Rolling Stones Ready for Europe;Champions Tour Golf

The entertainment sack is bulging this weekend,Memorial Day weekend in the United States.We have songs by artists old and new,as well as a new Rolling Stones promo and a film trailer.The film trailer is for "Interstellar," a science fiction adventure starring Oscar winner Matthew McConaughy.The film is scheduled for a November 2014 release.*
The new promo is for the Rolling Stones' 14 On Fire Tour.It is a film clip from the Abu Dhabi show that launched the Asian stage of the tour.There are snippets of the songs "Angie" and "Tumbling Dice."
Catch the studio track of "Angie" in a slide show posted here.The track features a strings arrangement with acoustic guitar.The Stones also have this soft side of their music,let's not forget.It's not all rockers.
Stage 2 of the 14 On Fire Tour starts Monday.
Upcoming tour dates are:
26 May-Telenor Arena,Oslo,Norway
29 May-Rock in Rio Festival,Lisbon,Portugal
1 June-Letzigrund Stadium,Zurich,Switzerland
4 June-Park Hayarkon,Tel Aviv,Israel
As shown in the promo,the Stones are still in the moment and hitting their notes.They wouldn't settle for anything less.*
We also have some more Tom Petty tonight in "Refugee."It's the official,original video with remastered audio bringing it into the 21st century.*
Emerging artist Lauryn Vyce's real name is Lauren Vogel and she hails from St.Louis,Missouri,although she now lives in Los Angeles.A 2011 graduate of Indiana University,her highly melodic "Fallin'" is posted tonight.The track is available on iTunes.Lauryn's EP "Secret's Out" is also out on soundcloud.com.She is a fan of New Zealand singer songwriter Lorde.*
In golf,the PGA Senior Championship presented by KitchenAid is underway at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor,Michigan.There's a six-way tie for first place at four under par,with German Bernhard Langer,Colin Montgomerie of Scotland and American Tom Watson among those topping the leader board of this major tournament of the Champions Tour.With his two wins so far,Langer leads the standings of the season-long Charles Schwab Cup.*
Happy Memorial Day.Have a safe holiday weekend,the unofficial start of the summer season.

The Rolling Stones;Selena Gomez;The Masters

Tonight's music includes two Chuck Berry songs performed by The Rolling Stones in 1969,plus a recent Selena Gomez release."Carol" and "Little Queenie" are restored archival material from what looks like 16mm film footage.Very well done,because you can't tell there was ever a problem.The concerts took place in 1969.One of the most significant things about them is the appearance of master guitarist Mick Taylor,seen at Jagger's right,who was a new member of the Stones at that time,selected to replace original member Brian Jones.
The Hertfordshire,England native Taylor is considered by many to be the Stones' most accomplished guitarist in their career.He was a full time member of the band from 1969-74,and they were shocked when he quit,partly to get away from the drug problems of that era and partly because of clashes with Keith Richards,as well as songwriting credits he felt he was not getting.Taylor says he always felt he would not be with the Stones indefinitely.He was in turn replaced by Ronnie Wood.
Taylor was a member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers from 1966-69 before he auditioned for the Stones at a recording session,having been recommended by John Mayall.He didn't realise it was an audition.He just thought it was session work,but Jagger enjoyed his melodic style of playing.Taylor played on some of the Stones' classic albums,including Let It Bleed;Sticky Fingers;and Exile On Main Street.He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the Stones in 1989.
Rolling Stone magazine ranks Taylor as number 37 on its list of 100 greatest guitarists of all time.After the Stones,he went on to work with artists such as Jack Bruce and Bob Dylan.In 2010,he and Jagger went back into the studio to finish the previously unreleased track "Plundered My Soul" for the 2010 re-release of the LP Exile On Main Street.
Since late 2012,Taylor has been appearing with the Stones onstage again,including every date of their 2013 North American tour and at the Glastonbury Festival in England in June,2013.*
Selena Gomez's "Love You Like A Love Song"(MTV Version) was posted to YouTube in February.It had 493 likes and 23 dislikes as of Thursday,out of 81,603 views.The video gives a nod to her Mexican heritage with a pinata scene among Mexican musicians.There is also a sitar player in it.Not sure what India means to Selena-it is also given a nod in "Come&Get It" that was featured here a short while ago.*
The Masters is underway at the vast,difficult course of Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.As the course continues to dry out this weekend,it will play even faster and harder.American Bubba Watson,the 2012 winner,has the early lead at seven under par,while John Senden of Australia is second at -4,and a number of golfers are tied for third at -3,including defending champion Australian Adam Scott and Sweden's Jonas Blixt.The tournament was conceived as a special event that would capture the spirit of golf.

The Rolling Stones;Avril Lavigne;Shell Houston Open

Tonight's videos include two classics and a new release.We start with The Firm's VH1 Classic video for "Satisfaction Guaranteed."The small club ambience is just right for the bluesy song and Jimmy Page's flamboyant guitar style,his British flash.Then we return to the Rolling Stones playing for 1.5 million people in Rio de Janeiro and "Start Me Up."Most interesting to me is Ronnie Wood coming out front for his guitar solo-haven't seen him do that too often.
The Stones are gearing up for the resumption of their 14 on Fire Tour following a break after the death of fashion designer L'Wren Scott,frontman Mick Jagger's girlfriend.It's been a rough period for this tight knit band,and we wish them a better than ever return.The European leg of the tour is to commence in late May.Most of the dates are already sold out,but big screens were set up in Singapore in March so those without tickets could watch the concert,so hopefully they will do that in Europe as well.
5-26 Oslo,Norway
5-29 Rock in Rio Festival,Portugal
6-1 Zurich,Switzerland
6-7 Pinkpop Festival,Landgraf,Netherlands
6-10 Berlin,Germany
6-13 Paris,France
6-16 Vienna,Austria
6-19 Dusseldorf,Germany
6-22 Rome,Italy
6-25 Madrid,Spain
6-28 TW Classic Festival,Werchter,Belgium
7-1 Stockholm,Sweden
7-3 Roskilde Festival,Denmark
The Australia-New Zealand concerts are in work.Probably they will be in October-November.
The new release is Avril Lavigne's demo of a song she wrote for Kelly Clarkson,"Breakaway."It's the first time we can hear Avril perform this composition of hers.It was a hit for Clarkson.*
The professional golf season is heating up as we approach The Masters tournament next weekend at Augusta National in Georgia.This weekend,the men are playing in the Shell Houston Open at the Golf Club of Houston.After two rounds,Sergio Garcia of Spain holds the lead,having shot a 12 under par 65 on Friday.The ladies are playing in their first major of the season,the Kraft Nabisco Open at the Mission Hills Golf Club in Rancho Mirage,California.American teenager Lexi Thompson,19,and the seasoned Korean golfer Se Ri Pak,36,share the second round lead at 7 under par.

Suns Surpass Pelicans;Knicks Lose Again;McCartney in Moscow

The big scorers were out Friday night in the NBA.For the Golden State Warriors,Stephen Curry posted a huge 52 as they manhandled the New York Knicks 123-103 at Madison Square Garden.The Knicks are now five and a half games out of the final playoff spot.*
It's definitely frustrating,how we're losing the games,Knicks star Carmelo Anthony said.It's time we should have it down pat right now.We should have it.*
Meanwhile,the Phoenix Suns' Goran Dragic scored a career high 40 points in their conquest of the New Orleans Pelicans 116-104 in the Arizona desert city.Anthony Davis scored 32 for the losers.*
Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy was shining in the Honda Classic Friday.The former World Number One was looking like his old self with his second round 11 under par 66 at PGA National in Florida.He had shot a 63 in Thursday's opening round.
Brendon de Jonge of Zimbabwe is in second place at -10.Tiger Woods was thankful just made the cut on the tough course with his even par,but Phil Mickelson goes home for the weekend,missing the cut at 1 over par.*
I found some good music this week in the jazzy "Rio" by Duran Duran,now digitally remastered;and Sir Paul McCartney with his exceptional live performance of "Back In The USSR" in Russia itself,complete with dancing girls.Russia's been making the big news lately with the Sochi Olympics and the situation in Ukraine."Well,the Ukraine girls really knock me out.They leave the West behind.And Moscow girls make me sing and shout.And Georgia's always on my mind."(Lennon-McCartney)

The Barclays Golf;Belgium Grand Prix

The golf world is crackling with activity this weekend.In the US,The Barclays is in progress at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City,New Jersey.The first of the four FedEx Cup Playoffs features striking views of the New York skyline,including the Statue of Liberty and One World Trade Center,or Freedom Tower,rising from the ashes of the 9-11 attack,as well as ferry boats and other watercraft on the Hudson River.Responding to all this scenery is Matt Kuchar,35,who tops the leader board with his -10.The Florida native and Georgia Tech man is number two on the money list,with two wins this season and seven top tens.He is Mr.Consistency,having made 19 of 20 cuts.*1.Matt Kuchar(USA)-10 2.Gary Woodland(USA)-9 2.Webb Simpson(USA)-9 4.Justin Rose(ENG)-7 4.Rickie Fowler(USA)-7 4.Adam Scott(AUS)-7 8.Brendon de Jonge(ZIM)-6 8.Henrik Stenson(SWE)-6 8.Jim Furyk(USA)-6*In LPGA action,The CN Canadian Women's Open is at Royal Mayfair Golf&Country Club in Edmonton,Alberta.Korean Inbee Park and American Cristie Kerr are tied for the lead at -8.*On the European Tour,The Race to Dubai,the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles,Scotland is being led by Argentinian Ricardo Gonzalez at -14.American rookie Brooks Koepka is in fifth at -10.*In motor sport,the August break is over and the Belgium Grand Prix is at the Spa Francorchamps circuit on Sunday.F1 series leader Sebastian Vettel of Germany came in first in the first practice session on Friday,ahead of teammate Australian Mark Webber.Update:At The Barclays,Matt Kuchar now shares the lead with Gary Woodland,29.Woodland has two career wins on the PGA Tour,including one this season at the Reno-Tahoe Open.He is known for his ball-striking power,although not an especially big man.He said he is pleased to be paired with Kuchar for the final round as they are close friends.*At the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles,Scotland,Ricardo Gonzales now shares the lead with Tommy Fleetwood of England,who has yet to win on the European Tour,while Gonzales has five wins.*The starting grid for Sunday's Belgium Grand Prix features Lewis Hamilton(GBR)in pole position,followed by Sebastian Vettel(GER) and Mark Webber(AUS).*Sweden's Caroline Hedwall took the lead at the CN Canadian Women's Open in Edmonton,Alberta.She is followed by Suzann Petterson of Norway and amateur Lydia Ko of New Zealand.

West Virginia Golf:The Greenbrier Classic

At The Greenbrier Classic in White Sulphur Springs,West Virginia,Matt Every holds the top position on the leader board with his second round nine under par 67.Every,29,has made 10 cuts out of 21 tournaments played this season.The Floridian has placed in the top 10 twice and is 95th on the money list.
Phil Mickelson failed to make the cut and is headed for Scotland to play in the Scottish Open next weekend,and then The Open Championship after that.Tom Watson,63,shot a three under par 69,tying for 35th place,while Kenny Perry,52,fired off a five under par 67 to tie for 17th.
The tournament is held at The Greenbrier Resort,a popular summer retreat in the Allegheny Mountains for generations.It's a favourite with the PGA players and their families for the comprehensive recreational package,and amenities such as evening concerts by name performers,including Kenny Chesney and Aerosmith.
The top 10 are as follows:
  Matt Every(USA) -9
  Russell Henley(USA) -8
  Johnson Wagner(USA) -8
  Daniel Summerhays(USA) -8
  Bill Lunde(USA) -8
  Steven Bowditch(AUS) -8
  Tommy Gainey(USA) -7
  Jonas Blixt(SWE) -7
  Ben Curtis(USA) -7
  Greg Owen(ENG) -7

Wintry Forecast for Northeastern Mountains;Monaco Grand Prix Practices

Absurdly chill temperatures for this time of year,Memorial Day weekend,have blanketed the east coast,dipping to the forties Fahrenheit in the Mid-Atlantic region Friday night.The mountains of the Northeast may get up to a foot of snow this weekend from New York's Adirondacks to the Green Mountains of Vermont.
Visitors to the shore are finding themselves donning jackets and gloves again,when they had expected to be lounging in warm sunshine for the traditional kickoff of the summer vacation season.By next weekend,however,it will be decidedly hot-even excessively so.
The people of Monaco aren't lacking in warm sunshine,however,as they anticipate the 71st Monaco Grand Prix.Friday was devoted to relaxing and partying after Thursday's free practices for the Formula One race,which saw Mercedes drivers Nico Rosberg of Germany and Britain's Lewis Hamilton fastest.
Romain Grosjean of France wrecked his Lotus car,causing a brief red flag delay while the sharp debris was swept off the street circuit in the hilly Mediterranean principality.The very tight circuit would never get approved in today's racing world,Australia's Mark Webber remarked before his practice session,but the red tape and bureaucracy aren't involved here,and it's good we can go racing.
Webber has won at Monaco twice,while his teammate World Champion Sebastian Vettel of Germany,the current overall points leader,has won there once.A victory by either on Sunday would give team Red Bull an unprecedented four consecutive wins at the Monaco Grand Prix.Qualifying will take place on Saturday.
NBC is carrying the race live at 7:30am Eastern on Sunday.
A severe weather threat caused suspension of second round play in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth Texas.American Matt Kuchar topped the leader board at -10,while Canadian Graham Delaet was second at -9.
In college baseball,North Carolina hammered Clemson 12-7 in ACC Tournament play on the road to Omaha and the College World Series.

Day Leads at The Masters;Mountain Lion Roams LA Suburb

At The Masters,the first of the four major golf tournaments of the year,Australian Jason Day topped the leader board with his second round six under par 68.Day,25,is twenty first on the PGA money list.He has three top ten finishes so far this year and came in second at the 2011 Masters.
Also of note on the venerable Augusta National course in Georgia,53-year old Fred Couples was tied for second place with another Aussie,Marc Leishman,and German Bernhard Langer,55,was in contention as well,leading the field in driving accuracy at 89.3%.Couples and Langer mostly play on the Champions Tour these days,the PGA's tour for older pros.
The top twelve:
Jason Day AUS -6
Marc Leishman AUS -5
Fred Couples USA -5
Jim Furyk USA -4
Brandt Snedeker USA -4
Angel Cabrera ARG -4
David Lynn ENG -3
Lee Westwood ENG -3
Justin Rose ENG -3
KJ Choi KOR -3
Tiger Woods USA -3
Bernhard Langer GER -2
A mountain lion prowled the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale,California Friday for several hours.The 120 pound big wildcat explored several residences,leaping over fences.No one was injured in the city of 191,719,which lies east of LA,adjacent to the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest.
Resident John Yankosky said he observed the mountain lion looking at him and his dog Max through his sliding glass door.
The same neighbourhood was recently visited by a black bear.
The mountain lion was subdued by Fish and Wildlife officers with three tranquilizer darts.It fell asleep on a patio,but they had to remove portions of decking to extract the healthy,tawny male.The neighbours watched as he was taken back to the mountains,where he was released.The lion was uninjured during the incident.
In rare instances,mountain lions have attacked and killed or injured people and pets in California.

Rockets On Playoffs Track;Valero Texas Open

The Houston Rockets continued their drive to the NBA Playoffs by dominating the Portland Trailblazers Friday night 116-98.The Rockets bumped their record up to 43-33 on the strength of James Harden and Jeremy Lin's play.
Harden scored 33 points with 7 rebounds and 6 assists,and has scored at least 20 points 61 times this season,putting him in pursuit of Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon's record of 67 20-point games in a season.Olajuwon was a 12-time NBA All-Star and MVP in 1994.He also played for the Rockets nearly his entire career,retiring from the Toronto Raptors in 2002.The Nigerian-born,7-foot tall Olajuwon is the all-time leader in blocks;8th in total points scored;and 11th in rebounds.
Jeremy Lin contributed 22 points,4 rebounds and 8 assists to the Rockets' important win.For the Trail Blazers,LaMarcus Aldridge led with 32 points,13 rebounds and 3 assists,while Wesley Matthews notched 18 points,3 rebounds and 4 assists.
Portland is out of playoff contention.
Attending the game at the Rose Garden in Portland,Oregon were 20,400 fans.
At the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio,American Billy Horschel topped the leader board after the second round Friday at eight under par.Horschel,26,came in second at last week's Shell Houston Open and has made 9 of 10 cuts this season.He turned pro in 2009.
Former world number one Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland was still in contention Friday at five under par.
The Izod IndyCar Series moves to the Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds,Alabama for the Honda Grand Prix of Alabama on Sunday.The NBC Sports channel will carry the race live at 3pm Eastern.

Knicks Cruise Past Bobcats;March Madness Upsets

The New York Knicks cruised past the Charlotte Bobcats Friday night at Madison Square Garden,111-102.The Knicks brought their record up to 45-26 on the season,having already clinched a spot in the NBA Playoffs,while the Bobcats fell to a dismal 17-55.
Leading the Knicks effort were J.R. Smith with his 37 points,2 rebounds,1 assist and 1 block;and Carmelo Anthony,who scored 32 points,along with 11 rebounds and 2 assists.The Bobcats were supported by Gerald Henderson,who notched 35 points,7 rebounds and 3 assists.
The crowd of 19,033 at the Garden also honored Knicks great Walt Frazier on his birthday before the game.MSG announcer Mike Breen and reporter Jill Martin presented Frazier,beaming in a desert camo suit,with his bobblehead doll likeness.
Upsets at the NCAA Basketball Tournament included the following:
4 Michigan 87,1 Kansas 85
3 Marquette 71,2 Miami 61
4 Syracuse 61,1 Indiana 50
15 Florida Gulf Coast University lost to 3 Florida 62-50 Friday night,ending their improbable advance up the bracket.
In PGA golf at the Shell Houston Open in Humble,Texas,second round standings were as follows:
Steve Wheatcroft(USA) -10
Jason Kokrak(USA) -9
DA Points(USA) -9
Brian Davis(England) -7
Stewart Cink(USA) -7
Bill Haas(USA) -7
Angel Cabrera(Argentina) -6
Cameron Tringale(USA) -6
Henrik Stenson(Sweden) -5
Brendon de Jonge(Zimbabwe) -5

Knicks Outlast Wizards;McIlroy Quits Tournament

The New York Knicks won their third straight game Friday night at Verizon Center in Washington,soldiering  past the Wizards 96-88.At the same time,the Brooklyn Nets lost to the Dallas Mavericks 98-90,giving the Knicks a third game up on them in the Atlantic Division of the NBA's Eastern Conference.
Carmelo Anthony powered the Knicks ahead with his 30 points,6 rebounds and 3 assists.As well,he was the workhorse of the game,turning in 43 minutes of play.For the Wizards,Bradley Beal achieved a career high 29 points,11 rebounds and 2 assists,playing 39 minutes.
A crowd of 20,308 saw the Knicks bring their record up to 35-20,14-12 away,while the Wizards slumped to 18-39,13-17 at home.It was the penultimate game of the teams' four game season series.
Raymond Felton added 23 points,6 rebounds and 4 assists for the Knicks,and John Wall chipped in 16 points,3 rebounds and 6 assists to the Wizards' effort.
A PGA Tour rookie,American Luke Guthrie,23,shot an excellent second round nine under par 63 to lead the field at The Honda Classic at PGA National Champion Course in Palm Beach Garden,Florida on Friday.Fellow American Michael Thompson was second with an eight under par 65,while Boo Weekley and Canada's Graham Delaet shared third at seven under.
World number one Rory McIlroy generated controversy by quitting when his score reached seven over par and he was heading for missing the cut,saying I'm in a bad place mentally.His official excuse was wisdom tooth pain.
It's unfortunate,said his playing partner Ernie Els.I'm a great fan of Rory's,but I don't think that was the right thing to do.He's feeling terrible about it,I know he is.That's the last thing he wants to do is walk off.
It would have been McIlroy's second missed cut of the year,having also failed to make the grade at his season opener in Dubai.

McDowell Leads in Thousand Oaks;Orangemen Overcome Razorbacks

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell established a comfortable lead in the World Challenge Presented By Northwestern Mutual at Sherwood Country Club,Thousand Oaks,California.McDowell shot a cushy second round  9 under par 66,praising the golf course's undulating backdrop.It's a fun course,he said,noting that his win there in 2009 was a prelude to his successful 2010 season.
The course is set in the scrubby beauty of the Santa Monica Mountains.After the tournament,McDowell plans to take ten weeks off to spend time with his family and work on his game for 2013.The PGA 2013 season begins with the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii from January 4-7.
In college basketball,Syracuse handled Arkansas 91-82 at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.James Southerland came off the Syracuse bench for a career night,scoring 35 points with 6 rebounds.Arkansas' B.J. Young posted 25 points with 5 rebounds,while teammate Marshawn Powell added 19 points and 7 rebounds.
The Orangemen's victory puts the Big East over the SEC 5-2 in the conference Challenge.#6 Syracuse is 5-0,while Arkansas is 3-3.
A zonal flow jet stream pattern is keeping most of the cold and snow locked up in Canada,ensuring a generally mild to moderate week ahead for most of the US.

Tiger Woods Electrifies British Crowd

He may not be dominant again,but Tiger Woods has definitively rediscovered his old competitive fire,taking the British Open crowd along with him.On his final hole of the second round,Woods pinpointed a superb birdie from a bunker,igniting the British fans and impressing the gaggle of photographers huddled nearby,eager to snag an image of greatness reborn.He modestly downplayed the shot afterward,saying it wasn't that hard as it was from a slope in the bunker.British bunkers are like lunar craters,however.There's really nothing easy about getting out of them,let alone holing from one.
Woods shot his second consecutive 67 in the tournament,placing him in third position with his six under par behind fellow American Brandt Snedeker at -10 and Australian Adam Scott at -9.The venerable Tom Watson, 62,another favorite of the British fans,rallied at the end of his round,ensuring himself another weekend at the oldest major tournament in professional golf.The Open Championship,as it is formally known,is being held at the Royal Lytham &St.Annes Golf Club.
Leader Brandt Snedeker,31,who is from Nashville,Tennessee,said I love playing golf over here.I've been putting great all year.I knew if I got on the greens,I'd have a good chance.The soft-spoken Snedeker,a graduate of Vanderbilt University,equaled an Open Championship record low score of 130 for the first two rounds after his six under par 64 on Friday.
ESPN is carrying the tournament,which is being underwritten by luxury watchmaker Rolex.
Update:On Saturday,Adam Scott seized the lead from Brandt Snedeker with three straight birdies,ending the day with a two under par 68,-11 for the tournament.Snedeker was tied for second  at -7 with Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell,his close friend from their college golfing days.Tiger Woods was in fourth,distinguished by his 30 foot putt at the sixth hole,and goes into the final round still in contention,five strokes back of the lead in his quest for the claret jug.
The golf club adjoins the town of Lytham St.Annes,Lancashire.It is the 11th time the Open Championship has been played there in the tournament's 141-year history.

Labor Market Steady,Choppy Trading Persists

The stock market ended slightly higher for the week as neither the foreign nor domestic economies showed any decisive moves.The September employment report was stagnant,with a steady jobless rate of 9.1,and Europe watched expectantly for results of a weekend summit between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.For the week,the Dow rose 1.7%,while the NASDAQ gained 2.7 and the S&P added 2.1.
Next week,earnings season begins with Alcoa reporting its results on Tuesday.On Wednesday,PepsiCo reports,and JP Morgan Chase and Google issue their marks on Thursday.Friday will see the release of retail sales and consumer sentiment numbers.
The market will be open on Monday,Columbus Day.The S&P futures pointed down on Friday evening,losing 2.70,and bond index futures also declined as gold gained 17.40 to close at 1634.50 an ounce.
In the PGA's Fall Series,England's Paul Casey shot an exceptional second round eight under par 64 to take the lead at the Frys.com Open at CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin,California.He was followed by American Bud Cauley and South African veteran Ernie Els at seven under.
Alcoa(AA),PepsiCo(PEP),JP Morgan Chase(JPM),Google(GOOG)