review: 'That's My Boy'

june 15 2012

Movie review: 'That's My Boy'

“That's My Boy” easily achieves a rare feat as the grossest of Adam Sandler's late-model Happy Madison junk, and it gets points for going “all-in”: there are no half-measures in Sandler's race to the nasty, sticky bottom. But all the bodily functions, dreadfully unsexy sex and plopped-in-the-middle sentiment in this father-and-son comedy come off as random, barely considered ideas hurried to the page and screen. This is Sandler doing the bare minimum for maximum profit — again — and throwing movie legends, notable nonactors and noxious pseudo-celebrities into the same mess, seemingly just to prove he can do it.

Sandler and writer David Caspe (“Happy Endings”) bookend “That's My Boy” with toxically unfunny situations, beginning in 1984 with seventh-grade Bostonian Donny Berger (Justin Weaver) being seduced by his teacher, Mary McGarricle (Eva Amurri Martino) — that's “seduced” if you're being charitable, “sexually molested” if you're being legally accurate.

Sure, “That's My Boy” defenders can rationalize this as the logical next step in the Van Halen “Hot for Teacher” fantasy, but it is one thing to be hot for teacher, another thing for teacher to be hot for student.

At any rate, Donny and Miss McGarricle get busted in an act of epically stupid sex, and the teacher, now hilariously pregnant with a 13-year-old boy's child, gets sent to prison. Donny enjoys tabloid fame and is ordered to raise the baby, named Han Solo Berger, maintaining custody until his 18^th birthday.

Flash forward 28 years, and Donny (Sandler using an in-and-out South Boston accent) is a has-been strip-club patron with a big tax debt. In order to get out of serving time, he hatches a scheme to harvest some reality television cash by reuniting with Han Solo and Miss McGarricle during a prison visit. So he weasels his way back into his son's life just in time to see Han Solo, an investment banker living under an assumed name and played by former “Saturday Night Live” standout Andy Samberg, get married to a comely shrew (Leighton Meester) at the estate of his boss, played by Tony Orlando (of course).

Obama visits World Trade Center

Obama visits World Trade Center site with Christie, Cuomo, Bloomberg

By Shawn Boburg / The Record (Hackensack N.J.)
Friday, June 15, 2012

NEW YORK — President Barack Obama visited the World Trade Center site for the second time in nine months on Thursday, this time accompanied by three men of different political stripes who may figure prominently in his re-election bid.

Obama toured the rising One World Trade Center tower with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, getting a brief update on construction progress and signing a steel beam that will be laid on the top floor of the tower. Unlike past presidential visits, the tour did not coincide with any milestone, such as an anniversary of the terror attacks or the completion of a phase of the project.

Most of Obama’s trip, his second to New York City in 10 days, was spent at a pair of campaign events — including a $40,000-per-person dinner at the Manhattan home of actress Sarah Jessica Parker — illustrating the region’s prominence as candidates seek to raise cash. It comes as the presidential race enters a new, aggressive phase of fundraising and heated rhetoric.

Central Banks Warn Greek-Led Euro Stress Threatens World

Central Banks Warn Greek-Led Euro Stress Threatens World

By Simon Kennedy - Jun 15, 2012 2

Central banks intensified warnings that Europe’s failure to tame its debt crisis threatens to roil the world’s financial markets and economy as Greece’s election in two days looms as the next flashpoint for investors.

Monetary policy makers from the U.K. to Japan and Canada sounded the alert about potential fallout from the single currency bloc’s troubles. They spoke as Group of 20 leaders prepare to meet in Mexico next week amid the weakest international economy since the 2009 recession.

Heat survive Thunder rally for 100-96 win

June 15, 2012 form cbs news

OKLAHOMA CITY — LeBron James had received plenty of help from Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and now he had to finish it on his own.

With what Wade called the loudest crowd he'd ever heard booing, certain James had just fouled Kevin Durant, the league's MVP walked to the free throw line with 7.1 seconds left and the Miami Heat's huge lead down to two points.

The guy who has endured too many fourth-quarter failures wasn't letting another NBA Finals game get away.

James made both free throws, completing a 12-for-12 performance at the line and a 32-point night, and the Heat held on for a 100-96 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night that evened the series at one game apiece.

TV maker Vizio debuts Mac-like PCs

TV maker Vizio debuts Mac-like PCs

by Dan Ackerman | 15 June 2012
NEW YORK--Vizio, a company best known for making TVs, is officially throwing its hat into the PC arena.

The company is taking the wraps off three distinct lines of Windows computers: Ultrabooks, mid-size laptops, and all-in-one desktops.

Vizio had previously announced its plans to jump into the PC market at the January Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, but today's New York press event was the official coming-out party for the new systems.

While the company has previously dabbled in tablets, Vizio is known primarily as a scrappy competitor in the TV space. It's perhaps best remembered for helping to commoditize the burgeoning flat-panel television market during the last decade, gobbling up market share from the likes of Sony and Sharp. Of course, the PC market is already commoditized, with razor-thin profit margins for all the major players, save Apple.

Bank of England moves to boost British economy

Bank of England moves to boost British economy

By Ben Rooney June 14, 2012
The Bank of England and the Chancellor of the Exchequer are working on new policies to support the British economy, BoE governor Mervyn King said Thursday.
"With signs of a deterioration in the outlook, especially in world markets, the case for a further monetary easing is growing," King said in a speech to business leaders in London.
King said he is working with Chancellor George Osborne on a "funding for lending" scheme to help spur bank lending and stimulate economic activity.
"In present circumstances, when private sector spending is depressed by extreme uncertainty, there may be a case for a scheme to underwrite risks which the market itself is unwilling to take," said King.

Tiger fires 69; Thompson leads Open

Tiger fires 69; Thompson leads Open

UPDATED JUN 14, 2012
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)
The lead at the US Open belonged to Michael Thompson. The buzz came from Tiger Woods.
Even as Thompson strung together four birdies on the back nine at Olympic Club that carried him to a 4-under 66, Woods put on a clinic on the other side of the course on how to handle the toughest test in golf.

He has never out of position. None of his tee shots found the deep, nasty rough lining the fairways. There was little stress for such a demanding major.

With consecutive birdies late in his round, including a 35-foot putt that banged into the back of the cup on No. 5, Woods opened with a 1-under 69 to raise hopes that he can finally end that four-year

Stanford gets 110 years for role in $7 billion Ponzi scheme

Stanford gets 110 years for role in $7 billion Ponzi scheme

Published June 14, 2012
Associated Press

HOUSTON – Former jet-setting Texas tycoon R. Allen Stanford had plenty of things to say Thursday before a federal judge sentenced him to 110 years in prison for bilking investors out of more than $7 billion over two decades.
An apology was not one of them.
In a defiant, rambling statement that lasted more than 40 minutes, Stanford told the court about the injuries he suffered during a prison fight; criticized the government for its "gestapo tactics" when his companies were put in receivership and their assets sold off to pay back investors; described his financial empire as a victim of the 2008 credit collapse; and recalled riding horses with former President George W. Bush.

Vein grown from stem cells saves 10-year-old girl

Vein grown from stem cells saves 10-year-old girl

 June 14, 2012
Reuters

Doctors in Sweden have replaced a vital blocked blood vessel in a 10-year-old girl using the first vein grown in a lab from a patient's own stem cells.
The successful transplant operation, reported online in The Lancet medical journal on Thursday, marks a further advance in the search for ways to make new body parts.
It could open the door to stem cell-based grafts for heart bypass and dialysis patients who lack suitable blood vessels for replacement surgery, and the Swedish team said it is now working with an undisclosed company to commercialize the process.

The Web's most sought-after new domain name is...

The Web's most sought-after new domain name is...
By David Goldman @CNNMoneyTech June 13, 2012
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The Internet's domain system will soon grow astronomically to include .lol, .apple and .golf, but those weren't the most sought-after prizes.
Thirteeen applicants filed for .app, and 11 filed for .home and .inc, according to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the nonprofit organization that manages top-level domains -- the ".com" part of website addresses. ICANN announced the 1,930 proposals on Wednesday for the soon-to-be-expanded top-level domain system.
Right behind .home and .inc was .art with 10 applications. The domains .blog, .book, .shop and .llc drew nine each, and .design, .movie and .music each attracted eight applicants.

Matt Cain pitches first perfect game in Giants franchise history to beat Astros

Matt Cain pitches first perfect game in Giants franchise history to beat Astros

JANIE McCAULEY
AP Baseball Writer
June 14, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Matt Cain and his wife, Chelsea, returned to the field an hour and a half later for a few more perfect memories. They snapped photos on the mound, posing with the workers who tore it down so the dirt could be sent to the Hall of Fame.

Then they walked away hand in hand, stopping in left field for an embrace and long kiss.
The Giants franchise waited a long time for a perfect game, and Cain became the one to finally do it. Not Hall of Famers Christy Mathewson or Juan Marichal or Gaylord Perry before him.

Merkel rejects "miracle solutions", Spain debt costs soar

Merkel rejects "miracle solutions", Spain debt costs soar

Jun 14, 2012By Noah Barkin


* Merkel says economic union a "Herculean task"
* Spain borrowing costs hit 7 percent for first time
* Italian yields jump at auction
* Greek elections cast long shadow over markets



BERLIN, June 14 (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel rebuffed pressure on Thursday for Germany, Europe's most powerful economy, to underwrite debt or guarantee bank deposits in the euro zone as Spain's soaring borrowing costs raised new alarm.

Spain's 10-year bond yield hit a euro lifetime high of 7 percent - a staging post above which Greece, Ireland and Portugal were driven to seek international rescues - despite last weekend's euro zone agreement to lend Madrid up to 100 billion euros ($125 billion) to recapitalise ailing banks.

Moody's Investor Service slashed Spain's sovereign credit rating by three notches to Baa3, just one level above junk, late on Wednesday, adding to the sense of emergency in financial markets ahead of

Divided Politics, Creaky Economy Put Egypt On Edge

Divided Politics, Creaky Economy Put Egypt On Edge

by STEVE INSKEEP
June 14, 2012
NPR Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep is nearing the end of his Revolutionary Road Trip, a journey of some 2,500 miles across North Africa to see how the countries that staged revolutions last year are remaking themselves. Steve and his team have traveled from Tunisia's ancient city of Carthage across the deserts of Libya and have now reached the third and final country, Egypt.

On the road eastward from the Libyan border, the Egyptian desert became a blur. Then we started to run low on fuel.

Federal Charges Dropped Against John Edwards

Federal Charges Dropped Against John Edwards

By MICHAEL BIESECKER Associated Press
June 14, 2012 (AP)
A relieved John Edwards said after his mistrial on campaign corruption charges that he believed good things were still in store for him, though image makers and his friends agree that does not include politics.

The ex-presidential candidate who turned 59 this week will no longer have to face that future with federal charges hanging over his head after prosecutors on Wednesday dropped their campaign fraud case against him. After a six-week trial in North Carolina, jurors acquitted Edwards May 31 on one count of accepting illegal campaign contributions and deadlocked on five other felony counts. The

Spanish Yield Hits Fresh High

Spanish Yield Hits Fresh High

June 14, 2012
By MICHELE MAATOUK
Spanish government bond yields hit a fresh euro-era high Thursday after Moody's Investors Service became the latest ratings agency to downgrade the beleaguered nation's debt, increasing speculation that a full bailout for Spain isn't far away. Equity markets were moving lower after being mostly flat in the European morning.
Italian debt yields also climbed sharply ahead of a key bond auction, while German Bunds benefited from the resulting flight to safety, ending their recent weak run.

The asking yield on the Spanish 10-year benchmark bond traded at a new euro-era high of 7.01%, according to data from Tradeweb, while the Italian 10-year was quoted higher at 6.34%, the highest

Sheldon Adelson $10 million pro-Romney donation

Sheldon Adelson shakes up race with $10 million pro-Romney donation

By Matea Gold / Tribune Washington Bureau
Thursday, June 14, 2012
WASHINGTON — The news that casino magnate Sheldon Adelson is pumping $10 million into a "super PAC" backing Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney underscores how swiftly this campaign’s state of play can be affected by a single wealthy donor.

The contribution by Adelson — reported Wednesday by the Wall Street Journal and confirmed by the Los Angeles Times/Tribune Washington Bureau — comes after he and his family pumped $21.5 million into a super PAC that supported former House Speaker Newt Gingrich during the GOP primaries. The Adelson family effectively subsidized the entire Gingrich super PAC — its

Game of Thrones Shocker: George W. Bush's Head Shown Decapitated on a Stake

Game of Thrones Shocker: George W. Bush's Head Shown Decapitated on a Stake

Jun. 13, 2012 by BRUNA NESSIF
Is this a case of political rebellion or a bargain buy at the local prop shop?

It turns out that Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss decided to use a George W. Bush mask as one of the decapitated heads on a stake during some of the show's scenes.

The Republican party didn't really like that.

READ: Bristol Palin Sued by Bar Heckler: I Don't Want to Be on Life's a Tripp!

Bush's "head" can be found in the season one finale—bratty King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) shows Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) a row of traitors' heads on pikes. Unfortunately, Ned Stark (Sean Bean) is among the decapitated, as is Septa Mordane (Susan Brown). But, Sansa, along with the rest of us, was

Mets to appeal scoring decision that cost Dickey

Mets to appeal scoring decision that cost Dickey 

By MIKE PUMA
June 14, 2012
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The sign in center field at Tropicana Field reads “City of St. Petersburg Welcomes You.” It will be amended today to include “Except you, R.A. Dickey.”
But the Mets knuckleballer isn’t too popular in any road ballparks these days. Last night he pitched a complete game one-hitter — but finally allowed a run — helping the Mets roll to a 9-1 victory over the Rays.
Dickey took a shutout to the ninth before a throwing error by David Wright and two passed balls by catcher Mike Nickeas helped the Rays score a run, ending Dickey’s scoreless streak at a franchise record 32 2/3 innings. Dickey eclipsed the mark set by Jerry Koosman, who pitched 31 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings for the Mets in 1973.
B.J. Upton’s infield single in the first inning accounted for the Rays’ only hit — Wright went for the bare-handed play on the slow grounder and missed.

The European Tipping Point: What Will Greece Do?

The European Tipping Point: What Will Greece Do?

By Michelle Caruso-Cabrera | CNBC
june 13 2012
How is it that a small nation with only 11 million people and an economy not even one-tenth of the United States could be so important?
Because the stability of the global economy hangs in the balance as Europe awaits the results of the Greek presidential election on June 17. The election is seen as a proxy for a much larger question: Do the Greeks want to stay in the euro zone - or not?
Meanwhile this week European leaders are scrambling to come up with money and a plan for stabilizing Spanish banks.

Sleepy People Make Bad Food Choices

Sleepy People Make Bad Food Choices

june 13 2012
By Ed Susman, Contributing Writer, MedPage

Reviewed by Dori F. Zaleznik, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston and Dorothy Caputo, MA, BSN, RN, Nurse Planner
BOSTON – Getting a good night's sleep might mean you will pass on the cheeseburger the next day, sleep researchers suggested here at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.

Laboratory experiments with healthy volunteers indicate that people who experience sleep deprivation undergo brain changes that make them susceptible to making poorer dietary choices, said researchers, noting that functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans correlated with areas in the brain that influence integrated decision-making -- that is, the ability to determine if eating a doughnut was not only rewarding and tasty but also healthy.

Mini Darth Vader of Volkswagen Fame, Max Page, Faces Heart Surgery

Mini Darth Vader of Volkswagen Fame, Max Page, Faces Heart Surgery

by Charlotte Kuchinsky
June 13, 2012
Max Page, the tiny seven-year-old who stole hearts as Volkswagen's mini Darth Vader, is having heart issues of his own. He's facing open heart surgery.
The cute tot captured America's attention during one of last year's many star-studded Super Bowl commercials. In it, dressed as the dark lord, he attempts to start his parents' Volkswagen using the power of the force. Of course, it didn't work at first. However, after a parent spies the scene, little Darth gets a magical assist with Volkswagen's remote starting ability. Consequently, the tot becomes convinced the force is with him.

The cute commercial struck home with a lot of people; those who grew up with Star Wars in the '70s and '80s and the newer turn of the century crowd too. So the ad was a big hit with a lot of age groups.

Apple Introduces ‘Radical’ MacBook Pro

Apple Introduces ‘Radical’ MacBook Pro in New Ad [VIDEO]

by Todd Wasserman
june 13 2012

It’s been a while since Apple devoted a TV spot to a Mac product, but the company has now decided to give the star treatment to its new MacBook Pro with Retina display.
The ad, by longtime Apple ad agency TBWA|Media Arts Lab, features the usual product-as-hero theme common to many Apple ads. “The radical new MacBook Pro with Retina display,” narrator Peter Coyote says over a shot of the MacBook Pro displaying high-res photos of waves and other colorful images. Then the camera reveals the laptop’s thin silhouette to set up the double-entendre: “Innovation in every dimension.”

Obama plans major economic speech Thursday

Obama plans major economic speech Thursday

Jun 13, 2012
By David Jackson, USA TODAY
President Obama will seek to draw economic contrasts with Republican opponent Mitt Romney in what campaign aides are billing as a major speech on Thursday.

In announcing the address at a community college in Cleveland, the Obama campaign said the president will describe his vision as "ensuring that our economy is built to last and restoring economic security for the middle class."

Obama also plans to condemn Romney's vision, which the campaign said is "based on the same failed economic policies that brought on the worst crisis since the Great Depression.

Russia's arms to Syria in line with UN

Russia's arms to Syria in line with UN: export agency

(AFP)  june 13 2012

MOSCOW — Russia's arms export agency said Wednesday its deliveries to Syria were in line with UN regulations but declined to comment specifically on US claims that it was sending attack helicopters to the regime.

Rosoboronexport "does not supply weapons and military technology in contradiction with UN Security Council security requirements and other international agreements," a spokesman told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.

The news report said the agency spokesman "did not comment" when asked about the specific charges.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday accused Russia of recently sending the shipment to its Soviet-era ally.

Apple using Waze data in new iOS 6 Maps

Apple using Waze data in new iOS 6 Maps

Ben Kersey, Jun 13th 2012

TomTom spilled the beans in a press release yesterday, saying that Apple had licensed part of its mapping solutions and information for use in the new Maps app in iOS 6. Details about exactly what is being used has been intentionally left vague. How about the crowd sourced data that Apple was keen to promote at the keynote? Turns out it could be coming from Waze, a navigation app that provides crowd sourced traffic data from via user interaction.
TechCrunch notes that Waze is listed under Apple’s legal notices among with many other mapping companies.

U.S. Open

U.S. Open: Phil Mickelson excited to be paired with Tiger Woods for first two rounds

By Carl Steward
 06/12/2012

Phil Mickelson didn't hedge his emotions Tuesday when asked about being paired with Tiger Woods for the first two rounds of the U.S. Open.
"Fabulous," Mickelson said. "I'll tell you why. First of all, I get excited to play with Tiger. I love it. He gets the best out of me. Second is, the one player I'm most concerned about if I play my best golf who I feel may have a chance to beat me is Tiger."
Mickelson certainly has strong recent evidence to suggest he gets up to play alongside Woods. They