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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Michelle Yeoh Criticized Over Her Political Views in Malaysia - Yahoo! Movies

Michelle Yeoh Criticized Over Her Political Views in Malaysia - Yahoo! Movies:
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Michelle Yeoh Criticized Over Her Political Views in Malaysia

By Clarence Tsui | The Hollywood Reporter – 9 hours ago
HONG KONG – From saving James Bond from harm in Tomorrow Never Dies to standing firm against political tyranny in Luc Bresson's Aung San Suu Kyi biopic The Lady, Michelle Yeohis known for playing strong-willed characters on screen. And now the Malaysian-born actress has proven to be just as tenacious in real life, via her dogged support for her country’s beleaguered conservative prime minister.
Yeoh has come under social media attack since she appeared at an election rally in support of Najib Razak’s ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional, in the southern state of Selangor on Apr. 20. At the event, the actress said Najib, who is running his first electoral campaign after ascending to his post in 2009, is a leader “who has done so many good things and will do more… I hope from the bottom of my heart that he will remain as the Prime Minister and I ask all of you to give him a strong mandate.”
Since then, critics of the Barisan-led government have rallied against Yeoh, with postings on aFacebook page supporting the opposition party, the Pakatan Rakyat, questioning the actress’ knowledge of everyday life in her home country and urging her to “not become a traitor.”
Having ruled Malaysia uninterrupted since the country’s independence in 1957, Barisan Nasional (which was known as the Parti Perikatan before 1973) has seen its grip on power gradually loosened in recent years amidst corruption allegations and political scandals, with its once overwhelming control in the federal legislature whittled down to a narrow majority as support surges for the Pakatan Rakyat, led by former Barisan Nacional deputy leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Yeoh has since remained steadfast in her support for Najib. In an interview with Channel News Asia, the actress said: “This is a democratic country and we are free to voice our opinion… I believe all of us want to do good for our country.” Speaking to the Chinese press at a cosmetics launch in Hong Kong on Monday, Yeoh said she “is a straight-talking person, and I will speak out if I have something to say.” The Hollywood Reporter’s requests to her agent for clarification on the matter were not answered at time of writing.
While some might see a paradox in the actress’ support for Burmese pro-democracy activist (and possible president-in-waiting) Aung San Suu Kyi and Barisan Nacional -- a coalition criticized for its track record of suppressing dissent, including a stringent censorship regime against films touching on sensitive subjects like the communist insurgency in the 1950s and 1960s -- Yeoh’s support for the ruling coalition is hardly a surprise.
Her father, Yeoh Kian Tiek, is a veteran member of the Malaysian Chinese Association, one of the founding members of the umbrella political front. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in March, the actress said her father's political engagement rubbed off on her, and has likely played a part in her enthusiasm for championing social causes such as Suu Kyi’s fight in Burma or the introduction of traffic safety education around the world.
Yeoh's father himself has spoken out in support of her daughter’s political views, saying how the public should respect the actress’ right to support any political party.
Yeoh is not the only Malaysian celebrity receiving a massive critical backlash at home for support of Barisan Nacional. Singer Eric Moo was also censured for appearing at a concert linked to the ruling coalition, and bloggers have called for a boycott of his albums as protest.
Analysts are predicting the upcoming election, which is to be held on May 5, will be one of the tightest-fought in Malaysian history. The political uncertainty has led to more than just star-bashing in the country, however: the Kuala Lumpur Communications and Creative Mart, which was supposed to be held from March 26 to 29, was postponed to make way for the elections. The organizers have yet to announced when the event will take place, if at all.
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The 10 Proven Ways to Improve Your Relationship | Author Blog Posts - Yahoo! Shine

The 10 Proven Ways to Improve Your Relationship | Author Blog Posts - Yahoo! Shine:
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The 10 Proven Ways to Improve Your Relationship


By  | Author Blog Posts – 8 hours ago
10 Ways To Improve Your Relationship10 Ways To Improve Your Relationship
Do you feel like your relationship isn't quite what it used to be? To help you revive your relationship, we've reviewed a serious body of research to bring you the 10 most powerful, scientifically proven ways to improve virtuallyany relationship. These tips also happen to be the key ingredients that go into making a good relationship work, so even if you think everything's great, you can use this list as a diagnostic tool to make sure you and your partner are on the road to relationship bliss.
Solidify your friendship
How satisfied you feel in your relationship has to do with how connected you feel to your partner. Research suggests that our ability to connect with others (our attachment style) is influenced by our childhood experiences. According to Prior and Glasser (2006), 65% of children can be classified as having a secure attachment style, with the remaining 35% having an insecure attachment style.

As an adult, an insecure attachment style is associated with a slew of relationship troubles, includingjealousy, obsession, and emotional highs and lows. The good news is that, regardless of your present pattern, you can become more securely attached, or connected, to your partner by developing a deeper friendship. To do that, incrementally spend more time with her doing something you both enjoy. Also, regularly ask for updates on your partner's likes, dislikes, current stressors, and new interests, as people change over time.
Appreciate each other
Remember when you first started dating, how you used to go that extra mile to impress her? Well, one of the secrets to a long, fulfilling relationship is to continue to actively appreciate your partner. You don't necessarily have to pull out all the stops the way you did back in the day, but regular efforts to show your partner that you appreciate her will do wonders for improving your relationship.

If you're not sure where to start, a good place is by doling out daily compliments. Tell her she looks hot or thank her for organizational abilities when she reminds you to call your mother. The only rule is to make sure that you genuinely mean what you say.
Concentrate on the present to ensure your future
Interestingly, the ability of your relationship to weather tough times has a lot to do with your mutual availability in the here and now. Unfortunately, over time, for a variety of reasons, many couples move further apart from each other, meaning that when a rough patch hits, their relationship doesn't survive. To build a rock-solid relationship, start by acknowledging rather than ignoring the ordinary moments in your relationship. If your partner wants to share something she's reading on the net, for example, take a minute to listen, even if you simply grunt in response. It may sound strange, but if you accumulate enough of the little things, when you really need your partner, you'll find she's there for you.
Don't distort
Researchers have known for a long time that unhappy couples focus on the negatives in their relationships. An early study by Robinson and Price (1980) found that unhappy couples underestimated the occurrence of pleasurable events in their relationships by 50%. Also, Fincham, Beach and Baucom (1987) found that individuals in distressed relationships were prone to attributing negative intentions to their partner's behavior.

If you find yourself stuck in this rut of distorted thinking, the next time you have a negative thought about something your partner has done try to come up with a more neutral explanation for her actions. Another strategy is to consider whether you would judge yourself so harshly if the situation were reversed. Finally, remind yourself often of the good times you've spent together recently.
Share power
When a man is not willing to share power with his relationship partner, John Gottman's research indicates there is an 81% chance that his relationship will self-destruct. While hoarding power may have got you ahead in your career, this strategy will backfire in your relationship because your girlfriend will end up feeling like her opinions aren't valuable and she doesn't matter to you. To help save your relationship, develop a more accepting attitude toward compromise. Practice by giving in on issues you don't feel extremely invested in.
Find common goals
A study conducted in collaboration with a dating site in the UK found that 13% of couples reported no longer having the same goals. This situation represents a ticking time bomb, as research has shown that couples who share dreams and goals have longer-lasting, more satisfying relationships. If you feel like you've been out of sync lately with your partner on this front, discuss your philosophy of life together. The aim is for both of you to share what you want your life to be about, where you want to end up and what these things mean to you. Look for anything that's common between the two of you and talk about ways to work toward that aspiration together.
Understand anger
While outbursts of anger are common even in healthy relationships, when anger becomes an entrenched part of your couple life, you should be concerned. Sue Johnson, master therapist and pioneer of emotion-focused therapy, an empirically validated treatment for distressed relationships, refers to anger as a secondary emotion. Her theory holds that other (primary) emotions, such as sadness or a fear of being abandoned, can be found behind an angry front.

Think back to the last argument you had with your partner and use this new knowledge to look for hidden messages in what you and your partner were each trying to communicate. Attempting to disregard the angry tone you both used and trying to tune in to what you were each really trying to say will help you to see that you both have needs in your relationship that make sense. For instance, "You're a workaholic!" might really mean "I miss you and want to spend more time with you."
Break negative cycles
Troubled relationships tend to follow a demand-withdraw pattern. That means that one person tends to be more critical and demanding, while the other tends to withdraw or shut down in response to conflict. Douglas Tilley, a proponent of emotion-focused therapy, notes that 85% of the time men tend to be the withdrawer. The reason may be biological -- men's cardiovascular systems are more responsive to stress, so tuning out your mate is an attempt to avoid uncomfortable sensations. To break the negative pattern of conflict in your relationship, next time things get heated, let your partner know what's going on with you by saying: "I can see this issue is important to you. I'm feeling too angry to discuss it right now, though, so let's come back to it once we've cooled off."
Focus on what's fixable
As long as an argument doesn't leave you feeling like you've been through an emotional roller coaster, consider it fixable. One major area that causes tension in relationships is finances, with a longitudinal study by economist Jay Zagorsky finding that 33% of couples have seriously divergent views on income, wealth and debts. In particular, the initial stages of living together may be especially fraught with monetary concerns. So that this problem doesn't spiral out of control, sit down with your other half and craft a detailed action plan, consulting any resources that might help to get your finances on track. You should both be able to live with the new arrangement or it won't work. Use this method to address any other problems in your life that you deem fixable.
Accept the unsolvable
Unfortunately, according to relationship scientist John Gottman, 69% of relationship conflicts are persistent problems, meaning they revolve around issues that tend to resurface no matter how long you've been together. If you find a problem seems to call up painful emotions, you're looking at one that's persistent.

To stop this trouble from ruining your relationship, you'll need to address the bigger issues underlying your difficulty. Take turns discussing with your partner what this loaded issue really means to you. When your partner is talking, your job is to listen, be nonjudgmental and to find something in her perspective that makes sense to you. When it's your turn to talk, she should be doing the same thing. By treading more gently into touchy areas, you should at least be able to agree to disagree or make some small concessions for one another.

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Monday, April 29, 2013

Lawyer details Jackson's struggle with drugs - Yahoo! Music

Lawyer details Jackson's struggle with drugs - Yahoo! Music:
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Lawyer details Jackson's struggle with drugs

By ANTHONY McCARTNEY | Associated Press – 5 hours ago
Francis Lim
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Jackson's struggle against drug addiction was put on display Monday during opening statements at his mother's wrongful death case against concert promoter AEG Live.
Competing portraits of Jackson emerged during the first hours of the trial, with Katherine Jackson's attorney acknowledging the pop star's drug problems while also trying to show he was a caring son and father.
AEG's attorney Marvin S. Putnam said, however, that the singer's guarded private life meant the company was unaware that he was using the powerful anesthetic propofol.
"The truth is, Michael Jackson fooled everyone," Putnam said. "He made sure that no one, nobody, knew his deepest darkest secrets."
A jury of six men and six women will determine whether AEG should pay Jackson's mother and three children after his 2009 death from an overdose of propofol. Millions and possibly billions of dollars in damages are at stake in the case that opened with private photos and video clips of Jackson dancing.
"This case is about personal choices," Putnam said about Jackson's decision to be treated by physician Conrad Murray. "Also, it was about his personal responsibility. There's no question that Michael Jackson's death was a terrible tragedy.
"I believe the evidence will show it was not a tragedy of AEG Live's making," Putnam said as he ended his opening statement. Testimony will begin Tuesday.
Katherine Jackson's attorney, Brian Panish, said AEG created a conflict of interest for Murray and forced him to choose between a large payday and Jackson's care. He told the jury AEG was feeling competitive pressures and wanted the Jackson tour to work at all costs.
"They didn't care who got lost in the wash," Panish told the jury.
Panish played a song that Jackson wrote for his three children, and a note the singer had written for his mother that brought tears to her eyes as she sat in court.
Katherine Jackson sued AEG Live in September 2010, claiming it failed to properly investigate Murray before allowing him to serve as Jackson's doctor as he prepared for his "This Is It" shows. She is also suing on behalf of her son's three children — Prince, Paris and Blanket.
AEG denies it hired Murray, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death. AEG's attorneys have said the company could not have foreseen the circumstances that led to the singer's death at age 50.
Panish told jurors that AEG executives ignored warning signs about Jackson's health and were motivated to push the singer and his doctor to improve their own financial fortunes.
"We're not looking for any sympathy," Panish said. "We're looking for truth and justice."
With Jackson's mother, brother Randy and sister Rebbie seated in the front row of the courtroom, jurors were shown numerous slides and several scribbled notes.
A couple of jurors nodded when the lawyer referenced Jackson's achievements, including successful concert tours and a Super Bowl performance.
Katherine Jackson dabbed her eyes after Panish read a note that her son wrote to her, detailing his feelings about her.
"All my success has been based on the fact that I wanted to make my mother proud," the singer's note said, "to win her smile of approval."
The personal touches came after Panish spent the first half of his presentation detailing Jackson's struggles with prescription drug abuse throughout the last half of his life.
He also showed jurors numerous emails sent between AEG executives concerning Jackson's health and their concerns that he wouldn't be able to perform 50 planned concerts in London.
Putnam recounted the chaotic days following Jackson's death as investigators and the public tried to figure out how the singer died unexpectedly. He urged jurors to remember that propofol killed Jackson.
"One thing became very, very clear," Putnam said. "While the world may not have heard of propofol, Mr. Jackson certainly had. The evidence is going to show you that he had been using that drug for years and years."
Putnam told jurors that AEG executives were in the dark about Jackson's propofol use.
"How could they have known?" the lawyer asked.
He said jurors will hear from Jackson's ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, who would tell them that Jackson used the anesthetic in the 1990s.
"Mr. Jackson got very, very, good at hiding his addiction," Putnam said. "He didn't let anyone see it. Not his staff, not his children. This was the private Michael Jackson."
He said physician-patient confidentiality kept Jackson's reliance on propofol from becoming publicly known.
That extended to Murray as well. "He couldn't tell anyone about the propofol use," Putnam said of the former cardiologist.
Panish, however, said AEG saw the Jackson shows as a way to make a lot of money and better compete with Live Nation Entertainment Inc.
He displayed a March 2009 email sent before a news conference featuring Jackson, in which AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips wrote to Tim Leiweke, the former CEO of AEG'S parent company, that Jackson was drunk and refusing to address fans.
"This is the scariest thing I have ever seen," Phillips wrote Leiweke. "He is an emotionally paralyzed mess riddled with self-loathing and doubt now that it's show time. He's scared to death."
Panish said Jackson's behavior was just one of several warning signs the company ignored before the death.
He told the panel that they would be the ones to assign liability for Jackson's death, but they should look at AEG's actions and not focus on Jackson's issues.
"Michael paid the ultimate price. He died," Panish said. "Michael has taken responsibility."
___
AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch contributed to this report. Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP .
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