All Critics (124) | Top Critics (28) | Fresh (115) | Rotten (9)
The harmonies they strike in this reality-inspired charmer are sweetly sublime.
You could drive an Abrams tank through the film's plot holes, but you'll likely be too busy enjoying yourself to bother.
"The Sapphires" feels like a movie you've already seen, but it's nonetheless thoroughly enjoyable, like a pop song that's no less infectious when you know every word.
"The Sapphires" sparkles with sass and Motown soul.
Sapphires is hardly a cinematic diamond mine. But this Commitments-style mashup of music and melodrama manages to entertain without demanding too much of its audience.
The mood is so charming and the music so inspiring that you continually cut it a break.
By-the-numbers in every sense of the word, the film tracks a tried-and-true sort of triumph while featuring renditions of soul classics so bursting with energy and joy you won't care that the originality meter is leaning on empty.
Even when it seems contrived The Sapphires is a feel-good movie in the most positive meaning of that term, thanks to the Motown music and O'Dowd's cheeky charm. Like the Four Tops, I loved every sugar pie, honey bunch moment. I can't help myself.
Unfortunately, it has been turned into a routine and uninspiring movie, following a tired, old formula the entire way.
A surefire crowdpleaser with all the ingredients for the type of little-movie-that-could sleeper success that Harvey Weinstein has nurtured in years and award seasons past.
You've seen this story before, but never pulled off with so much joie de vivre.
They can put a song across just like the Dreamgirls. What's not to like?
Exuberant but fairly formulaic.
Doesn't always mix its anti-prejudice message and its feel-good nostalgia with complete smoothness. But despite some ragged edges it provides a reasonably good time.
Director Wayne Blair -- another veteran of the stage show -- finds his footing during the film's many musical numbers.
Despite the prosaic plot and reserved approach taken by Blair, Briggs, and Thompson, it's tough to get cynical about such a warmhearted picture that strives to tell so uplifting a story.
A movie with enough melody and camaraderie to cover up its lack of originality.
No quotes approved yet for The Sapphires. Logged in users can submit quotes.
Apple is currently pushing out a small, but not insignificant, RAW compatibility update for OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion that adds support for a whole host of new digital cameras in Aperture 3 and iPhoto. The update is necessary for both programs to make use of RAW image files from the newly supported digital cameras.
The full list of additions:
Canon EOS-1D C
Canon EOS Rebel SL1 / 100D / Kiss X7
Canon EOS Rebel T5i / 700D / Kiss X7i
Hasselblad Lunar
Nikon COOLPIX A
Nikon D7100
Nikon 1 J3
Nikon 1 S1
Sony Alpha NEX-3N
If you've got any of these cameras, head into the Mac App Store or hit the Software Update menu to download the update.
May 30, 2013 ? Trichloroethylene (TCE) exposure has possible links to increased liver cancer risk, and the relationship between TCE exposure and risks of cancers of low incidence and those with confounding by lifestyle and other factors need further study, according to a study published May 30 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
TCE is a chlorinated dry-cleaning solvent and degreaser that has been widely used for approximately the last 100 years and has shown carcinogenicity in rodents. Previous epidemiologic studies have shown a reported increase in cancer risk in humans for the kidney, cervix, liver and biliary passages, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and esophageal adenocarcinoma.
In order to determine the link between TCE exposure and increased cancer risk, Johnni Hansen, Ph.D., of the Danish Cancer Society Research Center in Copenhagen, and colleagues looked at a cohort of workers that had individual documentation for exposure to TCE in Finland, Sweden, and Denmark, where the individuals were monitored for urinary TCE metabolite trichloroacetic acid during 1947-1989 and followed for cancer.
The researchers found statistically significant elevated standardized incidence ratios for primary liver cancer and cervical cancer, but did not find a statistically significant risk of either non-Hodgkin lymphoma or esophageal or kidney cancer.
"Our pooled study of documented TCE-exposed workers provides some evidence for an increased risk of liver cancer, although confounding by other exposures cannot be ruled out. Evaluation of a possible modest risk for kidney cancer and non- Hodgkin lymphoma requires studies with greater statistical power," the authors write.
In an accompanying editorial, Mark P. Purdue, Ph.D., of the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Cancer Institute writes that there has been concern with workers exposed to TCE since the early 1970s and that even though it is now classified as a human carcinogen, further research is needed and safer options should be explored. "Where possible, TCE should be substituted by safer alternative chemicals and/or emissions should be reduced. Conversion from conventional vapor degreasers to new low-emission equipment such as enclosed vapor degreasing systems can greatly reduce solvent exposures in the workplace, and aqueous cleaning systems may also be feasible alternatives in certain applications."
DALLAS (AP) ? The CEO of Exxon Mobil Corp. says there's no quick replacement for oil, and sharply cutting oil's use to reduce greenhouse gas emissions would make it harder to lift 2 billion people out of poverty.
"What good is it to save the planet if humanity suffers?" CEO Rex Tillerson said at the oil giant's annual meeting Wednesday.
Tillerson jousted with environmental activists who proposed that the company set goals to reduce emissions from its products and operations.
Shareholders sided with the company and voted nearly 3-to-1 to reject the proposal.
By a 4-to-1 ratio, shareholders defeated a resolution to explicitly ban discrimination against gays. The Exxon board had argued that the company already banned discrimination of any type and didn't need to add language regarding gays.
It was the 16th defeat for Exxon resolutions on discrimination against gays and the seventh on greenhouse emissions.
Since Tillerson replaced Lee Raymond as CEO in 2006, Exxon has softened the tone of its public comments but not its skepticism about climate change. Tillerson said that in the past decade the average temperature "hasn't really changed," and he repeated his optimism that technology will solve the problem.
The average global temperature rose one quarter of a degree Fahrenheit from the 10 years that ended in 2002 to the decade that ended in 2012, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. However, the decade of 2000-2009 was the hottest on record, and nine of the 10 hottest years have occurred since 2001.
Activists argued that climate change will result in more severe weather. Patricia Daley, a member of the New Jersey-based group of Dominican nuns that proposed the climate-change resolution, cited last year's East Coast hurricane.
"I had to evacuate a lot of old nuns because of Superstorm Sandy," Daley said. She said that with rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, "we're in desperate territory right now."
Shareholders voted down a resolution calling for Exxon to report details about its use of hydraulic fracturing, a method of boosting natural gas production that critics argue can contaminate water supplies with toxic chemicals.
Environmentalists also criticized the company's production of oil from tar sands in Canada, which they said adds to greenhouse gas emissions. They urged Exxon to invest more in wind, solar and geothermal energy. The company has made forays into alternative energy sources but argues that the world will be dependent on oil for decades.
The ban on bias based on sexual orientation was proposed by a retirement fund for New York state employees. George Wong, an official for the New York comptroller's office, said the lack of specific protection for gays hurt the company's ability to recruit employees from the widest pool of talent.
Wong said Exxon discriminates by refusing to extend spousal benefits to employees who marry a gay partner in New York, where same-sex marriage is legal.
Exxon's annual meeting once drew dozens of protesters from environmental and human-rights groups, but only a few demonstrators appeared outside Wednesday's meeting in an ornate symphony hall. Inside, there were few sparks or angry exchanges. The characters have become familiar to each other. After Daley finished speaking, Tillerson said from the stage, "Thank you, Sister Pat."
Exxon Mobil is coming off its second-biggest profit ever, having earned $44.9 billion in 2012.
The shares rose 2 percent last year, the same as rival Chevron Corp. This year, through Tuesday, Exxon shares had gained 7 percent while Chevron shares had risen 17 percent.
Exxon shares fell 30 cents to $92.08 in trading Wednesday. They were still near the high end of their 52-week range of $77.13 to $93.67.
___
AP Science Writer Seth Borenstein contributed to this report from Washington.
This December 2006 image provided by NASA shows European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang working outside the International Space Station. A new study published in the journal Science found that astronauts traveling to Mars and back would be exposed to a high dose of radiation. NASA wants to send a crew to orbit the red planet by the mid-2030s. (AP Photo/NASA)
This December 2006 image provided by NASA shows European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang working outside the International Space Station. A new study published in the journal Science found that astronauts traveling to Mars and back would be exposed to a high dose of radiation. NASA wants to send a crew to orbit the red planet by the mid-2030s. (AP Photo/NASA)
This July 2007 image provided by NASA shows astronaut Clay Anderson waving during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. Astronauts traveling to and from Mars would be bombarded with as much cosmic radiation as they?d get from a full-body CT scan about once a week for a year, researchers reported Thursday, June 30, 2013. NASA aims to send a crew to orbit the red planet by the mid-2030s. (AP Photo/NASA)
This artist rendering shows the Orion space capsule that NASA wants to use for a deep space mission. Astronauts traveling to and from Mars would be bombarded with as much cosmic radiation as they?d get from a full-body CT scan about once a week for a year, researchers reported Thursday, June 30, 2013. NASA aims to send a crew to orbit the red planet by the mid-2030s. (AP Photo/NASA)
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Astronauts traveling to and from Mars would be bombarded with as much radiation as they'd get from a full-body CT scan about once a week for a year, researchers reported Thursday.
That dose would, in some cases, exceed NASA's standards and is enough to raise an astronaut's cancer risk by 3 percent.
As plans for deep space exploration ramp up, radiation is a big concern ? from high-energy galactic cosmic rays spewed by distant supernova explosions to sporadic bursts of charged particles hurled by the sun. Earth's magnetic field helps to deflect much of that harmful radiation.
NASA aims to send a crew to orbit the red planet by the mid-2030s. Private outfits like Inspiration Mars ? backed by NASA engineer-turned-space tourist Dennis Tito ? are seeking volunteers for a Mars flight.
There have been previous efforts to gauge the radiation risk for future Mars travelers, but the best estimate is coming from NASA's Curiosity mission. Tucked inside the rover when it launched in 2011 was a radiation sensor that took readings during the 8 1/2-month cruise to Mars.
From those figures, scientists calculated a spacefarer's radiation exposure for a quicker six-month voyage in a similarly shielded spacecraft. Roundtrip: about 662 millisieverts. That's a sizable chunk of an astronaut's career cap of 1,000 millisieverts which many international space agencies use to limit the accumulated radiation dosage in space.
NASA's threshold depends on age and gender. The career dose limit for 30-to-60-year-old male astronauts who never smoked ranges from 800 to 1,200 millisieverts. For female astronauts, the limit ranges from 600 to 1,000 millisieverts.
The radiation exposure from a Mars journey is similar to getting a full-body CT scan every five or six days, said lead researcher Cary Zeitlin of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo.
The estimate is just for zipping there and back; it doesn't include time spent on the Martian surface, which would add to an astronaut's exposure. How much more would depend on length of stay and available shelter.
"You'd like the radiation exposure to be lower, but it is what it is," said Dr. Norm Thagard, the first American to fly on the Russian space station Mir, who had no role in the research. "Given the importance of such a mission, the mission should be done."
The analysis appears in Friday's issue of the journal Science. The amount of radiation likely won't change unless there's a rocket engine developed that can speed up the interplanetary ride, researchers said.
"You want to get there as quickly as possible" to reduce radiation exposure, said Don Hassler, scientist in charge of the radiation instrument aboard Curiosity.
Radiation on a Mars trek would be higher than what crew members cocooned inside the International Space Station typically face ? about 200 millisieverts per year. By contrast, people on Earth are typically exposed to about 3 millisieverts a year.
Curiosity flew to Mars during a period of low to moderate solar activity. A manned mission that launches during a solar flare or storm would encounter more radiation.
NASA engineers are testing propulsion systems and researching ways to reduce radiation exposure on a Mars flight. Among the possibilities: Have astronauts wear a deployable shield resembling a heavy winter coat or have them hunker down in a storm shelter aboard the spacecraft during periods of high solar activity.
"Before we can send astronauts there, we need to understand the environments and hazards that they would face" said Chris Moore, deputy director of advanced exploration systems at NASA headquarters.
Now, cancer-related risk estimates are "no more than a rough guesstimate," David Brenner, an expert on radiation-induced cancer at Columbia University, said in an email.
Thagard, the former NASA astronaut, said he was exposed to 120 millisieverts during his 115 days in low-Earth orbit aboard Mir. Despite the potential health risks, Thagard said there likely won't be a shortage of astronauts willing to hop on a Mars flight.
Since landing near the Martian equator last summer, Curiosity has continued to track radiation as it rolls across the dusty surface toward its eventual mountain destination. The rover has turned up the best evidence yet of an ancient watery Mars. A separate study published in Science detailed the existence of more than 500 rounded pebbles near its crater landing site ? the result of being shaped by long-ago flowing water.
___
Online:
Science: http://www.sciencemag.org
___
Follow Alicia Chang at http://twitter.com/SciWriAlicia
Looking to save some coin on your tech purchases? Of course you are! In this roundup, we'll run down a list of the freshest frugal buys, hand-picked with the help of the folks at Slickdeals. You'll want to act fast, though, as many of these offerings won't stick around long.
Our regular roundup of discounted tech makes its return with another handful of enticing selections for you to consider. Sony's NEX-F3 mirrorless camera and Acer's Iconia Tab A210 may garner an immediate look, but there's plenty more to peruse on the other side of the break.
Artificial sweeteners may do more than sweetenPublic release date: 29-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jim Dryden jdryden@wustl.edu 314-286-0110 Washington University School of Medicine
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that a popular artificial sweetener can modify how the body handles sugar.
In a small study, the researchers analyzed the sweetener sucralose (Splenda) in 17 severely obese people who do not have diabetes and don't use artificial sweeteners regularly.
"Our results indicate that this artificial sweetener is not inert it does have an effect," said first author M. Yanina Pepino, PhD, research assistant professor of medicine. "And we need to do more studies to determine whether this observation means long-term use could be harmful."
The study is available online in the journal Diabetes Care.
Pepino's team studied people with an average body mass index (BMI) of just over 42; a person is considered obese when BMI reaches 30. The researchers gave subjects either water or sucralose to drink before they consumed a glucose challenge test. The glucose dosage is very similar to what a person might receive as part of a glucose-tolerance test. The researchers wanted to learn whether the combination of sucralose and glucose would affect insulin and blood sugar levels.
"We wanted to study this population because these sweeteners frequently are recommended to them as a way to make their diets healthier by limiting calorie intake," Pepino said.
Every participant was tested twice. Those who drank water followed by glucose in one visit drank sucralose followed by glucose in the next. In this way, each subject served as his or her own control group.
"When study participants drank sucralose, their blood sugar peaked at a higher level than when they drank only water before consuming glucose," Pepino explained. "Insulin levels also rose about 20 percent higher. So the artificial sweetener was related to an enhanced blood insulin and glucose response."
The elevated insulin response could be a good thing, she pointed out, because it shows the person is able to make enough insulin to deal with spiking glucose levels. But it also might be bad because when people routinely secrete more insulin, they can become resistant to its effects, a path that leads to type 2 diabetes.
It has been thought that artificial sweeteners, such as sucralose, don't have an effect on metabolism. They are used in such small quantities that they don't increase calorie intake. Rather, the sweeteners react with receptors on the tongue to give people the sensation of tasting something sweet without the calories associated with natural sweeteners, such as table sugar.
But recent findings in animal studies suggest that some sweeteners may be doing more than just making foods and drinks taste sweeter. One finding indicates that the gastrointestinal tract and the pancreas can detect sweet foods and drinks with receptors that are virtually identical to those in the mouth. That causes an increased release of hormones, such as insulin. Some animal studies also have found that when receptors in the gut are activated by artificial sweeteners, the absorption of glucose also increases.
Pepino, who is part of Washington University's Center for Human Nutrition, said those studies could help explain how sweeteners may affect metabolism, even at very low doses. But most human studies involving artificial sweeteners haven't found comparable changes.
"Most of the studies of artificial sweeteners have been conducted in healthy, lean individuals," Pepino said. "In many of these studies, the artificial sweetener is given by itself. But in real life, people rarely consume a sweetener by itself. They use it in their coffee or on breakfast cereal or when they want to sweeten some other food they are eating or drinking."
Just how sucralose influences glucose and insulin levels in people who are obese is still somewhat of a mystery.
"Although we found that sucralose affects the glucose and insulin response to glucose ingestion, we don't know the mechanism responsible," said Pepino. "We have shown that sucralose is having an effect. In obese people without diabetes, we have shown sucralose is more than just something sweet that you put into your mouth with no other consequences."
She said further studies are needed to learn more about the mechanism through which sucralose may influence glucose and insulin levels, as well as whether those changes are harmful. A 20 percent increase in insulin may or may not be clinically significant, she added.
"What these all mean for daily life scenarios is still unknown, but our findings are stressing the need for more studies," she said. "Whether these acute effects of sucralose will influence how our bodies handle sugar in the long term is something we need to know."
###
Funding for this research comes from a National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) Clinical and Translational Sciences Award and subaward and from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Tate & Lyle provided the sucralose.
NIH grant numbers: UL1 R000448, KL2 TR000450, DK0088126, DK37948 and DK56341.
Pepino MY, Tiemann CD, Patterson BW, Wice BM, Klein S. Sucraolse affects glycemic and hormonal response to an oral glucose load. Diabetes Care. Published online before print April 30, 2013
doi: 10.2337/dc12-2221
Washington University School of Medicine's 2,100 employed and volunteer faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals. The School of Medicine is one of the leading medical research, teaching and patient care institutions in the nation, currently ranked sixth in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Artificial sweeteners may do more than sweetenPublic release date: 29-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jim Dryden jdryden@wustl.edu 314-286-0110 Washington University School of Medicine
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that a popular artificial sweetener can modify how the body handles sugar.
In a small study, the researchers analyzed the sweetener sucralose (Splenda) in 17 severely obese people who do not have diabetes and don't use artificial sweeteners regularly.
"Our results indicate that this artificial sweetener is not inert it does have an effect," said first author M. Yanina Pepino, PhD, research assistant professor of medicine. "And we need to do more studies to determine whether this observation means long-term use could be harmful."
The study is available online in the journal Diabetes Care.
Pepino's team studied people with an average body mass index (BMI) of just over 42; a person is considered obese when BMI reaches 30. The researchers gave subjects either water or sucralose to drink before they consumed a glucose challenge test. The glucose dosage is very similar to what a person might receive as part of a glucose-tolerance test. The researchers wanted to learn whether the combination of sucralose and glucose would affect insulin and blood sugar levels.
"We wanted to study this population because these sweeteners frequently are recommended to them as a way to make their diets healthier by limiting calorie intake," Pepino said.
Every participant was tested twice. Those who drank water followed by glucose in one visit drank sucralose followed by glucose in the next. In this way, each subject served as his or her own control group.
"When study participants drank sucralose, their blood sugar peaked at a higher level than when they drank only water before consuming glucose," Pepino explained. "Insulin levels also rose about 20 percent higher. So the artificial sweetener was related to an enhanced blood insulin and glucose response."
The elevated insulin response could be a good thing, she pointed out, because it shows the person is able to make enough insulin to deal with spiking glucose levels. But it also might be bad because when people routinely secrete more insulin, they can become resistant to its effects, a path that leads to type 2 diabetes.
It has been thought that artificial sweeteners, such as sucralose, don't have an effect on metabolism. They are used in such small quantities that they don't increase calorie intake. Rather, the sweeteners react with receptors on the tongue to give people the sensation of tasting something sweet without the calories associated with natural sweeteners, such as table sugar.
But recent findings in animal studies suggest that some sweeteners may be doing more than just making foods and drinks taste sweeter. One finding indicates that the gastrointestinal tract and the pancreas can detect sweet foods and drinks with receptors that are virtually identical to those in the mouth. That causes an increased release of hormones, such as insulin. Some animal studies also have found that when receptors in the gut are activated by artificial sweeteners, the absorption of glucose also increases.
Pepino, who is part of Washington University's Center for Human Nutrition, said those studies could help explain how sweeteners may affect metabolism, even at very low doses. But most human studies involving artificial sweeteners haven't found comparable changes.
"Most of the studies of artificial sweeteners have been conducted in healthy, lean individuals," Pepino said. "In many of these studies, the artificial sweetener is given by itself. But in real life, people rarely consume a sweetener by itself. They use it in their coffee or on breakfast cereal or when they want to sweeten some other food they are eating or drinking."
Just how sucralose influences glucose and insulin levels in people who are obese is still somewhat of a mystery.
"Although we found that sucralose affects the glucose and insulin response to glucose ingestion, we don't know the mechanism responsible," said Pepino. "We have shown that sucralose is having an effect. In obese people without diabetes, we have shown sucralose is more than just something sweet that you put into your mouth with no other consequences."
She said further studies are needed to learn more about the mechanism through which sucralose may influence glucose and insulin levels, as well as whether those changes are harmful. A 20 percent increase in insulin may or may not be clinically significant, she added.
"What these all mean for daily life scenarios is still unknown, but our findings are stressing the need for more studies," she said. "Whether these acute effects of sucralose will influence how our bodies handle sugar in the long term is something we need to know."
###
Funding for this research comes from a National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) Clinical and Translational Sciences Award and subaward and from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Tate & Lyle provided the sucralose.
NIH grant numbers: UL1 R000448, KL2 TR000450, DK0088126, DK37948 and DK56341.
Pepino MY, Tiemann CD, Patterson BW, Wice BM, Klein S. Sucraolse affects glycemic and hormonal response to an oral glucose load. Diabetes Care. Published online before print April 30, 2013
doi: 10.2337/dc12-2221
Washington University School of Medicine's 2,100 employed and volunteer faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals. The School of Medicine is one of the leading medical research, teaching and patient care institutions in the nation, currently ranked sixth in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) ? A website says Philadelphia's police commissioner has asked federal authorities to take a look at the police department's use of deadly force.
Commissioner Charles Ramsey tells Philly.com (http://bit.ly/12gM5dm ) that he is seeking the review due to the rising number of police-involved shootings.
Philadelphia police shot 52 suspects last year, killing 15 of them. In 2011 police wounded or killed 35 people.
Officers shot and killed a man Saturday, the fourth police-involved shooting in as many days and the third resulting in a suspect's death.
Ramsey says the number of shootings "gets people wondering if they were all justified."
He says police have been looking at the issue since December and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice "agrees this is a good course of action."
MyCadbox, from Finland's CadFaster, is probably best described as a Dropbox for CAD files, but unlike its competitors it largely shuns the Web for native desktop and mobile apps that it says affords it the ability to share and view much larger 3D models and at a higher frame?rate than browser-based technologies allow. In the future, however, it has more ambitious plans to add Evernote-style search features to help unlock the huge amount of metadata potentially associated with 3D files. But first, let's drill down into MyCadbox's current offering.
George Michael (Michael Cera) and the Bluth's stair car is back in all new "Arrested Development" episodes on Netflix!
"Arrested Development" creator Mitch Hurwitz warned fans not to binge-watch all 15 new episodes of the new season, which became available Sunday on Netflix. But we did it anyway, and after a seven-and-a-half-hour Bluth-a-thon, feel pretty good about offering up the following tips (but no spoilers!) for the Bluth-deprived hoping to pull off the same feat.
Temper your expectations We know, the show was much beloved before it went off the air. But even though the new batch of episodes features the same cast and writers, don?t expect everything to be as it used to. In other words, the Bluths may be back, but they certainly aren?t the hijinks-prone family fans left on the deck of the RMS Queen Mary seven years ago. The family is now a much more somber -- albeit still wacky --- bunch with much bigger problems and more intricate story lines.
Some of the characters come off differently than expected, and, at times, seem downright unlikable at first. For instance, we meet a very different Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman). Instead of the put-together family man fans are familiar with, Michael is so clingy and needy toward his son, George Michael (Michael Cera), in the first episode, it will make you wonder, ?Who is this guy and what has he done with our Michael?? Hang tight. The Michael Bluth fans know and love is in there --- it just takes several episodes to find him.
Some of the regulars (as well as some of the favorite running gags) don?t even make appearances until the third or fourth episode. But patience, grasshopper.
Pay attention The new episodes play out as individual vignettes, all loosely tied together by common plot lines. Each focuses on a particular character, allowing fans to see events from the point of view of that central Bluth.
Let it be known, these are certainly not episodes you can watch while distracted. Put your phone down, get a babysitter and focus at the task at hand. The story lines tie into each other as the episodes progress, so you?ll want to devote your full attention to make sure you don?t miss an important moment or conversation that you?ll need to know about later on.
This new format, while completely different from the standard episodic treatment you used to get on television, is a worthy effort. There are enough touches of original Bluth-isms to satisfy even the biggest ?Arrested Development? fans ? from hook-hand jokes to the familiar sound of ?The Final Countdown," it's all in there.
Stock up Make sure you have an ample supply of snacks (frozen bananas, perhaps?) because it?s going to be a long night!
Although it was fun to binge-watch all 15 episodes, we wouldn?t recommend it, especially to rabid ?Arrested Development? fans. After about seven episodes, the ability to catch the jokes -- which are essentially why we love this show -- was significantly lessened. Take Hurwitz's advice: Enjoy the Bluths at a leisurely pace. You'll be rewarded.
Have you watched the new episodes? Tell us what you think by clicking on the "Talk about it" button below!
A fan in Copenhagen, Denmark, did what no one thought was a good idea when he reached out and slapped Beyonce on her backside during her concert on Monday.
It's all captured in a video on YouTube appropriately titled "The stupid guy that slapped Beyonce." As the singer strutted down the stage singing her song, "Irreplaceable," a man standing in the front row joined in for part of the chorus. "To the left, to the left, everything you own in the box to the left ..."
As Beyonce withdrew the microphone and began to retreat back upstage, the man reached out and gave JAY-Z's WIFE a slap on the rear.
"I will have you escorted out of here now ... all right?" Beyonce says to the man before launching back into the song. Here's another view from another YouTube video.
HUFFINGTON POST: ?Dole, who served in the Senate from 1969 to 1996, wasn?t fully critical of the president, but said part of the problem is that he ?lacks communication with Congress? and should have gotten together with members earlier in his presidency?
Still, he acknowledged it?s not easy to work with the Senate, where he said ?no doubt about it,? cloture is being abused. He didn?t spare the Republican Party his criticism, saying they need to be ?closed for repairs? and come up with more plans and a vision for the future before the end of the year. Wallace asked him whether he?d even fit in with the Republican Party today.
?I doubt it,? Dole replied. ?Reagan wouldn?t have made it, certainly Nixon wouldn?t have made it, because he had ideas. We might have made it, but I doubt it.? ? (more)
Justin Burniske?is a writer for FanSided partner?BroJackson.com. For more great content,?head on over to Bro Jackson?and check out Justin?s work.
With May sweeps coming to a close, we now prepare to enter the equivalent of a TV viewer?s off-season featuring lots of reruns and baseball, forced to wait out the long summer until the fall premieres. In this on-demand world, why do we still have to wait for television? I?m not going to stand for this outrage. Instead of waiting, I?m going to provide rash reviews without all the information ? maybe CNN will hire me. To wit, here are my reviews of a couple of the shows premiering this fall based solely on their three-minute trailers:
Marvel?s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D ? ABC
[youtube_sc url="http://youtu.be/MXjoPRvSd7k" title="Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D"]
One sentence synopsis: Super secret government agency is investigating and recruiting people with super powers. Where have I seen this before? The trailer clearly indicates this is meant to be in the same universe as The Avengers movie that came out last summer, with a little bit of the X-Men franchise (also a creation of Marvel) sprinkled in there as well. Why it will succeed: In case you missed it, Iron Man 3 came out just over three weeks ago and is already among the top 10 grossing films worldwide of all time, so there?s that. Why it will fail: Of the Marvel movies featuring characters from the Avengers franchise, only those featuring Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man (Iron Man 1, 2, 3 and The Avengers) have done exceedingly well, and with good reason. Downey brings a nice balance of humor and bravado that makes the scenes between explosions bearable. Without him regularly featured, which seems unlikely, will audiences be willing to wade through a TV series featuring characters the mainstream audience has never heard of before? Will it make it out of the first season? Between the loyal comic book fan base and the release of two additional Avengers movies in the next year (Thor and Captain America), the show should have enough momentum to last into a second season. Whether or not it will deserve that second season is an entirely different question.
One sentence synopsis: A female photographer has an affair with a man, only to discover he?s the defense attorney facing off against her husband in court. Where have I seen this before? While extramarital affairs are not that uncommon on television, finding one that features the female perspective is more uncommon. The 2002 film Unfaithful may be the best example, although I doubt this affair will be resolved via murder. Why it will succeed: Between Revenge, Scandal, Deception and now Betrayal, there seems to be an onslaught of shows featuring strong leading ladies with interchangeable titles. Plus, given the relative uniqueness of a female-centered affair, there may be an audience drawn in by the concept. Why it will fail: None of the characters seems likeable. The woman at the center of the affair seems like she?s doing it because she?s bored, not because she?s in love, which won?t make her a forgivable character. Her husband seems overly career-focused, which doesn?t excuse her actions but makes him seem like a prick. And the third guy is an attorney for a crime family. With no one to root for, why would the audience come back? Will it make it out of the first season? While the premise offers some intrigue and leading ladies are in vogue, this one doesn?t seem strong enough to last past the first half of the season.
The Michael J. Fox Show ? NBC<h/2>
[youtube_sc url="http://youtu.be/SXl-krlLoxg" title="The Michael J. Fox Show"]
One sentence synopsis: Michael J. Fox plays Michael J. Fox, a family man with Parkinson?s. Where have I seen this before? This is definitely not the first time a comedic actor named a show after themselves. It?s just that most of them don?t have a non-curable disease when they do it. Why it will succeed: The show tackles the difficulties of disease by reminding us that sometimes laughing at a tough situation is the best way to keep from breaking down crying. Living with a family member who is battling a disease is a struggle to which many Americans can relate and therefore, it may draw in a crowd. Why it will fail: Many people watch TV to escape their current reality, so watching Fox struggle on camera may cause more discomfort than pleasure, driving viewers away. Will it make it out of the first season? The trailer seems to strike a good balance between humor and honesty, so I?m going to say yes, it does get a second season. Granted, given my own family history with disease that may just be my personal bias speaking, but for Fox to make this show takes a lot of courage, so I?m also partially betting that no one at NBC will have the heart to cancel after one season even if it doesn?t go well.
One sentence synopsis: A criminal mastermind turns himself in so he can assist the FBI in catching other bad guys. Where have I seen this before? Think Silence of the Lambs ? a young female FBI agent working with a criminal mastermind. Why it will succeed: James Spader plays the Hannibal Lecter-ish character, and Spader always seems very comfortable playing the smartest guy in the room (i.e. Boston Legal, The Office) Why it will fail: Everything not Spader. It?s only a four-minute trailer, yet I?m not that interested in any of the other characters. Let?s just say that the female counterpart is no Jodie Foster. Will it make it out of the first season? While Spader?s performance will likely be enjoyable, the action scenes shown were less than spectacular, making this a hard sell for the general public. It will likely end up on NBC?s blacklist of shows canceled in the first season.
One sentence synopsis: Will Arnett is a recently divorced TV reporter whose parents, upon learning of his separation, decide to take a similar course of action. Where have I seen this before? Imagine Everybody Loves Raymond, except instead of putting up with their marriages, the couples are all divorced as they probably should have been. Why it will succeed: Arnett has shown he can play a likeable character with redeeming qualities as he did in Up All Night. Why it will fail: Arnett isn?t strong enough to carry this show by himself, and there doesn?t seem to be much else of interest here. Will it make it out of the first season? Unless this show manages to find something incredibly unique, The Millers will be lucky to last as long as We?re the Millers lasts in theaters. Then again, studio audience sitcoms continue to thrive.
One sentence synopsis: Government puts a microchip into a super soldier making him a super-super soldier. Where have I seen this before? Think Bourne Identity if Matt Damon hadn?t gone AWOL. Why it will succeed: It?s a cop show, and given that 90 percent of the dramas on television feature some kind of detective/cop component, that gives Intelligence at least a fighting chance. Why it will fail: While building a little more sci-fi into a cop show doesn?t have to be a bad thing, if the show becomes just about the gimmick and not the characters, the audience may as well watch MythBusters. At least that show is grounded in reality. Will it make it out of the first season? If there is a second season of Intelligence it will be largely due to CBS?s past success with crime dramas. Unfortunately, that won?t be enough to carry the show, so on the over/under one season, I?ll take the under.
One sentence synopsis: Two adult friends have dads who embarrass/torture them ? let the shenanigans begin. Where have I seen this before? It?s from Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy and the movie Ted, so it?s likely to have a lot of the same humor. Why it will succeed: MacFarlane has somehow managed to keep three shows on Fox for multiple seasons, so why not give him a fourth? Why it will fail: Unlike his other shows, this one is not a cartoon, so many of gags that work so well for Family Guy won?t translate to Dads. Additionally, people seem much more forgiving when a cartoon says something incredibly offensive. With Dads they will likely have to soften the sting, taking all the punch out of the show. Will it make it out of the first season? While the humor of Ted found an audience, 80 percent of those jokes will not make it on network television. If MacFarlane is serious about creating a sitcom, he should look to make something for cable. Good news is that he?ll probably find he has the time to pursue such an endeavor since Dads is unlikely to last five episodes.
One sentence synopsis: A new captain takes over a police precinct in Brooklyn that features a band of misfit detectives. Where have I seen this before? Feels a little like a cross between Parks and Recreation (with the ensemble cast) and Psych (a police detective who doesn?t want to grow up). Why it will succeed: Former SNL performers Tina Fey and Amy Poehler both had brief stints on the big screen before staring in successful TV shows, so why couldn?t Andy Samberg follow that same path to stardom? Why it will fail: This ensemble does not look as strong as either 30 Rock or Parks and Recreation, leaving doubt that Brooklyn Nine-Nine will have any chance of success. Will it make it out of the first season? FOX tends to have a relatively short leash with their primetime slots since they only show two hours in comparison with the other networks who all show three, so don?t bother setting your DVR ?cause 9-9 won?t last.
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, the current chairman of the African Union, on Monday accused the International Criminal Court of racial bias and targeting Africans for prosecution,
The Hague-based court was set up to bring the perpetrators of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity to justice - a mission that Hailemariam said it has lost sight of.
"The intention was to avoid any kind of impunity but now the process has degenerated into some kind of race-hunting," Hailemariam told reporters at the end of African Union summit in Addis Ababa. "So we object to that."
During the summit, African leaders backed a Kenyan proposal for the tribunal to refer its cases against President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy for alleged crimes against humanity back to Kenya.
Kenyatta and William Ruto are accused of masterminding ethnic violence that killed more than 1,200 people after a disputed presidential election five years ago. Both deny the charges.
A new constitution ratified after the turmoil and a reformed judiciary meant Kenya could deal with the matter itself, African Union officials said.
A senior AU official said the ICC and the U.N. Security Council needed to be more responsive to decisions taken by Africa.
"It is not a court of the north to try leaders from the south," Ramtane Lamamra, the AU's peace and security head, told a news conference.
It was unreasonable for the United Nations to refer Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir to the ICC when three of the Security Council's five permanent members - the United States, Russia and China - had either not signed up to or not ratified the Rome Statute which established the ICC, he said.
"How could you refer the cases of others while you don't feel compelled to abide by the same rule," Lamamra said.
(Reporting by Richard Lough and Aaaron Maasho; Editing by George Obulutsa and Angus MacSwan)
Another anti-gay hate crime has reportedly occurred in NYC's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood.
Alan Bounville, of the activist group Queer Rising, reports:
Last night, Friday, May 24th, a group of 9-10 men attacked one of my dearest friends, Eugene Lovendusky. They yelled "faggot" at Eugene as he was punched in the jaw. There have been a half-dozen, publicized violent anti-queer crimes in New York City in May 2013, including the cold-blooded murder of Mark Carson, 32, for being a "faggot."
Adds Scott Wooledge on Facebook:
This hits home as I know this man personally. There have been a spree of anti-gay hate crimes in New York City this month. As people are unable to enforce their bigotry by laws and policies, they will turn to expressing their impotent hate on the streets.
I can't do much to help make the world safer for my friends. But I have a platform, and I'm sending out this message to gay bashers: "You can kick us. You can punch us. You can shoot us dead as you did Mark Carson and Harvey Milk. But the LGBT community will not go back to the days before Stonewall Riots and DADT repeal. We will not abandon our righteous claim to be treated equally under the US Constitution and the laws of our states. You will lose eventually.
And eventually we LGBT people will meet our respective Gods with our hands clean of blood."
The problem for Home is Facebook has underestimated how important apps -- and, crucially, the customisation that apps afford -- are to the smartphone experience. When you step back and consider it, that?s a breathtakingly massive oversight. But Facebook is not the only one to evince such flawed thinking: Microsoft's Windows Phone platform displays a similar self-centred narcissism.
Considering Fallon Fox won her first two fights in the first round, it was expected for the first openly trans fighter to walk through her next opponent, Allanna Jones at Championship Fighting Alliance on Friday. In her first nationally televised bout, Fox won with a submission in the third round, but it was not the overwhelming win that oddsmakers were expecting.
You can watch the full fight in the video above. Fox and Jones both made mistakes like keeping their hands too low and holding their chin out too far throughout the bout. They looked like two inexperienced fighters because that's what they are.
Much of the controversy that surrounded Fox was the perception that since she was born a man, she would have clear advantage over her opponents. As Sherdog's Jordan Breen pointed out, "So, did anyone watch that and think, 'Wow, what an insurmountable advantage Fallon Fox has, no one could ever beat her!'?" She beat a 2-1 fighter, but not soundly. When she goes up in level of competition, as she will do in the next round of the CFA tournament, she will have a hard time.
LONDON (AP) ? Counterterrorism police are questioning a friend of Michael Adebolajo, one of two men suspected of the savage killing of a British soldier.
Abu Nusaybah was arrested following a BBC interview in which he said Adebolajo had changed after returning from a visit to Kenya where he claimed he had been physically and sexually abused in detention.
The BBC said Nusaybah was arrested by police outside its studios Friday night immediately after recording the interview. Metropolitan Police confirmed that a 31-year-old man was arrested.
Nusaybah told the BBC that Adebolajo had been detained, questioned and abused by security forces in Kenya during a trip there last year. Nusaybah also claimed the U.K.'s security services tried to recruit Adebolajo after he returned to Britain.
Fans cheer during overtime of Game 4 in a Western Conference semifinal NBA basketball playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies in Memphis, Tenn., Monday, May 13, 2013. The Grizzlies defeated the Thunder 103-97 in overtime. AP Photo/Danny Johnston)
Fans cheer during overtime of Game 4 in a Western Conference semifinal NBA basketball playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies in Memphis, Tenn., Monday, May 13, 2013. The Grizzlies defeated the Thunder 103-97 in overtime. AP Photo/Danny Johnston)
Memphis Grizzlies' Marc Gasol (33) reacts to a call during the second half in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs, Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in San Antonio. At left is Memphis Grizzlies' Mike Conley. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Memphis Grizzlies' Zach Randolph argues with an official during the second half in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs, Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
El base de los Spurs de San Antonio, Tony Parker, gesticula en un partido contra los Grizzlies de Memphis por la final de la Conferencia del Oeste de la NBA el domingo, 19 de mayo de 2013, en San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich directs his team during the second half in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies, Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) ? The towels are showing up all around Memphis. They hang over neighborhood signs and even at a door to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
The sentiment? Believe Memphis.
The Grizzlies certainly do.
Yes, they are down 0-2 to San Antonio in their first Western Conference final, but they take heart in knowing they dug themselves out of an 0-2 hole in the first round against the Clippers.
No NBA team has won separate series in the same postseason after losing the first two games. The Grizzlies now see only opportunity at home, where they have yet to lose this postseason.
"We got to believe," Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph said. "We got to be confident. We got to believe. Game 2 went down, we came all the way back and went to overtime, so we got to have that confidence and we got to believe in ourselves."
Game 3 is Saturday night.
"Believe Memphis" is the slogan first printed on giveaway towels for fans in the 2011 playoffs, which they held up instead of waving, trying to will the Grizzlies to victory late in a game against Oklahoma City. Yes, the Grizzlies won that game in overtime, and it's been a catch-phrase since then for this small market team in a town best known for its barbecue and music.
Fans are ready for the latest biggest home game in team history, and the Grizzlies hear all the excitement every time they go outside. So they are busy trying to focus on business.
"We're down 0-2 and we've got to take care of home just like they took care of home," Grizzlies guard Tony Allen said Friday. "Simple as that."
The Grizzlies' confidence also stems from a return to the arena they call the "Grindhouse." They set a franchise record winning 32 games there this season, and they are 19-1 here since Feb. 8. Memphis also has lost three straight only twice this season, the last in mid-January.
This series took a three-day break after the Spurs won 93-89 in overtime Tuesday night in Game 2. The Grizzlies took off Wednesday after flying home and practiced Thursday and Friday. The Spurs practiced Wednesday and Thursday before taking off Friday.
The home team has won 17 of the last 20 games between these teams, and the Spurs lost both trips to Memphis during the regular season. With strong memories of blowing a 2-0 lead to Oklahoma City in the Western finals, the Spurs know the games in Memphis will be hard.
"We know they play great at home," Spurs forward Boris Diaw said. "They have a great crowd, and they seem to be more pumped up when they play at home. They are probably going to make more shots, so we've got to be ready for that."
It would be tough for the Grizzlies to shoot much worse than they did in the first two games in San Antonio, including a stretch where they missed seven straight layups in one sequence. They missed 15 of 18 attempts inside 5 feet in the first half, a statistic that surprised Grizzlies guard Mike Conley because of their strength scoring in the paint.
"We don't expect to do that again, but we just have to be better mentally prepared and focused on finishing at the rim," Conley said.
Randolph went 1 of 8 in the first game and shot a bit better in Game 2. But he still struggled with close shots, with the Spurs often doubling down on him. Randolph said he needs guards like Conley, Allen and Jerryd Bayless to be more aggressive helping on the perimeter and moving the ball.
"That rim's tight," Randolph said with a laugh. "No, I'll just be confident. I'll take that shot again tomorrow, and hopefully it goes in."
Memphis coach Lionel Hollins has spent the past two days trying to tighten his defense. He's also worked on his team's spacing in an effort to revive the offense.
In any case, the coach doesn't want his Grizzlies to relax too much and expect a boost simply by being at home.
"As I told our team, being home is not going to win anything for us," Hollins said. "We have to go out and play much better. There's no need at this point to change the starting lineup. I mean we lost an overtime game, and we got blown out in a game. We have to come here, hold serve and we got to play better, obviously."
The Grizzlies also want to make Spurs point guard Tony Parker work harder and spend more energy bringing the ball up the court. That also might slow Parker from getting his teammates involved, something he did all too well in Game 2 with a playoff-best 18 assists.
Parker had an MRI exam on his bruised left calf Thursday. The three-day break provided a welcome break for him.
"I feel like I'll be fine Saturday," he said.
The Spurs, looking to win their first NBA title since 2007, have been getting strong contributions from Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. Both have scored in double figures in each game this series.
Green has not lost sight of that blown 2-0 lead to Oklahoma City a year ago.
"We're a more mature team," he said. "We've been there before so we know what it takes. But we also know what it takes to get past that point and not to be lackadaisical, not to get satisfied. We've just got to continue to just come out and play basketball, stay focused and remember what happened last year."
___
AP freelance writer Raul Dominguez in San Antonio contributed to this report.
___
Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) ? Tesla Motors is fighting a bill in North Carolina that would effectively ban the company from selling its electric cars in the state, pitting it against auto dealers who say the car maker has an unfair advantage selling directly to consumers online.
It's the latest such battle for California-based Tesla, which like other car manufacturers must navigate a patchwork of state laws dictating how its vehicles can be sold. Nearly all states ? 48 ? require manufacturers to sell their vehicles through dealerships to ensure the companies don't undercut their own network of franchised dealers, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association.
Tesla says it is cutting out the middleman by allowing people to view different options in a showroom, but then ordering the car direct from the company online rather than buying from a salesman. That approach also allows it to bypass state laws regarding franchised dealers, which have been in place for decades. However, lobbying groups say franchise dealers invest more locally and provide customer service that Tesla cannot.
The bill in North Carolina was mostly routine, simply updating the law governing the relationship between automakers and dealers. But it also changes the law to subject electronic sales to the same scrutiny. It has been unanimously approved by the Senate; the company is set to sit down with the state lobbying group for dealers, the North Carolina Automobile Dealers Association, to discuss a compromise that both sides say is unlikely to be reached. .
Tesla doesn't yet have a showroom in North Carolina, where it has sold about 80 cars to date. The company recently announced the first quarterly profit in its 10-year history, around the same time Consumer Reports gave its Model S electric sedan a near-perfect rating.
Tesla currently operates 29 stores and galleries across 14 states and Washington, D.C. Customers can order a car online at a sales location or at home but not at galleries, which exist purely to showcase cars in states where auto dealers have launched suits or state law restricts the company from discussing sales in person.
Colorado was the first state to take action against the manufacturer's stores, passing legislation in 2010 that halts their expansion. Since then, Minnesota lawmakers unsuccessfully pushed for a similar measure. In New York and Massachusetts, dealers have unsuccessfully sued to shut down the dealer's stores. In Virginia, a judge recently rejected Tesla's request for an exception to laws that prevent manufacturers from operating dealerships in most cases.
But the automaker can sell in every state because transactions legally take place in California. The North Carolina law, however, prevents customers in the state from making electronic purchases directly through manufacturers, said Diarmuid O'Connell, Tesla's vice president of business development.
"This would be the first place to my knowledge that Internet-based communications with our company would be circumscribed," he said.
The argument from dealers in North Carolina has mirrored those from the national association and in other states: franchise dealers invest more locally, showing commitment to communities and customer service that Tesla can't match.
"It's a consumer protection," said Bob Glaser, president of the NCADA, "and why we say that is a dealer who has invested a significant amount of capital in a community is more committed to taking care of that area's customers."
Tesla has stepped up its advocacy in North Carolina with a Web campaign and a recent showing of its Model S just outside the legislature. The demonstration drew lawmakers, their pages and passersby, who almost uniformly marveled at the touchscreen dashboard and sleek design of the car.
Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, lauded the ingenuity of the car after watching it automatically start up when she sat down, but she said she doesn't regret joining the 47 other senators who voted unanimously for the bill.
"Dealerships are one of those basic industries that are the roots of a small town," she said. "The model convinced me that, while this is visionary, the reality is it has to evolve to a local presence."
Some have suggested a compromise that would allow Tesla a certain quota of direct sales without going through franchised dealers. But that isn't fair to other manufacturers, said Sen. Tom Apodaca, R- Henderson and the bill's sponsor.
"You can't cut out a category for a brand new company when you've got Kia, Hyundai ? they're in here full blast ? (but) Maserati, Ferrari (and) Rolls-Royce?" he said. "They have dealer presence in North Carolina, and I know they probably don't sell 80 cars."
Apodaca received a state-maximum $8,000 in contributions from the 7,000-member NCADA in 2012. He noted steady contributions from the industry date back years, and he's a top Republican with a pro-business reputation.
Tesla says that its time-intensive customer service model won't translate well to franchise dealers and that most consumers would laugh at the notion that they're better served by the existing system. O'Connell said the dealers' true interest is maintaining total control over retail.
The bill was initially pitched as a way to protect consumers from online transactions that don't offer protections, "but we saw through that veil and the reality has emerged," he said.
Francine Lafontaine, a University of Michigan economist who specializes in franchising, said the laws in place contributed to the collapse a decade ago of web-based manufacturer Build-to-Order, whose founder, Scott Painter, dreamed of selling cheap and customizable cars directly to consumers.
"For someone who is kind of in business and looking at business models, it's not obvious the car industry is so different, but it's the only industry retail-wise that's protected to this extent," she said.
Those laws are likely to stay in place, considering franchise dealers account for about 20 percent of the sales-tax base at the state level and spend millions a year lobbying at the federal level, Lafontaine said. Tesla has shown resiliency, but the company shouldn't expect the roadblocks at the state level to let up easily, she added.
"I'm kind of pleased that Tesla has gotten as far as it's gotten," Lafontaine said. "In some cases I guess it's because it's electric. But they will need that national solution."
The company could try to lobby for a federal law or a ruling from federal courts that would apply across the U.S., O'Connell said. That could include making a case based on the Constitution's Commerce Clause, which says only Congress can regulate interstate commerce. Courts have also held that it forbids discriminating against out-of-state companies.
Steve Schwinn, a professor of constitutional law at the John Marshall Law School, said such a case could prove difficult. He pointed to a 2001 decision in U.S. Circuit Court in a case involving Ford and the state of Texas. The court rejected Ford's claim that the state's law preventing the company from selling used cars through its own website violated the Commerce Clause.
In this case, Tesla would have to prove North Carolina's law discriminates specifically against the automaker, Schwinn said.
"If it is, and it's enough at Tesla, and Tesla is an out-of-state actor, and there's evidence that the legislature discriminated specifically against them, then there's a chance that the landscape might change," he said. "That strikes me as a lot of ifs."
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vX48us8lRY-BXqie9cXf_LSrXS0V-MlvNATJmyap9OiwayG-t1JEiyom5Wo9GiPp9hYsktFccQwrCO4iCW7vZ1k-9o4tzLD4dWnfeL1JI=s0-d){kind=small}
Public release date: 29-May-2013
Share ] 
The problem for Home is Facebook has underestimated how important apps -- and, crucially, the customisation that apps afford -- are to the smartphone experience. When you step back and consider it, that?s a breathtakingly massive oversight. But Facebook is not the only one to evince such flawed thinking: Microsoft's Windows Phone platform displays a similar self-centred narcissism.