Dwayne Johnson 'Snitch' Clip

Dwayne Johnson is forced to drive for a ruthless drug cartel in the gritty action-thriller Snitch, and we have a first look at a killer, crash-bang clip from the movie!

Pics: Stars on Set

In theaters February 22, Snitch finds Johnson as a concerned father faced with a dramatic choice after his teenage son is wrongly accused of a drug distribution crime. With his boy facing a minimum prison sentence of 10 years, the desperate and determined Johnson makes a deal with the U.S. attorney to work as an undercover informant and infiltrate a dangerous drug cartel (whose key player is played by Benjamin Bratt). Willing to risk everything to free his son, can Johnson make it out alive?

Video: Watch the 'Snitch' Trailer

Based on a true story, Snitch also stars Susan Sarandon and Barry Pepper and is directed by former stunt master Ric Roman Waugh.

Read More..

Alcohol abuse! Maker's Mark cutting alcohol in its bourbon to meet high demand

The distillery behind Maker’s Mark bourbon is reducing the amount of alcohol in its bottles by 3 percent to meet a rise in global demand, company officials said today.

“Lately we’ve been hearing from many of you that you’ve been having difficulty finding Maker’s Mark in your local stores,” Maker’s Mark executives Rob Samuels and Bill Samuels Jr. wrote in a joint email to clients.

“Fact is, demand for our bourbon is exceeding our ability to make it, which means we’re running very low on supply.”

The bourbon brand — which famously used the slogan “It tastes expensive... and is” in the ‘60s and ‘70s — looked at “all possible solutions” and “worked carefully” to reduce the alcohol by volume of the beverage by 3 percent.

Maker’s Mark is distilled to 45 percent alcohol by volume — or 90 proof — and, after the change, would go down to about 44 percent ABV or 88 proof, according to Quartz.

“This will enable us to maintain the same taste profile and increase our limited supply so there is enough Maker’s Mark to go around, while we continue to expand the distillery and increase our production capacity,” the Maker’s Mark executives said.

It is unclear when the watered-down beverages will hit the market.

A spokesman for Maker’s Mark did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Read More..

Hedge funds deserve a (close) look

When constructing a new house, you need to begin with a solid foundation. Otherwise, your home will always be a bit shaky and prone to collapse in a storm. That same principle applies when you start investing. Rather than taking a random approach – like buying a "hot" stock or keeping your money "safe" in a low-earning savings account – you need to start with a solid foundation. In the investing world, that means developing an investment plan and perhaps an investment policy – two basic tools that can help you build a solid financial "home."

First, let's look at an investment plan, which is often prepared with the help of a financial advisor. The plan typically has three basic elements: your goals, your risk tolerance and your desired return.

Usually, your financial goals will be closely aligned with your personal objectives in life. Perhaps you want to have $2 million in assets to support a comfortable retirement. Or you might be aiming to save $150,000 for a bigger house for a growing family or $100,000 to put your son or daughter through college. If you already have accumulated a large nest egg, you might focus on how best to pass your investments on to your children or grandchildren.

Having a clear goal in life – and in your investment plan – may be one of the essentials in building wealth. Rather than spending every dollar from your paycheck, you can start putting away some of that incoming money to prepare for the future.

Next, you should consider both your tolerance for risk and your desired return on your investments. Some people are willing to make higher-risk investments, while others prefer to sleep soundly at night knowing their investments are comparatively more secure. After all, assets like stocks and commodities are usually more volatile than bonds or other fixed income instruments, and rise or fall more steeply from day to day.

However, many of the more volatile assets can also generate higher returns over the long term. That's an important consideration because inflation can reduce the purchasing power of the dollars you stash away in money market accounts or other low-earning securities.

That's why a solid investment plan usually incorporates a diversified mix of assets, including stocks, bonds, cash-like securities, and possibly real estate, commodities, hedge funds and managed futures. Building a diverse portfolio reduces the risks associated with putting all your eggs in one basket

with the potential to generate positive returns over the years and keep you moving steadily toward your goals.

Now, let's look at your investment policy. This is a written statement designed to guide both you and your financial advisor when making financial decisions. It can help you balance investment issues related to risk and reward, perhaps ruling out certain assets as "too risky."

At the same time, developing an investment policy helps you reality-test your financial goals and current savings and investment plans. For example, you might be overly optimistic and expect a 12 percent annual return on your portfolio. Or you might be overly pessimistic, not realizing how your investments will grow with even a 5 percent annual return.

An investment policy can also clarify the roles of your financial advisors, as well as your own decisions. In that regard, it can help you avoid making investment mistakes based on emotions like fear or greed. In other words, it helps you maintain a disciplined steady course toward your goals, regardless of market ups and downs.

Finally, the investment plan and policy can provide tangible evidence of your financial progress. Your advisor can send you quarterly and annual statements(as well as discuss in person)that clearly show whether your portfolio has grown or declined, and where the changes occurred. This is information you need to know in order to make good decisions about your financial future.

So, consider your financial plan and policy as a road map. You may not yet be close to your goals, but at least you know you're on the right path!

•  Benefit amount. This is the maximum payment you would receive from the policy, such as $100,000, $500,000 or $1 million. Since five years of care in a nursing home or memory disorders unit could easily total $500,000 or more, a larger benefit amount is usually preferable, provided you can afford the premiums.

•  Benefit period. This is the maximum number of years that the coverage remains in effect. That might be five years, 10 years or the rest of your life.

•  Elimination period. Like a deductible amount in a life insurance policy, the elimination period specifies how long you would pay the cost of care before the policy kicks in. Typically periods are 30, 60 or 90 days.

Andrew Menachem, CIMA, CWS is a wealth advisor at the Menachem Group at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in Miami and Aventura and teaches at the University of Miami.

Read More..

Poll: Floridians favor Medicaid expansion

TALLAHASSEE --
The vast majority of Floridians want lawmakers to accept federal money to expand Medicaid, according to a new survey sponsored by the Florida Hospital Association and conducted by a Republican-leaning pollster.

Of 600 voters polled, 62 percent said the state should take the money and use it to reduce the number of uninsured Floridians. Nearly half of respondents, 49 percent, said they felt strongly about accepting the money. The survey was conducted Jan. 15-17 by Public Opinion Strategies and has a 4 percentage point margin of error.

The Senate's Select Committee on the Affordable Care Act will discuss Medicaid expansion during a meeting Monday. Chairman Joe Negron, R-Stuart, said he isn't swayed by polls because the feedback he receives directly from constituents is a mixed bag.

"I'm out talking to voters and to the people that I represent to ask them what they think, and that does persuade me," Negron said.

Hospitals generally support the Medicaid expansion, as well as the wider health care law, because more people would have insurance and therefore be able to pay for the services they receive. However, Florida legislators and Gov. Rick Scott have said they are worried about the long term costs of adding 1 million people to the Medicaid rolls.

They are not alone.

So far, only six states led by Republican governors have indicated that they will participate in the Medicaid expansion. This week, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Michigan Gov. John Snyder said they would like to accept the federal funding.

In addition to releasing the poll Friday, the Florida Hospital Association announced the launch of "The Florida Remedy," a campaign it is leading to influence lawmakers to support the Medicaid expansion.

"Floridians believe that everyone should have access to high quality, affordable health care, and this is a remedy the vast majority of voters support," Florida Hospital Association President Bruce Rueben said in a news release.

Under the Florida Remedy campaign, the state is urged to support the expansion now but vow to pull back if the federal government ever withdraws financial support. The campaign also ties the expansion debate into Florida's proposal to privatize Medicaid, which is awaiting federal approval.

Read More..

Christina Applegate Leaving Up All Night Sitcom

Due to creative differences, Up All Night star Christina Applegate has announced her plans to leave the NBC sitcom.

Pics: Star Sightings

"It's been a great experience working on Up All Night, but the show has taken a different creative direction and I decided it was best for me to move on to other endeavors," Applegate tells Deadline. "Working with Lorne Michaels has been a dream come true and I am grateful he brought me into his TV family. I will miss the cast, producers and crew, and wish them the best always."

Applegate's departure is believed to be linked to the show's plans to switch from multi-camera to single-cam filming format and begin taping in front of a live studio audience.

Related: Christina Applegate Wants 'One More' Baby

Up All Night, also starring Maya Rudolph and Will Arnett, just wrapped it's second season.

Read More..

Wait for 'killer nanny' pysch tests; she's accused of murdering 2 kids

Court-appointed shrinks are still puzzling over the trial fitness of accused killer nanny Yoselyn Ortega, charged with the heinous bathtub slashing deaths of two young Upper West Side children under her care.

The court-appointed psychologists need more medical records before they can determine if Ortega is mentally fit for trial, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro said during a brief hearing today.

Ortega -- who had slashed herself in the throat after allegedly slaughtering Lucia and Leo Krim, ages 6 and 2 respectively -- remains held without bail at the prison ward of Elmhurst Hospital until the shrinks can determine if she is able to assist in her own defense and understand the charges against her, the judge said.

“Apparently the doctors are requesting more medical records before they can make their finding of fitness,” the judge said, setting Ortega's next court date for March 8.

Read More..

Sign up for Feb. 21 Miami Herald Small Business Forum

Prepare your best pitch for the Miami Herald’s Small Business Forum, Feb. 21 at the south campus of our sponsor, Florida International University.

In addition to how-to panels and inspirational stories from successful entrepreneurs, our annual small business forum will include interactive opportunities with experts to learn about financing options and polish your personal and business brands.

During our finance panel, audience volunteers will be invited to explain their financing needs to the group. During our box-lunch session, they will be invited to pitch their business or personal brand to our coaches.

Those who prefer just to listen will be treated to a keynote address by Alberto Perlman, co-founder of the global fitness craze Zumba. Panels include success stories from the local entrepreneurs who founded Sedano’s, Jennifer’s Homemade and ReStockIt.com; finance tips from experts in small business loans, venture capital, angel investments and traditional bank loans; and insiders in the burgeoning South Florida tech start-up scene.

Plus, it’s a real bargain. $25 includes the half-day seminar, continental breakfast and a box lunch.

Register here.

Program

8 a.m.

Registration and continental breakfast, provided by Bill Hansen Catering

8:30 a.m. Welcome

Host: David Suarez, president and CEO, Interactive Training Solutions, LLC

•  Jerry Haar, PhD, associate dean & director, FIU Eugenio Pino and Family Global

Entrepreneurship Center

•  Alice Horn, executive director, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE South Florida)

•  Jane Wooldridge, Business editor, The Miami Herald

Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge Overview:

•  Nancy Dahlberg, Business Plan Challenge coordinator, The Miami Herald

8:45 a.m. Session I – Success Stories

Moderator: Jerry Haar, PhD, associate dean & director, FIU Eugenio Pino and Family Global

Entrepreneurship Center

Speakers:

•  Jennifer Behar, founder, Jennifer’s Homemade

•  Matt Kuttler, co-president of ReStockIt.com

•  Javier Herrán, chief marketing officer, Sedano’s Supermarkets

10 a.m. Session II – All about Tech

Moderator: Jane Wooldridge, Business editor, The Miami Herald

Speakers

•  Susan Amat, founder, Launch Pad Tech

•  Nancy Borkowski, executive director, Health Management Programs, Chapman Graduate School of

Business, Florida International University

•  Mark Slaughter, CEO, Cohealo.com

•  Chris Fleck, vice president of mobility solutions at Citrix and a director of the South Florida Tech Alliance

11:15 a.m. Keynote

Speaker: Alberto Perlman, CEO and co-founder of Zumba® Fitness

Introduction: Jane Wooldridge, business editor, The Miami Herald

11:45 a.m. Session III – Show me the money: Financing your small business

An interactive session featuring audience volunteers who will be invited to make a short investment pitch before a panel, including experts in microlending, SBA loans, traditional bank loans, venture capital and angel investing. Audience volunteers should come prepared with a two-minute presentation that includes details about current backing, how much money they are seeking and a brief synosis of ow that money would be used.

Moderator: Melissa Krinzman, founder and managing director, Venture Architects

Panelists:

•  Marjorie Weber, chairman, SCORE of Miami-Dade

•  Cornell Crews, Jr., program director, Partners for Self Employment

•  Darius G. Nevin, co-founder, G3 Capital Partners, a mid-market and early-stage investment company

•  Boris Hirmas Said, chairman of the board, Tres Mares S.A. (Santiago, Chile) and entrepreneur in

residence at the Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center

1 p.m. Lunch session - Polish your Pitch, Brighten Your Personal Brand

An interactive session featuring audience volunteers who will be invited to make short pitches about their businesses and themselves. Audience volunteers should come prepared with a two-minute presentation.

Coaches: Melissa Krinzman of Venture Architects and Michelle Villalobos of Mivista Consulting

advise audience volunteers on how to best pitch themselves and their products.

Box lunch provided by Bill Hansen Catering

All speakers confirmed unless otherwise noted. Agenda is subject to change without notice .

Read More..

Murder charge dropped in Miami Gardens self-defense case

Prosecutors on Thursday dropped a murder charge against a man who claimed self-defense in fatally shooting an armed teen during a June 2010 brawl in Miami Gardens.

Travis Cooper, 28, had been charged with second-degree murder in the killing of Gregory Gant, 16.

The men were part of two groups of fighting men. Cooper claimed Gant pistol-whipped a friend of his, then “pointed the gun in his direction.”

Cooper, a security guard who had a concealed weapons permit, shot and killed Gant. He later called police.

“It’s a relief. They charged me with second-degree murder for no reason,” Cooper said Thursday, flanked by lawyers Andrew Rier and Jonathan Jordan.

Prosecutors decided they could not defend a request for immunity filed under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, which gave judges greater leeway to throw out criminal cases.

Read More..

Heidi Klum Fashion Week amfAR Kickoff Party

Fashion Week kicked off Wednesday night in New York at a black-tie gala in support of amfAR's efforts to end the AIDS epidemic, and ET was there! Watch the highlights as the stars share their fashion enthusiasm and remember where they were one year ago when Whitney Houston unexpectedly passed away before the Grammys…

Pics: Who Wore What

Held at Cipriani Wall Street, the event honored the Chairman of the Board of amfAR, designer Kenneth Cole, legendary performer and amfAR Ambassador Janet Jackson, and supermodel Heidi Klum. The night also featured performances by CeeLo Green, Santigold and others.

Video: Heidi Klum Dances of Leno's Desk

Since 1998, the amfAR New York Gala has become one of New York City's most successful and high-profile AIDS benefits and has raised nearly $13 million to date for essential AIDS research, prevention, and education. For more on amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, go to www.amfar.org.

Read More..

US survivors of Algerian hostage crisis plagued by nightmares, guilt

Mark Cobb was so close to the terrorists, he could hear their footsteps. Steve Wysocki escaped after hearing his boss taken hostage next door. Nick Frazier was on a bus that al Qaeda-linked militants sprayed with hundreds of bullets.

Although the three Americans escaped the harrowing attack on a petrol plant in Algeria with their lives, they are still racked with guilt, plagued with nightmares and haunted by memories of their ordeal and the co-workers they left behind.

Cobb, Wysocki and Frazier described the attack -- in which 37 workers died -- to Charlie Rose in an extensive 60 Minutes interview which airs Sunday.

AP

Algerian soldiers stand guard at the gas plant in Ain Amenas, seen in background.

Cobb, who is a manager at Ain Amenas field in the Sahara, described how he hid under a pile of maps in a locked room with several co-workers after gunfire broke out on January 16.

“If they started poking at the maps with an AK-47 or peeling maps off the top…I knew it was over,” Cobb told Rose.

“I heard them kick open the front door. That’s I guess at the point, in all honesty that I felt pure terror… I elected to begin to make my calls to my family and say my goodbyes.”

Cobb’s door was one of two the militants failed to kick in and he eventually escaped to a nearby Algerian Army base through a hole in the fence.

“The nightmares for me are all the same thing,” Cobb said. “It’s the sound of those footsteps as they came down that hallway towards that door.”

Oil and gas expert Wysocki also escaped through the fence, but not before hearing the terrorists find his boss, Gordon Rowan, who did not survive.

“I’m like ‘Why couldn’t I have done something to help? And…(I) feel guilty that I was paralyzed with fear and not do(ing) anything,” Wysocki told Rose. “I’m especially guilty because they lost their lives and I didn’t.”

BP petrol engineer Frazier described how his bus was peppered with hundreds of bullets before Algerian army soldiers rushed to the rescue, resulting in a 30-minute gun battle.

“They saved our lives,” said Frazier. “They returned…heavy, heavy gunfire…they stood by the bus and shot back and kept the terrorists from getting onto the bus.”

Rowan and gas workers Frederick Buttaccio and Victor Lovelady were the three Americans who died during the standoff, which ended when Algerian special-forces stormed the facility, freeing 685 Algerians and 107 foreigners. More than 30 militants died during the attack.

Read More..