Saturday, August 17, 2013

NFL hype, cardboard churches and raging British actors


- Very few people can afford to live at 740 Park Avenue, but those who can should be able to afford better security. The address’ past residents have included banking magnate John D. Rockefeller Jr., philanthropist Irene Guggenheim, designer Vera Wang and conserva-Nazi businessman David Koch and that list is bound to attract some elite thieves attempting to relieve those rich folks of their prized possessions. Just since May, the thefts have included: his and hers Patek Philippe watches, a Rolex watch and diamond earrings and a diamond necklace (more than $100,000 total), a diamond bracelet and rhinestone pin ($82,400), two diamond earrings and other jewelry ($53,000) and a $7,500 wrist watch. New York City Police are investigating grand larceny robberies at the posh address, none of which showed signs of forced entry, according to Sgt. Carlos Nieves. Because the uber-rich believe the whole world revolves around their problems, the building's real estate firm, Brown Harris Stevens, also is investigating, said Amy Gotzler, senior vice president of communications. The investigation centers on four robberies that occurred while residents were on vacation, between May 30 and July 30. Since it was completed in 1930, 740 Park Avenue has housed loads of famous people and its list of current residents includes business magnate Steve Schwarzman. Units at 740 Park Avenue units have sold for as much as $29.9 million and it has developed a reputation as reputation as one of the strictest, hardest to get into and most exclusive buildings around. Most experts believe the thefts are an inside job, which makes sense in a certain respect, but also means the thief is taking a lot of chances because everyone will know who he or she is if they are caught…………


- “Coronation Street” actor Chris Fountain needs too find a better disguise. The British actor Fountain has been suspended from the ITV soap after he was exposed as a masked rapper posting violent and threatening videos on YouTube. Yes, a white British actor went gangsta rap on YouTube. Fountain (allegedly) Fountain used his rap alter-ego The Phantom to post the videos online, which included lyrics about committing acts of violence and raping women. Among the offensive lyrics are: "I'm a motherfucking demon, I'll stab you in the face with a diseased needle" and "I'll bench press a house, I'll bench press a house, I'll bench press your wife, yeah, your spouse." Aside from being offensive because he’s truly terrible as a rapper and an insult to even the worst actual rapper in the game, Fountain somehow managed to offend a lot of ladies out there as well and in response, he released a statement apologizing for the videos. "I am deeply ashamed by the lyrics and very much regret my behavior," he said. "The videos were made over a year ago when I was experimenting with music and I've not done anything like it since, nor will I." ITV also chimed in and released its own statement apologizing. “ITV find both the language used and the views expressed in this video totally unacceptable. Chris Fountain has been suspended pending further inquiries into this matter,” the statement read. After all of that, of course, Fountain will keep his job and after some time hiding in the shadows, he will get back to his inner misogynistic self…….. 


- Let them worship in a ginormous cardboard box. That is the cry from Christchurch, New Zealand, where a $6 million cardboard cathedral was officially dedicated, replacing the neo-Gothic structure destroyed in a 2011 earthquake that killed 185 people. The new, corrugated church is made from nearly 100 24-inch cardboard tubes coated with waterproof polyurethane and best of all, it’s only temporary. Church officials hope it will last for more than a decade while a permanent replacement is built. Made of cardboard or not, the temporary house of worship includes a mosaic of colored, triangular glass etched with images from the original cathedral’s facade, which dates to 1864. The church’s acting dean, Lynda Patterson said that the official opening of the innovative structure marked a major milestone in the city's recovery from the devastating 6.3-magnitude quake that leveled much of the downtown area. "The old cathedral symbolized the city in many ways and we think this cathedral is a symbol that Christchurch is regrouping and rebuilding," she said. "The community has a cathedral again. It's a place where people can come for quiet contemplation in the city center and somewhere we can hold concerts and art exhibitions." Nothing instills pride in a body of believers quite like a house of God made of old refrigerator and flat-screen TV boxes………


- If the hyperbole is flying, it must be time for another NFL season to begin. Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim has joined the party and he’s doing his best to blow matters out of proportion by saying cornerback Patrick Peterson is one of the most dynamic athletes the NFL has ever seen. Keim believes that for his third-year cornerback is one of the biggest physical freaks ever to play in the league. "From an ability standpoint, I've never seen anything like him. He's the closest thing in the league to a Bo Jackson, a Deion Sanders," Keim said. “I've seen him stand on the field flat-footed and throw the ball 65-70 yards. He goes out to practice as a wideout, and runs a 10- and 15-yard out as well as anyone on our team. His value to our team is really unparalleled." Jackson, arguably the best pure athlete ever to play professional sports, and Sanders both played in Major League Baseball at the same time they were in the NFL. Jackson’s freakish combination of speed, size and strength allowed him to unleash impressive displays of excellence on the field, but his career with the Los Angeles Raiders lasted just four seasons due to a hip injury. Sanders shared something in common with Peterson, playing multiple positions during his Hall of Fame career: cornerback, kick returner and wide receiver. Peterson has accomplished quite a bit in his first two NFL seasons, making the Pro Bowl as a punt returner, then as a cornerback. New Cardinals coach Bruce Arians has plans to deploy Peterson like Sanders was used with the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys and recently announced that In his first two NFL seasons, Peterson made Now new coach Bruce Arians is ready to. Arians recently said he's installed about 15 plays with Peterson on offense, although there wouldn't be that many in any single game plan. Maybe Keim’s words got inside his head and have begun to shape the way he uses one of the (alleged) best athletes in league history……..

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