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Divorce Filings Reveal Liberal Icon Michael Moore Has 9 Properties, Millions Of Dollars, And Is Far From An 'Everyman'

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Michael Moore

Filmmaker Michael Moore is again being scrutinized over his lavish properties and material wealth.

The one-percenter who's known for defending the disadvantaged went through a bitter divorce battle in which he and his now-ex-wife fought over their shared wealth.

His neighbors in Michigan are even getting in on the drama. Some of them have implied to The Detroit News that Moore is a hypocrite.

Moore is worth millions of dollars and owns nine properties, the most contentious of which is a 10,000-square-foot mansion on Torch Lake in Michigan. He found success with his documentaries "Bowling for Columbine," "Roger & Me," "Fahrenheit 9/11," and "Capitalism: A Love Story."

In the divorce filings posted online by The Smoking Gun, Moore seems aware of the impression this lavish property might give off. He says his ex-wife, Kathy Glynn, was the one who pushed for the expansion. The couple were married for 22 years.

Here's how The Detroit News describes the $2 million property, which it calls "big even by the standards of northern Michigan’s toniest precincts":

The sprawling home, along the clear, turquoise waters of Torch Lake, boasts turrets, bay windows, and hand-cut timber framing, said one of the builders. It looks like two large houses joined at the hip, bordered by a third house.

This lavish display of wealth hasn't been lost on the couple's neighbors. "He is not a common man. No way," one neighbor told The Detroit News.

But in the divorce proceedings, Moore seemed to take issue with how his money was spent. He said in one document that he took over the management of the couple's funds after Glynn's spending led to "serious financial losses."

Moore seems aware of how this all might be perceived. In one divorce document, he cites news articles with headlines like "Mansion Begs The Question: Is Michael Moore A Hypocrite?" and "Michael Moore's $2M Hypocrite House: Film Director Lives Like The 1% He Condemns."

After the divorce was finalized, Moore posted this to his Facebook page:

SEE ALSO: MICHAEL MOORE: I'm Not Part Of The 1%

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FX Comedy 'Louie' Has A Shockingly Small Amount Of Ad-Libbing

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louie director directing Louis CK

Louis C.K. may have honed his comedy chops in stand up, but there is no ad-libbing in his FX show, "Louie."

Despite regularly featuring famous comedians having casual conversations with each other, "Louie" sticks to a tight script written by C.K. himself.

"The show isn't ad-libbed at all. Everything is scripted so that’s a misconception that a lot of people have," "Louie" casting director, Gayle Keller, tells Business Insider. "They think we’re an improv like 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' but that’s not it at all."

Keller explains that "everything is written and everybody follows the script. The story stays pretty true to form from when we first get a script to the finished product — the dialogue is all pretty much intact."

Even though "Louie" guest stars frequently include off-the-cuff comedians like Jerry Seinfeld, Sarah Silverman, and Ricky Gervais, Keller says they, too, have to stick with the lines written for them.

Keller adds that it "hasn't been hard" for the comedians to stay true to the script because it is often written with people in mind to play certain roles.

"For example, if you know Todd Barry’s work, you know he’s a very specific comedian and I think Louis writes towards his voice because Louis is so familiar with him and other comedians," Keller explains. "So that’s a credit to him as a writer."

But Louis does get a little help in the writers'  room. 

"We have some new writers this season that we didn’t have last season, one of them is Steven Wright, who’s a stand-up comedian, and Pamela Adlon [comedian and Louis' on-screen girlfriend]," adds Keller. "So I think these people contribute to making the script true to whatever comedian they want."

It was announced this week that "Louie" has been picked up for a fifth season.

SEE ALSO: Portlandia Stars: We Improvise 80-90% Of The Show's Dialogue

MORE "LOUIE": Here's How 'Louie' Lands Such Amazing Guest Stars

AND: Why FX Gives Louis CK Way More Freedom Than HBO Ever Would

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This Music Festival On A Tiny, Remote Island Looks Totally Amazing

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G! FEST Faroe IslandsThis past week marked the 12th annual G! Festival, and people from all over the world came to see great musical performances.

But for nearly all of them, it wasn't a simple drive or car trip. The G! Festival was held on one of the tiny, remote Faroe Islands, an isolated part of Denmark.

The Islands are located approximately halfway between Norway and Iceland. It takes 3.5 hours to fly there from Oslo, and 13 to 14 hours by ferry from Denmark. skitch faroe islandsGiven the remoteness of the festival, which took place on the southwest Faroese island of Eysturoy, you might think attendance would have been sparse.faroe island g! festivalBut festival promoters say they sell around 6,000 tickets a year, which is 15 times the population of Syðrugøta, the tiny town where the festival is located.

According to Wikipedia, it is believed that a fifth of the population of the Faroe Islands attended the festival in 2005.faroe islands G! festivalThe Faroe Islands are absolutely beautiful, and were a stunning background for the festival. What's even more picturesque was the location of the festival's main stage.G! Festival faroe IslandsThe stage was directly on the beach. Concert-goers had the ocean to their left and soaring, grass-covered mountains to their right. Needless to say, it's one of the most unique places in the world to see a show.

Many people chose to pitch a tent in a field off the beach, surrounded by gorgeous scenery. Faroe islands G! FestivalThe water may have been freezing, but some people ventured in anyway. faroe islands g! festivalWhen they had too much, they could jump into the Finnish hot tubs and sauna.Edith Johannesen Faroe islandsConcert-goers saw headlining acts like Swangah, Orka, or Sister Sledge on the beach, and checked out smaller acts on one of the three other stages, like this one, made out a converted shipping container.faroe islandsThings don't stop when the sun goes down. Attendees just put on a jacket and keep going. At night, electronic acts perform at one of G! Festival's purportedly "legendary" parties.faroe islands g festivalFounded in 2002 by Faroe Island locals Sólarn Solmunde and Jón Tyril, G! Fest is actually one of two large music festivals on the Faroe Islands, which are known for being somewhat of a hotbed of creativity. The people of the town, and of the Islands as a whole, have been quite receptive to the festival, as well.faroe islands

SEE ALSO: 11 Music Festivals You Can't Miss This Summer

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The First Trailer For Ridley Scott's Live-Action Halo Project 'Nightfall'

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The first trailer for the live-action Halo miniseries "Nightfall" is here!

Xbox Entertainment revealed new details for the five episode miniseries Thursday at San Diego Comic-Con along with cast and crew for the series. 

"Nightfall" will be the lead up to Microsoft's "Halo 5: Guardians" due out in 2015 with Ridley Scott serving as executive producer.

The digital series is set to debut in November.

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'Batman V Superman' Director Teases New Photo Of Ben Affleck As The Dark Knight

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Disney and Marvel have been releasing new images of its "Avengers" sequel at San Diego Comic-Con Thursday. Naturally, it makes sense for Warner Bros. to tease a new image for its next big blockbuster "Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice."

Director Zack Snyder tweeted out a new image of Ben Affleck as Batman himself to commemorate the Dark Knight's 75th anniversary this year. 

Warner Bros. will hold a panel Saturday to show off some of its new films including the final installment of "The Hobbit" trilogy. "Batman V Superman" is currently not on the schedule to appear. 

SEE ALSO: 10 big reveals to expect from San Diego Comic-Con

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14 Of The Coolest Video Game Easter Eggs In The World

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Just like filmmakers, video game designers sometimes hide little jokes in their games, called Easter eggs.

Sometimes it's a secret room. Sometimes it's a whole playable level. Sometimes it's a secret message.

The first Easter egg appeared in a video game called "Adventure," which was released in 1979 for the Atari 2600 console. The game's author was annoyed he didn't get credit for his work, so he buried the text "Created by Warren Robinett" in a room so deep in the game, it wasn't found until a year later. 

Since then, there have been hundreds of Easter eggs hidden in video games. And we've scoured the web to bring some of the coolest ones to light. (We've tried not to include any spoilers, but if you haven't played some of the games mentioned, read at your own risk.)

In "Batman Arkham Asylum," there's a hidden room off Quincy Sharp's office that you need explosive foam to find. But once you do, you'll be rewarded with a map of "Arkham City," which happens to be "Asylum's" sequel.

Via Game Informer



If you fulfill a super hard set of criteria in the Atari 400 and 800 port of "Donkey Kong," you'll get to see the coder's initials, LMD, on the start screen. The coder himself describes it as "totally not worth it," but someone took the time to find it.

Via Kotaku



Sports games even get in on the Easter egg action. In "NBA Jam," you can unlock certain political figures by pressing the buttons on your controller in a specific order. Democrats vs. Republicans like you've never seen them before.

Via IGN



See the rest of the story at Business Insider






Jimmy Kimmel Told People A $20 Casio Is An Apple Smartwatch, And They Totally Believed Him

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Jimmy Kimmel iWatch

Jimmy Kimmel proved this week that if you slap an Apple logo on something, chances are people will think it's really awesome. 

He sent a crew to Hollywood Boulevard to gauge people's interest in an "Apple smartwatch."

But the "smartwatch" was nothing more than a $20 Casio watch. 

In the beginning of the segment, Kimmel talks about the "iTime" patent that Apple filed in 2011 but was just published this week. 

The interviewer asks people whether they like specific features on the watch. 

"Are you excited that it's always in Airplane mode?" the interviewer asks a woman.

"That's good," the woman says. "Definitely saves on some battery." 

For what it's worth, Casio batteries last around 10 years. So she's onto something!

Another fan of the device likes that it tells the date as well as the time. He also likes that it has an alarm, is water resistant, and has a countdown timer.

"I'm pretty impressed," he says while holding the plastic Casio. "Those are all the things I would ask for in a watch."

And then some people don't need a backlight or time-telling capabilities to color them impressed.

"I just like that it has an Apple insignia on the back," says one guy.

This isn't the first time that Kimmel has pulled a similar prank on innocent passersby. Last year he tricked people into thinking the new iPhone had a scent

Check out the segment below:

SEE ALSO: Apple is placing a massive initial order of 70 million to 80 million iPhone 6s

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Hollywood Legend Ron Howard Sells His Connecticut Estate For A Record $27.5 Million

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ron howard mansion 4x3

Oscar-winning producer, actor, and director Ron Howard and his wife Cheryl have officially sold their gorgeous mansion in Westchester County for its $27.5 million asking priceThe Wall Street Journal reports.

According to the real estate agents representing the sale, that makes this the priciest home sale on record in Westchester County. The buyer remains under wraps.

The estate has more than 32 acres of property, including a lake, nature trails, and even a stargazing observatory with a professional-grade Meade telescope.

The main home has six bedrooms, a two-story library, a 14-seat movie theatre, indoor saltwater pool, gym, and yoga studio. There’s also a 2,500-square foot guest house with two more bedrooms, an indoor regulation size tennis court, and basketball half court.

The estate is located in the exclusive enclave of Conyers Farm, which straddles both Greenwich, Conn., and the hamlet of Armonk in Westchester, New York.

“We moved 3,000 miles away from the hub of Los Angeles, to raise our family here,” Ron Howard said when the home hit the market in May. “Whether we’re watching films in our theatre, walking the trails throughout our property, star gazing in our observatory, or just relaxing with friends and loved ones by the lake, Cheryl and I feel we’ve accomplished the goals we set when we began work on this place.”

The Howards have owned the estate for 20 years, but have decided to move to a different home now that their children are adults.

Howard is an acclaimed actor, director, and producer, famous for winning an Academy Award for Best Director and Best Picture for "A Beautiful Mind," and playing Opie on "The Andy Griffith Show" and Richie Cunningham in "Happy Days." 

The home is located in the enclave of Conyers Farm, straddling Westchester and Connecticut.

Source: Sotheby's International Realty



It sits on over 32 acres of land with a lake, nature trails, and extensive gardens.

Source: Sotheby's International Realty



The main home has 17,200 square feet of space with lakefront views.

Source: Sotheby's International Realty



See the rest of the story at Business Insider







'The Expendables 3' Has Leaked Online And Has Already Been Downloaded Over 189,000 Times

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the expendables 3

"The Expendables 3" has leaked online three weeks ahead of the film's theatrical release August 15.

Variety reports the latest sequel starring virtually every big action star from Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone to Wesley Snipes and Jason Statham has been illegally downloaded over 189,000 times in 24 hours.

According to TorrentFreak, people have been downloading a high quality version of the film through file distribution system BitTorrent.

While its unknown where the leak started, TorrentFreak reports one of earliest copies that is making the rounds is one from a user known as Drarbg.

The user is reportedly a group of people who uploads a lot of video files online and often. Since 6 a.m. this morning, the user has uploaded 28 videos on file-sharing site Pirate Bay including recent episodes of “The Colbert Report,” “Big Brother,” and Fox’s new show “Gang Related.” 

This obviously isn't good news for the film's distributor Lionsgate. The film has been tracking a $25 million opening weekend, according to BoxOffice.com

"The Expendables 2" debuted to slightly more — $28.6 million — summer 2012.

It's worth noting that the first sequel didn't perform as strongly as the original stateside. 

Here's a side-by-side comparison of the first and second film's performances.

MovieOpening WeekendDomestic Box OfficeWorldwide Box Office
"The Expendables" (2010)$34.8 million$103.1 million$274.5 million
"The Expendables 2" (2012)$28.6 million$85 million$305.4 million

It's also worth noting it is pretty rare for a film of this magnitude to get leaked online in full and in high quality this far in advance. In 2009, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" leaked online two months before release but that was an unfinished version of the film. A high quality version of the film means it most likely came from a DVD screener.

If the film does make less than expected opening weekend, this could work in Lionsgate's favor with the leak to partially blame for a weaker opening in a series that isn't performing as well here as it does overseas.

The cast and crew for the film are currently promoting the movie at San Diego Comic-Con where Lionsgate debuted a bunch of new colorful character posters.

We have reached out to Lionsgate for comment.

SEE ALSO: "Guardians of the Galaxy" is easily one of the summer's best movies

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Jerry Seinfeld Hints 'Seinfeld' Is Coming To Netflix During Reddit AMA

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Seinfeld, shrinkageJerry Seinfeld held a fun Reddit Ask Me Anything Thursday that came with a potentially big announcement. 

During the AMA, the comedian was asked if there is any word on "Seinfeld" potentially coming to Netflix.

"Can you please convince [co-creator] Larry [David] to let it happen?" wrote Redditor Polestar X. "There are so many people who still have not experienced Seinfeld first hand and having it available through Netflix will surely be the easiest way."

Seinfeld's response  while a bit coy  gave the answer that many fans were hoping for. 

"You are a very smart and progressive person," Seinfeld said in the AMA. "These conversations are presently taking place."

Since "Seinfeld" went off the air in 1998 it has become a syndication powerhouse raking in an estimated $2.7 billion

Here are a few other highlights from Seinfeld's AMA.

You can check out the full AMA here.

The worst advice he hears being given to aspiring comedians: 

"Oh. The worst advice is, you know, you have to do more to promote yourself. That's the worst advice. The best advice is to do your work, and you won't have to worry about anything else."

How he felt when he found out that Steven Spielberg would cheer himself up on the set of "Schindler's List" by watching "Seinfeld" episodes: 

"That was really one of the great moments in the history of the show for us when we heard that. We really felt like we were doing something worthwhile."

What 2014 social faux pas he would want "Seinfeld" to cover if it was still on the air: 

"I kind of like it when a little misspelling in a text causes a big problem, like when someone types "homo" instead of "home" and I like little problems like that."

On the most memorable scene from the series that had to keep getting re-shot because too many people were laughing:

"When Frank Costanza, George's father, said to Elaine "Do you want a piece of me?" when he thought that she wanted to have a fistfight. That one, we had to do over and over because nobody could stop laughing. Every time Jerry Stiller would say "Do you want a piece of me?" we had to stop."

You can watch the blooper reel of that scene below: 

SEE ALSO: 15 Phrases Coined By 'Seinfeld’ That We Use All The Time Today

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An ESPN Host Suggested That Women Provoke Domestic Violence

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Stephen A. Smith and First Take

ESPN's always controversial show "First Take" took a dark turn during a segment discussing the two-game suspension of Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, who allegedly knocked his then-fiancee unconscious during an altercation at a Las Vegas hotel.

After saying that it is wrong for men to put their hands on women, ESPN host Stephen A. Smith goes on to say that he has always encouraged "female members of [his] family" to make sure "we don't do anything to provoke wrong actions." Smith later says that women need to "do [their] part in making sure that [violence] doesn't happen."

Smith even repeats the last part later on. Again, after clarifying that domestic abuse is a bad thing, Smith says: "We got to also make sure that you can do your part to do whatever you can do to make, to try to make sure it doesn’t happen. We know they’re wrong. We know they’re criminals. We know they probably deserve to be in jail. In Ray Rice’s case, he probably deserves more than a two-game suspension, which we both acknowledged. But at the same time, we also have to make sure that we learn as much as we can about elements of provocation ... we’ve got to do is do what we can to try to prevent the situation from happening in any way. And I don’t think that’s broached enough, is all I’m saying."

After watching the video, ESPN's own Michelle Beadle went to Twitter to express her disgust with the comments.

After seeing Beadle's reaction, Smith tried to clarify his remarks but appeared to just repeat what he said earlier.

Here is a longer transcript of Smith's remarks via USAToday.com:

“We know you have no business putting your hands on a woman. I don’t know how many times I got to reiterate that. But as a man who was raised by women, see I know what I’m going to do if somebody touches a female member of my family. I know what I’m going to do, I know what my boys are going to do. I know what, I’m going to have to remind myself that I work for the Worldwide Leader, I’m going to have to get law enforcement officials involved because of what I’m going to be tempted to do. But what I’ve tried to employ the female members of my family, some of who you all met and talked to and what have you, is that again, and this what, I’ve done this all my life, let’s make sure we don’t do anything to provoke wrong actions, because if I come, or somebody else come, whether it’s law enforcement officials, your brother or the fellas that you know, if we come after somebody has put their hands on you, it doesn’t negate the fact that they already put their hands on you. So let’s try to make sure that we can do our part in making sure that that doesn’t happen.”

“Now you got some dudes that are just horrible and they’re going to do it anyway, and there’s never an excuse to put your hands on a woman. But domestic violence or whatever the case may be, with men putting their hands on women, is obviously a very real, real issue in our society. And I think that just talking about what guys shouldn’t do, we got to also make sure that you can do your part to do whatever you can do to make, to try to make sure it doesn’t happen. We know they’re wrong. We know they’re criminals. We know they probably deserve to be in jail. In Ray Rice’s case, he probably deserves more than a two-game suspension, which we both acknowledged. But at the same time, we also have to make sure that we learn as much as we can about elements of provocation. Not that there’s real provocation, but the elements of provocation, you got to make sure that you address them, because we’ve got to do is do what we can to try to prevent the situation from happening in any way. And I don’t think that’s broached enough, is all I’m saying. No point of blame.”

Here is the video.

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Here's TMZ's Secret To Getting Celebrity Court Documents So Quickly

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Lindsay Lohan Court

Celebrity gossip news site TMZ is known for breaking scoops by often being the first to obtain court documents — whether it's an A-list divorce or celebrity arrest.

But it's supposedly not because the site pays for them, but because "a group of staffers scan every docket that passes through the court system" in Los Angeles.

BuzzFeed's Anne Helen Petersen recently profiled TMZ at length, and while the site refused to comment for the story, she talked to "nearly two dozen former TMZ employees" who explained the process at the Los Angeles courthouse.

Petersen writes: "It's through these staffers’ endless labor that TMZ is able to beat the rest of the industry to report who’s filed a restraining ordera name changefor divorce, or a suit against a star. This information isn’t hidden, and it’s not exclusive to TMZ — but the willingness to bankroll that labor ensures the branding status of 'first.'"

Since its debut in 2005, TMZ has used tactics like these to break major stories such as Mel Gibson's racist rant after being arrested. TMZ is also responsible for breaking the Tiger Woods cheating scandal and releasing the Jay Z and Solange elevator fight video.

SEE ALSO: Divorce Filings Reveal Liberal Icon Michael Moore Has 9 Properties, Millions Of Dollars, And Is Far From An 'Everyman'

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Tom Hiddleston Sent An Amazing Email To Director Joss Whedon After Reading 'The Avengers' Script For The First Time

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loki sceptre the avengers

"The Avengers" is one of the highest-grossing movies of all time.

The 2012 Disney film has made more than $1.5 billion at the box office; however, the film's success was not always imminent. 

When Joss Whedon initially met with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige to look over a script by "The Incredible Hulk" screenwriter Zak Penn, he said they needed to "pretend this draft never happened."

After impressing Feige with a five-page treatment for what he thought "The Avengers" should look like, Whedon proceeded to work on a new script for the film. 

It took several drafts and collaboration with the cast including actor Tom Hiddleston, Marvel Studio's team, and other Marvel franchise directors to get it approved.

According to "Joss Whedon: The Biography," in stores Aug. 1, Hiddleston, who plays antihero Loki in the film, wrote Whedon a heartfelt email after reading Whedon's draft for the first time.

We've published Hiddleston's letter in full along with Whedon's response with permission from Chicago Review Press below.

Joss,

I am so excited I can hardly speak.

The first time I read it I grabbed at it like Charlie Bucket snatching for a golden ticket somewhere behind the chocolate in the wrapper of a Wonka Bar. I didn't know where to start. Like a classic actor I jumped in looking for LOKI on every page, jumping back and forth, reading words in no particular order, utterances imprinting themselves like flash-cuts of newspaper headlines in my mind: "real menace"; "field of obeisance"; "discontented, nothing is enough"; "his smile is nothing but a glimpse of his skull"; "Puny god" ...

... Thank you for writing me my Hans Gruber. But a Hans Gruber with super-magic powers. As played by James Mason ... It's high operatic villainy alongside detached throwaway tongue-in-cheek; plus the "real menace" and his closely guarded suitcase of pain. It's grand and epic and majestic and poetic and lyrical and wicked and rich and badass and might possibly be the most gloriously fun part I've ever stared down the barrel of playing. It is just so juicy

I love how throughout you continue to put Loki on some kind of pedestal of regal magnificence and then consistently tear him down. He gets battered, punched, blasted, side-swiped, roared at, sent tumbling on his back, and every time he gets back up smiling, wickedly, never for a second losing his eloquence, style, wit, self-aggrandisement or grandeur, and you never send him up or deny him his real intelligence.... That he loves to make an entrance; that he has a taste for the grand gesture, the big speech, the spectacle. I might be biased, but I do feel as though you have written me the coolest part.

... But really I'm just sending you a transatlantic shout-out and first-bump, things that traditionally British actors probably don't do. It's epic.

Whedon wrote back with a simplistic response:

joss whedon tom hiddleston

Tom, this is one of those emails you keep forever. Thanks so much. It's more articulate (and possibly longer) than the script. I couldn't be more pleased at your reaction, but I'll also tell you I'm still working on it ... Thank you again. I'm so glad you're pleased. Absurd fun to ensue.

Best, (including uncharacteristic fist bump), joss.

SEE ALSO: Why people love working with Joss Whedon

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The First Trailer For 'The Walking Dead' Season 5 Is Here And It's Amazing

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rick the walking dead season 5

Zombies, new characters, and one giant spoiler about the fate of one character!

AMC just debuted the world premiere trailer for "The Walking Dead" season 5 at San Diego Comic-Con and it's amazing.

The trailer opens where season 4 left off — with Rick and his entire crew reunited but trapped in the confines of a train car at a new mysterious location called Terminus.

"The Walking Dead" returns to TV October 12 at 9 p.m. 

The big takeaways:

Beth is alive! Ever since she was kidnapped last season, we were left to assume the worst. It looks like she's with some other group that's completely separate from Terminus.beth the walking dead

Rick reunites with his daughter Judith at some point. Both he and Carl have assumed she perished earlier in season 4. rick judith the walking dead

"The Walking Dead" loves actors from "The Wire." Last season they added both Chad Coleman and Lawrence Gilliard Jr. as Tyreese and Bob.

During the San Diego Comic-Con panel, it was revealed Seth Gilliam from the hit HBO series will join the cast as priest Father Gabriel from the comics. Here's your first look at him on the show:father gabriel the walking dead amc

SEE ALSO: Tom Hiddleston sent an amazing email to Joss Whedon after reading "The Avengers" script for the first time

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There's A Major Revolution In The Book Industry That's Letting Novelists Make A Living

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hugh howey

NPR reported Friday that authors are increasingly able to make a better living for themselves by ditching big-name publishers and selling their books themselves through Amazon.

Self-publishing used to be associated with failure. But that stigma is going away as many authors say they're making more money through self-publishing than their counterparts doing it the traditionally more accepted way, according to NPR.

The NPR story came a few weeks after the novelist Michael Stephen Fuchs (brother of BI Senior Editor Erin Fuchs) wrote a post on his blog explaining his positive experience with self-publishing.

Fuchs published his first two books with Macmillan, but he didn't make a living from writing until he began self-publishing his works through Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing, according to an appreciative open letter he wrote to Amazon's Jeff Bezos and shared with fans in a post on his blog. His earnings have increased so much he can support himself in London by writing alone.

Fuchs had this to say in critique of the big traditional publishing companies:

They generally pay us only 12.5% in digital royalties, compared to the 70% we get from Amazon. They insist on taking control of our copyright not for a reasonable term, but forever. They've done all they can to try to keep the prices of books artificially high, which hurts consumers and costs authors money. They have a record of zero innovation. And they've run the industry for decades in a way that has benefited the few while stifling new opportunities for the many.

A self-published (and bestselling) author named Hugh Howey has published a report backing up those claims, arguing that writers like him make more money from Amazon.com electronic books (e-books) than authors who have contracts with the five major publishing houses.

Howey published this chart as evidence, showing that as of this month self-published "indie" authors are earning 39% of all e-book royalties on the Kindle store, more than that of authors with the so-called Big Five publishing houses combined — Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, and Simon & Schuster — which account for 37%.

author earnings

The share of royalties for self-publishing authors has risen steadily since February, when it was at 35% compared to 39% for the Big Five publishers.

Howey also estimates that 31% of total daily e-book sales are written by self-published authors, making that cohort the largest e-book publisher on Amazon when it comes to market share. 

Publishing expert Mike Shatzkin has criticized a previous analysis that Howey did, contending that it neglected to include cash publishers pay authors through book advances. The analysis also underestimated print sale earnings, Shatzkin says. 

Even if his data may not be perfect, it shows that self-publishing is becoming increasingly lucrative for many authors. Authors who publish the traditional way, Howey contends, are losing out on an increasing share of the profit.

For his part, Fuchs seems happy to be writing full-time without having to deal with his publisher.

" ... I have, not at all incidentally, been freed from the cartel practices, unconscionable contract terms, and not to mention soul-crushing rejection and frustration, of the Big Six publishers in London and New York, and the literary agency system," he wrote on his blog. "Now I write books for my readers, who buy them."

SEE ALSO: Why I Was Wrong About Hating E-Books

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12 Cool Things You Can Do With Apple TV (AAPL)

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Apple TV Tim CookEven though the third-generation Apple TV is over two years old, it keeps getting better.

Apple has added a bunch of new channels to Apple TV over the years like HBO GO, Hulu, Disney, and a lot more.

But that's not all the Apple TV can do.

We put together 12 tips for your Apple TV that will open it up to more content, stream video more reliably, and let you control it all with your phone.

Ditch the Apple TV remote and use your iPhone or iPad instead.

The Apple TV remote is pretty lame. It's small, the buttons are too close together, and it's difficult to input text for searches in Netflix and other on-screen menus.

With the latest version of Apple's Remote app for iPhone and iPad, you can control your Apple TV over your home's WiFi network with a higher degree of control. Plus, search is a snap because you can type stuff on your device's keyboard. The free app is available for iPhone and iPad.

Download it here.



Put that HBO and ESPN subscription to good use.

Already subscribing to either HBO or ESPN? Apple TV's addition of HBO GO gives you access to every season of every HBO show, available on demand, along with HBO movies and specials. Watch ESPN allows you to stream live ESPN straight to your Apple TV.

You'll need to make sure you have an HBO GO account or ESPN subscription. Just sign in with your cable provider's credentials.



Jailbreak it and install extra apps

There's currently no Jailbreak for the third-generation Apple TV. But if you have a first or second generation Apple TV, it's worth it. In fact, second-generation Apple TVs are selling for more than double the price of a brand new third generation Apple TV because of this.

A jailbroken Apple TV will let you run other kinds of apps and streaming services that aren't normally allowed by Apple.

If you have a compatible Apple TV model, it's a relatively simple process to jailbreak it if you have a Mac. Lifehacker has a great tutorial to get you started. 



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Jack Black Tried To Walk Through Comic-Con Unnoticed As A Stormtrooper And Failed Miserably

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Not every star can walk through San Diego Comic-Con unnoticed. 

Last year, Bryan Cranston and Hugh Jackman walked the floors of the annual comic and pop culture event disguised as characters they have played on TV and film.

So it should come as no surprise another celebrity attempted to do the same this year.

Jack Black stepped out in a "Star Wars" stormtrooper helmet to try and go undetected at the Con.

He wasn't as successful.jack black storm trooper sdcc 2014

Cameras caught the actor unmasking as he headed into a panel for his new movie "Goosebumps" at Comic-Con Thursday.jack black sdcc storm trooper sdcc 2014

He tried to walk in public again outside with the mask but was easily spotted by TMZ.

Black blamed his gut for giving him away.

Speaking with MTV, the actor says he paid $200 for the disguise just so he could try and buy some goodies. 

"I put it on and I'm walking around trying to buy some more things at the Comic-Con and somehow the word got out," said Black. "And everyone's just like, 'Jack Black, are you in there?' And, I'm like, 'No, it's not me. I don't know what you're talking about.'"

Black said he was able to purchase a figurine of Red Hulk who happens to be his favorite superhero.

He probably should have considered planning his disguise before arriving to SDCC.

Now, see how a pro does it: Bryan Cranston walked the floors of SDCC last year as Walter White and no one noticed

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The Rise Of The Chinese Box Office Is Staggering, And It's Transforming Hollywood

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optimus prime model transformers Age of Extinction Hong KongThe Chinese box office grew by an astounding 27% to $3.6 billion in 2013, according to the Motion Picture Association of America. To put that number in comparison, China's $900 million dollars box office growth was more than the total size of all but eight international box offices.

China brought in $1.2 billion more than second place Japan and $1.9 billion more than the third place United Kingdom. The U.S./Canada market remained the largest at $10.9 billion, up 1% from 2012. Globally, box office revenue increased 4%.

Although China's box office won't soon overtake the U.S., it's growing fast. In 2012, the Chinese box office grew at an even-more-impressive 36% and overtook Japan as the world's largest international market. As recently as 2008, the Chinese box office pulled in only $700 million.

Hollywood is taking notice of China's astounding rise, as studios cast Chinese stars in major movies, fill up with Chinese product placement, and remove potentially offensive elements such as having a Chinese character play the villain. Beyond these examples, studios will increasingly consider the basic question of what will do well in China, as well as in other foreign markets.

The recently released "Transformers 4," which included Chinese actors and was partly filmed at Chinese locations, was the first major American blockbuster to perform better in China than it did domestically, according to Box Office Mojo — potentially a watershed moment.

As pointed out by the FT, that movie reaches new extremes for Hollywood in terms of Chinese product placement and pro-China themes.

Hollywood has little leverage in China, however, as studios have been forced to accept less favorable business terms. As reported by The Wrap, studios receive around only 23% of ticket sales in China compared to around 50% in the U.S., and in some cases they have had trouble collecting earnings,

Here are the top 20 international box office markets:

Screen Shot 2014 07 17 at 3.40.09 PM

The top five remained the same as in 2012, while Germany dropped from sixth to eighth and Brazil dropped from 10th to 11th, as South Korea, Russia, and Mexico moved up.

Here are the top 10 from 2012:

Screen Shot 2014 07 25 at 2.57.48 PM

The Asia Pacific region surpassed the box office region encompassing Europe, the Middle East, and Africa for the first time this year to become the top region in the world, bringing in even more money than the U.S./Canada box office.

Asia Pacific growth was fueled largely by China, as it became the first international market to surpass $3 billion in revenue. Latin American growth was mainly due to large increases in both the Mexican and Argentinian box offices, while the nation that led the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region in growth was Russia.

Here is how the international box offices compare by region:

Screen Shot 2014 07 25 at 2.06.49 PM 

SEE ALSO: Why Hollywood Is Inserting These Two Huge Chinese Actresses Into Its Summer Blockbusters

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The Dirty Little Secret IMAX Doesn't Want You To Know

Graph TV Makes It Much Easier To Figure Out What To Watch Next

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eliza dushku dollhouse

Earlier this year the internet went crazy for beautiful charts of IMDB ratings for episodes of TV shows over time, which showed when your favorite shows peaked. Created by data visualization guru Kevin Wu, Graph TV is fun to explore for a few minutes, and it's also surprisingly useful.

I've found myself checking Graph TV before starting any new show. Sure, I could find ratings directly on IMDB or elsewhere, but Graph TV offers a simple user interface, and its graphs are a fun and useful way to see how a show will play out.

The site is even more useful when you are uncertain about whether to continue watching a flagging show.

After a string of bad episodes in the second season of "Dollhouse," for instance, Graph TV convinced me to ride out an upward trend.

graph tv dollhouse

Likewise, after a low point in the third new season of "Doctor Who," Graph TV convinced me to hunker down and wait for it to get much better.

doctor who

In an email to Business Insider, Wu pointed to "Breaking Bad" as one of the coolest graphs: "It seems to just get better within each season and season by season."

How could you not want to watch this?

breaking bad graph tv

In contrast, Wu noted gradual declines on "The Simpsons": "It's marked how the show is decreasing in quality. There's a point between season 14 and 15 where it went from sporadic episodes being better than the average, to episodes sporadically being below the average."

the simpsons graph tv

Wu is working on adding even more data, he tells Business Insider — and for the foreseeable future, he's doing all of this for free:

I have no plans for monetization, but am planning a redesign and new functionality. One thing I'd really love is viewership data. I've attempted to reach out to people at Nielsen since they seem to have the most data, but have been unsuccessful. I'm also attempting to add a portion where teachers can use the data to teach students about linear regression. Some teachers have contacted me saying thinking that it would be a good way to use data to educate. However all this is bottlenecked at the amount that I can finish in a day, it's too bad I don't have more time to work on it day to day.

SEE ALSO: HBO completely blew its change to air "Breaking Bad"

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