Mountaintop Rallies Around Fire Victims | WNEP.com ? Scranton ...

Posted on: 10:53 pm, December 23, 2012, by Dave Bohman, updated on: 10:56pm, December 23, 2012

A community in Luzerne County Sunday night rallied around a Mountaintop family whose home burned down two weeks ago.

At the party, Jack and Amy Gentilesco, and their five children aged 14-22, were the guests of honor.

?I think it may be the nicest holiday we`ve ever had,? said Amy, doubting she?d have said something like that two weeks ago.

The Gentilesco`s home in Mountaintop burned to the ground in a spectacular fire.

No one was hurt, but the family lost everything inside.

?It`s just a terrible thing to happen to such a wonderful family,? said Kara Maloney, a friend of the Gentilesco?s oldest daughters.

Their friends had to do something to help their friends who lost so much.

?Our house burned down years ago,? said family friend Gary Buczynski.? ?I know what they`re going through.?

That?s why friends put together a pre-Christmas party at the ?Touch of Class Palace.?? The money raised will help the Gentilescos rebuild.

?It?s bad they lost a lot of mementos, things like that.? The house will be rebuilt, and they will get through it,? said Gary Buczynski.

?We`re lucky to be here to celebrate,? added Amy Gentilesco.? ?We`re lucky that we`re in this community.?

Lucky on many levels.

Their family?s helpless feelings of watching fire destroy their home passed quickly.

Two days after the fire, something far worse happened with the murder of 26 young students and teachers at a Connecticut elementary school.

That?s why the Gentilescos see their situation as a setback, not a tragedy.

?And we know that our kids are here, with us, and everything is going to be just fine,? Amy said.

The Gentilescos are staying with relatives for the holidays, and plan to rebuild their home in Mountaintop.

Source: http://wnep.com/2012/12/23/mountaintop-rallies-around-fire-victims/

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'One Christmas at a Time' is holiday music for gamers and geeks

9 hrs.

Winda Benedetti , NBC News

When was the last time you took a sleigh ride to grandma's house? And have you ever actually?roasted chestnuts?on an open fire? Have you? Really?

We love our traditional holiday songs this time of year, but after a while?one can't help but long for?a little Christmas music that's more ... relevant to the times.

That's where the new album from geek and gamer cult fave?Jonathan Coulton and his?collaborator John Roderick of the The?Long Winters rides to the rescue (in a rocket-powered?sleigh pulled by robots, that is).?

"One Christmas at a Time" ? which you can download for $10?here, here and here ? is chock full of quirky, funny and even heartwarming songs for the kind of modern?holidays we all know, love and sometimes loathe.

After all, who hasn't?watched that annoying/drunk relative?ruin the Christmas dinner?(or at least make everyone really uncomfortable)? And who hasn't longed for that gift that they might not get?

In "One Christmas at a Time," Coulton and Roderick?sing?songs?about awkward holiday celebrations, failed shopping efforts?and?that strange?week between Christmas and New Year's Day, offering up some tech-themed tunes along the way. For example, in?"Wikipedia Chanukah" Coulton and Roderick?take us on a tour of the online encyclopedia's explanation of the Jewish holiday (perhaps the closest you'll hear these two come to performing dubstep) And "2600" is a zippy?ode to Coulton and Roderick's childhood longing to find an?Atari 2600 game machine under the tree. (Coulton was fortunate enough to get one but Roderick, alas, was given an Intellivison instead).?

Coulton, a former computer programmer, has earned a dedicated?following among gamers,?geeks and nerds of all stripes?thanks to his intelligent?song-writing infused with a sense of humor. ?His song?"Code Monkey" ? a jaunty, simian ode?to programmers everywhere ? became a hit among the tech crowd. And his song "I'm Your Moon"?about Pluto's demotion from planet status and its unusual dance with the moon Charon is a stargazer favorite.

Meanwhile,?Coulton has written a couple of gaming world's most famous and?most covered songs. That is, he wrote?"Still Alive"?the song sung by the malevolent artificial intelligence GLaDOS at the end of "Portal." The brain-consumingly?catchy?tune?has been covered by?furries,?a?children's choir?and even?some?computers.?And Coulton?followed that hit up?with the song?"Want You Gone" for "Portal 2" (check out the excellent?fan-made video?here.)?

Of course, the question is,?why a Christmas album?

"It?s one of those things that,?when you are a musician and you?re working on stuff, putting albums out, it?s this thing that?s always on your radar as a thing you?re eventually going to do before you die," he told NBC News in a recent interview. "You?ve already done the first album, then you?ve done the difficult second album. Then there?s a bunch of other?albums in the middle. Somewhere near the end, you do the duets album ??right before you die probably. But before that, you do a Christmas record and?you do maybe a kid?s record."

Oh and he adds, "You?ve got to do an electronica album in there somewhere. That?s in my future I think."

Certainly Coulton doesn't shy away from doing the unexpected. The singer/songwriter has carved out?his own niche?(and inspired?a passionate following online and off) ever since giving up his career as a programmer.

"You spend nine years at the same company working on the same software package and you start to wonder what else is out there," he said. What was out there for Coulton was music ? and a unique project that still inspires him to this day.

"When I started doing music full time, the first thing I did was this Thing a Week Project, which was a year of releasing a new song every Friday whether I wanted to or not," he said. "And the thing that I learned from that is that I really blossom creatively when I?m challenged and afraid."

Coulton said he uses that lesson as a compass when deciding what to do next.

"If?somebody?says, 'Hey do you want to do this thing?' and it makes me a little frightened,?then while my lizard brain says, 'No no no you shouldn?t do that!' my higher brains says, 'You should think about doing that because that might be really?interesting.'"

And Coulton has no shortage of interesting projects in the works. In addition to the Christmas album and a recent tour, he is the co-host for the NPR puzzle and?word games show "Ask Me Another,"?season 2 of which begins in January.??(If you'd like to attend one of the upcoming live tapings, check out this link.)

Coulton is also gearing up for the third annual?Jo Co Cruise Crazy?event???a weeklong?Eastern Caribbean cruise in which fans are invited to sail the high seas aboard a Royal Caribbean ship while the singer?and an amazing array of artists and entertainers perform for and amuse?them. Among the confirmed stars who will be onboard this geek-filled ship starting Februrary 10 ? John Hodgman and Wil Wheaton as well as Coulton's "One Christmas at a Time" collaborator John Roderick.

"It's a ton of fun," he says of this unique seafaring adventure (which you can still sign up for). "It's about the cruise, but it's also about this community of people who are fans of things that are awesome who all get together in this one space. And the bonus is, that space is this cruise ship in the Caribbean!"

If you can't afford to join?Coulton on the high seas, you can still get your dose of his brand of music and humor by downloading?"One Christmas at a Time."?And this time of year it's also worth downloading an earlier Coulton science-fiction-themed holiday?favorite???"Chiron Beta Prime."

It's a little ditty?about a family celebrating the?holidays?from an?asteroid ruled by?robot overlords ? with nary a roasting chestnut in sight. Go on, sing along ...

This year has been a little crazy for the Andersons.

You may recall we had some trouble last year.

The robot council had us banished to an asteroid.

That hasn't undermined our holiday cheer.

And we know it's almost Christmas by the marks we make on the wall.

That's our favorite time of year.

Merry Christmas from Chiron Beta Prime,

Where we're working in a mine for our robot overlords.

Did I say overlords? I meant protectors.

Merry Christmas from Chiron Beta Prime.

Winda Benedetti?writes about video?games for NBC?News. You can follow her tweets about games and other things?on Twitter?here?@WindaBenedetti?and you can?follow her?on?Google+.?Meanwhile, be sure to check?out the?IN-GAME?FACEBOOK PAGE?to discuss the day's?gaming news and reviews.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/ingame/gamers-geeks-one-christmas-time-holiday-music-you-1C7660217

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India clamps down on gang rape protests, PM appeals for calm

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian authorities throttled movement in the heart of the capital on Monday, shutting roads and railway stations in a bid to restore law and order after police fought pitched battles with protesters enraged by the gang rape of a young woman.

In an unusual televised address, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called for calm following the weekend clashes in New Delhi and vowed to punish the rapists for their "monstrous" crime.

Singh's government, often accused by critics of being out of touch with the aspirations of many Indians, has been caught off-guard by the depth of the popular outrage as protests have snowballed and spread to other cities. India is seen as one of the most unsafe places in the world to be a woman.

Instead of channeling the outrage, the government has found itself on the defensive over the use of force against the protesters and complaints that it has done little in its eight years in power to create a safer environment for women.

The protests have been the biggest in the capital since 2011 demonstrations against corruption that rocked the government.

"People are not reacting to just one rape case. They are reacting to the general malaise, the frustration with the leadership. There is a feeling that the leadership is completely disconnected," said political analyst Neerja Chowdhury.

Police barricaded roads leading to India Gate, an imposing Arc de Triomphe-style war memorial in the center of the city, that has become a hub of the protests by mostly college students. Many metro rail stations in fog-shrouded Delhi were also closed, crippling movement around the city of 16 million.

The protests overshadowed an official visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin and disrupted his schedule.

The 23-year-old victim of the December 16 attack, who was beaten, raped for almost an hour and thrown out of a moving bus in New Delhi, was still in a critical condition on respiratory support, doctors said.

In the weekend spasm of violent protests, police use batons, teargas and water cannon against demonstrators around the capital. Protests and candle-light vigils have also taken place in other Indian cities but they have been more peaceful.

"I appeal to all concerned citizens to maintain peace and calm. I assure you we will make all possible efforts to ensure security and safety of women in this country," Singh said in his televised address to the nation.

Singh has been under fire for remaining largely silent since the rape. He issued a statement for the first time on Sunday, a week after the crime. Sonia Gandhi, chief of the ruling Congress Party, has met some of the protesters to hear their demands.

Comments by political commentators, sociologists and protesters suggest the rape has tapped into a deep well of frustration that many Indians have over what they see as weak governance and poor leadership on social and economic issues.

"There is a huge amount of anger. People are deeply upset that despite so many incidents there has not been much response from the state and the government," said social activist Ranjana Kumari, director of the Centre for Social Research in Delhi.

SOCIAL MEDIA SITES DRIVE PROTESTS

New Delhi has the highest number of sex crimes among India's major cities, with a rape reported on average every 18 hours, according to police figures. A global poll by Thomson Reuters Foundation in June found that India was the worst place in the world to be a woman because of high rates of infanticide, child marriage and slavery.

Since last week's rape, the authorities have promised better police patrolling to ensure safety for women returning from work and entertainment districts, more buses at night, and fast-track courts for swift verdicts on cases of rape and sexual assaults.

But protesters view those measures as inadequate and are looking for the government to take a firmer stand on sexual assaults countrywide, most of which go unreported.

Reported rape cases in India have increased by 9.2 percent to 24,206 cases in 2011 from 22,172 the previous year, according to the latest figures from the National Crime Record Bureau,

"This is not about that one rape," said aspiring fashion designer Shruti Sharma, 24, at a protest in Delhi on Monday.

"This is about how crime is rampant in our cities. We are angry at the government for not ensuring the safety of its citizens. The judiciary is slow. Cases take too long."

Opposition political parties, normally quick to exploit the government's vulnerabilities, have largely been sidelined in the protests, which have mostly been organized through social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

The protesters come from all walks of life but many are young and middle class. Political commentators see their involvement as evidence of growing frustration with the government's focus on poor and rural voters and a failure to pass on the benefits of a decade of rapid economic growth.

So far, however, the protesters' focus has been on the rape case rather than on other grievances.

(Additional reporting By Rajesh Kumar Singh and Satarupa Bhattacharjya in New Delhi, Sujoy Dhar in Kolkata, Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow, Ashok Pahalwan in Jammu and , writing by Ross Colvin,; Editing by John Chalmers and Robert Birsel)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/indian-pm-calls-calm-gang-rape-sparks-violent-052539103.html

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Russia says it won't host Assad but others welcome

MOSCOW (AP) ? Russia's foreign minister says Moscow would welcome any country's offer of a safe haven to Syrian President Bashar Assad, but underlined that Moscow itself has no intention of giving him shelter if he steps down.

Russia has repeatedly used its veto right along with China at the U.N. Security Council to protect its old ally from international sanctions, but it has increasingly sought to distance itself from Assad.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters late Friday that countries in the region he wouldn't name publicly had asked Russia to convey their offer of a safe passage to Assad. He said that Russia responded by telling them to go directly to Assad: "We replied: 'What do we have to do with it? If you have such plans, you go straight to him.'"

Asked if Moscow could offer a refuge to Assad, Lavrov responded that "Russia has publicly said that it doesn't invite President Assad."

"If there is anyone willing to provide him guarantees, they are welcome!" Lavrov told reporters on board a plane returning from Brussels where he attended a Russia-EU summit. "We would be the first to cross ourselves and say: "Thank God, the carnage is over! If it indeed ends the carnage, which is far from certain."

Asked if Moscow could offer a refuge to Assad, Lavrov said that it has no such intention.

"Russia has publicly said that it doesn't invite President Assad here," he said.

He also said the Syrian government has pulled its chemical weapons together to one or two locations from several arsenals across the country to keep them safe amid the rebel onslaught.

"According to the information we have, as well as the data of the U.S. and European special services, the government is doing everything to secure it," he said. "The Syrian government has concentrated the stockpiles in one or two centers, unlike the past when they were scattered across the country."

U.S. intelligence says the regime may be readying chemical weapons and could be desperate enough to use them. Both Israel and the U.S. have also expressed concerns they could fall into militant hands if the regime crumbles.

Lavrov added that U.N. peace envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, would visit Moscow for talks before the year's end.

He said that Moscow has also invited the revamped Syrian opposition leadership to visit.

"We are ready to honestly explain that the emphasis on a military solution and the dismantling of the state institutions is disastrous for the country," he said. "Listen, there will be no winner in this war."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russia-says-wont-host-assad-others-welcome-132325388.html

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'Hobbit' extends No. 1 journey with $36.7 million

From left, Andy Serkis, Peter Jackson, James Nesbitt, Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett, Richard Armitage and Ian McKellan at the UK premiere of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" at The Odeon Leicester Square,London on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012. (Photo by Jon Furniss/Invision/AP)

From left, Andy Serkis, Peter Jackson, James Nesbitt, Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett, Richard Armitage and Ian McKellan at the UK premiere of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" at The Odeon Leicester Square,London on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012. (Photo by Jon Furniss/Invision/AP)

FILE - This publicity film image released by Paramount Pictures shows Tom Cruise in a scene from "Jack Reacher." Cruise plays a former military cop investigating a sniper case. Just turned 50, and just out with his latest action flick, ?Jack Reacher,? Cruise remains one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, Karen Ballard, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Tiny hobbit Bilbo Baggins is running circles around some of the biggest names in Hollywood.

Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" took in $36.7 million to remain No. 1 at the box office for the second-straight weekend, easily beating a rush of top-name holiday newcomers.

Part one of Jackson's prelude to his "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, the Warner Bros. release raised its domestic total to $149.9 million after 10 days. The film added $91 million overseas to bring its international total to $284 million and its worldwide haul to $434 million.

"The Hobbit" took a steep 57 percent drop from its domestic $84.6 million opening weekend, but business was soft in general as many people skipped movies in favor of last-minute Christmas preparations.

"The real winner this weekend might be holiday shopping," said Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com.

Tom Cruise's action thriller "Jack Reacher" debuted in second-place with a modest $15.6 million debut, according to studio estimates Sunday. Based on the Lee Child best-seller "One Shot," the Paramount Pictures release stars Cruise as a lone-wolf ex-military investigator tracking a sniper conspiracy.

Opening at No. 3 with $12 million was Judd Apatow's marital comedy "This Is 40," a Universal Pictures film featuring Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann reprising their roles from the director's 2007 hit "Knocked Up."

Paramount's road-trip romp "The Guilt Trip," featuring "Knocked Up" star Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand, debuted weakly at No. 6 with $5.4 million over the weekend and $7.4 million since it opened Wednesday. Playing in narrower release, Paramount's acrobatic fantasy "Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away" debuted at No. 11 with $2.1 million.

A 3-D version of Disney's 2001 animated blockbuster "Monsters, Inc." also had a modest start at No. 7 with $5 million over the weekend and $6.5 million since opening Wednesday.

Domestic business was off for the first time in nearly two months. Overall revenues totaled $112 million, down 12.6 percent from the same weekend last year, when Cruise's "Mission: Impossible ? Ghost Protocol" debuted with $29.6 million, according to Hollywood.com.

Cruise's "Jack Reacher" opened at barely half the level as "Ghost Protocol," but with a $60 million budget, the new flick cost about $100 million less to make.

Starting on Christmas, Hollywood expects a big week of movie-going with schools out through New Year's Day and many adults taking time off. So Paramount and other studios are counting on strong business for films that started slowly this weekend.

"'Jack Reacher' will end up in a very good place. The movie will be profitable for Paramount," said Don Harris, the studio's head of distribution. "The first time I saw the movie I saw dollar signs. It certainly wasn't intended to be compared to a 'Mission: Impossible,' though."

Likewise, Warner Bros. is looking for steady crowds for "The Hobbit" over the next week, despite the debut of two huge newcomers ? the musical "Les Miserables" and the action movie "Django Unchained" ? on Christmas Day.

"We haven't reached the key holiday play time yet," said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner. "It explodes on Tuesday and goes right through the end of the year."

In limited release, Kathryn Bigelow's Osama bin Laden manhunt saga "Zero Dark Thirty" played to packed houses with $410,000 in just five theaters, averaging a huge $82,000 a cinema.

That compares to a $4,654 average in 3,352 theaters for "Jack Reacher" and a $4,130 average in 2,913 cinemas for "This Is 40." ''The Guilt Trip" averaged $2,217 in 2,431 locations, and "Monsters, Inc." averaged $1,925 in 2,618 cinemas. Playing just one matinee and one evening show a day at 840 theaters, "Cirque du Soleil" averaged $2,542.

Since opening Wednesday, "Zero Dark Thirty" has taken in $639,000. Distributor Sony plans to expand the acclaimed film to nationwide release Jan. 11, amid film honors and nominations leading up to the Feb. 24 Academy Awards.

Opening in 15 theaters from Lionsgate banner Summit Entertainment, Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor's tsunami-survival drama "The Impossible" took in $138,750 for an average of $9,250.

A fourth new release from Paramount, "The Sopranos" creator David Chase's 1960s rock 'n' roll tale "Not Fade Away," debuted with $19,000 in three theaters, averaging $6,333.

Universal's "Les Miserables" got a head-start on its domestic release with a $4.2 million debut in Japan.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," $36.7 million ($91 million international).

2. "Jack Reacher," $15.6 million ($2.5 million international).

3. "This Is 40," $12 million.

4. "Rise of the Guardians," $5.9 million ($13.7 million international).

5. "Lincoln," $5.6 million.

6. "The Guilt Trip," $5.4 million.

7. "Monsters, Inc." in 3-D, $5 million.

8. "Skyfall," $4.7 million ($9 million international),

9. "Life of Pi," $3.8 million ($23.2 million international).

10. "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn ? Part 2," $2.6 million ($6.6 million international).

___

Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:

1. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," $91 million.

2. "Life of Pi," $23.2 million.

3. "Rise of the Guardians," $13.7 million.

4. "Skyfall," $9 million.

5. "Wreck-It Ralph," $7.3 million.

6. "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn ? Part 2," $6.6 million.

7. "Pitch Perfect," $6 million.

8. "Les Miserables," $4.2 million.

9. "Love 911," $3.2 million.

10. "De L'autre Cote du Periph," $3.1 million.

___

Online:

http://www.hollywood.com

http://www.rentrak.com

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-12-23-Box%20Office/id-4ac2d11c3c2d4239922a7a257e9d137b

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