Recreation

Royal Party and Read-a-thon to Mark Charles Dickens' 200th Birthday

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:25:32 GMT

Charles Dickens may have died in 1870, but legions of fans around the world will unite on Tuesday and beyond to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of this titan of English fiction.

Queen Elizabeth is throwing a star-studded party for him at Buckingham Palace and leading cultural figures will gather in an old orphanage to read from his

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Super Bowl Hero: Giants' Rookie Battled Cancer to Live Dream

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:53:27 GMT

112 million Americans will watch Mark Herzlich take the field tomorrow, a rookie linebacker and cancer survivor whose story has inspired Super Bowl fans across the country.

The New York Giant player delivered a powerful message of hope across the social media network, Twitter, as he arrived in Indianapolis with his teammates and coaches.

He reminded fans
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Preview the Funniest Super Bowl Ads of 2012

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:59:12 GMT

The Super Bowl TV ads are as much anticipated as the game itself.

Humorous commercials have always created buzz with the public in the days following Sunday's game, like last year's Volkswagon ad, "The Force," which featured a boy in a Darth Vadar costume. Betty White's football smack-down in a Snickers ad stole the show in 2010.

This year, advertisers are
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Ellen DeGeneres Helps Heroic Teacher Who Pledged to Work for Free

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:13:30 GMT

Last month, teachers in Chester, Pennsylvania were hailed as heroes when they pledged to work for free after their school district ran out of the funds to make payroll.

The leader of the teacher movement, Sara Ferguson, sat in Michelle Obama's box at the State of the Union address, and appeared as a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
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Film Review: "Big Miracle" Whale Tale is a Charmer

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:49:56 GMT

In this delightful family movie based on a true story, a family of gray whales, stranded beneath the ice near the northern-most Alaskan town of Barrow, brings together old foes in an inspiring rescue operation that catches the attention of the whole world.

John Krasinski plays a small-time TV reporter, Adam, whose "Adam Around Alaska" stories aren’t
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Michael Jackson's Children Imprint Father's Glove in Hollywood Cement (w/ Video)

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:57:26 GMT

Late pop star Michael Jackson was immortalized in cement on Thursday when his three children stamped the "Thriller" singer's glove and shoe prints in the hallowed concrete courtyard of Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

Jackson's daughter Paris, 13, imprinted her father's iconic silver sequined glove and scrawled his name into the cement, adding a heart in between Michael and
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Justin Bieber's Organ Donor Encouragement Causes Spike in Registrations

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:57:55 GMT

After a fan Tweeted Justin Bieber asking for his help, as a fellow Canadian, to save lives (like hers) by promoting organ donation, he responded and his fans have done the same.

After re-tweeting her original plea, he responded directly to the girl who is in need of a lung transplant saying she has "amazing strength" and he wants to help.
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Obama Singing Al Green is Now a Free Ringtone

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:03:55 GMT

President Obama's falsetto rendition of Al Green at an Apollo Theater fundraiser last week is now available as a ringtone.

His official website is offering a free download of the President singing his favorite line of the soulful hit, "Let's Stay Together".

The ringtone, available for iPhones and other smartphones, features the 8 second line, I-I'm, so-oo
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Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman Unveil 'We Can Be Heroes' Campaign for Horn of Africa

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:26:57 GMT

DC Entertainment, home of some of the greatest super heroes, today unleashed a giving campaign to help fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa. A multi-million-dollar commitment over the next two years by partners Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner will feature DC Entertainment's Justice League characters, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and The Flash,
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British Woman Becomes First to Ski Across Antarctica Alone

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:22:28 GMT

British adventurer Felicity Aston became the first athlete ever to ski across Antarctica alone, using only her own muscle power.

She completed the crossing of the icy continent today, becoming the first woman to make the trek alone on skis. She accomplished her goal in 59 days, pulling two sleds with supplies for 1083 miles (1744 km)
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UPDATE: Homeless Science Whiz Given $50K Scholarship on Ellen Show

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:47:16 GMT

New York high school senior Samantha Garvey appeared Thursday as a guest on the "Ellen" talk show, where she received a $50,000 scholarship from AT&T to the college of her choice.

Last week, Garvey was named a semifinalist in the prestigious Intel science contest. The story of the aspiring marine biologist attracted national attention after it was
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Julie Leven Brings Classical Music to Homeless Shelters

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:05:03 GMT

Through her program Shelter Music Boston, professional violinist Julie Leven brings live music to residents that feeds their souls and makes them feel 'elegant.'

At their first performance, Leven says, all the women looked tired. But she was bowled over by the interest the women took in the music – and their attentiveness.

“They were extremely responsive,”
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Clooney, DiCaprio and Kardashian Bring in $5 million at Sean Penn Haiti Benefit

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:25:21 GMT
Hollywood's biggest stars marked the two-year anniversary of the massive Haiti earthquake last week, gathering on Saturday to raise five million dollars for Sean Penn's J/P Haitian Relief Organization, which was set up to support thousands of displaced people living in a settlement camp there.
At the event, which featured an auction of celebrity items,
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Tuskegee Airmen Join Obamas for White House‎ Screening of New Lucas Film About the Black Aviators

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:56:45 GMT

President Barack Obama and the First Lady invited Star Wars Director George Lucas and a few of the cast members from his new film, Red Tails, to the White House Friday for a movie night. But the guests of honor were a few of the original Tuskegee Airmen, the black WW II aviators whose story brought to the
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Inner City Black Kids Dominate Rich Man's Sport, Win Polo Championship

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:24:02 GMT

Polo is expensive, exclusive and played mostly by wealthy white men. But that didn't matter to Lezlie Hiner. In 1996, she started the first-ever African-American polo team in the country, to keep inner-city kids off the streets and in school.

Her non-profit organization, Work to Ride, teaches 20 boys and girls from the worst neighborhoods in Philadelphia to ride
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Eddie Van Halen Donates 75 Guitars to Schools

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:39:37 GMT

Rocker Eddie Van Halen has donated 75 electric guitars from his personal collection to Los Angeles-area high schools as a way to inspire music in kids.

Tricia Steel of the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation says the Van Halen lead-guitarist brought the brand-new guitars this week, saying he wanted them used in schools and not
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Painting Tucked Under NY Couch for 25 Years May be Michelangelo's

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:09:55 GMT

One of Italy's most esteemed art conservators said the clues are in the under layers. The color preparation. The sophisticated palette. The tiny brush strokes and minute changes in detail. The 470-year-old piece of spruce wood.

The conclusion? A painting depicting a fallen Jesus in Mary's arms and flanked by two angels stashed under a couch
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Substitute Cricket Player Makes Greatest Catch of All Time (Video)

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:34:27 GMT

A substitute cricket player, Bevan Small, 19, was a surprise hero last week when he made an amazing play for New Zealand by simultaneously jumping over the boundary line and throwing the ball back to his teammate.

The ball looked to have cleared the boundary but Small soared into the air back over the boundary rope and, still
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Charlie Sheen Makes Good on Promise, Sends $25K to Alabama Tornado Relief

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 13:59:29 GMT

Actor Charlie Sheen quietly donated $25,000 in December to help tornado relief in Alabama, making good on a pledge to help survivors of the deadly twisters even though some had doubted his promises.

The head of Tuscaloosa's tourism agency, Don Staley, said a representative of Sheen recently turned over money that came in through a fundraising
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Dallas Cowboy Football Star Battles Domestic Violence

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:34:31 GMT

Jason Witten, the Cowboy tight end superstar, is seeking to break the cycle of family violence by encouraging male mentors to volunteer in domestic violence shelters, be positive role models for women and children, and coach boys on how to treat girls.

Witten's mother thankfully fled from a violent household, taking Jason and his two brothers
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