All of those who are still in title contention in the 2011 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series gathered today at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas for the pre-race press conference for tomorrow's final and deciding round.

Michael Rehaut - JP Morgan Chase & Co Sam Darkatsh - Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

The Mavericks' stunning rally for a 98-92 win has the Lakers on the ropes. Dallas' improable 3-0 lead shows the champs are reeling in ways few thought possible, writes Sam Amick.

mukamo.com mukamo.com Sam Milby and Cristine Reyes star in the May 7 episode of the longest-running...

[[ Read the Full Story at Mukamo.com ]]

La saison de GP2 démarre ce week-end sur la piste d’Istanbul. Comme en GP2 Asia Romain Grosjean se détache du lot. Le pilote Franco-Suisse partira en pole devant Sam Bird et Lucas Fillippi. Jules Bianchi se classe 4ème. La séance de qualification a été marquée par plusieurs drapeaux rouges. Le premier à la suite de l’accident [...]

Wildcats explode to extend series Gwinnettdailypost.com DULUTH — Duluth went from famine to feast during its Class AAAAA state baseball first-round doubleheader with Wheeler. After being shut out on one hit by Sam Bragg in the first game, the Wildcats erupted for 15 hits, five of which left the park for ... and more »

Sam Spatter is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review staff writer and can be reached at 412-320-7843 or via e-mail. The Hillman Co.

Sam Gustin / Epicenter:
Report: Condé Nast Springs Ahead of Hearst With iPad Subscription Pact  —  Welcome to the future — it only costs $19.99.  —  Condé Nast, the publisher of Vogue, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, GQ and Wired, is on the verge of announcing a pact with Apple to begin selling digital subscriptions …

Sam Gewalt cracked a joke as her teammates squeezed into her tiny hospital room at the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, taking the glowing orange medical device that was on one of her toes and placing it on one of her fingers, a la E.T.

Movieline

Pirates of the Caribbean's Sam Claflin is on Twitter and Amazed by Every New Fan Movieline On Friday, the 24-year-old confirmed his Twitter handle to Movieline (@SamClaflin) and expressed genuine giddy surprise at his ever-growing follower count. Does he know what he's in for? Maybe. With Pirates — a surefire global moneymaker, ... and more »

Sam Stosur currently ranks in my top three of athlete crushes.And so her success this past year has made me happy not just for her but for me--because I get to see her more when she is winning. She obviously gets more press as well.Including this article* by Malcolm Knox, which appeared in an Australian publication. It's a lengthy piece that chronicles her career, her sidelining illness, her resurgence, as well as a one-on-one interview with Stosur herself.Knox relates his encounter with her:When she stopped to speak to me, what was most remarkable was Stosur's stillness and clarity. She looked you in the eye. Neither as muscular nor as deep-voiced as she appears on television, she was strikingly normal, if that makes any sense.READ: She doesn't seem like as much of a lesbian (I was going to use the d-word but I'm holding back) as I thought she would.Criminy.Stosur's muscles are amazing. Her shoulders make strong and broad-shouldered like myself a little less self-conscious about our not-so-petite frames. I find them very attractive.But more than that--they are practical. She needs them given her current profession. One might even say they are an asset.And as for the deep voice comment. Just ridiculous.Sam Stosur has got it going on. Malcolm Knox doesn't need to make apologies for how she looks or speaks.* which I found via a link from Diane's Women Who Serve blog.

Pop quiz... Who was the last defensive power house to win a Super Bowl?

Chances are you had to think about that question and you still aren't even sure of the answer. 

You might be thinking of the 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers or the 2007 New York Giants. Or, depending on your definition, you might be thinking of the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the 2000 Ravens. 

But if the question was "Who was the last elite quarterback to win the Super Bowl?," then your brain would have to think back to no further than last January, when Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers won the Packers their first Super Bowl since 1996.

Who are some elite quarterbacks, who are currently active, that have not won a Super Bowl yet?

The most obvious answer is Phillip River in San Diego. Atlanta's Matt Ryan is another answer, but does he really count? He's only been truly lighting it up since last season.

Carson Palmer is another, but his injury stricken career has kept him from entering an elite level.

What about Michael Vick and Donovan McNabb? They are star quarterbacks, but they are not elite passers. They have above average passing stats, but they depend on their legs just as much as their arms.

Here are some of the supreme passers in this league that have won Super Bowls: Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady; also Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger (unless you want to be picky).

Here's another tidbit of info relating to my point. This is a list of the past 15 Super Bowl champions and the quarterbacks that led them.

2010 Green Bay Packers- Aaron Rodgers

2009 New Orleans Saints- Drew Brees

2008 Pittsburgh Steelers- Ben Roethlisberger

2007 New York Giants- Eli Manning

2006 Indianapolis Colts- Peyton Manning

2005 Pittsburgh Steelers- Ben Roethlisberger

2004 New England Patriots- Tom Brady

2003 New England Patriots- Tom Brady

*2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Brad Johnson

2001 New England Patriots- Tom Brady

*2000 Baltimore Ravens- Trent Dilfer

1999 St. Louis Rams- Kurt Warner

1998 Denver Broncos- John Elway

1997 Denver Broncos- John Elway

1996 Green Bay Packers- Brett Favre

* Indicates a team that won the Super Bowl without a suitable quarterback, mainly due to having one of the best defensive units in the history of the game.

The key point of that list? If you don't have an awesome quarterback, then you better have one of the best defenses that the league has seen in years, or else you're not winning a Super Bowl.

"Defense Wins Championships" is an overused cliché. This is a quarterback driven era and you're kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

Don't get me wrong. Defense is very important and it's vital towards winning a Championship. All 15 teams on that list had solid defensive units. But it's just not realistic to expect a Super Bowl victory out of a team that does not have a franchise passer.   

So, considering that Sam Bradford had the best pro day since Troy Aikman, according to NFL.com's Gil Brandt, and was considered by many to be the best quarterback prospect since Carson Palmer, what does that mean for St. Louis fans?

What does it mean to St. Louis fans that Bradford threw for over 3,000 yards as a rookie? He was only the third quarterback to ever accomplish that; Peyton Manning and Matt Ryan are the other two.

It means that Bradford has an extremely high ceiling. He has the physical tools, as well as intangibles that are out of this world. Barring injury, or a total implosion within the organization (not likely, considering the direction the team has taken), it is very likely he will become an elite passer in this league, and that is what it takes to win a Super Bowl in the NFL. 

The NFL is not a world of guarantees, so excuse the title. But if the "sure thing" does not exist in football, then Sam Bradford is certainly the next best thing.  

Robert Johnson: The Centennial Collection Available Now from Legacy Recordings

NEW YORK, April 28, 2011 -  May 8, 2011 marks the 100th birthday of singer/songwriter/guitarist Robert Johnson -- the archetypal Mississippi Delta bluesman who purportedly sold his soul to the Devil at the crossroads of Highway 61 and Highway 49 in exchange for uncanny musical prowess.  In honor of the Robert Johnson centennial, Delaware's Dogfish Head Craft Brewery has created "Hellhound On My Ale," a super-hoppy brew inspired by the otherworldly soul and complexity of Johnson's music.

Produced in a small-quantity-limited run, "Hellhound On My Ale," is 100% dry-hopped with Centennial Hops with sublime citrus notes courtesy of dried organic lemon peel and flesh added pre-fermentation (a taste-bud tribute to Johnson's musical mentor, Blind Lemon Jefferson).  "Just as Johnson's unique style was a hybrid of Delta blues, country and even vaudeville," said Dogfish founder and president Sam Calagione, "Centennial Hops are a recently developed variety that is a hybrid of Brewer's Gold, Golding, and Fuggles hop varieties.  Centennial Hops grow in the Northwest United States and have wonderful floral and citrus notes."  Rounding off the centennial spirit of the ale, Hellhound is brewed at 10.0 abv.

Coming in early May, Dogfish Head's "Hellhound" will be available in Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

The newly crafted Robert Johnson ale was created, according to Calagione, as a way to "celebrate his artistry and his centennial simultaneously.  Johnson's playing was so complex and full that his one guitar sounded like two.  His voice and lyrics were as distinct as his guitar playing, and stood out as distinct beyond the other blues musicians of the day.  Beyond that you have the legend of Johnson selling his soul to the devil in return for mastery of the guitar.  We wanted to make an ale that paid tribute to all that."

"Robert Johnson is an American treasure," said Adam Block, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Legacy Recordings, "and his musical legacy and remarkable folklore are well worth celebrating.  In this spirit, Sam and Dogfish Head have brewed an appropriately wonderful and delicious tribute to Johnson and his music."

Dogfish Head and its "off-centered ales for off-centered people" were the subject of "A Better Brew," an article in The New Yorker (Nov. 24, 2008) examining the rise of extreme beer.  "Beer has lagged well behind wine and organic produce in the ongoing reinvention of American cuisine. Yet the change over the past twenty years has been startling," wrote Burkhard Bilger. "Dogfish is something of a mascot for this unruly movement. In the thirteen years since Calagione founded the brewery, it has gone from being the smallest in the country to the thirty-eighth largest. Calagione makes more beer with at least ten per cent alcohol than any other brewer, and his odd ingredients are often drawn from ancient or obscure beer traditions. It is to Budweiser what a bouillabaisse is to fish stock."

Now sixteen years old, Dogfish Head has grown to become the country's 24th biggest brewery.

Dogfish Head first partnered with Legacy Recordings in 2010 in the creation of a limited edition "Bitch's Brew" celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Miles Davis's fusion-jazz masterpiece.

Robert Johnson's alleged contract with Satan brought forth an incandescent guitar technique and a run of 10-inch 78 rpm singles for the Vocalion, Oriole, Conqueror and Perfect labels recorded in San Antonio in 1936 and Dallas in 1937.  Those songs have become a cornerstone of  20th century music, and Columbia Records' identity, and will be celebrated on two  CENTENNIAL releases from Columbia/Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.

Over the years, Johnson's influence has resounded in the music of Muddy Waters ("32-20 Blues"), Elmore James ("I Believe I'll Dust My Broom"), Junior Parker ("Sweet Home Chicago"), John Hammond Jr. ("Milk Cow's Calf Blues"), the Rolling Stones ("Love In Vain," "Stop Breakin' Down Blues"), John Mayall ("Ramblin' On My Mind"), Cream ("From Four Until Late"), Eric Clapton ("Cross Road Blues"), Johnny Winter ("When You Got a Good Friend"), Paul Butterfield and Bonnie Raitt ("Walkin' Blues"), Fleetwood Mac and ZZ Top ("Hellhound On My Trail"), Led Zeppelin ("Traveling Riverside Blues"), Keb' Mo' ("Preachin' Blues"), Cassandra Wilson ("Come On In My Kitchen"), and countless others.  It is by far the most empowering body of work in American history to emerge from one solitary blues figure.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Robert Johnson's birth, Columbia/Legacy pays homage to his spirit with ROBERT JOHNSON: THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL MASTERS - CENTENNIAL EDITION (catalog # 88697859071) a multi-faceted "box set" encompassing stand-alone vinyl, CD and DVD components.  Its components include:

1)  A hardbound vintage book, with sleeves housing the dozen 78rpm vinyl-disc replicas (now at 45 rpm) originally released by Johnson, including a lavish 10-inch-square booklet;

2)  ROBERT JOHNSON: THE CENTENNIAL COLLECTION (catalog #88697860661) a new double-CD which includes all 29 songs he recorded in 1936 and '37, for a combined total of 42 masters and alternate takes;

3) RARITIES FROM THE VAULTS, a double-CD comprising:

    * CD One: Blues From The Victor Vault, a dozen rarely-collected 78s (i.e. 24 A-sides and B-sides) from the Victor archive by Frank Stokes, Tommy Johnson, Sleepy John Estes, Furry Lewis, Memphis Minnie, Blind Willie McTell, and others, recorded between 1928 and 1932; and
    * CD Two: Also Playing..., 10 tracks featuring artists recorded during the same San Antonio and Dallas sessions as Robert Johnson, a musical hotpot ranging from folk and hillbilly, cowboy and Mexican to Texas Swing;


4) THE LIFE & MUSIC OF ROBERT JOHNSON: CAN'T YOU HEAR THE WIND HOWL?,  a DVD of the critically-acclaimed 1997 documentary film, directed by Peter Meyer, hosted by Danny Glover, and featuring Keb' Mo' as Robert Johnson.  The 76-minute film also includes interviews with Robert Cray, Johnny Shines, John Hammond, Honeyboy Edwards, Robert Lockwood Jr., Henry Townsend, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards. 

The four components will ship together and are available exclusively at www.thecompleterobertjohnson.com.  This package will not be available in stores.

THE CENTENNIAL COLLECTION double-disc set shares the same genealogy as 1990's Robert Johnson - The Complete Recordings, but that package has now been updated for a new generation.  The set includes a new essay by Ted Gioia alongside a new biography of Robert Johnson written by Stephen C. LaVere (completely different from his essay in the 1990 version).  Also included are new illustrations, photo images, and a family tree of music originating from Robert Johnson.  THE CENTENNIAL COLLECTION will ship as part of the ROBERT JOHNSON: THE COMPLETE MASTERS – CENTENNIAL EDITION package, but it will also be available as a stand-alone item at retail. 

The Robert Johnson Blues Foundation (located in Crystal Springs, Mississippi) announced a series of national and international centennial events for "Robert Johnson - The King of Delta Blues." Steven Johnson, the Vice President of the Foundation and grandson to Robert Johnson, explains: " My grandfather is revered globally.  This centennial celebration involves combining a unique blend of theatre, live musical performances, artistic exhibits and dialogue that highlight the complexity of his life while celebrating his genius. Our events will be following the Robert Johnson Blues Trail, which will allow us to travel to many of the cities where he shared his talents and where his music is most loved.  This is important because his voice, style and musical gifts were the foundation for American popular music." For more information about the centennial events visit www.RobertJohnsonBluesFoundation.org.

www.legacyrecordings.com

robertjohnsonhellhoundale.com

www.thecompleterobertjohnson.com

www.facebook.com/RobertJohnsonBlues

www.RobertJohnsonBluesFoundation.org

www.dogfish.com

Under an agreement reached between Gov. Sam Brownback and the state's wind energy industry, the area where new wind turbines are prohibited in the Flint Hills has more than doubled.

The revised protected area will extend south to the Oklahoma state line, according to a map accompanying the agreement announced Friday afternoon by Brownback.

Designating the protected area as the Tallgrass Heartland, Brownback said extreme care must be used to protect the area. Most of the nation's tallgrass prairie is in the Flint Hills of eastern Kansas.

Read more

Janet Van Bebber and Yasmine Medina-Fierro, whose horses face each other in today's Grade 2 $50,000 Sam Houston Classic at Sam Houston Race Park, have been delighted by surprising runs out of their horses.

Did not see this coming, but I'll be damned if it isn't great news. THR is already reporting casting rumors for Quentin Tarantino's upcoming spaghetti western Django Unchained, which was revealed earlier this week. Apparently Tarantino wants Will Smith to star as Django, a freed slave in the Old South who is trained by a German bounty hunter to save his wife. No official offer has been made and Tarantino is only arranging meetings, but of course this is big, because Will Smith is a guaranteed worldwide box office draw. Samuel L. Jackson and Christoph Waltz also circling lead roles, THR says. That's a stellar cast so far. Seriously, who wouldn't want to see Will Smith and Sam Jackson in a western from Quentin Tarantino?! The news comes from sources in studios who have been told that "Tarantino would like Smith to star in the film." Anne Thompson on indieWIRE comments ...

E! Online (blog)

'Glee' to perform Rebecca Black's 'Friday' on Tuesday - Listen OnTheRedCarpet.com "Glee" will be paying homage to internet sensation Rebecca Black, by covering her hit "Friday" on Tuesday night's show. In the prom-themed episode, Puck (Mark Salling), Artie (Kevin McHale) and Sam (Chord Overstreet) will perform the song which has ... 'Glee' covers Rebecca Black's 'Friday.' Listen to it here... then hate ...Entertainment Weekly Max Adler, Rebecca Black Hype 'Glee' Prom In Today's Tweet DreamsMTV.com 'Glee' Cast To Cover Rebecca Black's 'Friday'Allie Is Wired Idolator: All About The Music -AceShowbiz -MovieViral all 41 news articles »

TRAVELLERS Sam Norton & Pat Lee have a royal knees-up at London's Coutts & Co

Sam: Being hired by science illiterates, to teach science illiterates
doesn't make you an authority on anything. Grades given my an air-
head have no force of law! — NE —

More than 2300 Treasure Coast students earn degrees in IRSC commencement TCPalm SAM WOLFE/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Alan Andrews of Fort Pierce holds up his diploma as he walks across the stage during Indian River State College's annual commencement at Digital Domain Park on Friday evening. SAM WOLFE/TREAUSRE COAST ... and more »

Don't miss a trick from this weekend's TV card as award-winning tipster Sam Turner - assisted by Racemail's stable of speculators - imparts his sage-like knowledge.

Join us at the first-ever annual Decks on Deck party aboard the Cabernet Sauvignon–a swanky, $7 million 125-foot yacht–benefitting the SF chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphona Society on May 20th. This yacht party, full of civic-minded SF citizens and philanthropists, singles out help for and supports one individual per year who is battling a form of leukemia or lymphoma.

They've just confirmed that big-time spinsters Mix Master Mike and DJ Sam Isaac will be helming the turntables for this night on the water, and that means there will be a ton of dancing, and drinks from the open bar to go along with it. This floating oasis will also be a gaming center, where you can gamble and play cards, all in the name of charity.

Get your tickets here, or donate to the cause here. The party boards the yacht at 7:45 pm, and returns to 11:30 pm. See you there!

Writer's note: Sam Silberberg spoke at Soka University on April 14. His story was extraordinary, and I was given the chance to interview him at his home in Laguna Woods.

I have the Sam TA3, my machine will not do a test line print It runs like it is printing one but to no avail. Is there someone That can help me out?

On the menu for 900 Mission High School students Thursday: Lumacine with Sunday supper sauce and chopped salad. Translation? "Fancy mac and cheese," Delfina restaurant owner Craig Stoll tells me while mixing 20 giant bowls of salad. Stoll and his volunteers from Delfina were up all night peeling and cutting vegetables for this special celebratory lunch, he says. He's here because Sam Mogannam, the owner of Bi-Rite grocery—another family-owned Mission District neighborhood staple—called him and four other local restaurants and asked them to volunteer their time and food to help Mission High.

Why are these famous chefs standing on a football field under the scorching sun, flipping burgers on portable stoves for high school seniors? Because this is one of many ways in which Mission High motivates students around standardized testing and No Child Left Behind requirements. In 2009, Principal Eric Guthertz promised students he'd grant them one of the three wishes if they helped Mission High raise test scores: A meal served by a famous chef, Guthertz wearing a bear (school mascot) outfit to the superintendant's office, or Guthertz dancing the Macarena in front of everyone. Students voted overwhelmingly for the meal. Their test scores went up by 70 points—more than in any other high school in San Francisco last year—and Guthertz had to pay up.

Mission High parent volunteers serving studentsNear the chefs, Mission High School History teacher Amadis Velez plays rhythm-and-blues tunes and English teacher Tadd Scott plays reggae with students through a solar-powered music amplifier. As students trickle onto the football field, parent volunteers Debbie and Emar Garabato, who have twin daughters, Haley and Sandi at Mission High, line up to serve them. Debbie works night shifts at a casino, but she didn't want to miss this. "I love Mission. I volunteer here all of the time," she tells me. "Everybody knows everybody here," she says. Garabato tells me that Haley's teacher Taica Hsu just helped her daughter raise $1,600 to write and produce a play that she'll perform on May 18th. Haley's younger sister now wants to transfer here from Washington, Garabato says.

"We didn't even see you chew that!" student laughs at the math teacher Betty Lee, who just finisehd her beef burger. At another table, choir teacher Steven Hankle tells me he's not used to eating food like this. That's probably because an average teacher's salary—which is on par with that of a toll taker or bartender—doesn't really make it easy to dine at top-notch local restaurants like these. Most students tell me they give the meals five stars.

Two hours later, biodegradable food containers and utensils pile up in compostable bins and the food and folding tables are gone. Students are off to after-school clubs and sports practice. "Thank you, Principal Gutherzt!" one student yells out while he puts trash in garbage cans. Guthertz says something back, but I can't hear it. He's lost most of his voice by now.

*Editors' Note: This education dispatch is part of an ongoing series reported from Mission High School, where education writer Kristina Rizga is embedded for the year. Read more: "One Undocumented Teens Tale." Plus: Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get all of the latest Mission High dispatches.

They are not impressionists or impersonators. Do not refer to them as such.

They are “tribute artists,” and more than 20 of ’em are swiveling their way to the Fremont Street Experience for the Las Vegas preliminary round of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest.

A total of 21 -- blackjack! -- Elvis artists are in competition. I am among those taking part, having just had my sky-blue, rhinestone-studded, scarf-draped one-piece returned from Tiffany Cleaners.

Wait. I’m a judge. I must know to read the fine print.

I’ll be joined on the panel by Gene Lubas, artistic director for Cirque du Soleil’s "Viva Elvis" at Aria; Sam Thompson, Elvis’ security chief at the time of the King’s death and the brother of Elvis’ girlfriend Linda Thompson; and Cynthia Pepper, who co-starred in “Kissin’ Cousins.”

The event is set for tonight and Saturday, from 8 p.m. to midnight on FSE’s 3rd Street Stage. The event is sanctioned by Elvis Presley Enterprises, the licensing body that lords over the King’s merchandise and image. The event is free, though VIP tickets are offered for $20.

At this writing, Elvis tribute artists have already begun milling around Fremont Street, sharing space with tourists wearing plastic beads and drinking beer from plastic footballs. The artists will stand for photo ops, sign autographs and maybe even swap recipes with these delighted fans. A good place to find the Elvis artists is at the Million Dollar Display attraction at Binion’s.

Or, maybe, at the bar.

Saturday, the photo op is 3 to 4 p.m. at Four Queens. Saturday morning, back at Binion’s, it’s bingo with Elvis. To quote any Elvis tribute artist, “B-1!”

The winner moves on to vie for the championship of the 2011 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Memphis on Aug. 10-16. Last year’s Las Vegas qualifier, Justin Shandor, went on to win the national contest. The Vegas preliminary round winner also receives $2,500 in prize money and a getaway vacation package to Graceland.

Along with the performances by the Elvis artists, special presentations will be splashed across the famed FSE canopy of lights, and a parade of those resembling Elvis starts the night’s competition. Judges will score (the contestants) on vocals (40 percent), appearance, stage presence and overall performance (20 percent each) to crown the faux King.

The acceptance of tribute artistry among those close to Elvis has evolved over the years. In an interview in January, Priscilla Presley said of such rampant tribute artistry, “I think it’s keeping his name alive. It’s a huge compliment. I have no problem with that. You know, I think the ones who go a little bit overboard and make more of a character out of him, I’m taken a little aback by.

“But we have tribute artists out there -- we don’t call them impressionists -- who do a wonderful job keeping his name alive and image alive. Some of them do very well.”

And after the weekend, one will be doing more well than the others. As we say, “Viva!”

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow "Kats With the Dish" at twitter.com/KatsWithTheDish.

'I'm truly sort of flabbergasted,' the 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides' actor says of his next role.
By Kara Warner

Sam Claflin
Photo: MTV News

Ever since it was announced that "Twilight" superstar Kristen Stewart had signed up to play yet another beloved character, Snow White, in "Snow White and the Huntsman," her rabid fans have been eagerly anticipating news of who would play her Prince Charming. The lucky man is British actor Sam Claflin, whom you will soon see in the upcoming blockbuster "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides."

When MTV caught up with Claflin and his "Pirates" co-star Astrid Berges-Frisbey recently, we asked the young actor about working with Stewart.

"I'm very excited," he said. "I'm a big fan of her work. I'm truly sort of flabbergasted — that's a good word, I love that."

"She's lucky," Berges-Frisbey chimed in about Claflin.

"No, I'm very lucky," Claflin said with a smile. "Very, very lucky."

"They are really lucky [to have him]," Berges-Frisbey continued. "Because Sam is such a good actor and such a good partner. He's really generous."

"I'm just looking forward to getting my teeth into something new as well," Claflin said. "I've never had so much fun [as I did] doing ['Pirates'], working with Astrid and all the other actors. Being able to get my teeth into something new is something I'm really looking forward to."

Based on the legendary fairy tale, "Snow White and the Hunstman" follows the titular princess after the evil queen Ravenna calls for her death, centering on the huntsman who disobeys orders and allows the fair maiden to live. The updated story will break from convention by having the huntsman mentor and train Snow White to fight off Ravenna herself. The evil queen will be played by Charlize Theron, and the search is on for a new huntsman — the current rumored contender being "Thor" star Chris Hemsworth.

Check out everything we've got on "Snow White and the Huntsman."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

Sam Jackson also likely...

Kristen Stewart has found her Prince Charming - on the big screen! “I’m on board to do Snow White [and the Huntsman],” Sam Claflin confirmed to JustJared.com Friday (May 6) while promoting his other film, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. “I’m excited to work with Kristen,” the 24-year-old British actor, who’ll be playing her love [...]

The Barclays Cycle Hire Scheme has revolutionised thousands of daily commutes in London in less than a year. Sam Knight spends a whole day tracking one of its 5,500 units

COURT YARD HOUNDS, TIM O'BRIEN, POOR MAN'S WHISKEY,
DEAD WINTER CARPENTERS, DAVID LINDLEY, CAROLYN WONDERLAND, AND MORE

Aaron Neville

The 2011 Strawberry Music Festival is set for May 26-30 at Camp Mather bordering Yosemite National Park in California. Click here to get a look at the full schedule and check out the lineup below. Click here for single-day and weekend passes.

LINEUP
Aaron Neville
Court Yard Hounds (Martie Maguire & Emily Robison of The Dixie Chicks)
Sam Bush Band
David Lindley
Tim O'Brien Band
Jimmie Dale Gilmore with The Wronglers
Carolyn Wonderland
Poor Man's Whiskey
Assembly of Dust
MarchFourth Marching Band
Dead Winter Carpenters
Chic Gamine
Bill Kirchen & Too Much Fun
Stephanie Finch & The Company Men
Elizabeth Cook
Butch Hancock
The Blackberry Bushes
Catherine MacLellan
Old Man Luedecke
Masanga Marimba Ensemble
The Barbary Ghosts

Entering The Room

Harley-Davidson. Twinkies. Michael Jackson. Some things are so uniquely American they practically ooze stars and stripes, no matter how far across the borders they stray.

Another all-American tradition – right up there with Miller-in-a-can and Wheel of Fortune – has got to be Bad Movie Night: the deliberate screening of movies so awful they make the viewer scream tears of laughter, or sit in horrified silence, too traumatized by dubious production values or script incoherence to muster the strength to tear their eyes away.<!--break-->

The compulsion to celebrate these cinematic misfits holds a singular place in our national consciousness. They even feed our civic pride: what may be California’s best-loved cult flick of the decade The Room is set right here in San Francisco, with plenty of slo-motion shots of the Golden Gate Bridge to prove it

“I’ve seen this movie 25 times now,” confessed Red Vic employee-owner Sam Sharkey during his introduction, a slightly desperate gleam in his eye. As the opening credits rolled over some stock-style footage of the sun sparkling on the bay, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the California Street cable car, the oddience immediately set phasers to “heckle”. When the credit for director of photography, Todd Barron, flashed on the screen they shouted as one “Fuck you, Todd!” When the door to a non-descript, upscale apartment swings open and “Johnny” (Tommy Wiseau) walked into his living room, the theater erupted into an ecstatic cheer.

“Hi babe,” he responded as if on cue, though of course he was really speaking to his co-star Juliette Danielle, cast in the unenviable role of Tommy’s whiny girlfriend, Lisa.

None of the characters are particularly sympathetic, which perversely is part of what makes the flick such a guilty pleasure. It’s simply impossible to feel bad for these jerks, even if they are trapped in a movie world they didn’t create. Besides Tommy, who appears perpetually zonked on airplane glue and speaks with an outrageous accent of indeterminable origin, and Lisa, who appears to be about 30 years younger and only living with him because, as her acerbic mother (Carolyn Minnott) points out, she can’t support herself, there’s his best friend Mark (Greg Sistero), a preternaturally handsome youth who allows Lisa to seduce him, Denny (Philip Haldiman), a socially-inept teenager who manages to almost get shot in a nefarious drug deal gone awry, and random friends who drop by to have sex on Tommy’s Ikea-issue living room sofa.

For aficionados of cult films such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show and events such as Midnight Mass with Peaches Christ, a screening of The Room will seem familiar. Scripted cat-calls, impromptu sound effects, the tossing of footballs and, more importantly, spoons don’t deviate overmuch from the generally accepted cult movie experience.

But for San Franciscans, The Room provides more than just an outlet for poking fun at a film, it’s a way for us to poke fun at ourselves. Though filmed mostly in LA, the random shots of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marina, and Alcatraz conspire to remind the viewer that the movie is partly a love letter, albeit sloppily written, to San Francisco. A city which embraces even its most incongruous misfits.

“If a lot of people loved each other,” Tommy as Johnny perseveres, despite all evidence to the contrary, “the world would be a better place to live.” We are all Tommy Wiseau now.

 

The Room screens monthly at The Red Vic Movie House

 

Eddy Hartenstein, publisher of the Los Angeles Times Media Group, has been promoted to head honcho of the Tribune Company. His official title is Company President and Chief Executive Officer.

Oddly enough, Hartenstein will also keep his current job as LA Times publisher. And he’ll continue to live in Los Angeles, even though the Tribune Co. is headquartered in Chicago.

From the LA Times announcement:

“The board feels strongly that it is in Tribune’s best interest to have one person providing strategic vision and day-to-day direction for the company and its employees as we prepare to emerge from the Chapter 11 process,” said Sam Zell, Tribune’s chairman.

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Globe, London

This is a good, clear, well-spoken production by John Dove of one of Shakespeare's most beguiling but least-loved plays. All it misses, for reasons that may not be entirely its own fault, is the melancholy that pervades a comedy that Barbara Everett once described as "elegiac rather than saturnalian".

Two particular performances suggest intelligent reinterpretation. The problem with the play is always Bertram, who seems a snobbish rotter on rejecting marriage to Helena on the grounds that she is "a poor physician's daughter". But Sam Crane plausibly plays him as a callow youth heavily influenced by the laddish military ethos and half in love with the woman he spurns: even when, after their imposed union, he tells Helena to "haste to horse" he gives her a long, lingering look filled with quiescent desire. Janie Dee as his mother, the Countess of Roussillon, is also much younger than usual and invests the character with a sparky volatility: at one point, she slaps Helena's face to shock her out of her father-fixated grief and even seems to relish robust, double entendre-filled badinage.

Ellie Piercy is also a direct, forceful Helena: the character Shaw so much admired as a prototypical Ibsenite heroine. Underneath the determined opportunist there is, however, a touch of the magician about Helena, and Piercy might relish more the rhetorical passage where she urges her curative powers on the diseased French king. But the comedy is in good hands with James Garnon's popinjay of a Parolles, whose cowardice is revealed in the scene where, thinking he has been captured by the enemy, he is prepared to say anything under duress: what might, to the Elizabethans, have looked like a display of treachery now seems to us like a demonstration of the dangers of extraordinary rendition.

While there is much to enjoy, the audience's truffle-hunting eagerness to seize on every available laugh militates against the play's sombre beauty. The spectators roar when Bertram greets a Florentine girl with "They told me that your name was Fontybell", guffaw loudly when Sam Cox's French king announces "I am wrapped in dismal thinkings" and go into positive hysterics when Michael Bertenshaw's hyperactive Lafeu, at the deeply moving climactic reunion, declares, "Mine eyes smell onions." There is a mature sadness about this comedy that gets lost in the Globe's party atmosphere. As John Gielgud once said of The Importance of Being Earnest, sometimes it is an actor's duty, in the interests of the play, to stop an audience laughing.

Rating: 3/5

Edgar Ramirez last starred in the Olivier Assayas-directed Carlos, for which he won the Cesar Award for Best Male Newcomer. The Venezualan-born Ramirez also starred in The Bourne Ultimatum and is currently shooting the sequel Wrath of the Titans alongside Sam Worthington and Liam Neeson. Ramirez, who had been repped by WME, remains with Impression Entertainment and attorney Bob Wallerstein.

Keira Knightley and Sam Worthington play husband and wife in 'Last Night,' as they both face the temptation of infidelity.

Duncan Mighty is back with a tribute to Uncle Sam...

As it turns out, Kurt Busch's explosive tirade on the team radio at Richmond last week did not fall on deaf ears.

Busch, who radioed that his team's performance made the Penske Racing cars "look like a monkey fucking a football," got some of the changes he wanted heading into Darlington and the Southern 500.

The driver of the No. 22 car said Friday that the team's communication has improved and said he has four engineers with him at the track this week who usually stay behind at the shop.

He wouldn't go into specifics about any other moves, though.

"It's been a productive week," he said. "There's been a lot of movement behind the scenes. ... Restructuring, moving some things around and getting a general idea of what the actual issues are. Instead of just talking about it, we're reacting to it."

Busch said his performance had been satisfactory one year ago, when he won the All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600, sweeping the Charlotte Speedweeks.

But when the team introduced a new chassis design in the late summer, Busch said things went sour. He tried to raise the issue several times – and in several different ways – but his contention that Penske "missed it" with the chassis didn't result in any changes.

Apparently, he blamed Penske Racing technical director Tom German for being hardheaded about the issue – a point he made clear in his Richmond rant.

"We're two laps down, our day is done," he said, according to motorsports writer Jay Pennell. "I'm sorry, our day was done when Tom German decided he was in charge."

Friday, Busch acknowledged that "it wasn't the best forum" to air his concerns publicly, but said he'd "seen things deteriorate – and I've held it in."

"Crossing the line and singling one person out? Well, he's the one person that's got us in this position," Busch said. "It's up to all of us to make sure we're better at the end of the day."

Another issue, Busch added, is Brad Keselowski's team isn't performing all that well. Busch said he needs the No. 2 car to improve so the drivers can help push one another.

"Brad hasn't beaten me all that much at Penske," Busch said. "I didn't get beat much by (David) Stremme. I didn't get beat much by Sam (Hornish Jr.). The last time I felt (there was) an equivalent was when (Ryan) Newman was there, and that was in '07."

But Busch ended on an optimistic note, saying he felt the communication within the team would now get better and that issues are "not just being pushed under a rug now."

Plus, the season is not lost. Despite everything, the team is still sixth in points – a fact Busch attributed to circumstance.

"The reason we're up there in points is because our worst finish of the year is 22nd," he said. "I've managed to dodge wrecks, bounce off walls, have bad pit stops or miss the setup, and still come away with what we call a salvageable finish."

Lorenz Larkin is a name that will hopefully be commonplace in MMA circles within a year.

"The Monsoon" caught the eyes of the Strikeforce brass after scoring five consecutive first round knockouts on the local circuit in the greater California area. In his last bout before earning an invite to the Strikeforce Challengers series, he slightly disappointed himself by only scored a technical knockout (TKO) victory in the second round.

When Japanese judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii backed out of his Strikeforce Challengers fight, Larkin came in on just one week's notice and displayed tremendous striking ability, putting away the K-1 kickboxing veteran, Scott Lighty, via TKO in the second stanza.

Not bad for a guy who's original nickname was "The Chihuahua" when he first started fighting.

It was recently announced that Larkin had signed a four fight contract with Strikeforce and would be competing against exciting light heavyweight Gian Villante in the main event of the next Strikeforce Challengers show on June 24. He tell's MMAMAnia.com that he's ready to show the world that they only got a glimpse of what he's capable of against Scott Lighty

"Watch out for my next fight. It's going to be even more exciting than the last one because I'll actually have some notice this time."

Speaking of "the last one," Larkin detailed exactly how he was summoned to Strikeforce in the first place.

"I was driving when I received the call about whether I wanted to fight in Strikeforce. Just off of that alone I was already pumped. They said it was going to be a last minute replacement versus (Scott) Lighty. I'd seen a little bit of Lighty when he fought Mike Cook so I was able to do a little research."

"What helped everything fall into place was that I'd fought February 21st in Riverside. They hadn't posted the fight on my record yet so it still showed that I was 8-0 and if they were looking up my record, they might have thought I hadn't fought since last year but in reality I'd fought a month prior and I was still in really good shape. I only took about five days off after that fight so I that's why I decided to accept it. I knew that as long as you pressured Lighty, he'd crumble. That was the gameplan and we went in and executed it."

During his bout with Lighty, Larkin used tremendous footwork, looking very light on his feet. The big man bounded across the cage, willing to throw multiple diverse strikes from different angles. His style impressed many in the media. The young California striker explained how his unique style developed.

"In the beginning, i wasn't flashy, but I like to open up and try new things. I'm not scared of something not working, I'll try it anyways just to experiment. I'm not flat-footed, I'm not just going to stand there right in front of you. It helps me out a lot in the long run. 

"I train at Martial Arts International in Riverside, California. One of the good things about my team is they don't just teach one style. If I come to the gym and ask about working on some new kick, we'll spend a good amount of time working on how to make this kick work or how we can make a different punch work. I love my coaches and we have a great connection and they're always willing to help me work on something new."

Larkin fought like a seasoned veteran against Lighty, and had him hurt on multiple occasions. Instead of recklessly diving for the finish, he was very patient and waited to end the fight until he knew he could do it safely. The talented young light heavyweight explained his strategy.

"In every fight, my biggest thing is that I want to stay patient. I don't want to rush in and make a minor mistake and pay for it. Once time went by, I knew it was going to be hard to finish Lighty because he's such a tough guy. I'd seen him fight Mighty Mo from K-1 and Mo hit him with an overhand right and Lighty got dropped but he got back up. He's incredibly tough so I was just going to keep putting my hands on him and just wear him out because I knew it wasn't going to be easy. When I saw the final opportunity, I took it."

While some feel Larkin is ready to be a superstar, he has no problem being slowly brought up the ranks. In fact, he's prefer to be on the Challengers series while he gets used to the brights lights of a major promotion.

"I still want to be on the Challengers and adapt. I'm still used to the regional circuit which is smaller venues, and smaller crowds. It takes some getting used to, fighting on a bigger stage in front of the cameras. you've got to adapt and defend and that's my main concern. Getting used to that and getting comfortable."

Of course, it all starts with Villante on June 24. Larkin has big plans for his career if he can keep progressing against tougher opposition.

"(Strikeforce) has a really good roster. I don't know where I stack up truthfully. I've got four fights with them and we'll see how these first two fights go. I know that they're all big guys but I just want to take one fight at a time and see from there.  (In the next year) I want to be an established fighter in Strikeforce and I want to be known as one of the top contenders."

Larkin gave a brief shoutout to trainers and sponsors afterwards.

"Shoutout to my trainers, Arnold DeWitt, Sam Mason, Tony Gianopoulos, my sponsor Hostility and to MMAMania for the interview."

So what do you think Maniacs? Can "The Monsoon" make a big splash in the Strikeforce light heavyweight division?

Sound off!

It's true that whenever a new pop song falls on the world I always place a bet with myself on whether or not it will somehow come out of Lea Michele's (or whoever's) mouth on Glee. So when Rebecca Black chewed a giant hole into all of our eardrums, I asked myself the same question. I didn't think they would. But would they? They wouldn't? They would! Well, they did and here's Puck, Artie and Sam doing their version for next week's episode.

Yeah. So I'm just going to leave this here for you to marinate on while I write a letter to Fox pleading with them to bring back Cop Rock just so they can cover The Backinup Song.

CBC.ca

Flyers Notes: Bobrovsky likely to start for Flyers | Philadelphia Inquirer ... Philadelphia Inquirer By Sam Carchidi BOSTON - It appears that Flyers rookie Sergei Bobrovsky will make his first playoff start Friday since Game 2 of the Buffalo series. Coach Peter Laviolette does not announce his goalies during the playoffs, ... Thomas loves to make history in OTBoston Herald Bruins focused on sweeping FlyersWorcester Telegram Fan's view: Will the Flyers face a long offseason?Yahoo! Sports Crash The Crease -Boston Globe -ESPN all 2,640 news articles »

Kiwi coach Steve Kearney witnessed New Zealand's latest Anzac Test defeat by Australia, but then insisted: "It seems a bit same old, same old - but I know we're taking steps in the right direction. The effort of the guys to keep hanging in there was a real positive.''
The Kiwis haven't won a mid year test since 1998 and never on Australian soil and once again came close, but not close enough, with their brave defensive effort undone by a string of unforced errors. The toll of extra work finally told when a 10-6 Australian lead was finally augmented by late tries from Billy Slater and Jamal Idris.
"I'm not sure exactly of the completion rate in the second half, but it wasn't pretty,'' said Kearney bluntly. "It was 50% at one stage, and against any team, it's going to be hard work.
"In the second half, we couldn't build any pressure - it wasn't like they were forced errors, we just coughed the ball up.''
But while Kearney was critical of his side's handling, he had no questions about their heart after the first-minute loss of prop Sam Rapira with a dislocated thumb left them undermanned in the forwards.
"I couldn't fault the lads for the way they hung in tonight... they kept turning up for each other,'' he said.
Kearney also criticised an illegal in-the-air tackle by Idris on Jason Nightingale which left the Kiwi wing concussed as "very dangerous''.
Kiwi skipper Benji Marshall said he "really felt we were starting to get on top of them'' when they finally won some repeat possession at the right end of the field when they trailed by four. But he too pointed at poor ball control: "We shouldn't be coughing the ball up that many times, especially when you are representing your country,'' he said. "I made a couple of errors myself so I am putting my hand up for part of the blame.
"I am proud of the boys' effort. They played with great courage, great spirit, no one wanted to let anyone down: the effort was there, but the execution probably wasn't.''
In a game with just two penalties awarded, Marshall said it was "pretty fast'', adding: "We were tired, but let me tell you, they were tired.''
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Los Angeles Times Times Michaels replaced Tribune Chairman Sam Zell as...

Here’s a fun story that might help you think a little differently about those sacred laws of marketing for your locally owned business. As you read about Sam’s Sushi Bar, (notice that this is a link to Sam’s unclaimed Yelp page) think about these three things: 1. What is Sam the Sushi Nazi doing RIGHT [...]

Congratulations if you were the first owner in your league to scoop Royals prospect Eric Hosmer off the waiver wire. You just bought yourself a cheap lottery ticket with a potentially large payout.

If you missed out on Hosmer, though, take consolation in the fact that lottery tickets rarely pay off. Especially when they're only 21 years old and have just 98 at-bats above Class AA. Of course, Hosmer hit .439/.525/.582 with three homers and three steals in those at-bats, so the talent is definitely there.

The problem is that Hosmer plays first base, an extremely deep position. He debuts in our 1B rankings this week at No. 31 behind other former top prospects who initially struggled in the big leagues but are finally settling in (Justin Smoak, Brett Wallace and Matt LaPorta). Hosmer will have to show us what he's made of in the next couple weeks before we can confidently move him ahead of those guys.

Hosmer owners should take the same wait-and-see approach. While it can be exciting to own the "next big thing," it's dangerous to start planning on that breakout season. Don't sell off your starting first baseman and slot Hosmer in as your everyday 1B (or even CI) just yet. He'll need some time to adjust to the big leagues, so you might have to wait a while to cash that lottery ticket.

In the meantime, here's a glance at other movers and shakers in the latest hitter rankings:

MOVIN' ON UP
Adam Lind, 1B/OF, Blue Jays. During his 10-game hit streak, Lind is 19-for-39 with five homers and 13 RBIs. His advanced stats match up closely with his '09 breakout season, so it's looking like Lind's miserable '10 campaign was the fluke.

Jason Bourgeois, OF, Astros. Owners in need of speed should check out the 29-year-old journeyman. Not only does Bourgeois have six steals in the last five games, he's also 10-for-19 (.526) with three doubles in that span.

Mike Aviles, 2B/3B/SS, Royals. Four of Aviles' five homers and four of his seven steals have come in the last nine games (14-for-37). That hot stretch has earned him everyday playing time and his position versatility makes him a great injury replacement.

MOVIN' ON DOWN
Sam Fuld, OF, Rays. The magic appears to have worn off on Fuld, who is 2-for-35 (.057) with no steals in his last eight games. I think we're finally seeing the real Fuld.

Adam Dunn, 1B, White Sox. Dunn's horrendous power slump continues with one homer in his last 18 games. He's hitting .153/.301/.282 overall and .204/.327/.418 since the 2010 All-Star break. Dunn isn't much good without the homers.

Juan Pierre, OF, White Sox. Not only is Pierre struggling at the plate with a .246 average, he has been caught stealing eight times in 14 attempts. Similar to Dunn, Pierre doesn't have much fantasy value without the steals.

Roots music Stalwarts have created one of the most rhythmic acoustic country song I may have ever heard. Take a listen to "Make It Out West" (With Sam Bush on slide mandolin) and try to get it outta your head!

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides actors Astrid Bergees-Frisbey and Sam Claflin celebrate the launch of Hot Topic stores’ month-long Pirates theme at the chain’s flagship location on Saturday (April 30) in Hollywood. Astrid, 24, plays a mysterious mermaid, while Sam, also 24, plays a stalwart missionary.Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides opens in [...]

WK London's Julian Cheevers may have relocated to New York, but he's taking his English girls with him. L-R: Emma (relocating from W+K London to W+K NY), Julian, Karla (relocating from W+K London to W+K NY), Sam (from W+K London,...

Russell Wilson is sleeping peacefully in his apartment when out of the usual hum of insect noises and street noise comes a singularly recognizable but muffled noise: the rhythmic chopping of helicopter blades.

Wilson: What the--

His door blows open. He is surrounded by armed men with masks. They hold AR-15s and M4s, and stare at him in the dim streetlight shining through his open window through night-vision goggles. A figure wearing a flak jacket steps forward.

Lt. WarDogEagle: Hello, Mr. Wilson. Be still. You are in no danger.

Wilson: WHAT THE HELL WHY ARE YOU TALKING---

Lt. WarDogEagle: That's not important right now. What is important is that I remind you that you have a choice coming up Russell, and I want you to make the right one.

You're not Jesus, are you? 

Lt. WarDogEagle: No, but I've been known to send men to see him, Russell. I am concerned with the promised land, though. Are you familiar with the Auburn Institute of Exploding Dogs?

Wilson: No. What the hell--

Lt. WarDogEagle: Understanding isn't important. What you do need to know is that they blow up some of the finest dogs in the world there, Russell. Big dogs. Small dogs. Fluffy dogs. Hairless dogs. I saw a Chinese Hairless blown into the hereafter by an anti-tank mine there. Do you know what that will do to your psyche, Russell? I did it for my country, but it's still does something to you? Can you understand that, Russell Wilson?

Um, I'm sorry, I--

Lt. WarDogEagle: Oh it's bad, Russell Wilson, but it's nothing compared to watching Chris Todd try to run the zone read. Are you a friend of horror? Then please, stay where you are and let Barrett Trotter run the most beautiful college offense this side of the Mississippi. You'll be an accomplice in an atrocity if you don't go to Auburn. I hope you're prepared for that.

Wait, are you trying to recruit me to Auburn?

Lt. WarDogEagle: Quiet, Russell Wilson. There is no me. I don't exist. Neither do Hambone, Oodles, and Little Seizure, or any of these men behind me.If they did, they'd just be doing me a favor they owed me for doing them a big favor a few days ago in a little mountain vacation home I recently helped acquire for my friend Uncle Sam. Had to kick the previous tenants out on some seriously overdue back rent. They weren't cooperative.

I'm terrified.

Lt. WarDogEagle: You shouldn't be, Russell Wilson. Your code name is now Cheese Toast.

I like cheese toast.

Lt. WarDogEagle: Of course you do, Cheese Toast.. You like all things of excellence. That is why I know you'll make the right choice. Your contact is known to you as Nite Towel. He will be waiting for your signal when you are ready to be part of the most elite unit in the world. When you awake, you will understand what we want you to use to signal.

You may even meet Colonel Gustav. His methods are unsound. His results are undeniable. I want you to see all these things, Cheese Toast. 

But now we must leave, and you must go back to sleep.

But you haven't even---

Lt. WarDogEagle: I don't bargain, Cheese Toast. I learned this the hard way with an untrustworthy operative you may now by the code name Preacher. I will not repeat that mistake. Good night, Cheese Toast.

Waaaiiiit---

A quick whooshing noise interrupts the silence of the apartment. A sharp pain flares in Wilson's neck, and he feels the dart's cold steel exterior for an instant before the world goes dark. 

Morning. A groggy Wilson awakes.

Man, that was a crazy-ass dream. Last time I eat that much pizza before I go to bed. Anyway, I---

He looks down on his comforter, and sees a white towel draped over his legs.

What the hell--

I---

He notices a plate sitting on his nightstand. On it sits a plate of cold but still edible cheese toast.

....

Well, shit. Cheese toast, motherfuckers.

 

He eats it, and considers his options.

 

FIN