The Resurgence of Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat

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The Resurgence of Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat
Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade pauses during a break in play against the Dallas Mavericks during Game 3 of the NBA Finals series in Dallas, Texas on June 5, 2011. (Photo: Reuters/Mike Stone)

Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade pauses during a break in play against the Dallas Mavericks during Game 3 of the NBA Finals series in Dallas, Texas on June 5, 2011.

Christian Post Report – Dwyane Wade has turned the Miami Heat into dark-horse contenders in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.

As it stands, the Heat hold the seventh playoff spot in the East, holding a one-and-half-game advantage over eighth-placed Charlotte Hornets.

With only a handful of games left before the post-season begins, Wade seems to be turning up the notch and reviving his status as one of the best guards in the league.

Proof of it lies on seven straight games where he scored at least 25 points, starting off against the Los Angeles Lakers.

In that game, fans were treated to a vintage Wade slashing towards the basket. He attempted 12 free throws on the night, converting 11 of them as the Heat won 100-94.

He sat the next game out against the Washington Wizards but came back firing when they hosted the Sacramento Kings. That 114-109 overtime victory displayed that Wade can still move around the basket, shooting 56 percent from the field and scoring 28 points on the night.

Two days after, they went on and played the Boston Celtic,s who have won two of their last three prior to their clash at the American Airlines Arena. Again, Wade was unstoppable, going 13-of-23 from the field to finish with 34 points in 36 minutes in a losing effort.

Brooklyn were their next opponents and Wade clearly had to do more because of the absence of Hassan Whiteside. Wade’s shooting percentage dropped to 40 percent in this game but his 28 points propelled the team to a 104-98 victory.

They lost to the Toronto Raptors in the next game, but it was clear that Wade still had enough left in the tank after a 69 percent shooting night and going for 25 points in the 102-92 loss.

Then they would go on and welcome back LeBron James in Florida as they hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was a marquee matchup and Wade did not back down. Facing one of the title favourites, Wade went on to shoot an amazing 72 percent from the field for 32 points to beat out James and the Cavs.

At this point, everyone was starting to realize the potential of the team.

And to silence any doubters, Miami beat the Portland Trail Blazers 108-104 behind another 32-point performance from Wade.

His streak ended in a blowout win over the Denver Nuggets, where Wade scored 22 points during only 31 minutes.

His performances would prove that they are going to be a handful against any of the top teams in the East.

Wade had to step up his game with the absence of fellow superstar Chris Bosh, and he has had to emerge as a leader with the arrivals of new players like Goran Dragic and the return of Michael Beasley.

For the year, Wade leads the team with 21.8 points per game, his highest since the 2011-2012 season. Furthermore, he’s been more productive this season despite playing the fewest minutes per game in his career, at 31.9 per night.

It is true that the has slowed down at 33 years old, but Wade is still able to tap into his fountain of youth when the team needs him the most.

Source : Christian Post

Sophie Turner Talks Playing Younger Jean Grey With ‘A Twist’ on ‘X-Men Apocalypse’

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Sophie Turner Talks Playing Younger Jean Grey With ‘A Twist’ on ‘X-Men Apocalypse’
Sophie Turner Reuters/File

English actress Sophie Turner who played the character Sansa Stark in HBO’s “Game of Thrones”

Christian Post Report – English actress Sophie Turner, who was cast to star as the young Jean Grey in “X-Men Apocalypse,” has announced her version will be played with a twist.

“Games of Thrones” House Stark actress, Sophie Turner, who signed on in January to play a young Jean Grey in “X-Men Apocalypse” has said she will be playing her role with a different twist to the character that X-Men fans have come to expect.

“Famke did it so well. I just want to kind of bring a bit more a naivety to her,” Turner, 19, told Digital Spy. “I can’t really say much. I’ll give her a little twist.”

Turner, who has her own massive “GoT” fanbase for her role as Sansa Stark in the last four seasons of the critically acclaimed HBO fantasy series “Game of Thrones,” says she feels comfortable with having a loyal fanbase, and hopes to make followers of the telepathic mutant proud with her portrayal.

With “X-Men Apocalypse,” due to hit theaters on May 27, 2016, there have been speculations over Jean Grey’s character returning after she made an appearance towards the end of “X-Men: Days of Future Past.”

While Dutch actress Famke Janssen has played the telepath in all three initial X-Men films, as well as cameos in “The Wolverine” and “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” she has not signed on for the upcoming mutant film, as the role called for a younger version of Jean Grey.

The film, a sequel to “Days of Future Past,” will see the return of James McAvoy as Charles Xavier, Michael Fassbender as Magneto, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Nicholas Hoult as Beast, Rose Byrne as Moira MacTaggert, and Evan Peters as Quicksilver.

Newcomers to the franchise will portray younger versions of the original X-Men, including Tye Sheridan as Cyclops, Alexandra Shipp as Storm, Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nightcrawler, and Oscar Isaac as Apocalypse.

Source : Christian Post

‘Final Fantasy XV’ Demo Includes Short Hidden Movie With ‘Final Fantasy Type-0 HD’ Release

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‘Final Fantasy XV’ Demo Includes Short Hidden Movie With ‘Final Fantasy Type-0 HD’ Release
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD Opening Scene YouTube/File

YouTube screenshot of the opening scene of Final Fantasy Type-0 HD.

Christian Post Report – A “Final Fantasy XV” demo was released recently featuring a hidden movie as an incentive for players who complete the introductory game.

Initial copies of “Final Fantasy Type-O HD” were made public last week with “Final Fantasy XV:Episode Duscae,” and players uncovered a hidden artwork movie when they finished the demo game.

The secret movie allowed fans of the Square Enix action role-playing game a look into what to expect when the upcoming title is finally released for PS4 and Xbox One.

The hidden movie shares additional insight about the fifteenth main game to the series. It appears to suggest that Stella Nox Fleuret, who previously appeared in “Final Fantasy Versus XIII” is the same Luna character, or someone who is closely connected to her, after having been featured recently in the upcoming game’s recent trailers.

The short film serves as a warm up for fans of the series who have been patiently waiting for six years since “Fabula Nova Crystallis” was released in 2009.

The minute and a half movie features detailed artwork with overlaid text and a Japanese-speaking male and female doing the voiceovers to provide background information and shed context on the world surrounding “Final Fantasy XV,” as well as to foreshadow the events to unfold in the game.

According to IGN, the demo that precedes the short film ends in a spectacular face-off between Gladio, Ignis, Noctis and Prompto against a gigantic “DeadEye” in a battle that ends when the game’s player summons Ramuh, who calls forth a lightning storm that destroys the Behemoth.

Reception to the upcoming game’s demo has generally been positive, and reports have emerged gamers are paying as much as $30 to be among the first to play the “Final Fantasy XV” intro. According to game director, Hajime Tabata, development on the title is nearing completion, however a release date has yet to be announced.

Source : Christian Post

HTC One M9 News: Release in Asia, US Release Coming April 10

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HTC One M9 News: Release in Asia, US Release Coming April 10
HTC One M9 Facebook/ HTC One M9

HTC One M9

Christian Post Report – HTC’s next flagship smartphone, the HTC One M9 is now available in stores in Taiwan, the rest of Asia and Europe. This is in accordance to their March 1 launch announcement at the Mobile World Congress.

According to a report in GSM Arena, the phone is available in both 32GB and 64GB variants, but in limited case colors. Only Gunmetal Gray and the Silver/Rose Gold will be available. The Amber Gold variant is said to be available sometime in April. The report did not mention when the Pink/Gold variant will be released.

Buyers in the U.S. will have to wait until April 10, when HTC makes the phone available in the country. This is the same schedule that they announced during the Mobile World Congress. And incidentally, it is also the same day that Samsung will release the Galaxy S6.

Pricing for the international market is pegged at TWD 21,900 for an unlocked 32GB variant and TWD 23,900 for an unlocked 64GB variant. Prices in Europe are roughly the same, at EUR€650 for the 32GB and EUR€710 for the 64GB model.

Pricing in the US is expected to be a bit different, because it will be dependent on carrier pricing and packages as the phones are sold through mobile carriers. No reports as of yet on the US prices.

In terms of specifications, one report in Daily Tech calls its combination of specs as “one of the most powerful Android smartphones available.” It has a Qualcomm Inc. Snapdragon 810 processor, a 3GB RAM and a beautiful 5-inch 1080 HD display. Its rear camera is a 20.7 MP one, while its front camera is at 4.0 MP. Its rear camera is capable of 4k video recording.

Design wise, it is also said to be “one of the hardest devices in the market” for its dual-anodized scratch-resistant coating on its metal finish to “resist dents, dings, and scratches and a sapphire glass cover over the camera lens.”

Other reports are however criticizing HTC’s design decision to stick with the same design as the HTC One M8. The company however came out defending this decision as trying to build “a timeless piece of design,” as reported in CNET.

Source : Christian Post

Wilmer Valderrama Surprises Girlfriend Demi Lovato at Mental Health Benefit Show

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Wilmer Valderrama Surprises Girlfriend Demi Lovato at Mental Health Benefit Show
Demi Lovato and Wilmer Valderrama Instagram/ ddlovato

Demi Lovato and Wilmer Valderrama

Christian Post Report – At a benefit show, Demi Lovato shared stories about her mental health journey with some of her fans, and the singer didn’t know that she was about to have a very special guest that night.

The “Skyscraper” singer was raising money for her Lovato Treatment Scholarship Program with a benefit concert where she performed at the event and answered questions from fans.

“My heart is broken that he [Wilmer Valderrama] couldn’t be here tonight,” she told the audience. But before Lovato could say anything more, the crowd started squealing and cheering as Valderrama suddenly came up behind her and shocked the thrilled singer.

“Stop,” she said with a huge smile on her face, before bursting into tears and giving Valderrama a kiss, to the delight of the audience.

As the couple kissed several times on stage, Lovato’s fans started singing “Happy Birthday” to celebrate her third year of sobriety. Later, Valderrama talked about his girlfriend.

“So I just got off a plane from Toronto. And there’s like a million things to say—it’s been a long time since we’ve seen a role model like her,” said the “That 70’s Show” actor. “It’s been a long time to see somebody who has the courage to be exactly who she wants to be. And if you’re going to take away anything from tonight, walk away with the understanding that, from today, life will get better.”

According to E! News, the singer launched the Lovato Treatment Scholarship in June 2013 following the death of her father, who reportedly struggled with psychological issues similar to those for which she sought treatment in 2010. The program, launched in conjunction with CAST Recovery, will cover treatment expenses—one person at a time—for those struggling with mental health or addiction issues.

Earlier this week, in honor of her three years of sobriety, Lovato took to Instagram to thank her boyfriend.

She posted a picture of them kissing and captioned it, “I wish I could put into words how grateful I am for this man right here. But my love has grown to a level that words could never possibly express how much this man completes me.”

“He’s loved me the way I never thought I deserved to be loved and with this day marking my 3rd year sober…After sharing my ups, putting up with my downs and supporting my recovery…he still never takes credit and I want the world to know how incredible his soul is. I really wouldn’t be alive today without him. I love you Wilmer,” she continued.

Source : Christian Post

Vin Diesel Gives an Emotional Tribute to Paul Walker at ‘Furious 7’ Screening

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Vin Diesel Gives an Emotional Tribute to Paul Walker at ‘Furious 7’ Screening
Furious 7 Facebook/ Fast and the Furious

Vin Diesel gives an emotional tribute to the late Paul Walker

Christian Post Report – Vin Diesel just became a father of three with the birth of his child last Monday, March 16, but the actor went straight from the hospital to the first California “Furious 7” screening on Wednesday, March 18, to honor his co-star and close friend, the late Paul Walker.

“I had to come from the hospital, and I had to introduce the first screening in California where the whole franchise started,” Diesel told the audience.

The 47-year old was overcome with emotion as he spoke about making the latest movie, and he told fans how he and Walker, who he sometimes called Pablo, usually spent time together at the premieres of previous “Fast and Furious” films.

“As you know this was a very personal and important film to us, every time when I saw the movie at the premiere, Paul Walker and I would go off to the side, and he would always tell me, ‘Vin, the best one’s still in the can’. Well, I hope tonight, you’ll let Pablo know that this, this is the best one for you guys,” he said.

Diesel also reminded the audience that others have to wait a little to see the film, so it’s important to keep the story line quiet and not spoil it for everyone else.

At one point, the actor’s mood became somber.

“This was a labor of love. It was in some ways the hardest movie that I ever had to do because the relationships you see on film are so real, when the tragedy happened, I lost my best friend, I lost my brother,” he continued.

“Tonight,” said Diesel, before taking time to compose himself. The audience offered their support by telling Diesel that they love him, and one audience member shouted, “You’ve got family here Vin.”

“Oh I love that, thanks for being my family,” Diesel continued. “Thanks for always taking care of us, thanks for believing in us. You know what’s most important in life …This is our gift to you, but more importantly, it’s for my brother there.”

“Furious 7” premieres on April 3.

Source : Christian Post

Lenovo Vibe Shot vs HTC One M9: Comparison of Specs, Features

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Lenovo Vibe Shot vs HTC One M9: Comparison of Specs, Features
Lenovo Vibe Shot

Lenovo Vibe Shot

Christian Post Report – Tech greats came to the Mobile World Congress 2015 to unveil new devices, with each one jockeying for the position of best smartphone of the year. While HTC wowed the crowds with its newest flagship, the One M9, Lenovo also stood out with its Vibe Shot, a phone that looks like a normal smartphone on the front, but when viewed from the back, one will see what makes this phone unique.

Here, we compare the two devices:

Design:
The Lenovo Vibe Shot rear and front is made out of two pieces of tempered glass connected by a metal frame. The back resembles that of a point and shoot camera, and the phone comes in two colors: Onyx Black, and Pearl White. It measures 5.59 x 2.77 x 0.29 inches and weighs 5.11 ounces.

The HTC One M9 is elegantly crafted, with its all-metal body and gently rounded back. The edge of the phone is a different color from the body, which gives it a dual tone effect. Color options include a gold edge around a silver body, a polished silver edge around a dark grey body, and a polished gold edge around a gold body. The phone measures 5.69 x 2.74 x 0.38 inches and weighs 5.54 ounces.

Features:
When it comes to the display, the One M9 and Vibe Shot basically have the same kind of screen—a 5-inch screen with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels with pixel density count of 441ppi. However, only the Vibe Shot has a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 over the display, which makes it scratch-resistant.

The HTC handset is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor, while the Lenovo phone has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chipset. Both phones run on Android 5.0 Lollipop. Both devices also come with 32GB internal memory, which can be expanded up to 128GB with a microSD card.

The One M9 has a 20MP rear camera and 4MP front-facing camera, while the Vibe Shot has a 16MP rear camera and 8MP front-facing shooter.

Price:
Off contract, the HTC One M9 is expected to cost $870, while the Lenovo Vibe Shot costs $349.

Source : Christian Post

Pacquiao v Mayweather Jr. Fight News, Update: Camps in Disagreement Over $5 Million Doping Penalty Deal

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Pacquiao v Mayweather Jr. Fight News, Update: Camps in Disagreement Over $5 Million Doping Penalty Deal
Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather Youtube Screenshot/ file

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao have a stare-down at the first and only press conference for their May 2 fight

Christian Post Report – Recent Pacquiao versus Mayweather Jr. fight news indicated 38-year-old American boxer formally rejecting the $5 million penalty clause should he and the Filipino contender fail a drug test before or after their most awaited May 2 bout.

Advisor to the fighting congress member, Michael Koncz told USA TODAY Sports this week that he was a bit “puzzled” and a “little dismayed” that even an agreement this “simple” can’t push through.

“It was very simple,” Koncz said. “If Manny failed a test, he would have to pay $5 million. If Floyd failed, he would have to pay $5 million.”

A report from LA Times meanwhile cited Mayweather’s camp firing back with the controversy saying that the drug testing condition have been “rigorously negotiated” by Pacquiao’s promoter, Top Rank, suggesting that they are already in the disadvantage.

In a statement given to ESPN, Mayweather’s chief executive Leonard Ellerbe called Koncz a “moron.”

“If this moron didn’t convey his fighter’s wishes when the negotiation was going on that’s their problem,” Ellerbe told The LA Times. “This is a lame-a– attempt to generate publicity.”

It was revealed that earlier this week, Pacquiao’s legal assistant, David Moroso, received a letter from Mayweather’s legal counsellor Jeremiah Reynolds indicating that the currently undefeated boxer would not enter into the mentioned penalty deal.

Top Rank’s Bob Arum meanwhile chimed in his opinion about the disagreement saying that he fully understood Mayweather’s people not accepting the deal for the reason that if either side fail, “the other camp would be able to sue for far more than $5 million.”

The previous reports from the US Anti-Doping Agency announced that both fighters have agreed to submit themselves for an unannounced blood and urine testing at anytime during their training sessions in their respective camps.

The search would test each athlete for performance-enhancing substances like Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and EPO.

Source : Christian Post

Android 5.1 Lollipop for Nexus Handsets, News: OS Update Rolls Out for Nexus 6 on T-Mobile

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Android 5.1 Lollipop for Nexus Handsets, News: OS Update Rolls Out for Nexus 6 on T-Mobile
Android Lollipop Google/Twitter/Image

Google’s lineup of Nexus series devices have already been rolled out with their latest mobile operating system, Android 5.1 Lollipop.

Christian Post Report – The most recent update was for the Motorola-made Nexus 6 (codenamed Shamu) smartphones which are under contract with US mobile carrier T-Mobile.

The new OS versions however created confusion among users as a report from Tech Times indicated that the mentioned device will be receiving a different Lollipop update version which is labelled as LMY47M.

The first Over-The-Air update for Android 5.1, which was pushed out to smartphones and tablets all over the world, featured the build number LMY47D. The following days, Verizon announced that those Nexus 6 handsets operating under their service will be having the build number LMY47E.

The publication however revealed that that have been “no noticeable differences” between the roll outs for each respective carriers.

As stated, both feature the latest Device Protection security feature which locks the phone permanently unless the user signs in with his/her Google account. The lock-in would still function even if the phone is subjected to a full factory reset.

Several fixes also come along with the update which answers to the stability issues found in the previous Android 5.0.

There’s also the High-Definition Voice feature for the newest Lollipop that offers users greatly-improved voice-call quality.

T-Mobile subscribers, however, can enjoy the VoLTE feature for their Nexus 6 phablets. It would also enable them to connect to the network’s 700 MHz spectrum.

For those who will be upgrading, reports specified that they will need to free their unit’s storage space for up to 409 MB. Accessing the update is easy as going to the device’s About Phone section and then on the System Updates. Once in, they can tap on Check Now to download and install the Android 5.1 Lollipop update.

Source : Christian Post

‘Captain America 3’ Plot News, Update: Civil War Comic Book Storyline to Be Featured

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‘Captain America 3’ Plot News, Update: Civil War Comic Book Storyline to Be Featured
Captain America: Civil War Wikimedia Commons/Image

A host of updates have been circulating online for the past few months regarding the plot development of the highly anticipated superhero movie “Captain America: Civil War.” Slated to begin shooting this April 1, another piece of information regarding the title surfaced and this time it includes a plot synopsis.

Christian Post Report – Collider revealed what appears to be the “unofficial” summary for “Captain America 3,” which was reportedly handed out to the main cast and extras.

“Following the events of Age of Ultron, the collective governments of the world pass an act designed to regulate all superhuman activity. This polarizes opinion amongst the Avengers, causing two factions to side with Iron Man or Captain America, which causes an epic battle between former allies,” the summary reads.

This could further justify previous speculations that the third installment will use the Civil War storyline in the Marvel comic books.

The story arc would deal heavily on the Superhero Registration Act, a new policy from the U.S. government requiring all superheroes to identify themselves and submit to the regulation imposed upon them by the ruling body.

This would eventually create a rift between pro-Government entities led by Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and the anti-policy group spearheaded by Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans).

Returning after their success at the Winter Soldier, directors Anthony and Joe Russo will be spearheading the project which, as reported, is slated to open in theatres this May 6, 2016.

Source : Christian Post

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