White Brown

All Poterphiles have been outraged in the controversial casting of a white girl to play the black Lavender Brown for the movie Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, who was previously played by a black actress in the second movie (Chamber of Secrets). Jessie Cave has been cast as Lavender Brown. I think one character's ethnicity should remain intact from book to film to remain true to the character, why cancel out diversity? Now if she is a good actress I can understand, but it barely matters I believe in this case.

After some research, I found out they actually have a white actress Jennifer Smith play her in the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. She also played a random student in the Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets. Harry Potter Wiki says her ethnicity was not described in the book but it has.

Leaky Lounge board discussion

CBBC Newsround

Visa Commercial celebrating Michael Phelps

After Michael Phelps won his eight gold medal, a Visa commercial celebrated him. What would they have aired if he didn't win? Oh, well, at least you got 7?

Penguin Knighted

Nils Olav, a 3-foot tall penguin at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland and mascot for the elite Norwegian King's Guard, was knighted Friday with all the pomp and circumstance befitting royalty. Nils then was knighted by British Maj. Gen. Euan Loudon on behalf of Norway's King Harald V. Being pushed along by a trainer, he 'inspected' the troops and shyed away from the sword.

Seattle Times

Definition of Controversy?

I want to know what constitutes as controversy. I know controversy is a dispute between people but I always thought controversy was a dispute over something people thought as bad. What I mean is that I related controversy with sin or something people related with sin, perversion or evil. The dictionary says, "Controversy is disagreement, typically when prolonged, public, and heated." Wikipedia says "Controversy occurs when parties actively disagree, argue about, or debate, a matter of opinion. Controversies can range in size from private disputes between two individuals to large-scale disagreements between societies." But now I see the word Controversy be thrown around over simple things like Transformers or Care Bears over what fans don't like. I think the word Controversy is becoming more open to more other disputes or grievances.

The Women?

This movie has the most laziest name, I thought a man came up with it. It just sounds awkward. The announcer in the commercial says, "Come and meet the women." And did they get every actress over 40?! (Meg Ryan, Bette Midler, Debra Miller, Annette Bening, Candince Bergen, Cloris Leachman, Debi Mazar, and the list goes on and on) Is this Sex and the City on Menopause? Most of the actresses have not got any work in years (Like Jada Pinkett Smith), it is like a star free for all. "Hey, want to be in this movie?" Sure! This movie reminds me of The First Wives' Club and that sucked. I am surprised Goldie Hawn is not in this movie. And Debra Messing as the frizzy-haired flake? What a stretch! I think it is positive to have movies with women over 40 but this looks like squeezing them all at once and it simple drek. (Sample Quote: "I met a guy and I think I will give him my real number.")

And while I am on the subject of chick flicks, why in the trailer/commercial for The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 has to have almost all the girls falling into sand, water and bumping into things?

Issac Hayes and Bernie Mac RIP

In just a few weeks in the beginning of this month, my birthday month no less, two legends surprisingly pass away. Bernie Mac died at age 50 complications of pneumonia unrelated to sarcoidosis he suffered from and had gone in remission in 2005. I respect Bernie Mac very much, I loved his show. Bernie was younger than my father and his daughter is older than me! Issac Hayes, died at 65 yesterday but the reasons are still unknown. He was found dead on the floor by his wife. They were both working on the movie Soul Men. "This isn't like Dark Knight, where Heath Ledger died while editing was in its infancy," Malcolm Lee says. "Most of our editing is done. We'll go back and see if there is anything we can do better. But (Mac) left us with an indelible performance. I think I got him at the top of his game."

KCRA: Issac Hayes died
BBC: Issac Hayes died
cbs2Chicago: Bernie Mac
USA Today