Watch Kourtney And Kim Take New York

Watch Kourtney And Kim Take New York Review: Sisterly Love With a Side of Scott Disick

New city. Same contrived nonsense.

Sunday's premiere of Kourtney & Kim Take New York on E! marked yet another reality series for this infamous family, a crew for which fame and living their scripted lives on camera has become synonymous with breathing.

Who are we kidding, we love it. And had a staff member review it here:

Kourtney & Kim Take New York premiered last night, and I enjoyed it. I would enjoy it more were the duo Kourtney and Khloe, but we'll see where the season goes.

I confess, I'm entertained by the Kardashians.

Sure, dollar signs blur their vision more often than not, but the family makes me laugh. Kris reminds me of my mother (don't tell her I said that), and Kim, Kourtney and Khloe remind me of my sisters and I (minus the great wardrobe and disposable income).

Don't lie - you and your sisters play "Which Kardashian Sister Are You" and fight over who is who. I find Khloe and Kourtney's relationship to be thoroughly amusing, and I find Kim to be a bit boring. Ergo I'm nervous about how the two older sibs will fare together in New York.

In both Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami, the bookends of the sisterhood were slap-happy and always pantsing each other, simultaneously mocking Kim.

Now that Khloe's married and not as much fun, Kourtney decided to bring Snora Nora on her quest to bring Dash to New York City. Kim's single (that Miles Austin situation was short and awkward), and she headed to New York under the impression that this gig was all about her and Kourtney toasting their "All The Single Ladies" brigade.

Pump the brakes.

It seemed Kourtney wasn't on the same page as little sister. Kourtney's baby-daddy, Scott Disick, tagged along on and crashed on the same floor of their hotel (in other words, he's all up in Kim's grill every night).

Maybe everyone should have had a sit-down prior to this trip, because Kim is solo and expected a different totally different story than the one that played out.

And is it me, or is each season starring our favorite Kardashians becoming more and more contrived? It's as if they're handed an scenario, and have twenty-two minutes to reach their Full House-ish moral climax.

Someone move Scott somewhere far far away. His spray tan ruined my HD experience.

Things you're talking about at the water cooler:

* New York is great when you're rich. Why wouldn't you skip into the Smyth Tribeca when you have the penthouse?
* Kourtney acknowledged her snoozy relationship with Snora, and we all nodded solemnly in agreement. "Kim and I just aren't as lovey-dovey."
* Kim Kardashian: "I've never been in New York City in the wintertime." It's bad, Kim. It's worse than bad. Think no escape from the blistering wind chill and dirt-and-pee-in-the-snow bad.
* Love Kourtney's Gucci fedora. Need one to wear around my apartment while I watch TV all day.

News From: www.thehollywoodgossip.com

Gary Barlow Celebrates 40th Birthday In Style

Take That's Gary Barlow Celebrates 40th Birthday In Style

Take That singer Gary Barlow celebrated his 40th birthday in style as he performed a special concert at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire last night (Thursday 20th).

The show was part of GB40, with all profits made going to charity.

The singer was joined by family and friends including Chris Martin, Ellie Goulding and Peter Kay as he sang tracks old and new, reports The Sun.

''Thank you so much for making my birthday so special'', Barlow told the audience.

Barlow will join the rest of his Take That band mates on a UK tour in the summer. For more details, check out Gigwise Gig Tickets.

Suspected Mobsters to Be Arrested

Massive Take Down: 100+ Suspected Mobsters to Be Arrested in N.Y., N.J.

Charges Expected to Range From Murder to Racketeering and Extortion
Arrests began today in what is being called one of the largest ever round-ups of organized crime in New York and New Jersey.

More than 100 suspected mobsters are expected to be cuffed by the end of the day. The suspects are reputed members of six New York and New Jersey mob families, according to a report by ABC News' New York affiliate WABC.

The take down was a coordinated effort between federal and local authorities, including the FBI, U.S. Marshals, the NYPD and New York State Police.

The charges, to come down later today, are expected to range from racketeering and extortion to murder.

One FBI official told ABC News the arrests could amount to the largest take down in the Bureau's history.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder called a press conference for 11 a.m. today to "discuss law enforcement actions against organized crime members and associates."

News From: abcnews.go.com

Kennedy Center take over Washington National Opera

Kennedy Center to take over Washington National Opera

It's official. In a move that had been discussed for months and openly rumored as long ago as last summer, the Kennedy Center announced Thursday that it is officially taking over the Washington National Opera.

The "affiliation," as the agreement was termed in a Kennedy Center press release, was unanimously approved by the Kennedy Center's board at a meeting Wednesday. It will take effect July 1.

"Over the past few years," WNO president Kenneth R. Feinberg said Wednesday, "the financial uncertainty surrounding the opera has threatened not only its viability but its ability to … maintain a level of artistic excellence. This is a critical step designed to assure the long-term artistic and financial success of the company."

Translation: Without this merger, the Washington National Opera, financially strapped, without strong leadership, reduced to a mere five operas a year, was doomed.

The affiliation means that WNO is following in the footsteps of the National Symphony Orchestra, which became an affiliate of the Kennedy Center in 1986. It is notable that neither of the leading classical music organizations in the nation's capital has been able to maintain its complete financial and administrative independence without being taken into the Kennedy Center fold.

The opera and the Kennedy Center have discussed a possible merger for at least a year, conditional - from the Kennedy Center's side - on WNO's ability to pay off its debts and arrive unencumbered. One obstacle, as reported last summer, was the resistance of one of the opera's principal benefactors, Betty Brown Casey, who had stated that if WNO ever merged with the Kennedy Center, she would withdraw her donations, including the company's $30 million endowment, and give the money to the Metropolitan Opera, instead.

Casey recently came to the realization that there was no other option if opera in Washington was to survive, according to someone familiar with the negotiation who spoke on condition of anonymity. Indeed, Casey offered a matching donation to enable the company to pay off its debt and come to the Kennedy Center with its endowment - an impressive dowry - intact.

The affiliation will mean considerable changes for WNO. While the company will retain its board, some key staffers and its identity, the Kennedy Center will take over the opera's administrative and business functions, which will entail considerable streamlining and inevitably a number of job cuts. "Staffing remains to be worked out completely," said Feinberg, who also is the TARP "Pay Czar" and is overseeing restitution for the gulf oil spill.

WNO's artistic leadership, including the new music director of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, Philippe Auguin, will now work together with Michael Kaiser, the president of the Kennedy Center. Kaiser comes from an opera background: His first role in the arts was as a board member of the then-Washington Opera (the "National" came in in 2004) from 1983 to 1985. He later ran the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden in London for "two years, one month, and nine days," he said.

Kaiser fully intends to hire an artistic leader to replace the outgoing general director, Plácido Domingo, who announced in September that he would not renew his contract when it expires at the end of the current season.

But Kaiser has his own vision for changes at the opera. While next season is already set - WNO will announce it Feb. 1 - he hopes that there will be some new elements in place by 2012-13. In addition to presenting opera in the opera house, he envisions using some of the Kennedy Center's other performance spaces for smaller or newer operas that may not easily sell as many tickets. And he would like to expand the Kennedy Center's curatorial role by presenting the work of some other companies.

"I would like to bring in some really good avant-garde opera from abroad," Kaiser said. "There's some really good … work being done that we are not currently seeing in this country."

News From: www.washingtonpost.com

Michaela McAreavey's funeral to take place

Hundreds of mourners are expected later at the funeral of Michaela McAreavey, who was murdered on her honeymoon.

Mrs McAreavey, 27, daughter of Tyrone Gaelic football boss Mickey Harte, was found strangled in her hotel room in Mauritius a week ago.

The funeral will be held at St Malachy's in Ballymacilroy, County Tyrone, the church in which she married John McAreavey on 30 December.

Irish president Mary McAleese and other dignitaries are to attend.

A marquee for 300 people has been erected in the church grounds to cope with some of the overspill from the 400-capacity chapel. Many more people are expected to watch from surrounding areas.

Three men, all staff at the hotel, have been charged in connection with the killing, thought to have happened as Mrs McAreavey disturbed a burglary in her room.

Room attendant Avinash Treebhoowoon, 29, and floor supervisor Sandip Moneea, 41, have been charged with murder, and room attendant Raj Theekoy, 33, with conspiracy to murder.

Mourners at the funeral are expected to include senior Gaelic Athletic Association officials, including president Christy Cooney and Ulster secretary Danny Murphy, president of the Ulster rugby branch Nigel Hamilton and Irish Football Association president Jim Shaw.

Players from Mr Harte's Tyrone team and his home club Errigal Ciaran will form a guard of honour as Mrs McAreavey's coffin is taken from her parents' home.

Pupils from the late Irish teacher's form class in St Patrick's Academy, Dungannon, and players from Mr McAreavey's Tullylish GAA club in County Down are to accompany the coffin into the church.

The service will be led by Mr McAreavey's uncle, Bishop John McAreavey, who married the couple.

Primate of the Catholic Church in Ireland Sean Brady will also take part in the service.

Over the weekend, hundreds of mourners paid their respects at the Harte family home in the village of Ballygawley, County Tyrone.

News From: www.bbc.co.uk

Packers vs. Falcons

Packers vs. Falcons: Tom Oates' take on the second quarter

Wisconsin State Journal columnist Tom Oates analyzes the second quarter of the Green Bay Packers' NFC divisional playoff game Saturday at the Atlanta Falcons.

The parallels between this game and the first meeting are getting downright scary.

Late in the regular-season game, an Aaron Rodgers-to-Jordy Nelson touchdown pass tied the score at 17-17, but Eric Weems returned the Packers' kickoff to near midfield and a facemask penalty gave Atlanta the ball in Green Bay territory, which led to the game-winning field goal for Atlanta. Sunday, Rodgers completed a 13-play drive with a touchdown pass to Nelson that tied the game at 7-7. On the following kickoff, however, Weems took it back 102 yards for a touchdown.

But the comparisons weren't over yet. After Weems' score, Rodgers took the Packers on another long drive and gave them a first-and-goal at the 1. Faced with a similar situation sevens weeks ago, the Packers tied a sneak with Rodgers and he fumbled it away. More sure of their short-yardage running game this time, the Packers handed the ball to John Kuhn and he plowed over the goal line to make it 14-14.

It's unreal how good Rodgers is in domes. At halftime, he has completed 18 of 21 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns. He led the Packers on touchdown drives of 80, 81 and 92 yards.

The Falcons had a first down at the 15 late in the half, but a Charles Woodson sack and a Tramon Williams interception kept Atlanta off the board. The turnovers are at one apiece. Here's guessing the team that commits the next one loses. As I wrote that, Williams picked off a Matt Ryan pass and returned it 70 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the half.

It's now the Packers' game to lose.

Bigby inactive for Packers vs. Falcons

GREEN BAY - The Packers defense will be without safety Atari Bigby and linebacker Frank Zombo when they take on the Falcons tonight.

Also inactive for tonight's NFC Divisional Playoff game are quarterback Graham Harrell, running back Dimitri Nance, fullback Korey Hall, cornerback Josh Gordy, and offensive linemen Evan Dietrich-Smith and Nick McDonald.

Fullback Quinn Johnson will start for Hall, and linebacker Eric Walden will start in place of Zombo.

Aamir doesn't take bath regularly: Kiran

Now that's a disadvantage of having a celebrity wife. Dhobi Ghat director Kiran Rao leaked Aamir Khan's best kept secret in one of the interviews. In an interview to Live India, Kiran Rao said, “The one thing that I don’t like about him is the fact that he doesn’t take a bath. And trust me
when I say this that his bathing habits are not very regular.” To this the actor jumped in to his rescue and said, “I do take bath when I go out for work. And considering most of the time I step out for work, I take bath most of the time. It is only when I am not stepping out or when I am on a holiday when I don’t take a bath.”

But Kiran is relieved with the fact that she has someone in the house that she can count on to understand her in and out. “We are really happy Kiran-Aamirtogether. We are both strong minded people but till now we haven’t faced any problem and it has been six years so far. We are more of friends, so we collaborate our ideas. There are no ego clashes; in fact it is purely enriching to be with each other.”

Kiran Rao admits that she puts across certain points firmly when she's directing a movie, and Aamir is acting. “I do tell him that I am doing a certain thing because I am the director of the movie.” To this Aamir added smiling, “And I give her a suggesting and say that I am the actor of the movie.”

When quizzed about the recent patch-up wave in the industry (SRK and Farah patching up), this is what the couple had to say. “See I don’t have any grudges against anyone in the industry. So I really don’t want to comment,” says Aamir. Adding final twist to the tale was Kiran’s answer to the same question, “I am so new to the industry that I am really no one to comment on this. But I must confess that sometimes what SRK says makes no sense to me.”

Carbon Monoxide Detector Law

Carbon Monoxide Detector Law for Single Family Homes and Duplexes To Take Effect Feb. 1st

The new state law requiring that carbon monoxide detectors be installed in all single family homes and duplexes takes effect on February 1, 2011.

The law requires that a functional CO2 detector be installed in the basement and on each floor (except the attic, garage or storage area) of each property. This law can be found at sec. 101.647 of the Wisconsin Statutes. The only exception to this would be if the building has all-electric heat and electric appliances and no attached garage. Here is my prior post on this new law.

Here is a link to a recent Journal Sentinel article on the topic.

If you will recall, carbon monoxide detectors were required to be installed in multi-family buildings back in April of 2010. The law reagarding CO2 detectors in multi-family units is codified in sec. 101.149, Wis. Stats.

If you are looking for a carbon monoxide detector form to distribute to your tenants, Wisconsin Legal Blank Co. is currently selling the form that sets forth the law regarding multi-family buildings. A form detailing the carbon monoxide detector law for single-family homes and duplexes will be available in the near future for those landlords renting out singles and deuces.