The Dictator (aka Sacha Baron Cohen) Responds To Oscar Ban

Introducing the Huawei Ascend D quad

Disneyland's Swiss Alpine Matterhorn Not Part of New Film

   The Matterhorn, Disneyland's  very popular ride attraction, is undergoing a $1-million overhaul.  Disney officials say the rennovations will not result in significant changes to the ride.  The almost 15-story roller coaster will be covered in scaffolding and closed for repairs for six months. Like all rides and/or attractions, the Matterhorn has to be maintained.  Typically the repairs on the Matterhorn last 30-60 days per year.  To reduce the effect of repair closures on a park's business most theme parks, like Universal Studios and Knott's Berry Farm, try to schedule major rennovations during the slowest part of the year- between the Christmas holiday and spring break, or in the autumn, after the peak summer season.  Disneyland says, there are no plans to connect the Matterhorn rennovations with an adventure movie that Walt Disney Studios is developing that is largely in the Pennine Swiss Alps.  See also, http://www.latimes.com/.

Pop Superstar MADONNA at Super Bowl XLVI, HALFTIME Show

Madonna's Super Marketing

   Madonna was not concerned that many of the fans from Indiana that were at Super Bowl XLVI were conservative Republican, and do not really consider themselves fans of Madonna.  Super Bowl XLVI's Halftime Show performance was possibly more outrageous than the one of the more famous (or infamous) shows of pervious years...Janet Jackson's nipple incident.  Known as one of the most talked about 10 minutes on American television, the Super Bowl has never been short on entertaining milestones.  Part of the success of, marching warriors pulling a massive chariot, trumpets announcing the arrival of Madonna, bejeweled human serpents, a tightrope walker who back flips from his tightrope as Madonna walks by, Madonna looking like a 53-year-old cheerleader, etc., is that the performance was well rehearsed and ingeniously used as an extravagent halftime show to promote Madonna's upcoming album, tour, and new videos.  The chariot, choir, and cheerleader, might be coming to a city near you, as her tour is expected to start sometime in May 2012.  See also, http://www.nytimes.com/.

Netflix Television Streaming Getting Bigger Than Big

   Launched in 1997 with the goal of people not having to drive to the video store, Netflix Inc. became a hit with consumers and helped push the movie rental chain Blockbuster into bankruptcy.  The video-by-mail company, Netflix, charged customers a small monthly fee for unlimited DVDs by mail.  Netflex then expanded into Internet streaming in 2007.  For most of that time motion pictures consisted of more than 80% of the DVDs shipped and almost all of the Internet streaming consisted of motion pictures.  Now less than 40% of the 2 billion-plus hours of video streamed via Internet during the fourth quarter of 2011 originated on the big screen.  The ability to 'package' entire seasons of television production into a single DVD volume, with say, one or two video discs is leading the attractiveness to consumers.  For instance, if you didn't see 13 episodes, a typical number of episodes for a television season, of any one of your favorite television shows you simply order the weeks you want from Netflix, and catch up on everything you've missed.   See also, http://www.nytimes.com/.