Friday"s TV Highlights and Weekend Talk: "Descendants" on Disney

“Set It Off” Music Video | Descendants

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TV listings for the week of July 26 - Aug. 1, 2015 in PDF format

This week"sTVMovies

SERIES

Masters of Illusion Host Dean Cain"s featured magicians include Tommy Wind, Jason Andrews, Mark Bennick, Barry and Stuart, Murray SawChuck, Farrell Dillon and Jonathan Pendragon. 8 p.m. KTLA

Defiance In the aftermath of a gruesome murder, Doc Yewll (Trenna Keating) examines the victim, while Nolan and Irisa (Grant Bowler, Stephanie Leonidas) track the beast that is stalking Defiance. 8 p.m. Syfy

Virtuosity The Cliburn This documentary showcases the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas. 9 p.m. KOCE

Killjoys The Killjoys continue their search for some answers to the mystery behind D"avin"s (Luke Macfarlane) missing memories. Hannah John-Kamen and Aaron Ashmore also star in this new episode. 9 p.m. Syfy

Strike Back The international action drama returns for its fourth and final season with intelligence operatives Michael Stonebridge and Damien Scott (Philip Winchester, Sullivan Stapleton) confronting threats to world peace. 10 p.m. Cinemax

Dark Matter While the crew stops at a space station to rest and refuel, Six (Roger R. Cross) makes the others suspicious when he makes secret use of a transfer transit. Mark Bendavid, Alex Mallari Jr. and . Jodelle Ferland also star. 10 p.m. Syfy

Atlanta Plastic This new documentary series examines the changing face (no pun intended) of plastic surgery via three of Atlanta"s leading surgeons and their clients. 10 p.m. Lifetime

Vicious As Freddie (Ian McKellen) frets about an audition, he learns that Ash scores a job on his first try for it. 10:30 p.m. KOCE

MOVIES

Descendants In this new 2015 musical fantasy the idealistic son (Mitchell Hope) of Disney characters Belle and the Beast prepares to take the throne, he opens a prep school to the offspring of such villains as Maleficent (Kristin Chenoweth) and the Evil Queen (Kathy Najimy). Cameron Boyce and Maz Jobrani also star. 8 p.m. Disney

Lucy Writer-director Luc Besson merges science fiction and espionage in this story of a woman (Scarlett Johansson) whose mental and physical skills increase dramatically after she ingests some of the dangerous drug she"s forced to transport, and becomes a one-woman army. Morgan Freeman and Analeigh Tipton also star. 8:30 p.m. Cinemax

Foxcatcher In director Bennett Miller"s fact-inspired drama Steve Carell plays John du Pont, the wealthy patron of the U.S. wrestling team preparing for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo also star. 9 p.m. Starz

TALK SHOWS

CBS This Morning (N) 7 a.m. KCBS

Today Jason Aldean performs; Kevin Farley; animals with Julie Scardina. (N) 7 a.m. KNBC

KTLA Morning News (N) 7 a.m. KTLA

Good Morning America Hozier performs. (N) 7 a.m. KABC

Good Day L.A. Troy Garity ("Ballers"); Dove Cameron ("Descendants"). (N) 7 a.m. KTTV

Live With Kelly and Michael Kevin Bacon; Elle King performs; Chera Little ("America"s New Grill Star"). (N) 9 a.m. KABC

The View Seventh annual mutt show with Jill Rappaport and Carrie Ann Inaba. (N) 10 a.m. KABC

The Talk Christina Applegate; Rebecca Ferguson; Aarti Sequeira prepares chicken kebabs with peach chutney. (N) 1 p.m. KCBS

The Boris & Nicole Show Margaret Cho; Iyanla Vanzant; dancers Twitch and Allison. (N) 1 p.m. KTTV

Charlie Rose the Week (N) 7:30 p.m. KOCE

Washington Week With Gwen Ifill GOP presidential debate; fundraising by super PACs; Congressional report card: John Harwood; Susan Davis; Robert Costa. (N) 8 p.m. KOCE

To the Contrary With Bonnie Erb Bacha posh; child brides; night shelters for children. (N) 10 p.m. KVCR

Tavis Smiley Zoe Saldana; Josh Groban. (N) 11 p.m. KOCE

Charlie Rose (N) 11 p.m. KVCR; 11:30 p.m. KOCE

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Kevin Bacon; Mel B.; Russell Howard. (N) 11:34 p.m. KNBC

Jimmy Kimmel Live Ed Helms. 11:35 p.m. KABC

Late Late ShowCarla Gugino. 12:37 a.m. KCBS

Late Night With Seth Meyers Amy Schumerperforms. 12:37 a.m. KNBC

Copyright 2015, Los Angeles Times

Source: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-friday-s-tv-highlights-and-weekend-talk-descendants-on-disney-20150730-story.html

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Mets: The wild world of Wilmer Flores

Wilmer Flores No Crying in Baseball

Welcome to the wild world of Wilmer Flores.

Starting him at shortstop this season was born of Sandy Aldersons failure to rectify the position ever since upper management elected to let Jose Reyes walk away. They held no intention of re-signing Reyes, and ponderously failed to trade him and recoup a potential replacement.

While Ruben Tejadas overall game deteriorated during the 2013-2014 seasons, Sandy Alderson insisted addressing shortstop remained a priority. But for those two off-seasons Alderson did nothing.

In fact, I denounced his proposed plan to pursue Jhonny Peralta during the 2013 off-season as a charade. That years (free agent) qualifying offer was roughly on par with Peraltas asking price. Sandy Alderson should have been able to deduce Peraltas cost down to the dollar. Instead, when Peraltas agent proposed an annual ask of $14+ million dollars, Sandy Alderson fled as if being hunted down by malevolent IRS agents.

That, however, requires a different discussion.

Back in December, I wrote Stuck in the Middle with You: Wilmer Flores. I did it to offer Wilmer a modicum of support. As most fans strongly felt the experiment at short would surely fail, my intention was to partly urge fans into keeping the heat on Sandy Alderson, and into occasionally turning a blind eye at Flores defensive shortcomings until the situation worked itself out.

Well, the situation did not work itself out. Wilmers initial throwing errors only exacerbated the situation. No one really saw that coming as the focus had previously been on his lack of range and poor foot work. Wilmer Flores wound up starting 69 rather disturbing games at short through June 27th. Needless to say, Flores brief stint reaffirmed why he was removed from the position years earlier in the minor leagues.

With respect to baseball in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, both enterprises have been largely influenced, and Americanized (P.R. more so) to a certain degree. Although stressful due to language barriers and cultural differences, the process of leaving ones homeland and entering affiliated baseball in the States is smoothing when compared to years and decades past. However, Id like to stress the process is indeed difficult nevertheless.

Venezuela also became prominent contributors to American-based baseball, providing such recent notables as Johan Santana, Ozzie Guillen, and Magglio Ordonez. However, the road from Venezuela to the major leagues has not been as normalized to the degree of P.R. and D.R. just yet.

Like many Latino players, this was the condition thrust upon Venezuelan born Wilmer Flores. For seven minor league seasons the Mets organization became his adoptive home and extended family. Outside of his own family, the extended Mets were all he knew, trusted, and relied upon. And over those seven seasons he seemed to have adjusted and overcome the language barrier quite well. I think he speaks for himself quite effectively.

Wednesdays organizational and media fiasco regarding the non-trade to acquire Carlos Gomez from the Milwaukee Brewers perhaps weighed heavily on Flores, not so much because he was potentially leaving the only organization hes ever known, but perhaps because after being listed as a top 100 prospect by Baseball America from 2009 through 2011, he felt his failed performance at shortstop might have precipitated the move.

Lets face it, the entirety of the 2015 season to date has not been kind to him. With his 24th birthday only a week away, and with the way Wednesday clumsily unfolded, an over-swell of emotion was understandable.

Wilmer Flores was finally shifted to second base on June 28th, where hes looked relaxed, competent, and above all, confident. He committed 10 errors in 296 chances at shortstop for a .966 FA, versus a .973 lgFA. He has so far handled 105 chances at second base without committing an error, while the league maintains a .988 lgFA at second base.

During Wednesdays game, the Citi Field crowd gave Wilmer Flores an extraordinarily compassionate standing ovation in light of his (unresolved) trade status.

Then on Friday, the newly endeared Wilmer enjoyed his finest game as a member of the Mets. He made a brilliant diving play in the 1st inning, received a standing ovation upon his first plate appearance, drove in the games first run with a single in the 4th, then punctuated his night with a dramatic walk-off home run in the 12th inning, giving the Mets victory over their division rival whilst in the midst of a pennant race.

Fridays win placed the Mets just 2 games behind the N.L. East leading Washington Nationals. In that context, Wilmer Flores home run was the Mets biggest hit of the season to date.

Can Wilmer Flores be the Mets second baseman for years to come? Yes, given a chance, and I would suggest you take a look back at Jeff Kents few seasons with the Mets to gain insight into my thinking. Of, course, many would argue the future of second base potentially belongs to Dilson Herrera or some other candidate.

What I do know is this: for the moment, shortstop is now back in the same condition as when Jose Reyes left, in the hands of Ruben Tejada. However, second base looks just fine to me.

Having Flores at short and Daniel Murphy at second was an untenable situation. That became very apparent within just a few weeks. Without debating Ruben Tejadas status (which is my next project), the Mets are presently improved up the middle of the diamond. At least theres a better condition than previously existed moving forward.

That said, what to do with (free agent to be) Daniel Murphy?

• All in favor of starting Juan Uribe full time at third, and or, platooning him with Daniel Murphy, say aye!
• All in favor of platooning Daniel Murphy and Wilmer Flores at second base, say aye!
• All in favor of starting either Flores or Murphy over the other, and having one play off the bench, say aye!
• If you have another plan, say aye!

For Terry Collins sake, these are all good problems to have.

Stay connected with Rising Apple

Source: http://risingapple.com/2015/08/01/the-wild-world-of-wilmer-flores/

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Tidal Creek Co-op celebrates Blue Moon

Beck - Blue Moon (Audio)

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) Friday nights blue moon offered one business a chance to celebrate. The Tidal Creek Co-op in Wilmington hosts a party every full moon but Friday nights event was a rare occurrence.

Mitch Duke is a regular at the Tidal Creek Co-op for one simple reason.They cook a lot better than I do, said Duke.I eat here twice a day everyday.

Duke is one of many who likes to take advantage of the locally grown food, but its also the events that keeps him coming back.

We have it out on the deck and theres music and events going on but looks like tonight its just going to be inside, said Duke.

The Howl at the Moon party was planned in honor of the rare blue moon, a full moon that appears a second time in a month. This time they even had Blue Moon Brewery Company beer on sale. And though the moon is rare, Christopher Copeland, a chef, said the celebrations at this co-op arent.

Its really celebrating just a beautiful event that happens every 28 days. The moon rises and of course theres an energy around and we are just celebrating that and throwing a big party, cooking good for everybody, said Copeland.

Will Copeland, another chef, said these celebrations are not only for co-op owners.

It gets everybody involved gets all the families, and stuff, owners and to try to spread the word to people who arent owners to come and see, because theres people in Wilmington who dont know we are here, said Copeland.

Employees tell us they are always looking for more owners and community events like these are one way to reach out to potential owners.

Source: http://www.wwaytv3.com/2015/08/01/tidal-creek-co-op-celebrates-blue-moon/

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See an Incredible Photo of Friday Night"s Blue Moon

Blue Moon (Frank Sinatra - with Lyrics)
TIMEScienceastronomySee an Incredible Photo of Friday Nights Blue MoonEduardo MunozReutersA full moon, known as the Blue Moon, is seen next to the Statue of Liberty in New York on July 31, 2015.It usually happens just once every couple of years

The second full moon of July rose Friday night, a phenomenon referred to as a blue moon.

Though the phrase once in a blue moon is meant to describe a rare event, a blue moon is neither rare, or blue. Blue moon is actually a term used to describe the second full moon in a single calendar month. Most years only have 12 moons, but this year has 13, which happens every two to three years, according to astronomers. Blue moons dont actually appear blue, but the moon can appear blue after events on earth like wildfires and volcanic eruptions, according to NASA.

Source: http://time.com/3981125/blue-moon-photo/

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It"s not just cool, its Mission: Impossible cool

Mission: Impossible Ultimate Legacy Trailer (2015) HD

Rebecca Ferguson is Ilsa and Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible Rogue Nation.

With the new Mission: Impossible movie, even if its the most assured and satisfying of the five so far, it sounds foolish to even mention the things the characters say in between screeching tires, gunfights, knife fights, motorcycle derring-do, and the opening act featuring Tom Cruise dangling for real (real enough to make it look cool, and frightening) on the outside of a plane high over a Belarus airstrip.

But it isnt foolish. One of the many pleasures of Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation is the snap and tension of writer-director Christopher McQuarries dialogue. At one point, a character describes Cruises Ethan Hunt as an unstoppable force of destiny in such wittily florid terms, its like a love letter crossed with a term paper, dropped into a spy movie.

McQuarrie won an Oscar for the highly verbal ensemble foray The Usual Suspects. Then, for a long while, his Hollywood career cooled. Now its hot again, thanks to Cruise, who hired McQuarrie for Jack Reacher and then to rewrite the troubled (and ultimately entertaining) science fiction thriller Edge of Tomorrow.

As a storyteller McQuarrie is smart enough to treat each character as the smartest person in any given room, in his or her own way. Even the disposable goons in Rogue Nation are rewarded with a line or two betraying some verifiable human intelligence before they get scissor-kicked in the face.

Mission: Impossible Rogue NationRATED: PG-13 (for sequences of action and violence, and brief partial nudity)WHEN: Now showingWHERE: Century 14 Downtown, Century Rio 24, Cottonwood, High Ridge, Icon Cinemas, Winrock 16, Starlight (Los Lunas), Premiere (Rio Rancho), Regal Santa Fe Stadium 14

McQuarrie joins the tony list of Mission: Impossible directors past: Brian De Palma, John Woo, J.J. Abrams and Brad Bird. His facility for straight-up, relatively traditional violent action takes on a new swagger in Rogue Nation. He has a mind, and an eye, for intricate set-ups, and if the results arent quite in the realm of movie heaven (the editing by Eddie Hamilton sometimes devolves into chaos), neither do they settle for generic head-bashing.

As photographed in rich, gleaming light and shadow in London, Vienna and Casablanca by the great cinematographer Robert Elswit, Oscar winner for There Will Be Blood, the showcase scenes such as a lengthy Man Who Knew Too Much-inspired assassination attempt inside the Vienna State Opera House harken back to swank, consciously exotic Cold War thrillers, in the locales as well as the spirit.

The super-secret espionage agency known as the Impossible Mission Force becomes de-funded in Rogue Nation by the grumpy, competitive C.I.A. director played by Alec Baldwin, lightening the load with extraordinarily dry line readings. This leaves Hunt and the gang without the leeway they need to capture the vicious head of an international terrorist syndicate known, expediently, as The Syndicate.

Sean Harris, whose vocal intonations suggest a lifetime of cigarettes and helium intake, is genuinely chilling as Hunts quarry. The IMF crew, familiar and welcome faces all, includes Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames. Rebecca Ferguson, Swedish-born, makes a formidable addition to the team (sub-group: frenemy) in the role of a British spy working every side of every street with her mad fighting skills and inevitable if extremely cautious interest in Cruises Hunt.

It almost seems as if Tom Cruise, playing Ethan Hunt, has a death wish, judging from the stunts in Mission Impossible Rogue Nation.

Rogue Nation has only a fleeting, theoretical interest in s*x. Its more interested in Cruise, running, or Cruise, leaping, or Cruise, holding his breath underwater for a long time, in a genuinely tense tour-de-force.

The IMF oversight committee cites wanton brinksmanship as the reason for closing down the throwback that is the IMF. Rogue Nation revels in both those qualities. Its daring of McQuarrie, in a big-budget internationally financed action picture such as this, to turn over a fair amount of narrative acreage to a lengthy, methodical scene cutting between a performance of Puccinis Turandot and not one, not two, but three assassins lurking in the opera house wings.

Other filmmakers wouldve condensed such a sequence down to a couple of minutes; this one presumes a little patience on the audiences behalf. Lest we mistake Rogue Nation for Graham Greene, theres a Moroccan car chase leading into a motorcycle chase leading into a telling moment of betrayal.

Cruise clearly has a death wish, judging from how he throws himself into Mission: Improbable stunts every time out. The opening gambit with the plane recalls Sean Connery atop the moving locomotive in the 70s adventure The Great Train Robbery. For whatever sick reason, we enjoy seeing our stars in some degree of actual physical peril.

Half of Rogue Nation belongs to the digital realm of trickery; the other half delivers a more gratifying combination of bodies in space, usually going at each other, along with crosses, double-crosses and settings reminiscent of everything from the 1966-1973 TV show to Hitchcock to Stanley Donens Charade.

As for Lalo Schifrins famous 5/4 theme one of the greatest of all danger themes in TV or the movies welltheres cool. And then theres Theme from Mission: Impossible cool.

Source: http://www.abqjournal.com/621432/entertainment/its-not-just-cool.html

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White Sox reportedly in on Justin Upton, Yoenis Cespedes

Yoenis Cespedes 2013 Highlights

Updated JUL 31, 2015 at 1:34a ET

The Chicago White Sox finally lost Thursday night, halting their seven-game winning streak.

Despite the loss, the White Sox suddenly look like contenders.

Two weeks ago, pitcher Jeff Samardzija was as good as gone and the team looked every bit like sellers.

Now? Not so much.

According to a report from Jon Heyman, the White Sox could look to make a splash in the trade market before the non-waiver deadline:

Yoenis Cespedes and Justin Upton represent two of the more elite (and expensive) trade pieces this season.

Following Thursday"s games, the Sox sat at 50-52, 3.5 games back in the wild card with 60 games left to play.

Source: http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/white-sox-reportedly-in-on-justin-upton-yoenis-cespedes-073115

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Drake Talks About Nicki Minaj In Another Meek Mill Diss Track

Meek Mill - Wanna Know [Drake Diss]

When it comes to Drakes feelings about Meek Mill, one diss track is not enough.

The Toronto rapper responded to Meek Mills recent ghostwriting allegations this weekend with a diss track called Charged Up, which he debuted during his Beats 1 radio show on Apple Music. As far as diss tracks go, it was pretty tameDrake alluded to Mills accusations but mostly stuck to boasting about his own accomplishments.

Perhaps he was saving the rest of his feelings for part two. In another diss track posted to SoundCloud on Wednesday, Drake escalates the beef byuh oh!dragging Meek Mills girlfriend and Mills current touring partner Nicki Minaj into the drama: You love her then you gotta give the world to her/ Is that a world tour or your girls tour?/ I know that you gotta be a thug for her/ This aint what she meant when she told you to open up more. If her apparent jabs at Drake during Sundays Barclays Center show are indication, Minaj likely wont be pleased.

Hear the track below:

Source: http://time.com/3976620/drake-meek-mill-diss-track-nicki-minaj/

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