fortunately for Miami, we saw a different, more aggressive King James in Game 4.
LeBron routinely went to the basket, both in transition and in the Heat's standard offense, and lit Indiana up for 32 points on 61.9 percent shooting from the floor.
Eleven of LeBron's 21 field-goal attempts came within five feet of the basket, according to NBA.com. That's as many as he had combined in Games 2 and 3. It shouldn't come as a surprise that Miami had to grind out victories in those two contests, while the team cruised in Game 4.

When LBJ is as aggressive as he was on Monday, Miami is nearly unstoppable, simply because LeBron is nearly unstoppable at the rim.

Miami needs a repeat performance from James on Wednesday.



Intense Defensive Pressure Continues

After being nonexistent in the regular season and first few rounds of the playoffs, the swarming and stifling defense the Heat used to win back-to-back titles has reappeared in the past few games versus Indiana.

Miami has terrorized the Pacers' ball-handlers with suffocating traps and great defensive rotations. Shooters aren't often getting a clean look at the hoop, as the Heat have been fantastic on closeouts. All of the players from LeBron to Norris Cole and even Rashard Lewis have worked their tails off on the defensive end.

In turn, Miami has made Indiana's below-average offense look like a total mess. The Heat forced a whopping 31 turnovers combined in Games 3 and 4.

While offense might be more fun to talk about, defense is why LeBron and Co. are a game away from a fourth straight NBA Finals appearance.

The Heat's offense went berserk in the second half of Game 3, scoring 51 points on 59.5 percent shooting from the floor. But as Bleacher Report's Ethan J. Skolnick correctly pointed out, everything started with defense:
Miami carved Indiana up with easy transition buckets in Games 3 and 4, and the Heat have their incredible effort on the defensive end to thank for that.
As long as the Heat continue to force the Pacers into bad decisions and contested shots, Indiana's chances of coming back in this series remain remarkably slim.



Stay Small

Miami has been at its best in this series when employing its particular brand of small ball.

Take a look at perhaps the most important quarter of this series so far: the final 12 minutes of Game 3.

Ray Allen drained four three-pointers in the period largely because the Heat's lineup of Cole-Wade-Allen-James-Bosh forced David West to guard Allen. The Pacers forward couldn't keep up, and the greatest three-point shooter in NBA history burned him.
The spacing provided from small ball also helped the Heat prevail in Game 4.

After struggling with his jumper throughout the first three games of the series, Chris Bosh had his shot working on Monday.

He scored Miami's first eight points on two three-pointers and a mid-range shot, forcing the Pacers big men to leave the paint and defend him on the perimeter throughout the game.

That's integral to the success of the Heat's offense, as it opens up driving lanes and room for the rest of his teammates to operate.

Take a look at this play from Game 4. Roy Hibbert's away from the basket, focused on Bosh, which leads to a LeBron bucket.
Cole talked about Bosh's impact after Monday's win, via Zach Harper of CBS Sports:

"He really stretches the floor for us and makes it difficult for the bigs to sag in the paint," he said. "That's their strength, they want to funnel everything to the paint and when CB is stepping out there and knocking them down it makes it tough on them."

The threat of jumpers from bigs means everything to Miami. It's partly how Lewis has been able to have an enormous impact in this series even if he hasn't shot the ball well. 
The Heat need to simply keep playing their brand of basketball. Indiana has a significant size advantage over them, and that certainly can cause Miami problems. However, it's not as many problems as small ball has caused Indy.

The Heat are on the cusp of another series win, and there's no reason to fix what isn't broken.





POST ORIGINATED FROM http://bleacherreport.com

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‘Female Zumbo’ makes Scott Yeoman’s worst nightmares come true on MasterChef

MasterChef might be famous for making food dreams come true, but Monday’s elimination saw Adelaide carpenter Scott Yeoman’s nightmare become real.

Tasked with replicating Christy Tania’s Mango Alfonso, from Melbourne restaurant Om Nom, Yeoman made mistake after mistake as he attempted to put together the ‘female Zumbo’s’ complicated 10-element recipe.
“I had a dream the night before (the elimination) about a 25 page recipe with all these different elements and I couldn’t believe it when I rocked up. This is coming true? What the hell?” he says adding he still has “foodmares” about the elimination, months after filming.
Yeoman says he felt completely out of his depth as he reading through the seven page recipe for the “hardest pastry challenge ever” with its ten different cooking techniques and equipment and terms he’d never encountered before.

“It drove me insane, I was so thrown by the recipe and the fact I’d dreamt it the night before it just threw me and when you’re in that deep it’s really hard to get out,” he says.
Yeoman struggled from the beginning, forgetting the lemongrass in his coconut and lemongrass foam, straining gelatine out of the mix before it had a chance to set and leaving the stabiliser out of his sorbet.
Even the choux pastry disasters of his competitors, NSW bartender Jamie Fleming and WA commerce student Steven Peh, who both had to remake their dough twice, couldn’t save him.

Yeoman was so far behind he was unable to remake his own choux pastry dough for a second time and he missed out on other crucial elements including the tempered chocolate. The judges called his pastry “awful” during the tasting

“I never want to look at another profiterole in my life,” he says with a laugh.

Despite a glimmer of hope when Jamie’s dessert collapsed off the plate, Yeoman says he knew his time was up.

“He was like ‘I’m going home’ and I was like “that was three hours of pain for me, and I have a gut feeling it’s going to be me.”
The judges decided to taste all of Jamie’s dish as it had all been on the plate when time was called. That meant Scott’s dish was so obviously the worst of the three tasted that they didn’t even bother dragging out the announcement in the usual fashion.

Since filming concluded the 32 year old carpenter from West Lakes Shore has been helping build a new restaurant and bar in Waymouth Street, Adelaide called Bread and Bone (the upstairs restaurant) and Maybe May (the downstairs bar). Expected to open in early June, Yeoman will work part time as a sons chef in the kitchen.
He also intends to fit out a food truck called Food Truck Fantasies which he’ll tour around Australia with a little help from various mates he met on MasterChef, incorporating local ingredients into the menu.

Yeoman can’t speak highly enough about his MasterChef experience and says he’s excited about his career change.

“If you’re passionate about something in life follow your dreams,” he says. “You’ve got to take a risk and MasterChef opened so many doors for me. My life is changing dramatically.”




POST ORIGINATED FROM http://www.news.com.au

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Race - Rosberg triumphs in Monaco to regain points lead

 In the end Lewis Hamilton was unable to challenge pole-sitting Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg as the pair sped into Ste Devote corner at the start of Sunday’s race in Monaco. When it ended 78 laps later the German was 9.2s ahead after a brave and persistent challenge from the Briton had finally faded after 65 laps when he got dirt in his left eye and lost most of that time while trying to fish it out in the slow corners.

That enabled Daniel Ricciardo, once more than 12s adrift, to close in dramatically at the end as Hamilton continue to struggle with his vision. As Rosberg reeled off the final laps to take his second consecutive triumph in the Principality, and to regain the world championship lead by four points, an unhappy Hamilton just kept the Australian’s Red Bull at bay by 0.4s after a scrap which enlivened the closing stages.

Behind them, a slow-burn race came alive with other late battles. On a day when Fernando Alonso could do no better than fourth in his Ferrari, Nico Hulkenberg had worked his way up to fifth place but found himself under increasingly serious attack. Having earlier overtaken Kevin Magnussen’s McLaren with a brave move at Portier, the German subsequently found the Dane in his mirrors. Then, after Magnussen reported an engine problem on the 73rd lap which enabled team mate Jenson Button to overtake him, Hulkenberg was forced to withstand pressure from the Briton. Button had earlier survived a first-lap tangle at Mirabeau which had pitched Sergio Perez’s Force India into retirement.

This was, unusually, a race of attrition. Pastor Maldonado’s Lotus was the first retirement, followed by Perez, then Sebastian Vettel fell from an early third place when his Red Bull stuck in first gear. Daniil Kvyat’s strong run ended in retirement as his Toro Rosso lost power, and Adrian Sutil crashed his Sauber braking for the chicane on the 25th lap, bringing out the safety car for the second time after its intervention early on while Perez’s car was cleared away.

Hamilton thought that Mercedes’ failure to bring him in for fresh tyres in the immediate aftermath of Sutil’s crash compromised his chances of getting by Rosberg, though Mercedes’ rule is that the better placed driver gets that call first. Mercedes stopped them both on the 26th, when there was a rash of stops by most of the leading runners.

During this second deployment Kimi Raikkonen’s race went wrong when he was tapped by one of the Marussia’s behind the safety car, and needed a second pit stop for tyres. That dropped the Ferrari driver from third to 13th. Later, fighting back to get on terms with the McLarens, he ran wide trying to go inside Magnussen at the hairpin on the 74th lap and the two tangled before getting underway again. Raikkonen was subsequently reprimanded for the incident. After another stop for fresh rubber and a new front wing he crossed the line 12th.

In between the two Ferraris, Button failed by a tenth to dislodge Hulkenberg from fifth after harrying him in the final laps, as Felipe Massa rescued seventh place for Williams after starting 16th. The Brazilian was one of the few not to stop on the 26th lap when the safety car was out and kept going on Pirelli’s supersoft tyres until the 45th lap. He dropped from fifth to 11th but battled back to seventh, within striking distance of Hulkenberg and Button.

A strong run by Jules Bianchi made up for one penalty when both Marussias were deemed to have been out of position on the grid, and with the attrition he scored Marussia’s first-ever points with eighth, but with a five-second penalty to be added post-race for taking that first penalty under the safety car, he fell back to ninth behind Romain Grosjean’s surviving Lotus which was only 1.4s adrift. Nevertheless, it was a great effort from the Banbury-based team.

Magnussen got going again after his incident with Raikkonen and nursed his McLaren home for the final point, to the disappointment of Caterham for whom Marcus Ericsson took 11th ahead of the recovering Raikkonen, and team mate Kamui Kobayashi. The Japanese driver was embroiled in a fight with the Finn until Raikkonen pitted for fresh supersofts with five laps to go, and was aggrieved when Bianchi had shouldered past him earlier on at Rascasse when, for a while, it seemed that Caterham might score a point. Kobayashi sustained some debilitating rear-end damage in the incident but managed to come home ahead of the second Marussia of Max Chilton who brought up the rear in 14th.

The other retirements included Esteban Gutierrez, who was fighting very hard for eighth place with Valtteri Bottas’s Williams when he tagged the barriers at Rascasse with his right-rear tyre and spun. Bottas’s own run ended soon after with an engine failure at the hairpin. Jean-Eric Vergne ran very strongly initially and was fighting with Magnussen for sixth when they pitted under the safety car on the 26th lap. Toro Rosso got him out just ahead of the McLaren but it was mighty close and the Dane had to brake very hard to avoid a collision. The stewards thought the same and gave him a drive through penalty for unsafe release. That dropped the Frenchman from sixth to 13th, and during his attempt to regain lost ground his engine cried enough.

Rosberg’s second victory of the season moved him back ahead in the title chase, with 122 points to Hamilton’s 118. Alonso remains third with 61, but Ricciardo vaults to fourth on 54 from Hulkenberg on 47 and Vettel on 45.

Mercedes’ sixth 1-2 of the season lifts them up to 240 points, with Red Bull next on 98 from Ferrari on 78, Force India on 67, Williams on 52 and McLaren on 51.




POST ORIGINATED FROM http://www.formula1.com

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