Old friends Stoller, Butler are musical Broadway New

NEW YORK  - it took over half a century, but composers Mike Stoller and Artie Butler finally managed to cross the street.

W. 54th Street in Manhattan, to be exact. This is where the duo met first of all, in a recording studio where Stoller and his writing partner Jerry Leiber - head of the classics of the 1950s as "Hound Dog," "jailhouse Rock", "Yakety Yak," "poison ivy" and countless others - produced a record. Butler worked there as a humble "button pusher" who started the machines of tread.

Now, they have collaborated on music for a new musical, "The people in the picture", play at Studio 54, located just diagonally across the street.

Featured Donna Murphy, a two-time winner of Tony Award for "Passion" and "the King & I", which won nominations again for his role as a Jewish grandmother who is struggling to share his inheritance.

The veteran songwriting duo began their friendship in the 1960s, when a piano player could not manage a particular passage during a session.

Butler, then only 17 years, conveyed that he could play as much to the annoyance of his employer which he reprimanded for talking to clients. But Leiber and Stoller were intrigued enough to give the brash kid a shot, and when he withdrew that they immediately offered him a job as a Studio musician.

Stoller and Butler have different memories to which artist they were recording. Stoller, said Johnny Maestro. Butler insists that it is Jay Black and the Americans. But they agree that it was the beginning of a friendship all of his life.

"It was my college degree," remembers Butler. "It was the spectacle of magic Leiber, Stoller, and every day I went to look at! I have learned by osmosis. ?

Finally, Butler exploded on its own, becoming a producer, arranger and composer responsible for more of 40 gold and Platinum discs. Among his credits for writing "Is here to life," a modern classic that was recorded by such artists as Barbra Streisand and Shirley Horn.

Stoller music was heard on Broadway in "Of Smokey Joe coffee," musical revue of Leiber and Stoller songs classic hit.

But he did never composed directly for musical theatre until he was approached by Iris Rainer Dart novelist, the author of "Beaches", which asked him to work on a show she has written on a Jewish grandmother and his days as a star of the Yiddish Theatre in Warsaw of the 1930s.

Invited Stoller Dart at his home, where she read the script aloud to him. "I had tears my face, at the time where she completed", he recalls. "It's such a moving story."

DART began looking for an arranger for records demo necessary to attract donors. Someone recommended Butler, she contacted Stoller ask if he knew him, and if so, did he like it?

"Yes, I know him," Stoller replied. "And I don't like him.". I love it! ?

The two composers liquidated on the partition, in collaboration with Dart, writing the lyrics. Although the show opened to mixed, all three received Drama Desk Award nominations for their efforts.

For Butler, is the achievement of a goal of life.

"All my life I continued my dreams", he said. It is one of the greatest dreams, that I have never had. I do not understand why people take drugs. They must write a Broadway show and get it. Because nothing gets you above. ?

"People in the picture" will take place at Studio 54 on June 19.

Syrian poet Adonis WINS Goethe Germany prices

AMMAN  - poet Syrian Adonis, who defended democracy and secular thought in the Middle East, has been prestigious award of the prize Germany Goethe Wednesday.

"The most important of his generation and he considered the Arab poet Adonis selection Committee awards the prize for its cosmopolitan (work) and the contribution to international literature", the German Government said in a news release.

He said Adonis, which calls itself "the pagan poet" will receive the prize of € 50,000 ($70,320), which is awarded every three years, at a ceremony in Frankfurt, hometown of Goethe, August 28.

The announcement was made as an uprising against the autocratic regime, inspired by the revolutions which reversed the leaders of the Tunisia and the Egypt scan Syria homeland of Adonis, despite a campaign of repression which killed hundreds of civilians.

Adonis refrains from openly criticising the Syrian authorities during the uprising.

But he launched a scathing attack on three weeks on all the Arab leaders as "leaving behind nothing except breakdown, delay, retirement, bitterness and torture." They met in power. They do not build a society. They transform their country into a space of slogans without any cultural content or human. ?

He said that the uprising in Syria would be the test of whether the Arab revolution would succeed in the construction of the "civic life" which rises over religion.

Referring to fears that Arab uprisings can pave the way in Islamic leaders, he expressed skepticism that same "moderate Islam" would offer rights to non-Muslims.

Born in the village of Qassabin of the mountain overlooking the Mediterranean Sea as Ali Hamid Saeed Esber, 1930 Adonis was born of a long tradition of Arab poets who have acted as a force of modernity on a strict interpretation of religious texts.

But even supporters have difficulty tracking images, intense and complex verse which has made its mark.

He has little sympathy for the theories which seek to mould the Middle East in an Arab unique Islamic culture, marginalizing the ethnic minorities and the diversity of thought.

A so-called "revolutionary" literary, he broke with Arab poetry language and traditional, of the pre-Islamic era, espoused simple shapes to convey deep topics on philosophy, the love, culture and politics.

"I think that I am a wave, trip, since the time of Gilgamesh (a King Sumerian who reigned more than 4 000 years ago), to Beirut and the Arabs," he wrote in "the hand of poetry, open the book of the Horizon."

Adonis made his studies in a French grammar school before graduating from the University of Damascus in the 1950s and displacement in Beirut, the Arab cultural heart of the Middle East.

He left during the invasion of the Lebanon in 1982 and settled in France, but it still visit to Damascus.

Nighy in talks for "Total call" remake

LOS ANGELES  - Bill Nighy is negotiating to join the cast of "Total recall," remake directed by Colin Farrell Colombia - 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger action film.

The film, which began filming June in Toronto and will be directed by Len Wiseman, stars Bryan Cranston as the wicked and Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel as the female leads. Ethan Hawke is on board for a cameo.

Film ditches of the Martian storyline of the original film, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, and involves instead of nation States Euromerica and new Shanghai, with Douglas Quaid (Farrell), a worker of factory in the latter case that begins to believe that he is a spy - although he knows not which side.

Nighy will play Quatto, the leader of the resistance. (In the 1990 film, the character, called Kuato, played by Marshall Bell with the conceit that the Chief was in fact a small living mutant outside human.)

Nighy made a name in the community geek playing a vampire leader in the films "underworld" and Davy Jones in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise. It can then be seen on the big screen as Minister Rufus Scrimgeour in "Harry Potter and the Deathly hollow part 2"

MSNBC suspends Schultz on the observation of Ingraham

NEW YORK - left Ed Schultz has been suspended from MSNBC for referring to fellow host Laura Ingraham as "right slut" and "slut talk" during his show syndicated Tuesday.

In a statement released Wednesday, the cable channel said: "MSNBC management met this afternoon with Ed Schultz and accepted his offer to take a week of leave without pay for the remarks he made yesterday on his radio program Ed will address these remarks in his show tonight", and follows immediately starts his leave. Remarks of this nature are unacceptable and will not be tolerated. ?

The remark came as Schultz took aim at Ingraham over his criticism of the trip of President Obama in Ireland - where he has apparently a beer - while the Midwest weather experience, including the devastating tornadoes.

"And what are the Republicans thinking about?". Schultz said. "They don't think their next-door neighbour." They think just to how it will cost. President Obama will visit Joplin, Mo., Sunday, but you know what they talk about as about, this bitch right, what is his name? Laura Ingraham? Yeah, she's a slut talk. You see, she was back in the day, praising President Reagan when he drank a beer overseas. But now that the Obama to do so, they are working for him. ?

Ingraham has slammed Schultz for the remarks. In a message posted on his Facebook Wall, she wrote: "gross observations made on me by Ed Schultz in his radio program: first of all, I was surprised to learn that Ed Schultz has actually hosts a radio show." It is available online? Second, I have to return to the recording of the audio edition of my new book "Of Thee I Zing.". "Now, I am tempted to insert an extra zing - on men who preach civility but practical misogyny."

"Fun", revealing reading on ESPN, is a major achievement

LOS ANGELES - ESPN was founded by Bill Rasmussen in 1978 with $9,000 on his credit card. Today, it includes six U.S. networks, 46 international ones, a radio network, Web sites, a magazine, even a chain of restaurants. It is a value greater than the entire NFL, or more than the NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball combined.

The object of "those Guys have all the Fun: in the world of ESPN" by Tom Shales, Pulitzer Prize-winning former critical Washington Post TV and James Miller, a former journalist and the Executive of cable, is the "mystery of ESPN rise to stratospheric heights of subterranean depths."

The authors response - pulling all seven times key in the history of the network - is less convincing that just enjoy the history. And oh what a story: greater than nature, salacious gossip, backstabbing and corporate personalities intrigues the canvas of the rise of the cable as an economic and cultural strength.

The authors use the same formula of oral history they used effectively in their bestseller "" Live From New York: a history not censored of Saturday Night Live. "" Except for transitions between sections italicized, the story is told through the block of one of the 550 interviewees - quotes ranging from cameramen to Obama President. It is much more difficult to get rid it seems, probably harder than anything in writing the damn thing yourself.

Quotations flow seamlessly and voices are fresh and dynamic, but there are times you wish the authors would referee competing stories directly, and the book could use a stronger organizational hand: seven lessons get buried in the sections, which makes it seem like an afterthought. Again, the formula of oral history certainly makes more fun book to read (and ideal for the beach) because it is easy to jump.

Familiar figures are outlined with brio. Keith Olbermann is hailed as the anchor of SportsCenter bright and described as "dark" and "a tortured genius." (His familiar, MSNBC?) Chris Berman appears as a pompous blowhard, yelling at Tony Kornheiser and dressing down junior employees. Star rising Bill Simmons is by rebel turns (criticize his corporate bosses), faithful (defend Kornheiser for Monday Night Football) and sparkling (refusing all advice editorial on its column).

But ESPN could be a hard working place. Many of the on-air talent complain bitterly that the owners reject their contribution to the success of the network. an exec said an anchor, "In a perfect world, we would have SportsCenter with robots."

Direct, women employees say that ESPN is struggling to meet rampant sexual harassment. Many employees African-American think manages racial issues badly, with journalist Jason Whitlock ranging up to now say, "it's almost like you must be a cartoon to be black and have success at ESPN.".

Live executions are also stained as on-air talent. Stuart Gerhl, first President of ESPN, was an alcoholic who treated the network emerging as his personal toy. Editor John Walsh had such poor vision was his face on the screen to see the photo of press. Mark Shapiro, head of polarization of programming from 2002 to 2005, alternatively is leased for famous SportsCentury documentaries and scoffed hiring Rush Limbaugh. Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner boasts that he started to ESPN: The Magazine for crushing Time Warner to Sports Illustrated after Ted Turner, majority shareholder of TW, said: "I will bury you." ESPN is - s. I know cable; you guys know cable! ?

"Embedded in Fun" is the story of the transition from a world dominated by the network to a cable-dominated. More than any other cable network, ESPN has honed the formula to combine double-revenue (subscription and advertising costs) cable with programming marquee to reap huge profits. But, as noted by the Turner, owners of ESPN did not always see what they had. Until 1987, the cities of Cap/magasiné ABC Fox ESPN. Not until ESPN used the acquisition of a full season of games of the NFL in 1998 to retrieve annual subscriber-rate of 20 per cent of the increases were legends business Eisner and Warren Buffett (a long-time Disney Investor)(, current owner of ESPN) fully seize the immense profitability ESPN. Eisner called the deal "the most important thing done in broadcasting since Bill Paley has stolen the NBC stars all the".

Although only the hits relate to seven lessons, network failures are every bit as interesting. The way that ravaged ESPN ABC Sports - who created the MNF, "wide world of Sports" and Olympics coverage as we know it - is presented as a tragedy. And as network President George Bodenheimer said on ESPN unfortunate incursion in a mobile phone brand, "ESPN is not bulletproof, and the day that we start thinking that we will be a bad day."

"Fun" is an important achievement. The breadth and depth of the interviews makes not only the definitive account of ESPN first three decades, but one of the best books yet on how cable shaped American culture.

"The book of Mormon", "Anything goes" top Drama Desk awards

NEW YORK  - the hit musicals "The book of Mormon" and the revival of "Anything goes" each won five Drama Desk awards Monday, strengthen their favorite status, enter the month next Tony awards, Broadway honors.

"Mormon," a religious satire of creators of "South Park" Trey Parker and Matt Stone, won the best musical, and honors for Director, lyrics, orchestration and best music.

"All is well," confectionery fizzy of Cole Porter, won the prize for the best revival of a musical, choreography, design sound and sets, while Sutton Foster was named best actress.

On the dramatic side, "Nick Stafford of war horse" won best play. "The Normal Heart of Larry Kramer" was named best revival of a play, which also won the award for the best Director for Joel Grey and George c. Wolfe.

Best actor in a musical went to Norbert Leo Butz to "Catch Me If you can", while Bobby Cannavale was named best actor in a play for "The M with the hat".

Frances McDormand took the actress at a price of game for his turn as a southern single mother tough of Boston in "Good people."

Price special at the ceremony organized by Harvey Fierstein went to playwright A.R. Gurney, actor Reed Birney, the new group and Director Scott Elliott, the theatre company of Pearl and the team of creation of "war horse".

The 56th annual award is chosen by writers and critics of theatre in honour of Broadway, off Broadway and off Broadway productions.

"Idol" creator Simon Fuller gets Hollywood star

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Simon Fuller, the British creator of hit TV show "american idol", received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Monday surrounded by the stars in real life he helped to create.

"Whenever I see that star, I cannot see my name, I will see all the names of people, that I have worked (with) and all these artists amazing and people who helped me to realize this thing," Fuller said as his star was unveiled.

In 25 years of career, Fuller managed singers, Annie Lennox, the Spice Girls and Amy Winehouse, English soccer player David Beckham, tennis player Andy Murray, race driver Lewis Hamilton and a trio of champions "american idol", Kelly ClarksonCarrie Underwood and David Cook.

Former 'Spice Girl' Victoria Beckham, judges "Idol" Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson, Underwood, Clarkson and the current "american idol" finalists joined Fuller for the ceremony.

Fuller recalled that when he and entrepreneur Simon Cowell first tried to sell "American Idol" of the United States, "we EC show refused by each single network" with the exception of Fox, on which the scourge of the rating is issued.

Created first in Britain as "Pop idol" in 2001, the format has since been sold to more than 120 other countries and created a multi billion global TV and merchandising of franchise registration.

Fuller has also created the Fox dance competition series, "So You Think you can Dance".

Fuller received his star on the eve of the final of the two parties in Los Angeles of the tenth season of "american idol", which was the most watched show on American TV for seven consecutive years.

Sails "Pirates" with ticket sales overseas record

LOS ANGELES- anchor "Pirates of the Caribbean: on Stranger tides" weighed with 346.4 million in ticket sales in its first week worldwide release and set a record as the biggest debut film never outside North Americafunction studio estimates Sunday.

The fourth opus of the series of Walt Disney Co - his first 3D blockbuster - dug 90.1 million of his Treasury of ticketing from Friday to Sunday in the United States and the Canada only, a figure at the lower end of the projections.

By comparison, two previous "Pirates" suites each increased by well over 100 million in their first three days at the Canada.

But the last adventure of "Pirates" looted 256.3 million in overseas receipts exceed "Harry Potter and the half-blood 2009 Prince" as international film high weighting of opening of all time, Disney said.

Altogether, "on the tides of the Stranger" has collected approximately 346.4 million worldwide - domestic and abroad - in its first week. To mark the fourth largest global opening ever, behind "Harry potter" film 2009, "Spider-Man 3 and tale last"Pirates"Disney,"end of the world.""

The overall count included a record $ 16.7 million reported projections on giant-format of approximately 400 screens IMAX Corp. everywhere in the world, said Imax.

Definition of sailing with poor reviews, but little competition in American and Canadian classrooms 4,155, "on the Stranger tides" ends its weekend opening as the greatest debut at North American cinema so far this year. It exceeded the $ 86.2 million reported by thriller fireball "Fast five" at the end of April.

The most recent "Pirates" back in his signature role pairs adventure: Captain Jack Sparrow with the winner of the Oscar Penelope Cruz, a newcomer in the franchise star Johnny Depp. The film also plays a different winner of the Academy and "Pirates" veteran, Geoffrey Rush, along with Ian McShane, making his first appearance as beard black.

The comedy "Bridesmaids" ranking a distant No. 2 in its second weekend at the U.S. box office with 21.1 million of dollars, but retains an impressive 80 percent of its activities from the previous week.

Finish among the top five were dramatic super hero Marvel "Thor," Box-Office 15.5 million in its third weekend, "Fast five" with $ 10.6 million in its fourth weekend, and the animated 3D "Rio" with $ 4.7 million in its sixth.

Woody Allen last offer, "Midnight in Paris," receiving critical acclaim and a warm welcome to the Cannes Film Festival, was able to break the top 12 with nearly $579,000 has reported only six cinemas, the first weekend in North America.

A robust performance "Pirates" was considered critical to Disney after the failures of its highly promoted but poorly attended of animation film "March a need of moms" in March, which slipped to the bottom of its revenue tax studio in the second quarter.

High occurrences overseas for "On Stranger tides," including about $ 53 million, collectively in emerging markets such as the Russia, the India and China over the weekend emphasized the growing importance of international trade in the studios.

"In the context of the ticket's world, it's a total winner," said ticketing analyst Paul Dergarabedian of Hollywood.com says "pirates".

Yet, "on the Stranger tides" had received debut posted at the Canada by each of the first suites of two "Pirates" - 135,6 million in 2006 for "Secret of the cursed trunk" and $ 114.7 million a year later to "at the end of the world.".

The first film in the franchise, "Pirates of the Caribbean: the curse of the Black Pearl," reported $ 46.6 million to the country the first weekend in 2003.

Poor reviews never lower than commercial projection for "On Stranger tides" in North America that aid compared with the last two films "Pirates" perhaps more to do with a general softness in the current market. Some momentum also may have been lost in the four years between "Pirates 3" and the new film.

With the arrival of "the tides of the Stranger", the franchise together now has a more theatrical revenues collectively $ 3 billion in the world, Disney said.

Danish takes "The murder" international Bafta honours

London  - Danish crime Cult "the killing" dramatic triumphed over U.S. hits "boardwalk Empire", "mad Men" and "Glee" to win the international prize at the British Academy Television Awards International Sunday night.

The low-budget Danish language combustion slow thriller starring Sofie Grabol was elected the best international series to air of the year last United Kingdom, after bought by digital channel BBC BBC4 for a fraction of the price of its U.S. rivals directive.

In the category of best actor an another outsider, Daniel Rigby, won more BBC1 modern reinvention of Benedict Cumberbatch of Sherlock Holmes in "sherlock" as a favourite of the audience Matt Smith, who had been designated for "Doctor Who," to take home the gong for his performance in the biographical film "Eric & Ernie" BBC2 on British comedians Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise.

Best second male role went to Martin Freeman "Sherlock", who played Dr. Watson, while the drama wrote Steven Moffat was named best drama series, beating "ITV1 of Downton Abbey."

Best actress award was taken by Vicky McClure, who defeated Anna Maxwell Martin and Juliet Stevenson, for his performance in the punk from the drama of the age "this is england 86." Lauren Socha won the second best actress for "the misfits."

Epic of high-tech heaven "flying monsters 3d", narrated by long BBC natural history expert date David Attenborough, won the category specialist factual, making the sky the first broadcaster to win a BAFTA television for a 3D show.

Moreover, "The Cube" was named best entertainment program, while Channel 4 drama "Any human heart" was named best drama series.

In the documentary categories, the "Welcome to Lagos" BBC, about life in the Nigerian capital, was named best single documentary, while secret documentary "Zimbabwe children Forgotten" was recognized as the best current affairs program.

Host ceremony Graham Norton won the performance entertainment award, for his chat show, while the cult reality show "The only way is Essex" beats "Big Fat Gypsy wedding," "Downton Abbey", "the killing" and "Sherlock" to win the YouTube audience award.

Recognition of life prizes were awarded to Tiger Aspect founder Peter Bennett-Jones and veteran news anchor Trevor MacDonald ITN.

Buy! Sell! Crowd funding helps stimulate Cannes films

CANNES, France - stocks, bonds... and now of the films? Investors in France are accepted cash online to help to produce, promote and distribute feature films, including two that it is nominated for best film at the Cannes Festival.

Contenders for Palme d'Or "habemus papam" and "Polish" will be two use the money collected on a website, French to fund their promotion and distribution in France, where the so-called "crowd financing" is being test leads for studio productions.

Their success at the Cannes hints film festival that cash crowd-funding - or awareness of many small investors online - could give fans a greater role in determining what films end up in the production and the way they are promoted.

"We give people the opportunity to invest in a film while offering behind the scenes to see how it is done," said Serge Hayat, 47, a co-founder of PeopleforCinema and French film producer, the website to collect funds to promote and distribute "habemus papam" and "Polish."

Already popular for musicians who based the United States of sites like Kickstarter and Rockethub, funding the crowd tends to let users buy in a creative project in its early stages, most often in exchange for gifts in the form of special promotional material.

With its high barriers to entry, the film industry proved more resistant to the crowd of funding as the multi-million dollar production budgets and fixed distribution networks kept funding in the hands of banks, the studios and big investors.

"It is much more complicated than helping an artist to record an album or funding of an art exhibition, said Hayat.".

"The scale is much larger, there are more players involved, the financial stakes are higher," he added. "But we have a good sales argument, both for users and companies."

PASSION VS. GREED

Based in an attic Office in Paris, PeopleforCinema shows members of video clips of mainly filled with movies and allows them to achieve an "investment" - films are advertised on the site with the message "Buy shares now" - in that they think has the best chance of success at the box office.

If the film superclasses by more than one objective for the sale of tickets, members are rewarded in proportion to their investment. If it flops, they lose, although gifts such as DVD and first tickets soften the blow.

Hayat said investors betting an average of 150 euros can add more than 100,000 euros, or 20-30% to the budget of the promotion of the film, a and are serious in making money.

"There is a real investment mentality...." Some people are putting up thousands of euros, and to make good money in return.

"In return, production houses get free viral promotion on the web to our users, who speak of cinema to all their friends," Hayat added.

Touscoprod, launched in 2009, takes a different tack by giving members the opportunity to invest in a film in the early stages of production, after watching a short or an interview with the Director, posted on its web site.

It takes more time for investments for returns, and members are often compensated in the form of promotional material. But the sense of belonging is stronger than investors to see their name in the credits - or applaud their films to the ceremony.

Two films cofinanced by users Touscoprod, Peru "fausta" and U.S. documentary "waste land", were nominated for an Oscar in 2009 and 2011, respectively.

Co-founder Nicolas Bailly, 37, said that touscoprod depends on more love for members of the film than any desire to enrich themselves.

"Our approach is to say our community in support of films that really need", he told Reuters. "It's mostly successfully for documentaries, where small budgets mean that raise five or six thousand euros can make the difference between a movie realized or not."

The films have as "Habemus Papam" nominated at the Cannes film festival was a huge boon for the company, now works on transactions to promote the "Pirates of: Caribbean the on the tides of the Stranger" in France and the Finns of the film, "Le Havre" a festival favorite.

Exhibitions: Retrospective adults only Tracey Emin

London- Tracey Emin, the enfant terrible of British art, organized a major retrospective exhibition and perhaps unsurprisingly he was hit with a warning parental guidance.

Organizers insist that any sub - 16 have to be accompanied by an adult if they want to wander round "Love is what you want," at the Hayward Gallery.

Emin, 47, has called the show "the greatest moment of my art career."

"I'm looking at me the most intimate way", explains Emin of the provocative exhibition, which highlights the themes of love, sexual desire and humour, but also addresses rape and abortion.

It has film of 1996 Emin "How it feels" where she spoke openly of his own experiences following the end of two pregnancies, and what it calls its emotional period of "suicide".

Colored covers decorated with multi-vocal texts hang in the entrance to the Gallery - collages are described by Emin as using the "sacred weavings" clothing and furnishings his family household accessories.

His first words "apple look" in 1965 appear on a cover, another fact in 2002, says: "I do not expect to be a mother, but I expect to die alone."

A creation of neon heart 2001 reads: "You forgot to kiss my soul."

Five rooms were completed work ranging from erotic paintings, secular text, film, sculpture and memories that reveal thoughts and more personal emotions Emin.

"My words are really my unique art," explains Emin in the catalogue of the show.

"When I recreate things again and again, is not because I want to do the same drawing;" It is because I want to work with the same memory "it says Ralph Rugoff, Director of the Hayward Gallery.

The exhibition runs until 29 August

Liberty Media offer 1 billion for Barnes & Noble

NEW YORK- John Malone of Liberty Media Corp has proposed to buy & Barnes Noble Inc. 1.02 billion, nine months after that most chain bookstores U.S. himself put on sale.

Liberty Media offers $17 per share, a premium of 20.5% on Barnes & Noble of the closure of the shares Thursday, an agreement which would a foot in the industry growth of e-books dominated by Amazon.com Inc..

Noble & Barnes, who has faced years of decline of sales of the printed book itself put on sale last August saying its shares were dumped.

He invested in the development of his popular nook e-reader, launched in 2009, in a bid to remake itself as a digital bookseller and avoid the fate of rival borders Group Ltd., which filed for protection in bankruptcy in February.

Barnes & Noble, said Liberty Media offer has not yet been assessed by the Special Committee, and a spokesman refused to say whether another company has come forward with an offer.

In early March, an investment banker told Reuters that the auction process had slowed to a crawl.

"I would find $17 as point of departure - some investors would have closer to $20," Morningstar analyst Pete Wahlstrom told Reuters. He said stock Barnes & Noble is a value of $16.

Actions past 24.7% to $17.60 in the trade after hours after the announcement which suggests that investors believe that other offers may be coming or that Barnes & Noble shareholders will be more demanding.

KEEPING RIGGIO IN THE FOLD

Founder, President and top shareholder in the Barnes & Noble Leonard Riggio, last year, said that he considered taking the company private with partners. He is the owner of 29.7% of the shares.

Offer freedom is conditional to Riggio, keeping a participation in the Noble & Barnes, which he built a bookstore local to New York in a national chain in the 1970s, and is involved in the operation of the company remainedsaid Wahlstrom would be positive because of his knowledge of the sale of books.

Liberty Media pursues a strategy of recent years to align related to Active Media cheap in the hope of making outsized investment returns.

In February 2009, Malone uproot a participation of 40% of Sirius XM Radio by 530 million dollars of loans to the satellite radio company who was at the edge on the edge of bankruptcy. Malone has been rewarded in only a few months after Sirius turn around his company and the challenge today is more than 3.5 billion dollars.

Riggio, last September has survived a fight of proxy by the shareholder No. 2 of Barnes & Noble, investor Ron Burkle, who accused him of poor management of the company for the benefit of his family. Burkle, Yucaipa Companies, investment company is the owner of 18.7% of the shares.

If the agreement to spend $ 17 per share, Burkle would take a loss because he bought most of the shares in November 2009, when they were hovering near $20.

The Burkle spokesman does not immediately return a request for comments.

Barnes & Noble which operates 720 bookstores, as well as a string of college campus stores, in February suspended its dividend to save cash and to accumulate the corner to compete with Amazon Kindle and iPad of Apple Inc..

Barnes & Noble will present a new e-reader at a media event in New York on Wednesday. Forrester Research estimates that the corner is the second best-selling dedicated e-reader, after Kindle for Amazon.

Shares collapsed in February after Barnes & Noble suspended dividend and reported a loss of one quarter of holiday. They fall as low as $8.45 a month ago before rallying.

Lady Gaga swaps of music for the media, edits Metro paper (Reuters)

London (Reuters) - Flamboyant pop star Lady Gaga crashed music and switched to the media Monday with a passage as editor invited to the headquarters of the global network of free newspaper Metro London.

Widely regarded as the biggest pop star of the world, the 25 - year - old New Yorker has also been busy promoting his second studio album, "Born This Way" album which is available in stores on May 23.

Gaga arrived at the offices of the Metro porter pink hair in a style of the hive, black heels, low backrest and a bra-like black, top of the page.

"I am sorry if my costume of business is a little different" she joked as she shook hands with the staff.

Gaga has supported the drafting session in the morning, offering his opinion on a range of topics, bullying to the earthquake to the Japan who are her hero.

She immediately puts its vision for the paper as editor invited for the day, on topics that she already mentioned its mission as an entertainer.

"I feel so privileged that I get make music every day", she said of the staff. "If you revolutionary potential you have a moral obligation to make the world a better place."

His new record is the follow-up to his 2008 "The Fame" album, which will sell more than 12 million copies and topped the charts. A release of the extended play "the fame monster" was released the following year.

Gaga, whose real name is de Stefani Germanotta, has a huge and famous fans base spent around the world that she calls her "little monsters".

In turn, that she refers to herself as "Mother Monster", whose every public appearance is a piece of performance art and extravagant fashion rolled into one, turning on a cultural phenomenon as a musician.

"I appreciate the opportunity to really and it is a chance formidable to show me the whole world that the little monsters are not only a fan thing, but exist outside the world of music," Gaga says of its publishing in the underground activities.

Held most notorious Gaga to date have included a dress of raw meat that she wore last year at the MTV Video Music Awards, and his arrival at the Grammy Awards in February embedded in a giant egg.

"I live half my life between reality and the imagination at any time," the singer "Just dance" and "poker face" recently told the Guardian newspaper. "It is better not to ask questions and take advantage of all.".

It is not simply about enjoyment, and authors of music and commentators who have interviewed the singer note a messianic dimension to his ambition which seems to go beyond simply selling records.

His own biography Online concludes: "and, now, I'm simply trying to change flakes of a world at once," but with "a blink of eye in the eyes".

It is not all sails of plain for the winner of a prize, however.

The enormous impact of The Fame means that the pressure is on for born This Way correspond to the commercial and critical success.

Religious groups accuse them of blasphemy, there was dissent in the ranks of his legions of fans on the cover art for born This Way and she reacted angrily to suggestions that the first extract single of the new record has been copied from 1989 Madonna's "Express yourself".

(Reported by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)

Head Eurovision contest, said global competition a "challenge"

DUESSELDORF, Germany- the Eurovision Song Contest has become so popular everywhere in the world which can be extended a day for a Worldvision song contest Executive Supervisor Jon Ola Sand told Reuters.

Norwegian Director of the competition of 56 years, watched this year of the Germany, by more than 125 million people in 55 countries around the world said that eurovision manages to bring together Europe in a way similar to the football Euro tournament.

"It is the moment that all actions in Europe - Europe, people watch and enjoy the same exact TV program," sand said in Duesseldorf, where the Azerbaijan won the competition of this year the Sunday morning. "It is a special moment."

He said Euro football tournament also manages to the unification of Europe from their televisions but has only once every four years - which makes it less than a logistical challenge for broadcasters and organizers that running an annual competition.

There is also a World Cup soccer tournament every four years and the question was raised in Duesseldorf: what is holding a "Worldvision song contest"?

"Certainly it is a World Cup," sand said when he asked about it in his temporary office in Duesseldorf arena, a football stadium which was temporarily transformed into a giant domestic television studio. "Worldvision Song Contest would be great if we could do". But it is not in the immediate plans.

"This is a huge logistical operation and you have only a year to prepare," said sand, who was appointed to run competition of the European Union of broadcasting in January.

"If we think the box I am sure that we might be able to implement something like that." "But it is a challenge."

Lena Meyer-Landrut, the Germany, who won Eurovision Song Contest held in Oslo last year and came 10th in this year's contest watched by a record audience of 36,000, float the idea of a Worldvision contest at a press conference Friday.

"Maybe the rest of the world can look at it and something like we do, can do a"Worldvision"," the student of 19 years, said in a remark in passing at the end of his press conference. "All countries simply have fun."

EUROVISION UNIT CONTINENT

Sand, executive producer said that eurovision Song Contest this year, the gave Europe a short break and badly need its debt crisis and the deterioration of solidarity.

Artists of cheerful competition featured this year of 43 countries in a battle of good points would not have been a barometer of high culture or good taste.

But he said the competition, won by the Azerbaijani duo Ell/Nikki, a song of love in English written by a Swedish composer, could be just the tonic Europe needs at a time when a sovereign debt crisis threatens to undo decades of post-war integration.

"This shows that we can hold together - at least for music and entertainment," added sand. "Europe will stay together and be United even if it is in difficult times right now." This is certainly something that shows that Europe is United. ?

Although the Eurovision Song Contest could be ridiculed as a monument to the mediocrity and kitsch campish in some countries, it is for others a highly anticipated of languages and cultures of Europe celebration.

Part of the charm of the competition is its unpredictability. Any nation can win. It levels the playing field, with small nations such as the Azerbaijan having the same voting UNCITRAL and win as the Germany or the United Kingdom, the home of some of the biggest pop acts in the history of music.

In fact, the Greece and the Ireland - small and heavily indebted nations at the heart of the crisis of euro area who has beaten the block common currency and trust – ahead of the euro zone economic powerhouse France and Treasurer Germany voting by viewers and national in 43 countries all juries the.

This has not gone unnoticed that Germany provided some of its top scores in Greece (10 points) and Ireland (8 points) even if its public and media a is is complaining and resisted European efforts to support the finances of the two nations have difficulties.

That a song of syrupy love on a couple hit love performed by an Azeri duo captured the imagination - and 221 points - voters across Europe could also reflect a revival, if only temporary, solidarity on the continent shaken.

"We want closer to Europe with our song," Azeri singer Eldar Gasimov said when asked if he had a message from Europe in their victory. He said that they will do the versions French, Spanish and German of their winning song "Running scared".

The extravaganza, designed by the Union European broadcasting in 1956, which was transmitted to the nations of the Atlantic Ocean to the Caspian Sea, as well as countries in the world which were not yet in competition such as the Australia, Canada, Egypt, Hong KongEn India, Jordan, Korea, New Zealand and the United States.

He has been a springboard for the Swedish pop group Abba, who won in 1974 with "Waterloo", and pays tribute to Céline Dion, who has taken hold in 1988 for the Switzerland.

Olympic marathon champion of Kenya dies after fall

NYAHURURU, Kenya - champion in the marathon Olympic Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru is died late Sunday after having jumped from the balcony on the first floor of his house in the Valley of the Rift, police told Reuters.

Chief of the regional police Jaspher Ombati said Wanjiru, 24, appeared to have suffered internal injuries after the fall and was confirmed by doctors at a nearby hospital.

"I can confirm that Wanjiru is dead." It is not yet clear if it was a suicide or if he jumped rabies, or what led to fall to the ground, "Ombati said to journalists.

"He rose from his balcony on the first floor to the ground." "He was bleeding from the nose and mouth and suffered internal injuries," said the Chief of police.

Video footage showed police watching spots of blood on the ground under the balcony of the House of Wanjiru to Nyahururu, a town in the Valley of the Rift some 150 km (94 miles) northwest of the capital Nairobi.

"Death of Wanjiru is not only a loss of his family and his friends but in the Kenya as a whole and the brotherhood of Athletics around the world," Prime Minister Raila Odinga said in a statement.

"As a nation in athletics, looks us forward to one pound sterling performance at the Olympic Games in London next year." Mr. Wanjiru is one of our bets ensure gold in the upcoming contest. "His death is therefore a big blow to our dreams," Odinga said.

TRIANGLE LOVER

Ombati said police were investigating a triangle possible love which could have been behind the death of Wanjiru, the first Kenyan to win gold in the marathon for the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 and a former winner of the Chicago and London marathons.

Ombati said wife of Wanjiru, Triza Njeri, came home to find the runner in bed with another woman, locked the couple in the bedroom and ran outside.

WANJIRU then jumped off the balcony, said the Chief of police.

Police said Njeri and companion of the Wanjiru female helped the investigation.

Last December, Wanjiru was charged with threatening to kill Njeri and illegal possession of an AK-47 assault rifle.

Subsequently, Njeri withdrew the charge of attempted murder against him in court, saying that the couple had reconciled.

WANJIRU also suffered minor injuries from a car accident in January when he swerved to avoid an oncoming truck, hit a hole pot and rolled his vehicle.

The runner challenged Beijing heat in 2008 to triumph in Olympic record time of two hours, six minutes and 32 seconds at the games in China.

WANJIRU moved to Japan in 2002 as a young man to attend high school after winning a trial of selection of cross country to the Kenya.

Neil Jordan to direct new film female vampire

CANNES - Oscar Director Neil Jordan is reunification with producer Stephen Woolley "Byzantium", a film by female vampire with Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton as leeches of lead.

The original script is written by Moira even and details of the story of a mother vampire who turns his own daughter in a vampire and the pair formed a lethal partnership, sometimes presenting themselves as siblings.

The film's planned budget of $ 11 million is set to turn in October.

Jordan Woolley made several movies dating "The company of wolves in 1984," based on the novel by Angela Carter.

Oscar product Woolley Jordan "the crying game." They worked last together on "Breakfast on Pluto" in 2005.

"" I like the horror genre and we worked on this for three or four years. "."I have sent to Neil and he liked the script, said Woolley. "We've had book both recently revisited Angela Carter and it was just chance that when I called, we were thinking the same.".

The original script is based on a young theatre play by the same, but was made at a level slightly more adult and darker, said Woolley.

Woolley prepare to take on the adaptation of Mike Newell-directed Charles Dickens "great Expectations", written by David Nicholls.

Distribution includes Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes and Jeremy Irvine. It is supported by BBC Films and the British Film Institute.

Lady Gaga heads to Farmville with "Born This Way"

LOS ANGELES - Lady Gaga made its way to the popular Farmville game social, developer Zynga Games online and Clear Channel Radio said on Tuesday.

From 17 to 26 May, the 46 million monthly players of Farmville - who manage a virtual farm where they pick up crops and raise livestock - will get a nearby farm called Gagaville.

That's it for release on 23 May of the last album of Gaga, "born this way."

Incorporating key themes and the history of the upcoming album lines, Farmville players performing Gaga-themed quests in Gagaville unlock Clear Channel digital radio service, iHeartRadio, and allowing them to select songs of flow of "Born This Way" exclusively to Farmville six days before the general public.

In addition, Gaga will announce the codes unlock inspired by Lady Gaga limited edition virtual items on Clear Channel 148 of the United States radio stations on May 17.

"Born this way" has already spawned two singles, including the title song and the recently published "Judas".

Google to launch music service online

Google Inc. could launch a new music service online as early as Tuesday, which will be similar to a service started recently by Amazon.com, Inc., said the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the case.

The newspaper said that Google is likely to announce the service at its annual Conference for developers Google I/o in San Francisco, adding that the service will be operate in mode test initially and does not be available to the public.

In April, Amazon has unveiled a service that allows customers to store about 1000 songs on its free web servers instead of their own hard drives and play them on an Internet connection directly from web browsers.

Google could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters.

The newspaper said Google did not seek licensing by the four major companies of recorded music and the new feature is likely to include a system that works as a remote hard disk.

Users may listen to songs that they have uploaded to the service in "streaming" mode, but will be not able to download the files, reported the daily.

Earlier in the day, Google-owned YouTube said it will add over 3,000 traditional films for users to rent from Monday.

Simon Cowell blame lawyers for Abdul delay

LOS ANGELES - Simon Cowell blames prosecutors for the deal is that Paula Abdul to serve as a judge on Cowell "X factor" closed at 11th hour Sunday - just as the towers of the judges of the hearings were about to begin.

He even said on a talk about the use of a judge invited, but he ultimately would have called off Sunday hearings if Abdul deal had not closed.

"I would have cancelled today (if deal had never crossed)," Cowell said The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday in the Centre of Gaten of the University of California of the South prior to the hearings of the judges began.

"The problem was that these conversations had lasted long enough." It's not as if I it bloomed on someone. I thought that it is time for everyone to do their work and obtain the agreement. I couldn't have sat in front of you and the said lot (Paula) wanted to make the agreement and us could not. ?

Cowell said it was important for Abdul - who served as a judge alongside Cowell on "american idol Fox" - to be part of "Factor X," which debuted on Fox in September.

"I could just sense that the public would have been disappointed without Paula," Cowell said. "" "". You see how we are; We get really well. ?

One issue, according to sources, was an option that CBS had Abdul based on an agreement to allow it to participate in his short-lived competition show "Live dance". This agreement, according to two sources close to "X factor", contained language that could have prevented Abdul to join the new show.

Cowell said: "it is Paula Abdul." Nothing is never easy, but I'm used to it. ?

Abdul serves as a judge alongside Cowell, Antonio "L.A." Reid and Cheryl Cole.

Cannes turns to headings, authors edgy

COLOGNE - the Cannes 2011 slate seems designed to avoid the pitfalls of competition last year, who do not have produced one winner of Oscar, commercial success or a scandal of great cinema - the three large boxes Mostra worthy of the name must check.

For its 64th Edition, starting Wednesday, Cannes appears intent to reassert its claim to the title of best of the world film festival, with a range of author-heavy that includes Pedro Almodovar, Lars von Trier and Terrence Malick.

The fest also focuses on young people with a generous sampling of the hottest goes-and-venus in film overall, Nicolas Winding Refn, Danish Director of the vehicle Ryan Gosling "Drive," to Julia Leigh, first-timer Aussie behind edgy "sleeping beauty."

On the front of the star, Cannes this year is spoilt for choice, playing safe with big names such as Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Eva Longoria, Jodie Foster, Antonio Banderas and Owen Wilson. Not to mention those of France, President Nicolas Sarkozy and the first lady Carla Bruni, who will likely be pigs the star of the opening night when they appear for the first Woody Allen "midnight in Paris," in which Bruni has a cameo.

But at Cannes, films are the stars, and with a range of competition of this year, the festival really shines.

The hottest ticket is long in gestation "tree of life of Malick." The drama, starring Pitt and Penn, was initially set to bow year last at Cannes before perfectionist Malick withdrew to redesign later. Delay has only enhanced the film enigmatic allure, and expectations are high.

"It was very important to Cannes to have this film because we talked about it for a year," explains Xavier Leherpeur, a critic of films for French cinema CineLive of Studio magazine. "I want to make it great."

Malick was at Cannes that only once before - in 1979, when he won the award the Director for the "days of heaven". But even sight unseen, "Tree of life", screens may 16, is the former favorite to win the Palme d'Or.

That said, Malick has some stiff competition.

Almodovar - which, despite three previous attempts, has not won the first prize in the Cannes - throws his bonete back in the ring with "the skin I live In". The film is a departure from gender to the Spanish captain of melodrama. A horror film, "skin" stars Banderas as a surgeon in plastic that hunting the man who raped his daughter.

Von Trier, who abhors heights (and depressions) with "Antichrist" two years ago, returns with his knife blow to science fiction, "Melancholy." Starring Kirsten Dunst, Kiefer Sutherland and Alexander Skarsgard, the film is ironically called "beautiful film towards the end of the world".

David Gritten, a critic of film for the London Telegraph, said "Melancholia" could be big scandal this year. "Von Trier has probably taken things also that he was able to with the Antichrist," Gritten said, but when it comes to scandals in Cannes, you can never exclude him. ?

If von Trier does not provide in issues of shock, the baton could move to Leigh, whose debut, "sleeping beauty", is an erotic drama about a woman (Emily Browning) that falls in a form of prostitution narcoleptic.

Less scandalous, but all also well considered are duo Belgian cinema and twice winners of gold Palm the Dardenne brothers, returning to competition after an absence of three years with their drama "The Kid with the bike." But other Cannes heavy weights that make up the list of this year seem ready to push the envelope unexpectedly, including Radu Mihaileanu the Romania, whose "The Source of women" tells the story of a group of village women who threaten a sex strike. Then, there normally calm Nanni Moretti, which curiously entitled "we have a Pope" focuses on the relationship between a newly elected Pope and his therapist.

Whether if lineup this year will be always all buzz coming time Oscar - never a certainty, especially after last year - a handful of titles could appeal to the voters of the Academy, including the thriller of action of the Refn "Drive", which is reinforced by the presence of Gosling and Carey young stars Mulligandeux more RCVI to screen at this time. Then there's "We need to talk about Kevin" of British helmer, Lynne Ramsay, who gets the big buzz for its performance by Tilda Swinton and John c. Reilly as the parents of a teenager who goes on a shooting.

As for dark horses, keep an eye for "This must be the place", a drama of language English of "it divo" Director Paolo Sorrentino. If the plot - Gothic rocker-towers-Nazi hunter to avenge his father - do not out-there seems enough to generate interest, Penn in a wig with a mustache and mascara is sure to be one of the most enduring images on the Croisette this year.