Mother's Day

Google has celebrated Mother’s Day with a Doodle that depicts a mum cycling with her young son and daughter.
While Mother’s Day has set dates in other countries, in the UK Mothering Sunday is marked on the fourth Sunday of Lent.
The day's origins lie in domestic servants and apprentices being given the day off by their employers to visit their mother and the rest of their family.

The occasion is also linked to customs dating back to the 16th century, when it is believed that people would visit the ‘mother church’ – the main church or cathedral in their area - in the build up to Easter.
Giving a bouquet of flowers on Mothering Sunday is said to come from children picking newly-blossomed wild flowers and violets on their way to church.Mothering Sunday was also known as Refreshment Sunday, as the strict Lent rules in some denominations were relaxed. Both Old and New Testament lessons on mid-lent Sunday address the topic of food, including the well-known Gospel telling of how Jesus fed five thousand people with only five small barley loaves and two small fish.Families were therefore allowed to indulge briefly on Mother's Day, and would eat Simnel which was customarily topped with moreish sugar violets.

Louis C.K Top 5000 Louis C.K

If you like your “Saturday Night Live” episodes weird and a little bit gross, then last night’s installment was for you. Host Louis CK brought his own brand of humor to the show, that is say, a mix of anarchic, perverted and the tiniest bit sweet, wrapped up in the guise of a regular middle-aged guy.
The highlight of the episode was CK’s monologue, where he went from riffing on how irritating First World people who claim to be “starving” are, to the big stuff, taking on atheists (“I haven’t seen ‘12 Years A Slave Yet; that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist,”), why God is a single dad (“What did he do to our mom?”), and misogyny in general. The rest of the episode had its highlights, but it made one wonder what would happen if “SNL” just let the host do a full 90-minute monologue for one night, because it felt like CK had a lot more to say.
In the rest of the episode, CK primarily played either a version of “Awkward White Guy” or “Secret Weirdo.” In “Black Jeopardy,” he played a nerdy professor of African-American studies at Brigham Young University up against two black contestants who answered clues like “She think she cute” with “Who is Monique?” while CK floundered by answering “Who is unemployed fellow…black?” to the clue “It’s been a minute since he got a job.”

Benzino of VH1's 'Love & Hip-Hop,' The Source Shot

We all know that Benzino was in Boston to bury his mother and during the funeral procession, he was shot in his arm and grazed by a bullet on his back when his nephew, Gai Scott,(36) opened fire on him from his car, into the car Benzino was driving. Right now, he’s in stable condition now at South Shore hospital in Weymouth MA. His fiance Thi Thi, Stevie J, his partner and long time friend Dave Mays are all by his side. More details about this unfortunate incident will be reported here as it develops. #PrayForZino
Benzino -- the rapper, "Love and Hip-Hop: Atlanta" star and former Source co-owner --  has been hospitalized after reportedly being shot at his mother's funeral procession in Duxbury, Mass. on Saturday (March 29).
According to the Associated Press, the 48-year-old Benzino (real name: Raymond Scott) was traveling on Route 3 south of Boston just before noon when 36-year-old Gai Scott, who is the rapper's nephew, pulled alongside and fired several shots into a red SUV driven by Benzino, the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office said in a statement. Officials say there had been growing tension between the two.
Benzino, of Mansfield, Mass., got out of the SUV after being struck and was taken by a passerby to the Duxbury Police Department and then transferred to a hospital.

'The Source' Accuses Eminem Of Racism

36-year-old Gai Scott was placed under arrest and charged with armed assault with intent to murder. He will be arraigned in Plymouth District Court on Mon., March 31.
Benzino was listed in good condition, a spokeswoman for South Shore Hospital in South Weymouth said Sunday morning.
Apparently, no one outside the funeral noticed something was wrong until the hearse reached the church and the priest noticed blood on it. According to WHDH, the family claims there had been tension between the two for some time.
The 48-year old Benzino is known throughout the hip-hop world for his time on "Love and Hip-Hop: Atlanta" as well as his time as co-owner of The Source, which included a lengthy public feud with Eminem.
The long-standing beef between Eminem and Benzino dates back to 2002 and the Source's ratings of Eminem's music and Benzino accusing Eminem of exploiting hip-hop culture. Benzino attacked Eminem on several diss tracks including "Pull Up Your Skirt" and "Die Another Day" while Eminem responded with tracks like "Nail In The Coffin" and "The Sauce."
Benzino was formerly a member of the Boston groups Almighty RSO and Made Men and has released four solo albums, most recently 2007's "The Antidote." Benzino left the Source in 2006 and later launched Hip-Hop Weekly a urban lifestyle magazine of which he is currently CEO

Kids' Choice Awards 2014: Hollywood's Youngest Stars Do Crop Tops & Cutouts

We're clutching our pearls after seeing the Kids' Choice Awards 2014 orange carpet.
For the Nickelodeon awards show, Hollywood's youngest stars showed off LOTS of skin in crop tops, cutouts and cleavage-baring dresses. Yeah, we know that most of these triple-threat performers are over 18, but it's still a family event.

Disney star Debby Ryan bared her midriff in a black crop top and green high-slit skirt, and "Victorious" actress Daniella Monet turned heads in a seafoam green dress with a plunging neckline. Meanwhile, "AwesomenessTV" comedian Lia Marie Johnson wore a yellow dress (one of the most popular colors of the night) with cutouts at her waistline. But Lea Michele managed to keep it super sweet in a peach lace Elie Saab dress.

Florida ousts Cinderella Dayton, cruises into Final Four Ge

Florida's senior point guard had just drained a three-pointer with two seconds left to give the Gators a 14-point halftime lead Saturday in their NCAA South Region final showdown with Dayton.
FedEx Forum was filled with oohs and ahhs. Oxygen was in shorter supply for the upstart No. 11 Flyers.
Top-seeded Florida's fourth-year players — led by Wilbekin and Patric Young — continued to provide the knockout punches, delivering the Gators to a 62-52 victory and a berth in the Final Four against Connecticut next weekend in Arlington, Texas.
BOX SCORE: Florida 62, Dayton 52
MARCH MADNESS: NCAA tournament bracket
Wilbekin struck for a game-high 23 points, knocked down clutch free throws and managed the clock to close out the victory. He was named the region's most outstanding player. Young scored 12 points, pulled down six rebounds and blocked four shots to frustrate Dayton.
"We just focused on playing good team ball, utilizing each other," Young said. "Whatever advantage we saw we had, we just kept sticking to that. Early, that was me inside. Later it was Scottie."
The Gators, 36-2 and winners of 30 consecutive games, meet Connecticut – the last team to beat Florida – in the national semifinals next Saturday. They are in that position after falling in three consecutive Elite Eight games the past three seasons. Wilbekin, Young, Will Yeguete (four points, seven rebounds) and Casey Prather (six points, seven rebounds) stuck around in Gainesville, overcame issues and were rewarded.
Young, sporting a freshly minted South Region champions hat backwards with a net clipping hanging from the side, hauled the title trophy with him to the postgame news conference. Wilbekin, similarly attired, beamed from the dais.
FINAL FOUR: Wisconsin knocks off Arizona
It was a long road to redemption for Florida after a frustrating summer. Wilbekin was suspended for a violation of team rules. Young pondered NBA possibilities. Yeguete was trying to come back from knee surgery.

The sense of joy mixed with relief was tangible.
"The struggles that we went through this year have just made it that much more fun and brought us that much closer together," Wilbekin said. "Throughout the season, each game has just gotten more and more fun. I'm having the most fun I've ever had in my life right now. "
Dayton (26-11) got as close as eight points with 3:55 remaining but couldn't solve Florida's pressure defense and got clobbered 12-5 on the offensive glass.
It was a disappointing end to a sensational season for the Atlantic 10 tournament champs, who had eliminated Ohio State, Syracuse and Stanford to get here. Sophomore forward Dyshawn Pierre led the Flyers with 18 points. Senior forward Devin Oliver added 12 points.
"This team and these seniors re-created a vision," coach Archie Miller said. "They re-created a brand of basketball that the University of Dayton hasn't had in 30 years. That's a statement among statements.
"They're going to go down as one of the best teams in the history of Dayton basketball. I think the blueprint is now set that we know how to do it now, and we can do it."
Unfinished business remains for the Gators, trying to earn the third national championship in school history, all under coach Billy Donovan.
"When you get to the Final Four there's a public perception that this is some culmination of mountaintop that you've gotten to," Donovan said. "I've always looked at it as a six-game tournament.
"We have nice names, Elite Eight and Sweet 16 and Final Four. But at the end of the day you want to keep playing."
And to keep winning.

Sam Smith Performs 'Lay Me Down' and 'Stay With Me' on 'SNL'

NBC's "Saturday Night Live" provides a huge stage and opportunity for artists of usually high wattage to perform. So when the show-runners announced that relative unknown and newbie UK vocalist Sam Smith would take the stage on March 29, many were left scratching their heads. "Who?""

Sam Smith Readies Debut Album About 'Unrequited Love & Loneliness'

Well, Smith--a soulful crooner whose biggest hit single comes via featured appearance on duo Disclosure's 2012 jam "Latch"--made the most of his opportunity last night. When host, comedian Louis C.K., first introduced Smith, he performed "Stay With Me."

beijing

BEIJING -- The search and rescue teams working off the west coast of Australia seeking the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 discovered what oceanographers have been warning: Even the most far-flung stretches of ocean are full of garbage.

For the first time since the search focused on the south Indian Ocean 10 days ago, the skies were clear enough and the waves calm, allowing ships to retrieve the “suspicious items” spotted by planes and on satellite imagery.

But examined on board, none of it proved to be debris from the missing plane, just the ordinary garbage swirling around the ocean.
"A number of objects were retrieved by HMAS Success and Haixun 01 yesterday,’’ reported the Australian Maritime Safety Authority in a release Sunday. "The objects have been described as fishing equipment and other flotsam.’’
The disappointing results underscored the difficulty the search teams face trying to find out what happened to the Boeing 777 and its 239 passengers and crew. The plane disappeared March 8 during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
Australian authorities said Sunday that a naval support ship, the Ocean Shield, will depart from Perth on Monday with a “black box detector” supplied by the U.S. Navy. The Towered Pinger Locator 24 is towed behind the ship and carries a listening device that should be able to detect the black boxes of the plane in waters as deep as 20,000 feet.
The search team is in a race against time because black boxes' batteries last only 30 to 45 days. The odds are stacked against finding them in time without a trail of debris to guide them. Investigators for now are merely surmising that the flight crashed into the Indian Ocean, based on an analysis of the flight’s path according to engine data transmitted via satellite.
The best-known precedent is the case of Air France Flight 447, which crashed over the Atlantic on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris in 2009. It took two years to find the body of the aircraft and the black boxes, which recorded pilots' conversation and data, even though pieces of debris were found within five days.
The south Indian Ocean is one of the most remote places on the planet, far from any islands, shipping lanes or flight paths. But the area accumulates surprisingly large amounts of garbage, trapped in the gyre of slowly rotating currents.
"In addition to foul weather, administrative bungling and the vastness of the search area, the search for MH 370 has been compounded by one other factor: the incredible amount of garbage already floating in the search area — and in oceans worldwide,’’ wrote Marc Lallanilla on the website, livescience.com, where he referred to the search for Flight 370 as a “needle in a garbage patch.’’
The lack of confirmed debris has prevented families from achieving any kind of closure over the deaths of their relatives. Chinese families, in particular, have rejected the assertion of the Malaysian government that the plane crashed with no survivors.
"We want evidence, truth and dignity,’’ read banners that Chinese relatives held at an impromptu demonstration at a Kuala Lumpur hotel on Sunday.
Malaysia Airlines said Sunday that it will fly families of passengers to Perth and will set up a family assistance center to providing counseling and logistical support, but will do so “only once it has been authoritatively confirmed that they physical wreckage found is that of MH370.’’

Piers Morgan signs off at CNN, gives final shot at NRA

CNN’s Piers Morgan wrapped up the last episode of his show Friday with a final punch at the NRA and a plea for Americans to take action on gun control.

The embattled self-titled interview-style show was cancelled by the network due to its lackluster ratings. Critics said the British native was out of touch with American culture and issues.

Morgan began his sign-off by thanking his staff and the network for the opportunity to work on his own show, which was meant to replace the legendary Larry King time slot.

“We gave everything we had and loved every minute of it. Well, almost every minute of it,” Morgan said.

His sign-off then turned into a political commmentary on gun control. He said he respects Americans and agreed with a statement his brother, a Colonel in the Royal British Army, said, “You always want an American next to you in a trench when the going gets tough.”

“But that’s where I think guns belong, on a military battlefield” Morgan added. “Not in the hands of civilians.”

He called gun violence a “disease” inflicting the country.

“The gun lobby in America, led by the NRA, has bullied this nation’s politicians into cowardly [sic] silence even when 20 children are blown away in their classrooms,” said Morgan.

Morgan has been criticised for his anti-gun stance. In a January 2013 interview with conservative talk show host Dana Loesch and Scottie Hughes, a woman whose brother was a victim of gun violence, Morgan lost his interview composure arguing for strict gun control laws. He crumpled his notes and ended the interview.

On Friday, however, Morgan appealed to his audience that his views were for the good of the American people.

“I’m so pro-American I want more of you to stay alive,” he said

Kenan & Kel’ Reunite To Honor Dan Schneider At Kids’ Choice Awards

Kenan Thompson, Kel Mitchell, and many other Nickelodeon stars got together to celebrate show creator Dan Schneider at the 2014 Kids’ Choice Awards. The stars paid tribute to Dan, who created many hit shows such as ‘Kenan & Kel,’ Sam & Cat,’ and even ‘All That’!

Congrats, Dan Schneider! The Nickelodeon genius was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2014 KCAs.

‘Kenan & Kel’ Reunite For Nickelodeon’s Dan Schneider

Who loves orange soda? Kel loves orange soda!

Kenan and Kel stars Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell reunited on Saturday, March 29 in Los Angeles for the Kids’ Choice Awards. The two actors starred together on the hit 1996 show, created by Nickelodeon’s Dan Schneider.

Kenan and Kel reunited to celebrate Dan’s career during the KCAs, along with many other Nickelodeon stars. Ariana Grande, Avan Jogia, Drake Bell, and many more took the stage to honor Dan with a very special Lifetime Achievement Award.

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Kenan & Kel Have Not Spoken In ‘A Minute’

Kel, who is still acting and has even appeared on Nickelodeon’s Sam and Cat, has a major social media presence. The actor is on Twitter and Instagram, and he also keeps his official website up to date.
On March 19, Kel did an interview with Madame Noire saying that he and Kel had not been in contact in quite some time.
“Super happy for Kenan on SNL,” Kel shared. “I mean when he got the job, excited about it. have we spoken in a while? No, I haven’t seen Kenan in a minute. But we took two different paths.”
Rumors of a beef between the two stars surfaced on the internet a few years ago, but Kel says that is simply not the case.“I’m still happy for him, there’s no beef or anything like that.” Kel explained. “I know everybody on the internet wanna know what’s going on, but I got love for my brother It’s good to know these two are not beefing! However, it should be noted that while Kel posted lots of Instagram photos from the KCAs, not one of them was with his “brother” Kenan.

Kevin Ware transferring from Louisville

One year after suffering a gruesome broken leg in the Elite Eight against Duke, Louisville guard Kevin Ware has decided to transfer.
ESPN.com first reported the news.
It's not an entirely unexpected move, as Ware will likely look to transfer closer to home. The Georgia native is redshirting this season after injuring his right leg again back in December. Ware only played nine games this season before ending his campaign.
Ware was one of the most well-known players in college basketball throughout the summer after his injury against Duke last season. When he returned to play against Pikeville College in a preseason exhibition game, it looked to be the start of a tremendous comeback story. However, Ware will now depart the Cardinals.
Louisville loses Russ Smith and Luke Hancock on the perimeter next season, but Chris Jones and Terry Rozier are talented enough to hold down the fort in the backcourtMoreover, Rick Pitino brings in four-star point guard Quentin Snider and talented wing Shaqquan Aaron.Louisville's season ended on Friday against Kentucky in the Sweet 16.

Earthquake, aftershocks rattle Southern Calif

LOS ANGELES — A 5.1 earthquake centered at La Habra near Los Angeles rolled Southern California Friday evening.
The strong earthquake was felt widely across the region shortly after 9 p.m. PT. The USGS said the epicenter was one mile from Brea, located about 20 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles, and three miles from Rowland Heights and Fullerton.
Southern California Edison reported power outages to nearly 2,000 customers following the quake.
The quake triggered a rockslide that closed Carbon Canyon Road in northern Orange County near the center of the quake, the California Highway Patrol and Brea police reported. The rockslide caused a car to overturn, and the people inside the car sustained minor injuries.
Up to 50 people have been displaced due to housing damage, the Orange County Register reported.
Seven water leaks, including a broken water main in Fullerton, not far from the center of the quake, were attributed to the temblor, the Register reported. Other minor structural damage was reported in Brea, La Habra and Buena Park.
The quake was felt as far south as San Diego and as far north as Ventura County, according to citizen responses collected online by the U.S. Geological Survey.
More than two dozen aftershocksrattled the region. The 5.1 quake was preceded by a 3.6 quake an hour earlier.

Police and fire officials said they were looking for any damage. Several people who live in the area near the quake posted pictures on social media showing broken glasses and dishes that tumbled from shelves or cabinets.
Tom Connolly, a Boeing employee who lives in La Mirada, the next town over from La Habra, said the magnitude-5.1 quake lasted about 30 seconds.
"We felt a really good jolt. It was a long rumble and it just didn't feel like it would end," he told The Associated Press by phone. "Right in the beginning it shook really hard, so it was a little unnerving. People got quiet and started bracing themselves by holding on to each other. It was a little scary."
Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully was on the air calling the Angels-Dodgers exhibition game in the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium.
"A little tremor here in the ballpark. I'm not sure if the folks felt it, but we certainly felt it here in press box row," Scully said. "A tremor and only that, thank goodness."Los Angeles Department of Public Works said it was sending crews to check dams, bridges and other infrastructure for damage.
Callers to KNX-AM reported seeing a brick wall collapse, water sloshing in a swimming pool, and wires and trees swaying back and forth.
"Tonight's earthquake is the second in two weeks, and reminds us to be prepared," said L.A. Mayor Garcetti. "The Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments have conducted an assessment and report no damage in the City."
U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Lucy Jones at CalTech in Pasadena told the Los Angeles Times that the 5.1 quake has a 5% chance of being a foreshock of an even larger quake. "There could be even a larger earthquake in the next few hours or the next few days," she said.
Preliminary data suggest Friday night's 5.1 magnitude earthquake occurred near the Puente Hills thrust fault, which stretches from the San Gabriel Valley to downtown Los Angeles and caused the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake, Jones said.
"It's a place where we've had a lot of earthquakes in the past," she said.
The 5.9 Whittier Narrows quake killed eight people and caused $360 million in damage.
At Disneyland in Anaheim, rides were stopped as a precaution, the L.A. Times reported.
Friday's quake hit a week after a pre-dawn magnitude-4.4 quake centered in the San Fernando Valley rattled a swath of Southern California. That jolt shook buildings and rattled nerves, but did not cause significant damage.
Southern California has not experienced a damaging earthquake since the 1994 magnitude-6.7 Northridge quake killed several dozen people and caused $25 billion in damage.

Katherine Webb and AJ McCarron engaged

Sorry Brent Musburger - Katherine Webb is off the market.
The beautiful 24-year-old brunette model is engaged to long-time boyfriend AJ McCarron, 23, a former University of Alabama quarterback headed for May's NFL draft.

“WE’RE ENGAGEDDD!!!” the former Miss Alabama tweeted Friday evening, under a picture of the happy couple hugging and smiling, a massive ring prominently displayed on the quarterback’s left shoulder.
She tweeted a second photo of the stunning diamond ring up-close, bragging “He designed it himself.”
The bombshell gained notoriety nationally after ESPN/ABC commentator Brent Musburger spotted her in the crowd during the 2013 BCS National Championship Game and noted what a “beautiful” woman McCarron was dating.

“You quarterbacks get all the good-looking women,” Musburger joked with booth partner Kirk Herbstreit, a former QB himself.
McCarron won two national titles as Alabama’s starting quarterback and finished second in the Heisman trophy race in December 2013 McCarron and Webb began dating in 2012 - after the model graduated from interstate rival Auburn University.

Japan’s Earthquake: Deciphering the Fury

The events that have afflicted Japan since the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami of March 11 are all too well known, but the events that occurred before and the even more ominous events that may occur in the near future are less known.

With the help of seismologist Chen Ji from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Curiouser & Curiouser host Jai Ranganathan explains the plate tectonics underlying the enormously powerful earthquake, how that crustal shift generated a deadly tsunami, and why that release of pent-up fury may presage even greater violence in the future, and not less.For more information on the Fukushima disaster, check out our three-part series on the topic:

Behind the Japanese Nuclear Reactor Crisis
Engineering professor Theo Theofanous, long recognized for his work on risk and accident analysis specifically focused on nuclear reactors, begins the first of three podcasts on the Fukushima incident with Curiouser & Curiouser host Jai Ranganathan.

Japanese Nuclear Crisis: How Does This End?
In Part II, Theofanous discusses the options Japan has to avert even greater catastrophe at the badly damaged Fukushima 1 Nuclear Power Plant.The Dilemma and Future of Nuclear Power

In Part III, Theofanous talks about the health impacts of radiation leaking from the crippled Japanese nuclear power plant and about the future of nuclear power.