Noble to farm out part of Leviathan interest

Noble Energy Inc. has signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding regarding the sale of 9.66% interest in the Leviathan licenses offshore Israel to Woodside Petroleum Ltd.

Leviathan’s current partners—Noble Energy, Delek Drilling, Avner Oil Exploration, and Ratio Oil Exploration—are each participating as sellers of 25% interest in the licenses to Woodside.

Noble will continue as upstream operator with 30% working interest. Following completion of the transaction, Woodside will become the operator of any LNG development of the field.

The Leviathan project is on the Rachel and Amit licenses offshore Israel in 5,550 ft of water. It is thought to contain 19 tcf of discovered natural gas resources.

Total compensation to Noble is expected to include $525 million in cash payments, including $390 million payable at this year’s closing of the transaction, plus $502 million in shared future revenues.

Noble started drilling at Leviathan in 2010 (OGJ Online, Oct. 19, 2010), later estimating production of as much as 750 MMcfd for Israel via a northern entry point in 2016 (OGJ Online, Dec. 7, 2012).

Working interests in the Leviathan project after the transaction is complete will be Noble 30%, Woodside 25%, Delek Drilling 16.94%, Avner Oil Exploration 16.94%, and Ratio Oil Exploration 11.12%.

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Comcast Unveils $1.2 Billion Philadelphia Skyscraper Proposal

Comcast has unveiled a $1.2 billion proposal for a new 59-story skyscraper to house its corporate headquarters in Philadelphia.

Construction on the 1,121-foot-high building, designed by Norman Foster of Foster + Partners, is expected to begin this summer and be completed by late 2017.

"This is yet another historic moment for Comcast," said Comcast CEO Brian L. Roberts in a statement. "We continue to be proud to call Philadelphia our home, and are thrilled to build a world-class media, technology and innovation center right in the heart of the city, to bring NBC 10 and Telemundo 62 downtown, and to create thousands of jobs and further drive economic activity in the region."

Once completed the skyscraper, titled The Comcast Innovation and Technology Center, will rank among the tallest buildings in the United States. In addition to housing Comcast, the building will house a 200-room Four Seasons hotel.

"If you want a city behind your project, a hotel is a great way to get through the entitlement process," Paul Habibi, a real estate developer and professor at the Ziman Center for Real Estate at UCLA, tells The Hollywood Reporter. "Cities want the tax revenue. And attaching an architect like Norman Foster to the project is another way to win hearts and minds during approvals processes."

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Statoil targets mid-year restart for Njord production platform offshore Norway

Offshore staff

ABERDEEN, UK -- This summer Statoil expects to complete reinforcement of the deck of the Njord A semisubmersible platform in the Norwegian Sea.

Production and drilling operations on the Njord field and the satellite Hyme field were suspended last year following concerns over the deck’s structural integrity.

Once complete, production will re-start from both fields.  But due to continued weight restrictions, Njord A will remain without a drilling facility unless further strengthening is done.

Partner Faroe Petroleum says a further 170 MMboe of resources could be developed in the Njord area, via  a combination of production from the field’s existing wells, further in-fill drilling on Njord, and development of the North West Flank rich gas and condensate accumulations and the recent Snilehorn oil discovery.

At the Brage field in the Norwegian North Sea (Faroe 14.26%), Wintershall succeeded Statoil as operator last October, and is currently assessing infill drilling targets. Two new production wells are under way and should come onstream this spring and fall.

2/6/14

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Woodside closes in on entry to deepwater Leviathan gas project offshore Israel

Offshore staff

PERTH, Australia – Woodside has moved a step close to taking an interest in the giant Leviathan gas field offshore Israel.

The company has agreed to a non-binding memorandum of understanding with operator Noble Energy Mediterranean and partners Delek Drilling, Avner Oil Exploration, and Ratio Oil Exploration (1992).

This could lead to Woodside acquiring 25% of the petroleum licenses containing Leviathan, 349/Rachel, and 350/Amit. Negotiations are expected to be completed by March 27.

Noble estimates the field’s 2C contingent resource at 18.9 tcf (535 bcm) of natural gas and 34.1 MMbbl of condensate. Water depth is around 5,500 ft (1,676 m).

Woodside would operate any LNG development of the field, while Noble Energy would remain upstream operator.

The MoU contemplates supplying gas for Israel’s domestic needs, LNG exports, and supply to neighboring countries. It could involve the following conditional payments:

$850 million upon completion of the transaction under a fully termed agreement$350 million on a final investment decision for an LNG development or payments of up to $350 million on predetermined export project milestones5.75% of Woodside’s wellhead export gas revenue, taking effect after at least 2 tcf (56 bcm) have been exported from the Leviathan field, and capped at $1.3 billionA royalty payment of 2.5% on commercial oil production from the deep prospect in the Mesozoic, following payback of development costs.

These transactions remain subject to execution of a fully termed agreement and regulatory approvals from the Israeli government.

Charles D. Davidson, Noble Energy’s chairman and CEO, said “Woodside…brings extensive global expertise in LNG operations and marketing to the partnership. Their addition to the project will result in substantial added value while also bringing us much closer to when we will be able to sanction Leviathan for development.”

02/07/2014

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Continental Resources announces 2013 record proved oil and gas reserves

Continental Resources, Inc. (NYSE: CLR) (the "Company") today announced record proved reserves and production for 2013, as well as key fourth-quarter 2013 cost metrics and capital expenditures.

"Our teams delivered another excellent year, achieving production and capital expenditure guidance as promised," said Harold G. Hamm, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We accomplished our key 2013 goals across the board – to generate top-tier organic oil production growth; to improve efficiency while reducing drilling and completion costs; and to delineate the lower benches of the Bakken and southern portions of the South Central Oklahoma Oil Province, or SCOOP.

"In spite of abnormal winter weather in December and January that delayed some completions and deliveries, we still achieved our 2013 targets, and our annual guidance is intact for strong growth in 2014, with production increasing in a range of 26% to 32%," Mr. Hamm said.

Proved Reserves Increase 38% Year over Year
The Company reported proved reserves of 1.08 billion barrels of oil equivalent (Boe) at December 31, 2013, an increase of 299 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBoe) or 38% compared with year-end 2012.[1] Year-end 2013 proved reserves were 87% operated by the Company, 37% proved developed producing (PDP), and 68% crude oil. Continental has grown its proved reserves at a compound annual growth rate of 47% per year since year-end 2008.

In 2013, Continental's PDP reserves for the first time exceeded 400 MMBoe. PDP reserves increased 31% from year-end 2012 to 405 MMBoe at December 31, 2013. The Company had 2,330 gross (1,302 net) proved undeveloped (PUD) locations at year-end 2013. The Bakken accounted for 84% of PUD locations at year end.

Continental's year-end 2013 proved reserves had a net present value discounted at 10% (PV-10) of $20.2 billion, a 52% increase over the PV-10 of $13.3 billion for year-end 2012 proved reserves.

The strong increase in 2013 proved reserves reflected significant production growth in the Bakken play of North Dakota and Montana. Continental pioneered development of the upper Three Forks in 2008, and in the past year has led in the exploration of the lower benches of the Three Forks, in addition to leading the way with pilot down-space testing across the basin. The Bakken accounted for 741 MMBoe of Continental's 2013 proved reserves, with a PV-10 value of $14.5 billion.

Continental's 2013 proved reserves were also augmented by accelerated production in the SCOOP, an oil- and liquids-rich play in Oklahoma. SCOOP accounted for 215 MMBoe of 2013 proved reserves, a 241% increase over proved reserves of 63 MMBoe at year-end 2012. The PV-10 value of the Company's SCOOP proved reserves was $3.3 billion as of December 31, 2013.

"We ramped up our SCOOP rig count early in 2013 and delivered strong results in a capital-efficient manner within our budget for the year," said W. F. "Rick" Bott, President and Chief Operating Officer.

Continental holds the dominant leasehold positions in the Bakken and SCOOP, with 1.2 million net acres in the Bakken and 403,000 net acres in SCOOP as of December 31, 2013. The Company also has the industry's most active drilling program in each play.

Production Grows 39% Year-Over-Year Within Capital Budget
Estimated total production was 49.6 MMBoe for 2013, an increase of 39% compared to 2012. Crude oil accounted for 71% of total production, or 35.0 MMBo, in 2013. Estimated natural gas production for the year was 87.7 billion cubic feet.

Capital expenditures excluding acquisitions for 2013 were just under the budget of $3.6 billion, which included $3.1 billion for drilling and completion operations. Acquisition capital expenditures were $270 million for 2013.

Fourth Quarter Production and Expenses
The Company announced production of 13.3 MMBoe for the fourth quarter of 2013, a year-over-year increase of 35% compared with the fourth quarter of 2012. Fourth quarter 2013 average production was 144,250 Boe per day, representing a 2% increase over the third quarter of 2013. The Company reached a new production milestone of 150,000 Boe per day during November, prior to experiencing winter weather delays. Continental has recently regained the 150,000 Boe per day production level.

"We had a great 2013," Mr. Bott said. "Weather affected the fourth quarter, but the timing of production gains also reflects our continued shift to large, multi-well drilling pads. This is a key driver of future efficiency gains and production growth.

"Such strong execution continues to underpin our confidence in achieving Continental's five-year plan to triple production and proved reserves," he said.

Continental began 2014 with an inventory of more than 100 gross wells that have been drilled, but are not yet producing, almost all of which are associated with multi-well pads.

Fourth quarter 2013 oil differential (discount to WTI crude and inclusive of all transportation) is expected to be approximately $13 per barrel, about twice as high as the average for the first nine months of the year. Full-year 2013 differential is expected to be approximately $8.25 per barrel, compared with annual guidance range of $6 to $8 per barrel.

Lower volumes due to winter weather delays and the Company's mix of wells in the fourth quarter of 2013 also impacted production expense per Boe and depreciation, depletion and amortization (DD&A) per Boe. Production expense for the fourth quarter of 2013 is expected to be approximately $0.90 above the third quarter 2013 level of $5.17 per Boe. DD&A for the fourth quarter of 2013 is expected to be approximately $1.50 above the third quarter 2013 level of $18.87 per Boe. For 2013 as a whole, the Company expects both production expense per Boe and DD&A per Boe to be within annual guidance.

The Company reaffirmed its 2014 guidance as announced in its third quarter earnings release on November 6, 2013.

Fourth Quarter and Full-Year Earnings Announcement and Conference Call
Continental plans to announce fourth quarter and full-year 2013 earnings on Wednesday, February 26, 2014, following the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The company plans to host a conference call to discuss earnings results on Thursday, February 27, 2014, at 11 a.m. ET (10 a.m. CT). Those wishing to listen to the conference call may do so via the Company's website at www.CLR.com or by phone:
Time and date: 11 a.m. ET, Thursday, February 27, 2014
Dial in: 800 708 4539
Intl. dial in: 847 619 6396
Pass code: 36590660

A replay of the call will be available for 30 days on the Company's website or by dialing:
Replay number: 888 843 7419
Intl. replay 630 652 3042
Pass code: 36590660

Continental plans to publish a fourth quarter and full-year 2013 summary presentation to its website at www.CLR.com prior to the start of its earnings conference call on February 27, 2014.

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Alex Colville's alma mater to unveil silkscreen prints

New Brunswick's Mount Allison University says it will unveil a major donation of artwork next month by Alex Colville, the iconic Canadian artist who died in July.

Alex Colville's Black Cat is part of the collection in the Owens Art Gallery at Mount Allison University.

Colville studied fine arts at the university in Sackville where he later created some of his most significant works, including Nude and Dummy and Horse and Train.

The 35 silkscreen prints were donated to the school's Owens Art Gallery in the spring by Colville himself in memory of his wife, Rhoda, who died in December 2012.

Mount Allison says they are the only silkscreen prints produced by the artist, making the gallery one of the only institutions to have a complete set of Colville prints in its collection.

The first print, After Swimming, was made in 1955 while the last, Willow, was made in 2002.

Friends and members of the Colville family are expected to attend an unveiling of the artwork at a reception planned for Nov. 2 at Mount Allison.

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Quincy Jones sues Michael Jackson's estate over royalties

The Associated Press Posted: Oct 26, 2013 5:49 AM ET Last Updated: Oct 26, 2013 5:49 AM ET

Quincy Jones sued Michael Jackson's estate claiming he is owed millions in royalties and production fees on some of the superstar's greatest hits.

Jones' lawsuit Friday seeks at least $10 million from the singer's estate and Sony Music Entertainment, claiming the entities improperly re-edited songs to deprive him of royalties and production fees. The music has been used in the film "This Is It" and a pair of Cirque du Soleil shows based on the King of Pop's songs, the lawsuit states.

Pop superstar Michael Jackson worked with Quincy Jones on three of his most popular solo albums, Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad. (Rusty Kennedy/Associated Press)

Jones also claims that he should have received a producer's credit on the music in "This Is It." His lawsuit seeks an accounting of the estate's profits from the works so that Jones can determine how much he is owed.

The producer worked with Jackson on three of his most popular solo albums, "Off the Wall," "Thriller" and "Bad."

Jackson's estate wrote in a statement that it was saddened by Jones' lawsuit. "To the best of its knowledge, Mr. Jones has been appropriately compensated over approximately 35 years for his work with Michael," the statement said.

An after-hours message left at Sony Music's New York offices was not immediately returned.

Jackson's hits "Billie Jean," "Thriller" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" are among the songs Jones claims were re-edited to deprive him of royalties and his producer's fee.

Jones' lawsuit states the producer's contracts called for him to have the first opportunity to re-edit or alter the songs, in part to protect his reputation.

Battling Boy reinvents comic book superheroes for younger readers by Jonathan Ore Oct. 25, 2013 8:09 PM With his latest work, comic book veteran Paul Pope has created a template-smashing new kind of superhero: Battling Boy, a kid (admittedly the offspring of gods) who sets out to protect other kids. "The thing that's attractive about kids as characters is that, if anything, they represent potential," he tells CBC News.Let Franz Ferdinand kick up your Friday Oct. 25, 2013 5:45 PM We've got live performance throughout the show from Franz Ferdinand, the Scottish band whose single Do You Want To sent them to the top of the charts internationally. Who Said It Quiz: Stephen King or Justin Bieber? Oct. 25, 2013 3:08 PM One of them pens tales of terror. One of them croons to shrieking girls. But they have more in common than you might think. So in honour of Stephen King's newest book, Doctor Sleep, a long-awaited follow-up to the terrifying 1977 novel The Shining, we give you our latest Who Said It Quiz: King or Bieber?

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Jamie Dornan tapped for Fifty Shades of Grey's Christian

Irish actor Jamie Dornan is in talks to take the male lead in the high-profile movie adaptation of erotic bestseller Fifty Shades of Grey.

The 31-year-old actor is in negotiations for the role of Christian Grey after having completed a screen test opposite the film's female lead, Dakota Johnson (Anastasia Steele), according to industry publication The Hollywood Reporter.

A former Calvin Klein model, Dornan previously starred as Sheriff Graham Humbert/The Huntsman on TV's fairy tale-themed adventure drama Once Upon a Time and is currently seen on the British series The Fall. He also appeared in the 2006 film Marie Antoinette.

Sons of Anarchy and Pacific Rim actor Charlie Hunnam had previously landed the role of billionaire Christian Grey in the anticipated movie adaptation of author E.L. James' bestselling, BDSM-inspired romance series.

However, he dropped out of the role earlier this month. Officially, he cited scheduling conflicts but his departure came amid rumoured differences with the creative team and discomfort with the frenzy around the adaptation.

Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, Fifty Shades of Grey is slated for theatrical release in August 2014.

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Marcia Wallace, Edna Krabappel of The Simpsons, dead at 70

Marcia Wallace, the voice of scoffing schoolteacher Edna Krabappel on The Simpsons, whose wise-cracking characters on The Bob Newhart Show and other prime-time hits endeared her to generations of TV viewers, has died.

Simpsons executive producer Al Jean said in a statement Saturday that her "irreplaceable character," the fourth-grade teacher who contended with Bart Simpson's constant antics, would be retired from the show. Wallace was 70.

"I was tremendously saddened to learn this morning of the passing of the brilliant and gracious Marcia Wallace. She was beloved by all at The Simpsons," Jean said. It's "a terrible loss for all who had the pleasure of knowing her."

The statement did not provide a date for her death, or a cause.

The longtime TV actress' credits ranged from playing a receptionist on The Bob Newhart Show to appearances on Candice Bergen's Murphy Brown.

On The Simpsons, Wallace provided the voice for world-weary Edna Krabappel, who smoked cigarettes, made sarcastic comments and finally found love in the arms of Simpson's neighbour Ned Flanders after fans voted online at the end of season 22 to keep the unlikely couple together.

Wallace's trademark "Ha!" punctuated Krabappel's frequent wisecracks, and her character was also known for the catchphrase, "Do what I mean, not what I say."

Harry Shearer, the voice of Ned Flanders on the show, said Wallace "brought this huge, positive energy" to her work on The Simpsons.

"She was just a warm and wonderful person," Shearer told The Associated Press.

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Arcade Fire reflects on Reflektor

CBC News Posted: Oct 26, 2013 11:49 AM ET Last Updated: Oct 26, 2013 10:13 PM ET

Arcade Fire's fourth studio album, Reflektor, is now out. CBC arts reporter Pierre Landry sat down with band members Richard Parry and Tim Kingsbury to discuss the ideas and influences behind the new release. 

Here's an excerpt from that interview:

Pierre Landry: Tell me about the influences that are seeping into Reflektor.

Richard Parry: We spent time in both Haiti and Jamaica, and we recorded in this super weird old castle in Jamaica on a bay. You’d get these beautiful waves of bass coming over the bay from clubs, which found their way into the music.

PL: Did you know that you wanted to incorporate new sounds and different sounds into the album, or did it just happen organically?

Arcade Fire performs during a benefit concert last October in memory of Denis Blanchette, the lighting technician who was killed at the Parti Québécois' election-night victory rally. (Paul Chiasson / Canadian Press)

Tim Kingsbury: We’re all fans of a lot of Jamaican music, and we decided this time to embrace it a little more. We became more comfortable expanding our horizons a little bit.

RP: There’s definitely an organic thing, that you don’t want to sound like you’ve already sounded… We were chasing those things that are new and exciting to our ears, even if they were super old or from a different culture. We were chasing those things that bring magic to recordings in old music and over a wide landscape, from different musics and different times and places.

TK: There was a lot more trying different things on this album.

PL: The songs are written in a way that they’re not very direct, they’re not black or white, they’re open to interpretation.

RP: This album is about the flip-side or alternate dimension or reverse reality idea. It’s not a concept of the album but it is an idea that re-occurs.

RP: It's so amazing to be in this position where people pay so much attention to what we're doing, and I think all of us feel that it's important to use that position to make art and not just make it some hollow celebrity or hollow fame or empty hype thing that's not interesting and makes one bored of music. 

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Chinese frescos painted over in botched restoration

Chinese authorities are coming under fire and two municipal officials have reportedly lost their jobs over a controversial, cartoon-like restoration that has covered ancient Buddhist frescos.

The botched effort occurred at the nearly 300-year-old Yunjie Temple in the city of Chaoyang in Liaoning province, located in the northeastern part of the country, bordering North Korea.

The temple's abbot had requested restoration of its delicate and crumbling painted frescos, which date back to the early Qing Dynasty era. The ancient relics were subsequently painted over completely with bright, simplistic, cartoon-like figures, depicting different scenes and Taoist characters.

An official in charge of temple affairs as well as city's head of cultural heritage monitoring have been dismissed over the incident, according to Chinese media.

A blogger first posted photos of the completed "restoration" effort, which sparked widespread public condemnation via Chinese social media. After seeing the images on the internet, Chaoyang officials launched an investigation.

Restoration work on the temple had been approved at the city level, but cultural heritage experts were not consulted to ensure proper adherence to standards, city official Li Haifeng told The Global Times.

A local firm that was not qualified to conduct such cultural repairs was hired to do the work, he said.

Officials continue to investigate the incident and further reprimands could be forthcoming.

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Stephen King and son Owen discuss family and fiction

Stephen King's Doctor Sleep is a sequel to The Shining, but the new novel isn't simply an attempt to reclaim the classic story — now often remembered for Stanley Kubrick's subsequent film adaptation.

"People made too much of the way that I feel about the Kubrick film [The Shining]. I've had a lot of books that have been turned into films. I like some of the adaptations — in fact, I like a lot of the adaptations — and there are a few that I don't like. The Shining is one of the few I don't care for, but I don't take it personally and I don't take it to heart," the bestselling novelist told Jian Ghomeshi on CBC's cultural affairs show Q on Thursday.

"Movies and books are apples and oranges... [When] a book gets sold to the movies, it's like sending a kid off to college. You hope they're going to do well and everything. Most of them do. Every now and then, somebody falls by the wayside."

After writing more than 50 novels (which have sold more than 350 million copies worldwide), King says he was inspired to return to The Shining's child protagonist Danny Torrance by those who regularly asked him what happened to the character after the tale ended. He was also inspired by the story of a therapy cat reportedly able to predict the impending death of terminally ill patients.

Owen King, seen with Stephen King in the CBC Q studio in Toronto on Thursday, helped offer a fresh-eyed perspective on his father's latest novel Doctor Sleep. (Mitch Pollack/CBC)

Published earlier this fall, Doctor Sleep came to life, in part, thanks to fresh-eyed feedback from King's youngest son, Owen. A screenwriter and author who has just published his comic novel debut, entitled Double Feature, Owen King was born in 1977, the same year The Shining hit bookstores.

The pair arrived in Toronto to speak at writers' rights group PEN Canada's annual benefit, the opening event of the 2013 International Festival of Authors.

In the attached audio, Stephen and Owen King talk to Q about picking up the thread of The Shining in Doctor Sleep, their father-son relationship, the challenges facing King's adult children (now writing novels as well) and whether they might one day collaborate.

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New music: Arcade Fire, Blue Rodeo, Noam Pikelny

CBC News Posted: Oct 25, 2013 1:31 PM ET Last Updated: Oct 25, 2013 1:33 PM ET

Two powerhouse Canadian bands are unveiling new music and lead off CBC host Tom Power's weekly picks of new releases.

First up for the CBC Radio 2 Morning host is the Arcade Fire's headline-grabbing Reflektor, which he dubs the most anticipated album of the year in Canadian music.

Though Reflektor's official release isn't until Tuesday, an internet leak of the Grammy-winning band's latest album prompted the Montreal collective to stream all 14 tracks online — in their entirety — themselves.

Another great release debuting Tuesday is In Our Nature, the latest from enduring band Blue Rodeo. The country-tinged rockers returned to the same farmhouse studio where they recorded their much-loved Five Days in July two decades ago to lay down the tracks for In Our Nature. You might call it Five Days in July, part two, says Power.

Finally, one of the greatest banjo players in the world pays tribute to a bluegrass icon with his new album. Noam Pikelny's latest is a mouthful — Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe — but it's also an outstanding homage to a classic of the genre.

Watch the attached video to check out excerpts of new music from Arcade Fire, Blue Rodeo and Noam Pikelny.

Battling Boy reinvents comic book superheroes for younger readers by Jonathan Ore Oct. 25, 2013 8:09 PM With his latest work, comic book veteran Paul Pope has created a template-smashing new kind of superhero: Battling Boy, a kid (admittedly the offspring of gods) who sets out to protect other kids. "The thing that's attractive about kids as characters is that, if anything, they represent potential," he tells CBC News.Let Franz Ferdinand kick up your Friday Oct. 25, 2013 5:45 PM We've got live performance throughout the show from Franz Ferdinand, the Scottish band whose single Do You Want To sent them to the top of the charts internationally. Who Said It Quiz: Stephen King or Justin Bieber? Oct. 25, 2013 3:08 PM One of them pens tales of terror. One of them croons to shrieking girls. But they have more in common than you might think. So in honour of Stephen King's newest book, Doctor Sleep, a long-awaited follow-up to the terrifying 1977 novel The Shining, we give you our latest Who Said It Quiz: King or Bieber?

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Star Wars sequel gets new writers

The Associated Press Posted: Oct 24, 2013 5:37 PM ET Last Updated: Oct 24, 2013 5:37 PM ET

Screenwriter Michael Arndt is exiting Star Wars: Episode VII with director J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan assuming scripting duties.

Lucasfilm made the unexpected announcement Thursday. Kasdan co-wrote The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, making him a revered figured in Star Wars lore. The 64-year-old scribe, who also wrote Raiders of the Lost Ark, had been serving as a consultant on the film.

Michael Arndt poses with the Oscar he won for best original screenplay for his work on Little Miss Sunshine. Arndt is exiting Star Wars: Episode VII with director J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan assuming scripting duties. (Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press)

"There are few people who fundamentally understand the way a Star Wars story works like Larry," Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy said in a statement. "Michael Arndt has done a terrific job bringing us to this point."

Arndt was named the sole screenwriter last year. He won an Oscar for the script to Little Miss Sunshine, and also wrote Toy Story 3 and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Shooting for Star Wars: Episode VII is to start in the spring, with the film due out in 2015.

Battling Boy reinvents comic book superheroes for younger readers by Jonathan Ore Oct. 25, 2013 8:09 PM With his latest work, comic book veteran Paul Pope has created a template-smashing new kind of superhero: Battling Boy, a kid (admittedly the offspring of gods) who sets out to protect other kids. "The thing that's attractive about kids as characters is that, if anything, they represent potential," he tells CBC News.Let Franz Ferdinand kick up your Friday Oct. 25, 2013 5:45 PM We've got live performance throughout the show from Franz Ferdinand, the Scottish band whose single Do You Want To sent them to the top of the charts internationally. Who Said It Quiz: Stephen King or Justin Bieber? Oct. 25, 2013 3:08 PM One of them pens tales of terror. One of them croons to shrieking girls. But they have more in common than you might think. So in honour of Stephen King's newest book, Doctor Sleep, a long-awaited follow-up to the terrifying 1977 novel The Shining, we give you our latest Who Said It Quiz: King or Bieber?

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Blue Rodeo's Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor on having fun making music

Singer-songwriter Greg Keelor's farmhouse was the birthplace of Blue Rodeo's most acclaimed album, Five Days in July, so the band felt it fitting to return there to record new work during their 25th anniversary year.

The familiar setting set a comfortable, relaxed tone for what became the country-tinged Canadian rock band's new album, In Our Nature, according to Keelor and co-frontman Jim Cuddy.

"It's OK to have fun making music. It's OK. You don't have to, you know, torture yourself for your art. It's actually good to be relaxed. Keep your senses keen, but be relaxed," Cuddy told CBC News.

In the attached video,Cuddy and Keelor, who have been performing together since their school days, talk to CBC's Zulekha Nathoo about recording at the farm, modifying their live shows to adjust for Keelor's tinnitus and continuing to make music together.

The band celebrated its silver anniversary with a tour earlier this year. In Our Nature debuts on Tuesday.

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Eminem's Rap God sparks outcry over homophobic slurs

CBC News Posted: Oct 23, 2013 12:45 PM ET Last Updated: Oct 23, 2013 12:45 PM ET

Veteran rapper Eminem has once again sparked controversy with his music, blasted by fellow artists and music critics for homophobic slurs in his new single, Rap God.

Delivered as Eminem's dark performance alter-ego Slim Shady, Rap God features violent, bravado lyrics that taunt his rivals in the aggressive style for which the Grammy Award-winning Detroit rapper is known. 

At issue is his insulting use of the words "gay" and "f-ggot" throughout several sections of the track. 

A host of music critics and media outlets praised the song (which emerged last week in advance of his upcoming album The Marshall Mathers LP 2), but many have also blasted the rapper for the language, which has been criticized as being homophobic. 

'He's using the word f-ggot to degrade another man. As if the worst thing a man can be is gay. What type of message does that embed into the minds of young kids, both gay and straight?'- Hip hop singer Solomon

British singer and DJ Boy George and LGBT rights groups are among those who have criticized Eminem for this latest release, calling it a return to outdated views and past offensive music.

The chorus of criticism was joined most recently by rapper LastO and singer-songwriter Solomon, two of the openly gay hip hop recording artists featured in a month-long series on Eminem's satellite radio channel in 2008.

"When he invited me on his radio station a few years ago, I thought he put all of this aside," Solomon said in a statement.

"Granted, it's not directed towards the gay community, but subconsciously it is. He's using the word f-ggot to degrade another man. As if the worst thing a man can be is gay. What type of message does that embed into the minds of young kids, both gay and straight?"

The controversy over Rap God arrives after the rapper's repeated declarations that he has "nothing against gays" (including in a 60 Minutes interview with Anderson Cooper in 2010) and his high-profile Grammy Awards  performance alongside Elton John in 2001. Eminem has not commented publicly about the reaction to the song.

Acceptance of LGBT artists in the hip hop community has been an increasingly prominent issue over the past year, in part tied to rising hip hop singer Frank Ocean's 2012 revelation about falling in love with a man and exemplified in this summer's hit Macklemore and Ryan Lewis marriage-equality track Same Love. 

"As irreverent and offensive as [Eminem's] brand is supposed to be ... he still knows his line," LastO said in a statement.

"It's ironic because I'm sure when he was coming of age, more black folks walked over him...than anyone gay ever did."

Battling Boy reinvents comic book superheroes for younger readers by Jonathan Ore Oct. 25, 2013 8:09 PM With his latest work, comic book veteran Paul Pope has created a template-smashing new kind of superhero: Battling Boy, a kid (admittedly the offspring of gods) who sets out to protect other kids. "The thing that's attractive about kids as characters is that, if anything, they represent potential," he tells CBC News.Let Franz Ferdinand kick up your Friday Oct. 25, 2013 5:45 PM We've got live performance throughout the show from Franz Ferdinand, the Scottish band whose single Do You Want To sent them to the top of the charts internationally. Who Said It Quiz: Stephen King or Justin Bieber? Oct. 25, 2013 3:08 PM One of them pens tales of terror. One of them croons to shrieking girls. But they have more in common than you might think. So in honour of Stephen King's newest book, Doctor Sleep, a long-awaited follow-up to the terrifying 1977 novel The Shining, we give you our latest Who Said It Quiz: King or Bieber?

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Arcade Fire posts Reflektor online after album leak

After months of teasing the release of its anticipated new album, Montreal band Arcade Fire has released Reflektor five days early — streaming it from the group's website and via YouTube — to combat an online leak.

The Grammy-winning rock troupe directed fans to its website arcadefire.com on Thursday evening after a low-quality version of the album turned up on the internet. The album had been set for release on Tuesday.

On the band's site and on YouTube, Reflektor's 14 songs play as a backdrop to a Brazilian film titled Black Orpheus.

Montreal-based Arcade Fire won the top Grammy, album of the year, for its last release, 2011's The Suburbs. The rock troupe released its latest album, Reflektor, five days earlier than its Tuesday target.

The leak appeared alongside social media claims that a few music stores began selling the album early, reportedly Rollercoaster Records in Kilkenny, Ireland, and a Czech Republic retailer.

The rock collective has engaged in a lengthy promotional campaign for the new album, including playing shows under fake names, hiring graffiti artists to blitz neighbourhoods with the album's logo (in chalk) and high-profile performances on Saturday Night Live and The Colbert Report.

On Monday evening, Arcade Fire will perform a special concert from Capitol Studios in Los Angeles.

CBC Music and NPR will livestream the hour-long performance of songs from Reflektor, beginning at 10 p.m. ET.

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Michael Jackson reigns as Forbes' top-earning dead celeb

Thomson Reuters Posted: Oct 24, 2013 10:49 AM ET Last Updated: Oct 24, 2013 10:49 AM ET

Michael Jackson regained the title of the highest-earning dead celebrity in the past year, easily surpassing Elvis Presley and cartoonist Charles Schulz, Forbes magazine said on Wednesday.

After being pushed into second place by Elizabeth Taylor last year, Jackson, who died in 2009, was back on top with estimated earnings of $160 million US in the 12 months from October 2012 to 2013.

"He earned the bulk of his bucks from two Cirque du Soleil shows, his Mijac Music catalog, recorded music sales and his half of the Sony/ATV publishing empire — which includes the copyright to hits by the Beatles, Lady Gaga, Eminem and Taylor Swift, among others," Forbes said.

Forbes' 12 top-earning dead celebrities

Michael Jackson - $160 million USElvis Presley - $55 million USCharles Schulz - $37 million USElizabeth Taylor - $25 million USBob Marley - $18 million USMarilyn Monroe - $15 million USJohn Lennon - $12 million USAlbert Einstein - $10 million USBettie Page - $10 million USTheodor Geisel - $9 million USSteve McQueen - $9 million USBruce Lee - $7 million USJenni Rivera - $7 million US

Presley was a distant second with $55 million US, followed by Schulz, the creator of the Peanuts comic strip, who came in third for the second consecutive year with $37 million US.

Taylor dropped to fourth place with earnings of $25 million US, a huge dip from last year when her estate pulled in an estimated $210 million with much of it from the auction of her jewels.

Reggae star Bob Marley rounded out the top five with earnings of $18 million US. The singer, who died of cancer at the age of 36 in 1981, has sold more than 75 million albums in the past two decades, according to Forbes.

Nobel-prize winning physicist Albert Einstein, dropped one place to No. 8 this year with earnings of $10 million US, while Mexican-American singer Jenni Rivera, who died in a plane crash in December at the age of 43, was new to the list at No. 13 with $7 million US.

Forbes compiled the list by talking to estate managers, lawyers and licensors and analyzing estimated posthumous earnings between October 2012-2013.

Battling Boy reinvents comic book superheroes for younger readers by Jonathan Ore Oct. 25, 2013 8:09 PM With his latest work, comic book veteran Paul Pope has created a template-smashing new kind of superhero: Battling Boy, a kid (admittedly the offspring of gods) who sets out to protect other kids. "The thing that's attractive about kids as characters is that, if anything, they represent potential," he tells CBC News.Let Franz Ferdinand kick up your Friday Oct. 25, 2013 5:45 PM We've got live performance throughout the show from Franz Ferdinand, the Scottish band whose single Do You Want To sent them to the top of the charts internationally. Who Said It Quiz: Stephen King or Justin Bieber? Oct. 25, 2013 3:08 PM One of them pens tales of terror. One of them croons to shrieking girls. But they have more in common than you might think. So in honour of Stephen King's newest book, Doctor Sleep, a long-awaited follow-up to the terrifying 1977 novel The Shining, we give you our latest Who Said It Quiz: King or Bieber?

View the original article here

Toronto Fashion Week photos: cast your vote on runway fashions

CBC News Posted: Oct 22, 2013 10:39 AM ET Last Updated: Oct 25, 2013 10:26 AM ET

From established brands to up-and-coming designers, Toronto Fashion Week promises a packed showcase of vivid contemporary creations for the spring 2014 season.

Will these new Canadian collections offer fabulous flights of sartorial fancy? Will there be a flamboyant fashion faux pas? Check out our gallery of splashy, attention-grabbing ensembles and cast your vote above.

Along with the dozens of fashion showcases and presentations in the main program, related events taking place this week include industry panels, workshops and conference sessions exploring timely topics such as ethical product sourcing.

World MasterCard Fashion Week continues through Oct. 26.

Battling Boy reinvents comic book superheroes for younger readers by Jonathan Ore Oct. 25, 2013 8:09 PM With his latest work, comic book veteran Paul Pope has created a template-smashing new kind of superhero: Battling Boy, a kid (admittedly the offspring of gods) who sets out to protect other kids. "The thing that's attractive about kids as characters is that, if anything, they represent potential," he tells CBC News.Let Franz Ferdinand kick up your Friday Oct. 25, 2013 5:45 PM We've got live performance throughout the show from Franz Ferdinand, the Scottish band whose single Do You Want To sent them to the top of the charts internationally. Who Said It Quiz: Stephen King or Justin Bieber? Oct. 25, 2013 3:08 PM One of them pens tales of terror. One of them croons to shrieking girls. But they have more in common than you might think. So in honour of Stephen King's newest book, Doctor Sleep, a long-awaited follow-up to the terrifying 1977 novel The Shining, we give you our latest Who Said It Quiz: King or Bieber?

View the original article here

How would you change Nintendo's 3DS XL?

How would you change Nintendo's 3DS XL? data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 419};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20703738' !== '') ? 'bsd:20703738' : ''; var postID = '20703738'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"gaming",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"daniel-cooper", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});How would you change Nintendo's 3DS XL?ByDaniel CooperpostedSep 1st, 2013 at 10:10 PM 0
Nintendo's 3DS XL had a bigger screen, was more comfortable to hold and doubled its internal storage. What did it lack? No secondary analog stick, a compelling digital content offering and any sort of oomph under the hood. Those three were nearly deal breakers for our reviewer, who said the handheld was good, but not enough to convince you to upgrade. But was our own Mr. Smith right to damn the console with his faint praise? Share your experiences of owning this device with us in the comments below.
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Tags: 3DS XL, 3dsXl, How Would You Change, HowWouldYouChange, HWYC, nintendo

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