Ticking News

BREAKING: Peter Jackson has just confirmed he will split The Hobbit into three films, the third of which will be released sometime in summer 2014. [1]

Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Wingnut Films, and the entire cast and crew of ‘The Hobbit’ films, I’d like to announce that two films will become three. [2]

Director Peter Jackson announced on July 30 that “The Hobbit” will be released as a trilogy, rather than just two films. [3]

When Peter Jackson announced on his Facebook page that principal photography on THE HOBBIT films was finished, it sparked a celebration on Facebook and Twitter. [4]

The Hobbit films could be extended to a trilogy, according to film industry reports. [...] Two weeks ago, Peter Jackson told the Comic-Con fan convention that he wanted to shoot extra footage beyond the two films he had originally planned. [5]

The richness of the story of The Hobbit, as well as some of the related material in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, allows us to tell the full story of the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and the part he played in the sometimes dangerous, but at all times exciting, history of Middle-earth. [2]

The prequel also explains how Frodo obtained the magic ring that drives the plot of the “Lord of the Rings,” which is set in Middle-earth, 60-years after “The Hobbit” takes place. [3]

Peter Jackson ’s film adaptation of The Hobbit will be split into three films, the director and the studios behind the venture said on Monday. [6]

Now showing, THE HOBBIT Production Video #6, On Location. [4]

Sources:
[1] ‘The Hobbit‘ Will Be Three Films, Peter Jackson Confirms
[2] Peter Jackson Confirms The Hobbit Will Become Three Films …
[3] ‘The Hobbit’ films to be released as a trilogy - 07/30/2012 …
[4] The Hobbit Blog | The official blog of THE HOBBIT movies
[5] BBC - Newsbeat - Hobbit films could become a trilogy …
[6] Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit to be extended to three films …

San Antonio Mayor Juli?n Castro will be the keynote speaker on opening night of the Democratic National Convention, putting the Texas political star on the national stage. [1]

San Antonio Mayor Juli?n Castro, who was jokingly mistaken for a White House intern by Barack Obama less than three years ago, will deliver the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention that will nominate the president for a second term. [2]

According to the Chronicle account, Mayor Castro will be the first Latino to deliver the Keynote Address at a Democratic National Convention. [3]

In what now looks like practice for the big show to come, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro gives the keynote address at the Texas Democratic Convention in Houston on June 8. [4]

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro will deliver the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., this September, making him the first Latino to give the opening-night speech. [5]

San Antonio Mayor Juli?n Castro will deliver the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, Democrats announced Tuesday in a move showcasing the weight of the Latino vote in the hard-fought 2012 campaign. [6]

The decision to showcast Castro underscores the importance that the Obama camp places on a growing Hispanic vote, a segment of the electorate crucial to the president’s reelection. [1]

In a video in which he discusses his role as keynote speaker, Castro praises President Obama’s first term in office and notes that Mr. Obama delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic convention. [5]

He and First Lady Michelle Obama will address the gathering on its opening night, September 4. [6]

On Monday, Democrats announced that former President Bill Clinton would play a prominent role at the convention by giving a major speech and placing President Barack Obama’s name into nomination. [7]

Sources:
[1] San Antonio Mayor Juli?n Castro will keynote Dem National …
[2] San Antonio Mayor Juli?n Castro to Deliver DNC Keynote …
[3] San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro to Give Keynote at Democratic …
[4] Obama Picks San Antonio Mayor For Convention Keynote : It’s …
[5] Michelle Obama, San Antonio mayor highlight first night of …
[6] San Antonio Mayor Castro to deliver Democratic convention …
[7] TRENDING: First lady, San Antonio mayor take big roles at …

This article is about the University of California sports program. [1]

After winning the 2008 Olympics, Misty suffered a torn Achilles tendon in a freak accident practicing for “Dancing With The Stars,” sat out the 2009 season and returned in 2010 with a different partner because Kerri was home with husband Casey Jennings and playing with Joseph (born in 2009) and Sundance (born in May 2010). [2]

The official colors of the University of California are Yale Blue and California Gold and have been since 1875. [1]

The team, which features former Long Beach State standouts Tayyibba Haneef-Park and Danielle Scott-Arruda and Wilson High star Cynthia Barboza, opens the Grand Prix finals Thursday in Ningbo, China. [3]

In 2008, for example, Matt was playing with the Florida Marlins while Misty was playing in 14 AVP and four FIVB tournaments in preparation for the Olympics. [2]

Notable facilities used by the Bears include California Memorial Stadium (football) and Haas Pavilion (basketball and other indoor sports). [1]

ABC News is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. [4]

The USA water polo men’s national team took fourth place at the FINA World League Super Final last week. [...] The U.S. women’s national volleyball team, currently ranked No. 1 in the world and a prime contender for the 2012 Olympic gold medal in London, finished its FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary pool play with a 9-0 record and now heads to the Grand Prix finals. [3]

Cal did not receive any points for their national championships in rugby and men’s crew because those sports are not governed by the NCAA. [1]

Sources:
[1] California Golden Bears - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[2] KEISSER: This isn’t child’s play for Olympic gold medalist …
[3] U.S. women’s national volleyball team reaches FIVB World …
[4] Sports News | Wide World of Sports - ABC News

The worst blackout to hit India in more than a decade left 350 million people in seven northern states without power for more than eight hours on Monday. [1]

Passengers sit in a train and wait for power to get restored at a railway station in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 30, 2012. [2]

An Indian passenger sits as others sleep inside a stationary train during a power outage that struck in the early morning hours, July 30, 2012 at a station in New Delhi, India. [3]

New Delhi (CNN) — A grid failure cut power supplies in northern India on Monday, hitting rail and road transport for hours in the country’s worst blackout in a decade, authorities said. [4]

GUWAHATI, India ‘ The gargantuan power outage affecting 620 million people in India on Tuesday ‘ the second day of massive blackouts ‘ was making life difficult in many ways. [5]

It might be too early to say what the exact cause of India’s latest massive power outage is, but in its simplest form, it probably has something to do with supply and demand ‘- not enough of the former and too much of the latter. [...] This year, the supply problem is made worse by a weak monsoon that has robbed hydroelectric generators ‘- which supply a quarter of the country’s electricity ‘ of the water they need to work at full capacity, he says. [6]

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) ‘ A massive power outage in northern and eastern India left 600 million people, about half the country’s population, without electricity Tuesday, according to reports. [7]

NEW DELHI - The power grid across northern India failed Monday, leaving 370 million people sweating in the heat in one of the worst blackouts in a decade, highlighting the country’s inability to feed a growing hunger for energy. [3]

The grid that failed feeds the nation’s breadbasket in Punjab, the war-wracked region of Kashmir, the burgeoning capital of New Delhi, the Dalai Lama’s Himalayan headquarters in Dharmsala, and the world’s most populous state, poverty-stricken Uttar Pradesh. [2]

Sources:
[1] India power outage hits 350m people | World news | guardian.co.uk
[2] India power outage affects 370 million in New Delhi, Punjab …
[3] India power outage plunges 370 million into sweltering …
[4] Power outage snarls transport, leaves residents sweltering in …
[5] Second day of India’s electricity outage hits 620 million …
[6] India’s Power Woes A Classic Story Of Supply, Demand : NPR
[7] Massive India power outage affects 600 million - MarketWatch

Chicago Cubs right-hander Ryan Dempster is still very much in the mix for the Los Angeles Dodgers, while his chances of joining the Atlanta Braves have cooled, according to major league sources. [1]

{”playerId”:373,”percentChange”:0,”averageDraftPosition”:216.9,”percentOwned”:100,”playerRaterSEASON”:5.6,”playerRater7DAY”:0.7,”mostRecentNews”:{”news”:”Dempster struck out six and did not walk a batter while giving up three runs on five hits over six innings in a loss to the Pirates on Wednesday.”,”spin”:”The start will likely be his final one with the Cubs, although it appears as though the deal that was previously set to send him to Atlanta has completely fallen through.”,”date”:”Wed Jul 25″},”fullName”:”Ryan Dempster”,”seasonOutlook”:{”outlook”:”Four consecutive seasons of at least 30 starts and 200 innings cement Dempster’s status as a viable NL-only consideration, but be careful not to treat him as much more. [2]

The Atlanta Braves, who once made the postseason an annual staple, reached an agreement to acquire Chicago Cubs ace Ryan Dempster on Monday, in their bid to win a postseason round for the first time since 2001. [3]

As Ryan Dempster and the Cubs head toward the final countdown to the non-waiver trade deadline at 3 p.m. [4]

After the wild scene in the Cubs’ clubhouse after Monday night’s 14-4 win over the Pirates, Ryan Dempster stood near the stairs with a grin. [5]

His career was reborn in Chicago when former Cubs general manager Jim Hendry signed him coming off Tommy John surgery in 2004. [4]

Dempster, as a player with 10 years of major league service, the last five with the same team, has the right to block a trade to the Braves. [1]

The official spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the trade has yet to be announced. [3]

Also certain is this: His reluctance to waive his hard-earned no-trade rights for a deal to the Atlanta Braves last week had nothing to do with the ”personal issues” Braves general manager Frank Wren repeatedly mentioned when talking about the would-be trade. [4]

Dempster recently said it was “awesome to be the hammer and not the nail,” referring to his veto power over any trade because of his 10-and-5 rights. [5]

Sources:
[1] Sources: Chicago Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster doesn’t want to …
[2] Ryan Dempster Stats, News, Pictures, Bio, Videos - Chicago …
[3] Cubs trade Ryan Dempster to Braves, pending approval
[4] Ryan Dempster’s trade saga is all about time ‘ or lack …
[5] Chicago Cubs: Ryan Dempster knows he’s likely the next Cub to …