Batangas Today: “Ashley Judd Senate bid still hanging, but actress now “taking a close look”” plus 6 more |
- Ashley Judd Senate bid still hanging, but actress now “taking a close look”
- Blockbuster closing 300 more stores in the US
- Atari bankruptcy: Atari US files for Chapter 11 protection, but not yet ‘game over’
- Michelle Obama eye roll on Speaker John Boehner during Inauguration Day luncheon goes viral (Video)
- Bill Clinton photobomb on Kelly Clarkson during 2013 Obama inauguration goes viral (Photo and Video)
- Big PayPal changes on ‘frozen funds policy’ being expected soon
- Sasha Obama Yawn During Inaugural Speech Went Viral
| Ashley Judd Senate bid still hanging, but actress now “taking a close look” Posted: 22 Jan 2013 09:44 AM PST Ashley Judd is being rumored to run for senator in 2014, but the Hollywood actress recently said she is not yet sure although she is now looking at it closely. Judd, 44, is also known for being active in humanitarian and political causes, and is an avid supporter of US President Barack Obama.  Ashley Judd Image Credit: Bryon Houlgrave/AP As noted at Politico.com on Sunday, January 20, 2013, Ashley Judd‘s Senate bid is still hanging, but she talked about it last Saturday during the Bluegrass Ball of The Kentucky Society held in Washington. However, she admitted that she have not yet decided if she will run in next year’s senatorial elections. “I am incredibly honored and frankly overwhelmed by the outpouring of support — that the people of Kentucky are interested in having me represent them is the greatest honor of my life so far, and I am certainly taking a close look at it.” Judd was quoted as saying in front of the crowd. “The people of Kentucky need a fighter and certainly going back 10 generations, I’ve got some fighters from those hills in my family and as soon as I know anything — after I’ve told the family members to whom I’ve made my promises that they’ll be the first to know — you will be up to date in real time.” Judd added. Judd, who was appointed Global Ambassador for YouthAIDS and has been a member of its Board of Directors since 2004, will challenge current Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), if she decides to run. McConnell is so far the longest serving US Senator in Kentucky history, and is now on his fifth term. And while some Democrats are saying that Ashley Judd vs Mitch McConnell could be a good match in 2014, there are some Republicans who noted that Judd will not win against McConnell. He is being considered as a political institution, while the “Missing” star currently lives in Tennessee. |
| Blockbuster closing 300 more stores in the US Posted: 22 Jan 2013 07:58 AM PST Video rental company Blockbuster is closing 300 US stores that are suffering from declining sales, and will affect around 3,000 employees. The decision to close more stores in the country comes after 500 stores were closed back in February 2012 due to the same reason, which was also hurt by online competitors.  Blockbuster logo Image Credit: Blockbuster As noted at Deadline.com on Monday, January 21, 2013, the 300 Blockbuster stores for closure represent around 35% of the remaining 850 stores in the US, with its headquarters located in Englewood, Colorado. However, the specific locations of the unprofitable stores to be closed were not mentioned. “Some of the approximately 300 stores are reaching the end of their lease and others are closing based on overall performance,” Dish Network spokesman John Hall was quoted in the report, adding that Dish still sees value in the Blockbuster brand but will continuously analyze its level of profitability. Incidentally, Blockbuster UK announced early this month that it will go into administration, which is the British equivalent of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US. Last Saturday, BBC News reported that Blockbuster will be closing 31 of its 528 stores in UK and that around 760 employees will be affected. Blockbuster, which filed for bankruptcy in September 2010 and was bought by Dish Network in April 2011 for around $238 million, was once a giant in the industry of movie video rental industry. During its peak in 2004, Blockbuster reportedly had a total of 60,000 employees, and had more than 4,000 stores worldwide. |
| Atari bankruptcy: Atari US files for Chapter 11 protection, but not yet ‘game over’ Posted: 22 Jan 2013 06:38 AM PST Atari US has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in its hope to separate from its troubled French parent company, Atari SA. This means that the American branch of the iconic video games company is not yet considered as “game over.” It will still continue and aims to be even more applicable to the digital age.  Atari logo Image Credit: Atari.com According to a press release by the company released on Monday, January 21, 2013, Atari Inc., Atari Interactive Inc., Humongous, Inc., and California US Holdings, Inc., have jointly filed petitions for relief under Chapter 11 in New York, hoping to save itself from its parent company’s debt crisis. As noted by Atari US, the said companies are expecting to sell all their assets, which include all of its brands and logos, within the next three to four months. It may conduct a company reorganization that can help save the company from further financial trouble and continue its growth in the the competitive world of video games. Among Atari‘s digital video games that have been released include Greatest Hits, Outlaw, Breakout, and Asteroids Gunner. Earlier, the company announced its upcoming mobile and tablet games based upon the famous Rollercoaster Tycoon franchise and Atari Casino. Atari, which is known for famous video games such as Pong, Asteroids, Centipede, Test Drive, among others, has shifted its business model from the traditional retail game titles to digital video games for iOS and Android devices since 2010; and has even added new business models such as advertising. As a positive result, the company emphasized that it had consecutive annual profits in 2011 and 2012, a notable milestone that the company has not reached for around ten years. With that, the Atari bankruptcy filing could just be a good game plan, especially if investors will grab the chance to buy the company soon. |
| Michelle Obama eye roll on Speaker John Boehner during Inauguration Day luncheon goes viral (Video) Posted: 22 Jan 2013 02:32 AM PST US First Lady Michelle Obama made an eye roll at House Speaker John Boehner on Monday, January 21, 2013 during the Inauguration Day luncheon for his husband, US President Barack Obama. This is what the camera seemed to be suggesting, as shown in the video below, when it captured the uncomfortable moment.  Michelle Obama makes eye roll on Boehner Image Credit: ABC News video As shown live in various US TV stations, Michelle Obama was sitting between President Obama and Speaker Boehner, who was on her left side during the luncheon of Obama‘s second inauguration ceremony. At one point, Mr. Obama can be seen leaning behind his First Lady to talk with the House Speaker. While the two were talking, Boehner politely tapped Michelle Obama, who was enjoying the food, probably to see if she agreed on his reply to the president. But since her mouth was busy chewing, she did not manage to reply. However, her eyes can be seen somehow rolling her eyes at him, and her smile did not seem to be that comfortable. Apparently, the conversation cannot be heard clearly but Mrs. Obama was seen making an eye roll at Boehner again and did not utter a single word at him. On the other hand, President Obama can be seen flashing his usual smile and slightly tapped his wife’s shoulder, likely signaling her that “It’s OK.” As we all know, President Obama and Speaker John Boehner are not exactly best of friends for years now since they have opposing views on various issues, including the controversial budget cuts. But on his speech during the luncheon, the president managed to crack a joke about the relationship between his wife Michelle and Boehner. “Michelle and the Speaker of the House came to a meeting of the minds that I may be delaying the proceedings too much. And so I’m just going to be extraordinarily brief and say thank you.” President Obama said on the first part of his speech, who also thanked Vice President Joe Biden and their supporters. Related Post: Obama plays golf with Boehner for the first time, won against Biden and Kasich (Video) Michelle Obama eye roll on Speaker John Boehner during Inauguration Day luncheon Video Credit: soopermexican/YouTube/ABC News |
| Bill Clinton photobomb on Kelly Clarkson during 2013 Obama inauguration goes viral (Photo and Video) Posted: 22 Jan 2013 12:48 AM PST Former US President Bill Clinton made a photobomb at Kelly Clarkson during the second inauguration of US President Barack Obama on Monday, January 21, 2013 and went viral. The Clinton photobomb was spotted when Clarkson was about to sing “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” as shown in the photo and video below.  Bill Clinton photobomb on Kelly Clarkson Image Credit: Doug Gordon Twitter As shown live in various US TV stations, Clarkson, 30, who was declared American Idol Season 1 winner back in 2002, was among the singers who performed during the 2013 Obama inauguration, which include James Taylor, and Beyonce, who sang the US national anthem with flying colors. While everyone was focused on President Obama on his second inauguration, Doug Gordon, who describes himself on his Twitter account (@BrooklynSpoke) as a documentary TV producer in Brooklyn, tweeted the Bill Clinton photobomb photo, with the message “Bill Clinton photobombed Kelly Clarkson.” After Clarkson was introduced and shook hands with President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, she went to the podium. And as she prepared herself to sing, Bill Clinton, who was standing behind three other attendees, was seen poking his head and smiled, which was captured on live TV. Meanwhile, Clarkson, who was then accompanied by her fiance Brandon Blackstock and was wearing a maroon coat with a violet scarf wrapping around her neck, sang “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” beautifully and with a lot of pride. She later rushed to Twitter and expressed her excitement on her performance. “Wow…I was incredibly nervous and cold ha! I just wanna officially thank President Obama for opening for me haha! Just kidding” Kelly Clarkson (@kelly_clarkson) tweeted after the ceremony, joking about her experience. She even posted a photo of herself shaking hands with Obama and dubbed it as “the coolest photo I’ve ever been.” “What an honor to be a part of history! Obama‘s presence was powerful and his words unforgettable. It’s a proud day for America!” Clarkson tweeted later. And yes, she has not tweeted her thoughts about the Bill Clinton photobomb viral photo, and was probably even not aware about it. Well, she may…soon. Kelly Clarkson sings “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” during the 2013 Obama inauguration Video Credit: Christine Erickson/YouTube/NBC News |
| Big PayPal changes on ‘frozen funds policy’ being expected soon Posted: 21 Jan 2013 08:35 PM PST Big PayPal changes are being expected to arrive soon. The eBay-owned online payment scheme company will reportedly improve its frozen funds policy, which will be very beneficial to their millions of customers. This could be the answer to tons of complaints on fraud and alleged slow reaction from the company.  PayPal logo Image Credit: PayPal.com As noted at CNN Money on Monday, January 21, 2013, PayPal‘s goal on implementing these big changes is to ensure more transparency in their business and to prevent fraud. The company is now getting ready to implement them within the next several months, with frozen funds being a major concern of some users. Apparently, some users had their funds frozen and their complaints have been appearing on various sites and blogs for years. A dedicated website called PayPalSucks.com was even created, along with a Tumblr called “Conferences Burned by PayPal.” Fundraising projects and ticket selling are among the PayPal transactions that experienced frozen funds. “These are not minor — these are aggressive changes. This is a fundamental shift in our business operations.” Anuj Nayar, senior director of communications of PayPal, was quoted in the report, noting that she could not give specific details on the changes right now. “We want to be clear about how people can get out of the [frozen funds] situation. We need to get better about helping people, or explaining why actions are being taken.” Nayar added, emphasizing that transparency is a major focus on the upcoming changes on PayPal. Based on the current PayPal policy, if the company suspects fraud, it will freeze the funds for 21 days and could possibly reach to until 180 days. Users with frozen payment are usually being asked to submit proper documents, like sales record, to prove the deal’s authenticity. But of course, not all buyers and sellers have it. |
| Sasha Obama Yawn During Inaugural Speech Went Viral Posted: 21 Jan 2013 03:19 PM PST Sasha Obama‘s yawn during the inaugural speech of U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday, January 21, 2013 was caught on camera and went viral. Her dad was talking about education policy when Sasha‘s yawn was caught on camera. “No single person can train all the math and science teachers we'll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores. Now, more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation, and one people,” Obama was reportedly saying when Sasha was seen yawning. As usual, people let out their reactions on Twitter:
Below is a gif version of Sasha Obama‘s yawn.  Sasha Obama yawn Credit: ABC News |
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