Media Convergence Initiative

“Pint-Sized” Hollywood Legend, Mickey Rooney, Passes Away.

Posted on April 7, 2014 by earl m

Mickey Rooney, the legendary Hollywood actor known for his great and diverse skills, his diminutive size, and his eight marriages, has died at age 93.

From the Associated Press:

Los Angeles Police Commander Andrew Smith said that Rooney was with his family when he died Sunday, April 6th, at his North Hollywood home. Smith said police took a report but indicated that there was nothing suspicious and it was not a police case and he had no additional details on the circumstances of Rooney’s death.

He is survived by his wife, Jan, and nine children.

Looking back over his nearly 90 year career, Rooney can be garnished with the title as a “ground breaking” comic who conquered the big screen for most of the last 10 decades.

He has been the recipient of 2 honorary Academy Awards, 4 Oscar nominations, 2 Golden Globes & 1 Emmy Award.

He was a native of Brooklyn, New York, but lived for most of his life in Westlake Village, California. Rooney was born Joseph Yule Jr. in New York in September 1920. He made his stage debut at just 15 months old in his parents vaudeville act. His last big movie was only little time ago, in 2006 with the Night at the Museum franchise. However, the comic machine has been active in at least 4 TV and film roles since 2006, up until his death.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mickey-rooney-stars-react-on-social-media-to-death-of-legendary-actor/

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-News-Legendary-Entertainer-Mickey-Rooney-Dies-at-93-20140406-page2#.U0Lr916Sflc

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No.1 New York Times Bestseller, “The Fault in Our Stars” written by John Green, to become a movie this summer

Posted on April 7, 2014 by ljthom

Readers of the book “The Fault in Our Stars” everywhere will be heading to the movie theatres on June 6, 2014 for the anticipated film directed by Josh Boone.

The book is about a 16-year-old girl named Hazel Grace who is battling thyroid cancer with the help from her parents and her oxygen tank not too far behind.

Hazel’s mother advises her to go to a local support group full of other kids battling and in remission from cancer.

One day her support group friend, Isaac, brings his best friend Augustus Waters to a meeting. Augustus is in remission from cancer. He is a handsome, tall and very interested in being in Hazel’s life.

Augustus and Hazel share similar interests, become best of friends and fall in love after their meeting at support group.

Jodi Picoult, best selling author of “My Sister’s Keeper” said, “The Fault in Our Stars takes a spin on universal themes- Will I be loved? Will I be remembered? Will I leave a mark on this world?- by dramatically raising the stakes of the characters who are asking.”

I thought the book was hilarious, sweet and sad altogether. I guessed the ending from the beginning on the book, but I still ended wanting more.

In the movie, “Divergent” stars Shailene Woodley plays Hazel Grace and Ansel Elgort plays Augustus Waters.

It should be interesting to see Woodley and Elgort’s chemistry on camera, since they played a sister and brother pair in “Divergent.”

Some films that are drawn from books leave out major characters or scenes. I am curious to see how Boone (director), Scott Neustadter (screenplay writer) and Michael H. Weber (screenplay writer) play out the love story between Hazel and Augustus.

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Andy Rooney Passes Away At The Age of 93, but His Legacy Will Live On

Posted on April 7, 2014 by mpabian

With his 200-plus film appearances notwithstanding, the of-handed Rooney will be best remembered for acting as the main character in MGM’s Andy Hardy movies.

Andy Rooney, 93, who died Sunday encompassed by family in his North Hollywood home, leaves behind a huge Hollywood legacy that lasts 80 years with a couple of hundred films, including Boys Town and The Black Stallion.

He won two Oscars, the first in 1938, the ladder in 1982. In January 2005, Rooney made the news for the unheard of reasons when Fox denied a Super Bowl cold remedy commercial — featuring Rooney’s bare butt — for being inappropriate.

Rooney definitely knew how to put on a show. However, of all the characters that Rooney played — from Puck in the 1935 film production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to his Oscar-nominated turn as a “prematurely mature” teen in 1943’s The Human Comedy — not one could compare with or begin to overcome Rooney himself.

Laurence Olivier called Rooney “the greatest actor of them all,” yet he was the unlikeliest of heroes. At 5-foot-3, Rooney was short, with sharp, elfish features and a lively, in-your-face personality more suited to selling used cars than starring in pictures. Still, during the Great Depression, when employment was scarce and the national mood was grim, audiences loved his down-home appeal.

Born Joe Yule Jr. in a Brooklyn, N.Y., apartment house on Sept. 23, 1920, Rooney made his first big appearance at 17 months old with his comic father and dancer mother’s vaudeville performances. “Performing”, Rooney told BackStage Magazine, was “in my blood. It’s who I am.”

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First Week of Baseball Brings Surprises for Fans

Posted on April 7, 2014 by marissanclark

The first week of baseball is officially over and with the excitement of opening day winding down teams are looking to start getting serious on taking the top spots in the division. Although the competition has started up, some interesting events have taken place already through the first week.

Instant replays for the umpires and managers is the first biggest difference in this season from last season. According to ESPN, in just the first week of baseball this year, 31 plays have been challenged using instant replays and 18 of those have been over turned. Easily a huge tool is being used. My guess is that once the “new factor” of this tool wears off, managers will start to use it less. Also as the managers are getting used to it, so are the umpires. The umpires will start to make more sound decisions that may not require a challenge from managers.

Teams that had horrific seasons last year are starting out this season on fire. The team that sticks out in my mind is the Miami Marlins. The last couple seasons for the Marlins have been ones to forget, but after the first week they have in first place for the division. Whether or not this success stays with the team is another story, but winning is always great to see in the state of Florida.

The St. Louis Cardinals, a preseason pick b many analysts to win the World Series, have started out the season battling several division rivals. The National League Central looks to be one of the hardest divisions in the entire league with power house teams in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and of course, St. Louis.

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Kentucky and UConn Prepare to Face Off in Championship Game

Posted on April 7, 2014 by kmart239

Once Michigan State lost their chance to move on to the final four in the NCAA tournament watching the games seemed like a waste of time. Who cares if it is not the Spartans, right? Well despite their unfortunate loss the NCAA tournament is still managing to pull off a pretty exciting finale. UConn defeated the University of Florida this weekend (thank god) and will now face off with the University of Kentucky, who defeated the University of Wisconsin, in the National Championship game. The matchup is one of the unlikeliest in the NCAA. Neither team was in the tournament last year but both surprised everyone this year.

Last year Connecticut was banned due to academic reasons (they had an embarrassingly low graduation rate that did not meet NCAA standards). This year a lot of people continued to count them out after they finished third in the American Athletic Conference. They came back strong though and with the leadership of All-American Shabazz Napier they are ready to take on the wildcats. As soon as the round of 64 began they started taking out powerhouses. They even managed to knock off the defense of Michigan State and Florida.

Kentucky had one of the best teams in the country a few years ago. Unfortunately all their talent decided to go pro which led to a disappointing season last year. This year, however, with a squad made up of mostly freshmen they have come to dominate. They have done well for the majority of the season but always manage to win by a very narrow margin. It will be interesting to see what is to come of this match in the championship game.

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Could Smartphone Curfews Benefit Young Students More Than Punishment?

Posted on April 7, 2014 by alyssakelly

I found it interesting to read that a city in Japan has created a rule than bans elementary and junior high students from using their phones after 9 P.M. After 9, they are required to give their phone to their parents for the night. This is supposed to help refrain children from always responding to friends and gaming. By giving up their phone their attention can be used for actual studying and even getting a good night sleep.

What I don’t understand is why does a city have to set a rule for this kind of behavior? Shouldn’t it be the parents’ responsibility to monitor their kids technology use and create limitations?

It seems that almost everyone has a smartphone and is almost inseparable from it. Now that kids younger and younger are getting them, is it harder for parents to regulate that? Or are parents too worried now that they will be the “bad” parent so they let their kids do whatever they want. It seems that if your child is spending to much time on a phone that you would have them cut back to focus on more important things.

Now that Kariya, Japan has this rule, will it set a more responsible standard for other children in Japan? Here in the United States, should parents start focusing more on a technology bedtime rather than a real bed time? How could we control technologically dependent behaviors when people use it anywhere at anytime.

Or is a society driven by online communication something we all just need to get used to?

Posted in Education, Environment, Science and Technology, World News | Comments Off

Google Trying to Trademark the Word “Glass”

Posted on April 6, 2014 by amanda decarlo

Google Glass is really, desperately attempting trademark the word glass. Google has submitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. It failed to meet the criteria in order to be trademarked. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office stated that trademarking the word “glass” would be too confusing, and it would also not be distinctive. The word glass is too common anyways. People break glass, drink from a glass, and in general wear glasses.

The attempt was done as a part of Google’s new convergence device, Google Glass. This device can be worn as regular glasses and acts a cellular mobile device. Other companies do this all the time. However, Google might have an even more difficult time, and not because the name is too generic. Google Glass, has come under fire lately. It has been deemed somewhat controversial. One woman was assaulted in a bar for wearing them.I know personally, for myself, that I would not be comfortable being surrounded by people wearing Google Glass. I would feel like they were secretly recording me.

Google even though it is so powerful, might not get their wish granted. The term glass is too general. One of the main criteria for how trademark can lose its status is if the term is commonly used. The word “glass” is already used frequently, and many businesses would have to be careful about using the word glass in either print or any commercial/broadcast. However, in this day an age anything is possible, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the word Glass was successfully trademarked.

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Baby Volcanic Island Eats Its Older Neighbor

Posted on April 6, 2014 by jessicafsmith1002

As a seafloor volcano continues to erupt in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean, a newborn island has swallowed its neighbor whole, images from space show.

In November 2013, a baby volcanic island rose from the sea out of a volcanic blast in the Bonin Islands about 620 miles south of Tokyo, on the western edge of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a hotbed of seismic activity. Named Niijima, the newcomer boiled the sea and spewed steam, ash and lava fragments into the air.

Some thought the small black cone, which sprouted just offshore of a larger volcanic island called Nishino-shima, might slip back into the sea, vanishing under pounding waves. But Niijima kept growing.

Now a satellite image taken March 30, 2014, by the Operational Land Imager on Landsat 8 shows that Niijima has actually overtaken Nishino-shima.

Together, the conjoined islands measure about 3,280 feet (1,000 meters) across, officials with NASA’s Earth Observatory said. The landmass has also tripled in height since December, now rising more than 196 feet (60 m) above sea level.

The smashed-together islands mark the top of a giant submarine volcano that had not erupted since a major outpouring in 1973 to 1974, according to the Japanese Coast Guard. Lava flows are now most active in the southern portion of the new landmass, and plumes of ash continue to rise, with tiny particles seeding a stream of white cloud puffs overhead.

“The intermittent, pulsing shape of the cloud stream might be a reflection of the volcanic eruption itself,” officials with NASA’s Earth Observatory wrote. “Strombolian explosions are essentially bubbles of lava and gas rising from Earth’s interior in pulses. Underwater, sediment appears to be stirred up in a green plume that stretches eastward from the island.”

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The New Battle In The TV Market. Apple, Amazon, and Google in The Warzone

Posted on April 6, 2014 by samsheres

Apparently, the expansion of the market TV has not reached its peak yet. For some moment, I thought the TV market had arrived to an ending battle when the use of cable TV was already in the majority of homes in U.S households. However I was wrong, since the TV market is expanding to new devices working as a station for your TV. As if we didn’t have enough entertainment in the hundreds and hundreds of channels already available in cable TV. Now the on-demand streaming is becoming a very wealthy and growing business.

The society is slowing adapting to these new ways of media entertainment. From my opinion, the virtual community started to rely on these new way of watching TV, with the arrival of Netflix. The company that charges you only $7 per month in order to see a very complete range of movies, series, and documentals.

However, this is not all, a few weeks ago Amazon released its Fire TV. Its latest bet in the TV market in order to become as big as it already became in the e-readers and tablet markets, with the Kindle series. This new device provides the customer the chance to watch any audio-visual program while interconnected with the amazon platform. Also the possibility to play videogames, but it cannot be compared to the newest releases: PS4 and Xbox One.

This new market was firstly leaded by Apple, with the Apple TV product, that some how did not had such a success as it was expected. Google had also released its Google Chromecast, a small portable device that could be connected to any smart TV providing the google platform.

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#1 Florida Falls Out of the Tournament

Posted on April 6, 2014 by grichards

When the Final Four match-ups were first revealed, the UConn vs Florida game seemed to heavily favor the gators. Many were ready to write them in for the championship game simply based on regular season accolades. In addition, Florida was in the middle of a 30 game winning streak. The Gators were off to a hot start as they held UConn to only two baskets during the first eleven minutes of the game. However, the Huskies remained optimistic and trusted their game plan. UConn managed to storm back from a 12-point first-half deficit. By half time they had the lead, and at that point it was evident that the UConn Huskies were not going to be what everyone expected them to be from the beginning.

The Huskies rallied behind their leader at the guard position Shabazz Napier, who finished the game with 12 points(While shooting 50% from the field), 6 assists and 4 steals. The 7th seeded Huskies upset the overall number one seed Gators 63-53 and earn themselves a shot at a fourth national championship since 1999 on Monday night against Kentucky. The Huskies proved to be the Gators’ kryptonite by defeating them on both meetings this season. The Huskies’ lob-sided win in the Final Four over Gators is sad way to end the year for Florida seniors, but its clear that they have edged themselves in the history of their program with their success in the regular season.

Posted in General, Sports | Tagged basketball, final four, Florida, gators, huskies, UConn | Comments Off