Technology Slice Blog

Spirit Awards 2011 Winners - The 26th annual Independent Spirit Awards ceremony air on IFC at 7 p.m. ET on IFC on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2011. The Independent Spirit Awards honor the year's independent films, specifically focusing on movies produced for less than $20 million. "Winter's Bone" had seven nominations at this year's awards but "Black Swan" was the evening's big winner, taking home awards for best feature, best director, best female lead and best cinematography. Spirit Awards 2011 Winners Darren Aronofsky, who won best director "Black Swan" spoke of his surprise at the film's success. "It's really exciting," Aronofsky said. "The word I keep hearing is 'fun'- it's the best compliment you can receive as a filmmaker. This one was fun. It worked out." The ceremony was hosted by "Community" star Joel McHale and were held at the Santa Monica beach, returning the awards to its lon...

Texas has White Men Only Scholarships - Texas white men scholarships are available to those who do not fit into certain prescribed categories or into any targeted ethnic group. Many say it’s a response similar to the controversial affirmative action laws created for blacks and other minorities. Creators say its creation is only meant to help an unrepresented group. During Black History Month, it is somewhat of a paradox to have a conversation about whites not being represented in entitlement programs or other programs that provide some form of assistance to a certain group. Caucasian Americans have been part of the so-called majority since the beginning of this country's history. It's been part of the status quo, or the accepted way of things in everyday life. However, a non-profit group says that Texas white men scholarships are being created for Caucasians who are now in the so-called minority group of American citizens. Reportedly, a newly-formed not-for-profit gr...

Charlie Sheen Interview with ABC News - Charlie Sheen talks with ABC News' Andrea Canning on a special one-hour edition of "20/20" to air Tuesday, March 1 at 10 p.m. ET. Canning questions Sheen on his controversial remarks and his public feud with the CBS comedy's creator, Chuck Lorre, which resulted in the hit show's suspension, as well as his notorious headline-making actions. Portions of the interview will air on "Good Morning America" on Monday and Tuesday, and throughout ABC News platforms. "Two and a Half Men" had been on hiatus since January after Sheen entered rehab. CBS announced Thursday night that it had canceled the rest of the season after the actor's scathing rant against Lorre on the radio program "Alex Jones Show." In that interview, Sheen said of Lorre that he must have embarrassed him "in front of his children and the world by healing at a pace that his un-evolved mind cannot process." Charli...

UN Sanctions on Libya - The UN Security Council has unanimously imposed travel bans and asset freezes on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, members of his family and inner circle. Saturday's resolution adopted by the 15-nation council also called for the immediate referral of the deadly crackdown against anti-government demonstrators in Libya to the International Criminal Court in The Hague for investigation and possible prosecution of anyone responsible for killing civilians. The council demanded an "immediate end to the violence and for steps to address the legitimate demands of the population" in Libya. It called for Libyan authorities to act "with restraint, respect human rights and international humanitarian law," and facilitate immediate access for international human rights monitors. The council called for an immediate lifting of restrictions "on all forms of media" and for the safety of foreign nationals to be assured and their departure f...

Empty Nest's Kristy McNichol makes Appearance - It's easy to forget about "Empty Nest." The "Golden Girls" spin-off hasn't exactly thrived in syndication like so many of its contemporaries. But The Hallmark Channel resuscitates the '80s/'90s comedy -- about a doctor whose two grown daughters move home -- with a Feb. 26 marathon. Starring Richard Mulligan (R.I.P.), Dinah Manoff and Kristy McNichol, the show is perhaps best known for McNichol's sudden departure during the 1992. So what happened to her? At the time, McNichol was becoming notorious for bad attendance and erratic behavior on the set of the show and several movies and she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and retired from acting altogether. She returned for the series' finale in 1995, and it marked her last ever screen appearance -- though she did some voice work in the late '90s. Empty Nest's Kristy McNichol makes Appearance

Redbox DVD Kiosks - The rising popularity of movie rental kiosks such as Redbox represents a significant shift in consumer behavior, according to Serdar Durmusoglu, a University of Dayton assistant professor of marketing. According to a study from the NPD Group, the share of videos rented from standalone kiosks increased 10 percent year-over-year during the third quarter of 2010, while the percentage of videos rented from traditional retail stores declined 13 percent and subscription rental share increased just 2 percent. Redbox, a subsidiary of Coinstar, has more than 26,000 kiosks nationwide and in September celebrated its one billionth rental, according to Kate Brennan, a company spokeswoman. “Each Redbox kiosk features up to 200 titles and 630 movies, making it a fully automated video rental store contained in 12 square feet of retail space,” Brennan said. Jodi Tobe, a Sinclair Community College student from Fort Recovery, used to rent from Blockbuster stores before discov...