'American Idol' Season 10 - 2011 Top 24 Spoilers

'American Idol' Season 10 Top 24 Spoilers

by Hilary Rothing,
http://www.tvsquad.com/2011/02/22/american-idol-season-10-top-24-spoilers/

*Updated with final two contestants*

After this week, we'll learn who our Top 24 'American Idol' contestants are -- but why wait when spoilers abound! The folks at Joe's Place have distilled the remaining 60 down to the 24 we'll have our eye on at the end of this week.

But the real intrigue here isn't who's on the list, but who isn't! Read on if you want to be seriously spoiled as we head to Las Vegas.


Ashton Jones

Age: 24
Hometown: Goodlettsville, TN
Audition City: Nashville
In a Nutshell: We saw little of Ashton early on but after surviving the Ashley Sullivan group performance drama, Jones broke out the next night with a little "Dreamgirls" action.

More Ashthon: MySpace, Facebook, YouTube

Brett Loewenstern

Age: 16
Hometown: Boca Raton, FL
Audition City: New Orleans
In a Nutshell: Brett continues to wow the judges with his unique tone and uncanny resemblance to Simply Red's Mick Hucknall.

More Brett: Facebook

Casey Abrams

Age: 19
Hometown: Idylliwild, CA
Audition City: Austin
In a Nutshell: Casey brought his A-game (and an upright bass) to Hollywood with 'Georgia on My Mind.'

More Casey: Facebook, YouTube

Clint Gamboa

Age: 26
Hometown: Long Beach, CA
Audition City: San Francisco
In a Nutshell: While Gamboa may be a Karaoke King back home, he lost favor with fans (and perhaps even the judges) when he kicked the cherubic Jacee Badeaux out of his group.

More Clint: YouTube

Haley Reinhart

Age: 20
Hometown: Wheeling, IL
Audition City: Milwaukee
In a Nutshell: After making it through the group performance "by the skin of her teeth" according to J.Lo, Reinhart redeemed herself the following night, belting out 'God Bless the Child.'

More Haley: MySpace

Jacob Lusk

Age: 23
Hometown: Compton, CA
Audition City: Los Angeles
In a Nutshell: Jacob is another member of the Top 24 who seemed to come out of nowhere. His powerful performance of 'God Bless the Child' blew the judges away and reduced Jacob, himself, to tears.

More Jacob: YouTube

James Durbin

Age: 21
Hometown: Santa Cruz, CA
Audition City: Los Angeles
In a Nutshell: James has amazing vocal range. The real question heading into the finals is will he know when to reel it in and when to go big?

More James: Facebook, YouTube

Jordan Dorsey

Age: 21
Hometown: LaPlace, LA
Audition City: New Orleans
In a Nutshell: The seemingly humble music teacher quickly came out of his shell on group night, but like Clint, he may not be the most likable of the bunch.

More Jordan: Facebook

Jovany Barreto

Age: 23
Hometown: Harvey, LA
Audition City: New Orleans
In a Nutshell: Though his striptease audition might not have set the tone for a serious contender, Jovany is still hanging on to his 'Idol' dream -- and his shirt.

Julie Zorrilla

Age: 20
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Audition City: San Franciso
In a Nutshell: Julie might just be the total 'American Idol' package. She's got the looks, the voice, the piano chops and of course, the sob story.

More Julie: Facebook

Karen Rodriguez

Age: 21
Hometown: New York, NY
Audition City: Los Angeles (via MySpace)
In a Nutshell: Karen is probably the one argument 'Idol' producers can make for holding MySpace auditions next year.

Kendra Chantelle

Age: 22
Hometown: Loudon, TN
Audition City: Nashville
In a Nutshell: Another impressive performance of 'Georgia on My Mind' kept Kendra safe in Hollywood.

More Kendra: YouTube

Lauren Alaina

Age: 15
Hometown: Rossville, GA
Audition City: Nashville
In a Nutshell: Lauren's got the chops, but all the sucking up to Steven Tyler might be her undoing in the end.

More Lauren: Facebook, MySpace

Lauren Turner

Age: 24
Hometown: Covington, LA
Audition City: New Orleans
In a Nutshell: Turner made it to Hollywood in season 4 and won a local Christina Aguilera impersonation contest. Winning 'American Idol' would be a serious upgrade.

Naima Adedapo

Age: 25
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Audition City: Milwaukee
In a Nutshell: We haven't seen much of Naima since learning of her janitorial duties at SummerFest. Hopefully, this week we'll learn why she's in the Top 24.

Paul McDonald

Age: 25
Hometown: Nashville
Audition City: Nashville
In a Nutshell: Paul's an established performer in his native Nashville and that experience has apparently earned him a slot in the Top 24.

More Paul: Official Site, MySpace, Twitter, Facebook

Pia Toscano

Age: 21
Hometown: Howard Beach, NY
Audition City: East Rutherford, NJ
In a Nutshell: Pia made it to the Top 40 in season 6 and sang the national anthem at a Mets game so clearly, she can handle the pressure post-Hollywood.

More Pia: Facebook, YouTube, MySpace

Rachel Zevita

Age: 22
Hometown: New York, NY
Audition City: East Rutherford, NJ
In a Nutshell: New Yorker Rachel Zevita also made it to Hollywood in season 6 and this time around she's looking to take it all the way.

More Rachel: YouTube

Robbie Rosen

Age: 16
Hometown: Long Island, NY
Audition City: East Rutherford, NJ
In a Nutshell: Robbie's one of this season's strongest musicians and he's got the vocals to match.

More Robbie: Facebook, YouTube

Scott McCreery

Age: 16
Hometown: Garner, WI
Audition City: Milwaukee
In a Nutshell: Scott faltered through group night, singing about the "nuts of wonder in your jeans," though he's apparently learned the lyrics to whatever he's singing this week.

More Scott: Facebook

Tim Halperin

Age: 26
Hometown: Fort Worth, TX
Audition City: Los Angeles
In a Nutshell: Tim's an accomplished singer-songwriter who could be this season's breakout rocker.

More Tim: Facebook, YouTube

Stefano Langone

Age: 22
Hometown: Kent, WA
Audition City: San Francisco
In a Nutshell: After miraculously recovering from a terrible car accident, Stefano continued to evolve as a talented musician, earning him a slot in the Top 24.

More Stefano: YouTube

Tatynisa Wilson

Age: 20
Hometown: Aurora, Ill
Audition City: Milwaukee, WI
In a Nutshell: Like Scotty McCreery, Tatynisa also got creative with the lyrics for "I Hope You Dance," but must have fared better with The Beatles, this week.

More Tatynisa: Twitter, Facebook, MySpace

Thia Megia

Age: 15
Hometown: Tracy, CA
Audition City: San Francisco, CA
In a Nutshell: This is Thea's second run on a major reality show competition. She did it on season 4 of 'America's Got Talent,' making it to the quarterfinals.

More Thia: Facebook YouTube


According to Joe's Place, Chris Medina, John Wayne Schulz, Jackie Wilson, Eryn Kelly, Hollie Cavanagh, Jessica Cunningham and Keisha Lewis have all been confirmed as cut. And while not "confirmed" by omission it looks like Jacee Badeaux is gone, too. Shudder to think!

'American Idol' heads to Las Vegas this Wednesday at 8PM on Fox.

Talking cars like Knight Rider's could go on sale soon

By Jorn Madslien Business reporter, BBC News, Geneva motor show
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12680509

You may soon own a talking car, though the open shirt will be optional

Remember the Knight Rider car? The one declaring "scanner indicating danger ahead", "your reflexes are slow" or "I shall activate a turbo-boost"?

A similarly futuristic car might hit the road sooner than you think, according to Klaus Draeger, BMW's head of research and development.

Many cars are already connected to computer systems, making drivers' and passengers' lives both more comfortable and safer.

But until now they have mainly been receiving information, so as yet they are not really engaging in dialogues, Mr Draeger says.

BMW's so-called Connected Drive concept, currently on show at the Geneva motor show, aims to change that.

Rain ahead?

BMW's system brings together more than 50 communication functions.

They include sophisticated satellite navigation systems and a self-drive technology that helps the car move safely from the fast lane to the hard shoulder on its own if the driver has a heart attack.

There are also more trivial technologies such as wireless links between the car's entertainment systems and home computers.

Cars that communicate with the world around them are safer, more entertaining and more comfortable.

"It's the way you get information into and out of the the car and what you can do with the information that is important," says Mr Draeger.

In future, your car will not only spot motorway traffic jams, it will also be able to calculate whether any delays on alternative routes make them even slower. And then the car will recommend whether or not you should get off the motorway.

The system will be helped by information received from other cars, which will be sending information about the road ahead back to you.

For instance, if drivers of other cars are suddenly using their window wipers and their brakes, the system might conclude that the road they are driving on is wet and slippery and perhaps that visibility is reduced. It will then warn you, before communicating your response to other system users.

Such information should help business travellers cut journey times whilst at the same time making them both safer and more comfortable.

"So whereas satellite navigation may initially be about comfort and efficiency, once moving about, once it starts identifying obstacles, it becomes a safety issue as well," reasons Mr Draeger.

Business tool

Other features include close connectivity between a driver's desktop computer and the computer in the car.

If you schedule a meeting in the office, the information can be sent directly to your car.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

This is an area where we can create luxury in the premium segment”

End Quote Stefan Jacoby Volvo Cars' chief executive

Directions will be automatically entered into the satnav. Nearby hotels will be identified and an electronic booking can be made from the car. An electronic diary in the car can alert you to make sure you leave on time to be at the appointment as scheduled.

The car will also synchronise your emails, which can be read out aloud, or let you respond to Facebook messages while waiting for traffic lights to turn green.

Parking the car can be done with the assistance of a bird's-eye view of the car on a screen - or remotely, while you are standing outside the car watching it glide into a parking space.

Modern luxury

Other carmakers are also making their cars more intuitive and better connected with the world around them.

Audi's latest satnav system is linked to the internet, providing "real-time traffic information, traffic-influenced turn-by-turn directions and alerts to accidents and other incidents along their route".

Recent models from Mercedes will tell you when you seem tired and when the car in front is slowing down. Volvo, meanwhile, is trying to make its cars' electronics easier to understand and use.

Don't talk and drive. Let the car do it for you.

"To have a machine that is easy to control, like an iPhone or an iPad, is luxury these days," says Volvo Cars' chief executive Stefan Jacoby

"This is an area where we can create luxury in the premium segment. I think there will be more intelligent choices."

Safety implications

The list of applications goes on and on and over time it will get even longer, according to Tim Routsis, chief executive of engineering company Cosworth.

"The younger generation is always connected when they are at home or in the office, and increasingly they want the same in their cars," he says.

Giving them what they want is not an easy task, however, not least because of the safety implications of introducing some of these technologies to drivers whose attention should be on the road.

Some applications may improve safety, but others may distract, so a major challenge will relate to how and when communication should take place.

Solutions will need to become much more sophisticated than they are today, Mr Routsis reasons.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

Increasingly, it's starting to drive buying decisions”

End Quote Tim Routsis Cosworth's chief executive

For instance, a blanket ban on reprogramming satnavs or writing Twitter messages whilst the car is in motion will be irritating for a passenger who should be able to engage with the electronics without disturbing the driver.

"So to facilitate this, the system will need to detect whether it is the driver or the passenger using the system," he says.

Driving buying decisions

Hence, as the list of applications gets longer, so does the list of challenges facing the industry, Mr Routsis believes.

And yet, he expects carmakers to do all it can to deliver.

"In-car technologies offer new points of differentiation," he continues.

"And increasingly, it's starting to drive buying decisions."

ඩිල්ෂාන්ගේ ලේ සාම්පල අරගෙන නෑ Tillakaratne Dilshan tells BBC he didn't even give a blood sample

ඩිල්ෂාන්ගේ ලේ සාම්පල අරගෙන නෑ
Tillakaratne Dilshan tells BBC he didn't even give a blood sample

Cricket World Cup: Tillakaratne Dilshan column


Dilshan took 4-4 in three overs to add to his 144 in Sri Lanka's victory

By Sri Lanka batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan
BBC exclusive

On Wednesday, there were reports that I had failed a dope test.

It is not the first time these kind of allegations have surfaced - they have done so after every recent tournament I have played in.

I feel like there is an attempt to distract my game but I am not worried. I try to ignore the reports and concentrate on my game instead.

What actually happened is the International Cricket Council randomly selected Ajantha Mendis and Chamara Silva to give blood samples after our game against Australia.

They did not even take my blood sample so I simply don't know where these reports have come from.

But I was not trying to reply my critics, or to those reports, in Thursday's performance against Zimbabwe. I was not under any pressure, nor was I angry, but it is not pleasant when attempts are being made to distract you, especially when you are playing in a World Cup.

But what a great day Thursday was. It was my best performance in my one-day international career. It makes it more special that it came during the World Cup.


Upul Tharanga
Tharanga contributed 133 to the record first-wicket partnership

And full credit to Upul Tharanga; it was his support and determination that kept me going as we put on a record 282 for the first wicket.

I am really happy that together we got two World Cup records - the first time both openers recorded centuries and beating the 194 set by Pakistan's Saeed Anwar and Wajahatullah Wasti in 1999 - but our focus was winning the game not the record.

The pitch in Muttiah Muralitharan stadium in Pallekele, Kandy, suited the batsmen. It was a superb wicket for one-day internationals. Both captains were worried about the dew if they were to bat second.

Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura's decision to bowl after winning the toss was the correct decision, Sri Lanka would have done the same.

Our middle order batsmen went out while trying to score quick runs after myself and Tharanga steadied the innings. I don't think we should worry about the middle order. It was not a batting collapse. They had 20-25 balls left and they tried to get the maximum runs within a short period of time.

Then, as we were playing one specialist spinner in Muttiah Muralitharan, I had a role to play as a part-time spinner and I performed well but it would have been better had I managed to get five wickets in addition to the 144 runs I scored.


Tillakaratne Dilshan was speaking to Saroj Pathirana of the BBC Sinhala Service.

2011 Cricket World Cup Opening Ceremony in Bangladesh - VIDEOS

2011 Cricket World Cup Opening Ceremony in Bangladesh

Cricket is a great sport and the Cricket World Cup is the highlight of every cricket lover’s year. This time the event, which is held every four years, will be even more memorable for cricket lovers living in Bangladesh.

On February 18, 2009, Haroon Lorgat, the Chief Executive of the International Cricket Council, announced that the opening ceremony of the 2011 Cricket World Cup will be held in Bangladesh. The event will take place almost exactly two years from now on February 19, 2011, and proceedings will coincide with the opening game which will also take place in Bangladesh on the same day. That is exciting news for both cricket lovers in Bangladesh and the people of the country in general as the move will no doubt generate a lot of tourism and cast a spotlight on the country, hopefully helping to further improve its image and economy.

Haroon Lorgat also said that the number of matches to be played at the fifteen different selected venues had been discussed. It is obvious that the event should be used to bolster local tourism efforts and every endeavor must be made to ensure that it is a massive success. If you would like to combine sport with leisure, you’ll be happy to know that the World Cup will be making its way to either Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, Narayanganj Osmani Stadium in Fatullah or the Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. The final decision as to which stadium will be used for the event is yet to be made.

No doubt, this means that Bandladesh will experience a lot of tourist-related development as city officials try to ensure that it is completely ready to receive this prestigious event and the many tourists that travel with it. Though it is still some time before the 2011 Cricket World Cup takes place, fans would definitely do well to book well in advance to avoid disappointment. Visitors from other countries would also do well to take advantage of their trip and explore the country between matches so that they can learn a little bit more about the rich beauty that is to be found in Bangladesh.

http://www.bangladesh.com/blog/2011-cricket-world-cup-opening-ceremony-in-bangladesh

YOU'RE MY NUMBER ONE - Enrique Iglesias

YOU'RE MY NUMBER ONE

~Enrique Iglesias

I've kissed the moon a million times
Danced with angels in the sky
I've seen snowfall in the summertime
Felt the healing of the powers above

I've seen the world from he highest mountain
Tasted love from the purest fountain
I've seen lips that spark desire
Felt the butterflies a hundred times

I've even seen miracles
I've felt the pain disappear
But still haven't seen anything
That amazes me quite like you do

You bring me up when I'm feeling down
You touch me deep you touch me right
You do the things I've never done
You make me wicked you make me wild
'Cause baby, your my #1

I've sailed in a perfect dream
I've seen the sun make love to the sea
I've kissed the moon a million times
Danced with angels in the sky

I've even seen miracles
I've seen the tears disappear
But still haven't seen anything
That amazes me quite like you do

Akala Sandya - අකාල සන්ධ්‍යා - Watch Free Here Compleately

Akala Sandya - අකාල සන්ධ්‍යා

අකාල සන්ධ්‍යා නොහොත් කාලත්‍රයේ තීර්ථ යාත්‍රිකයා

Complete Teledrama by Col3 site

Watch Whole TV series..at
http://www.col3negoriginal.net/watch.php?id=4454

High-pitched music could damage ears

high-pitched music could damage ears- iti

http://www.dailymirror.lk

By Nabeela Hussain

A majority of youth in the country who use MP3 players, iPods and music players attached to Ear buds or In-ear head phones and listen to music at very high levels were facing the possibility of permanent ear damage, a research conducted by the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) of the Science and Technology Ministry said. ITI Senior Deputy Director, Ananda Pannila said that increased volume, listening to high volume constantly and the proximity of the high volume cause’s the loss of hearing.

Lankan youth face ear phone damage
He explained that an artificial ear was created for the purpose of the research that begun a few months ago.

“We tested how the ear would be affected at different volume levels and we have recommended that close to 50% of the volume should be used when listening to music and only for 3-4 hours a day,” he said.

Mr. Pannila also said that the recommended volume should not be changed when using ear phones while travelling or in public places.

“We also recommend that if they are used at a volume of 90% or more then it is advisable to use the ear phone for only 10 minutes,” he said.

Mr. Pannila explained that with the high volume that is emitted through the ear phones, damage sensitive hair cells which converted sound energy to electric signals that were read by the brain were damaged. He explained that an artificial ear was created for the purpose of the research that begun a few months ago.

“We tested how the ear would be affected at different volume levels and we have recommended that close to 50% of the volume should be used when listening to music and only for 3-4 hours a day,” he said. Mr. Pannila also said that the recommended volume should not be changed when using ear phones while travelling or in public places.

“We also recommend that if they are used at a volume of 90% or more then it is advisable to use the ear phone for only 10 minutes,” he said.

Mr. Pannila explained that with the high volume that is emitted through the ear phones, damage sensitive hair cells which converted sound energy to electric signals that were read by the brain were damaged.

Making of Katy Perry - Firework-

Making of Firework-

Katy Perry

Katy Perry's boobs shoot firecrackers in the new video for "Firework." There is no way that this fact was lost on the clip's creators.

Yes, of course, it's not lost on me, either, that the sparks are supposed to be interpreted as flying from her heart, or her soul, or whatever. But this, after the summer of "California Gurls," which featured the pop star's infamous breasts sporting a whipped cream-canon bra. Perry's cleavage got her in trouble with some parents watching "Sesame Street" -- a snafu to which Perry reacted to be wearing a tight, equally revealing t-shirt on "Saturday Night Live." It's like Christine O'Donnell declaring in campaign commercials that she's "not a witch" -- a rumor which she hoped to drop by further promoting it.

But you couldn't shoot fireworks, say, from the tops of their heads, or their nether regions or from their shoulders. Because then that would look just plain silly. So bosoms it is, and thus two making a trend of things exploding out from Katy Perry's breasts (three, if you count "controversy" from the "Sesame" snag).

So anyway, the ludicrousness of fireworks flying from Katy Perry's and others' chests overshadows (pun intended) the clip's larger intent and message: you just keep being you.

In my review of "Teenage Dream," "Fireworks" was one of my favorite tracks from the set, and revisiting, it holds up. I like its message, I like its delivery. Perry has gone on to dedicate it to the "It Gets Better" campaign, which encourages gay teenagers that the bullying, the inner conflicts, the search for a partner -- it gets better.

But the feel-good gets a honey-sticky makeover, sometimes cheapening the problems presented. A kid about to get robbed by thugs SHOULD NOT try and pull magic tricks on them. A cancer-stricken child likely doesn't have the energy to go dancing in the public square.

[More after the jump...]

http://www.hitfix.com

Inception and Social Network win Writers Guild awards

Christopher Nolan called his award 'an incredible honour'

Film Awards 2011

• Special Report: Oscars 2011
• King's Speech leads Oscars field
• Oscar nominations 2011 in full
• Firth leads British Oscar charge

Sci-fi thriller Inception and Facebook movie The Social Network have won the main prizes at the Writers Guild of America (WGA) awards.

Inception, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, won best original screenplay, while The Social Network was named best adapted screenplay.

The King's Speech, which is nominated for 12 Oscars, was ineligible for the awards and did not make the shortlist.

Winners were announced at simultaneous ceremonies in New York and Los Angeles.

British-born film-maker Christopher Nolan, who wrote, produced and directed Inception, called the award an "incredible honour".

He said the prize would have been more significant if "certain other screenplays" had been nominated, without naming The King's Speech.

The Royal drama is in the running for the best original screenplay Oscar, against Nolan's Inception.

It was ruled out of contention for the WGA awards because it was not produced under contractual guidance issued by the union.

Nolan added that he had been "heartbroken" when the script for Memento had fallen outside WGA guidelines nine years ago.

Social Network writer Aaron Sorkin said: "I wrote a good screenplay, but [director] David Fincher made a great movie."

The writers of Mad Men were honoured for best television drama, with Boardwalk Empire collecting the award for outstanding new TV drama.

British screenwriter Peter Morgan, whose previous credits include The Queen and Frost/Nixon, was awarded for his work on small screen drama The Special Relationship.

The WGAs are seen as a good indicator of which films will win writing plaudits at the Oscars, because many of its members also belong to the Academy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12376227

Inception and Social Network win Writers Guild awards

Christopher Nolan called his award 'an incredible honour'

Film Awards 2011

• Special Report: Oscars 2011
• King's Speech leads Oscars field
• Oscar nominations 2011 in full
• Firth leads British Oscar charge

Sci-fi thriller Inception and Facebook movie The Social Network have won the main prizes at the Writers Guild of America (WGA) awards.

Inception, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, won best original screenplay, while The Social Network was named best adapted screenplay.

The King's Speech, which is nominated for 12 Oscars, was ineligible for the awards and did not make the shortlist.

Winners were announced at simultaneous ceremonies in New York and Los Angeles.

British-born film-maker Christopher Nolan, who wrote, produced and directed Inception, called the award an "incredible honour".

He said the prize would have been more significant if "certain other screenplays" had been nominated, without naming The King's Speech.

The Royal drama is in the running for the best original screenplay Oscar, against Nolan's Inception.

It was ruled out of contention for the WGA awards because it was not produced under contractual guidance issued by the union.

Nolan added that he had been "heartbroken" when the script for Memento had fallen outside WGA guidelines nine years ago.

Social Network writer Aaron Sorkin said: "I wrote a good screenplay, but [director] David Fincher made a great movie."

The writers of Mad Men were honoured for best television drama, with Boardwalk Empire collecting the award for outstanding new TV drama.

British screenwriter Peter Morgan, whose previous credits include The Queen and Frost/Nixon, was awarded for his work on small screen drama The Special Relationship.

The WGAs are seen as a good indicator of which films will win writing plaudits at the Oscars, because many of its members also belong to the Academy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12376227

"The Green Hornet" movie review

"The Green Hornet" movie review



www.nation.lk

Ranbir Kapoor voted as the Sexiest Asian Man

Ranbir Kapoor voted as the Sexiest Asian Man

http://www.nation.lk