George Lucas Helps Open New Star Wars 3-D Attraction at Disney World

The new 3-D attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios sends guests on a virtual journey through the world of Star Wars. With 50 possible adventures, guests never know if they will end up on the icy planet of Hosh, in the jungles of Kashyyyk or underwater on Naboo or who they will meet. This is one ride you can’t go on just once!

The opening of “Star Tours-The Adventure Continues” kicked off the Star Wars Weekends that take place every Friday-Sunday through June 12, 2011 and consists of special attractions dedicated to Star Wars.

Disneyland will open its version of “Star Tours-The Adventure Continues” on June 3, 2011.

"Star Tours immerses guests into the Star Wars universe like never before," Iger said. "The innovative technology and storytelling take guests on thrilling new adventures, bringing George Lucas' iconic characters and locations to life in a completely new way."

With a powerful score and motion simulator based technology, Walt Disney Imagineering, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Industrial Light & Magic have been working since 2010 to bring this Dolby 3-D masterpiece to Star Wars fans and Disney lovers alike. Guests will once again be able to experience the popular ride that has been a part of Disney since the 1980’s, yet see it like never before.



Royals Reviever Gets Hit Hard, I Mean Hard

Kansas City Royals reliever Vin Mazzaro gave up 14 runs and got just seven outs against the Cleveland Indians, who beat Kansas city 19-1 Monday night. He was sent down to the minors after the game.

No pitcher has allowed 14 runs in fewer innings than Mazzaro, according to STATS LLC, whose database goes back to 1919.

The 25-year-old Mazzaro erased the Royals’ record of 11 runs allowed in a game, which had been done three times.

Justin Verlander Pitches Second No-Hitter

Another no-hitter in the majors.

Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander held the Toronto Blue Jays hitless in a 9-0 victory Saturday, four days after the Minnesota Twins' Francisco Liriano no-hit the Chicago White Sox.

It was the second no-hitter of Verlander's career. He also shut down the Milwaukee Brewers in 2007, a season after he was named AL Rookie of the Year.

Verlander had a perfect game going for 7 1/3 innings until J.P. Arencibia walked on a close pitch at the end of a 12-pitch at-bat. The following hitter, Edwin Encarnacion, bounced into a double-play, meaning Verlander still faced the minimum 24 batters through eight innings, and 27 for the game.

Rajai Davis struck out swinging, Verlander's fourth of the game, to complete the no-no. Verlander calmly celebrated -- after all, he's done this before -- just as he was getting swarmed by his teammates.

Earlier Saturday, the Milwaukee Brewers' Yovani Gallardo took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals before yielding a leadoff single to Daniel Descalso.

On Friday night, St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Jaime Garcia threw 7 1/3 perfect innings against the Brewers before settling for a two-hit shutout.

Also Friday, the Atlanta Braves' Derek Lowe pitched six no-hit innings against he Philadelphia Phillies before giving up two hits in the seventh and leaving with a blister in his right foot.

Six no-hitters, including two perfect games, were thrown last year.

Look for another no-hitter in the coming day, as thing like this seem to happen in "threes".

The NFL Lockout is On, it's Off, and Back On Again

A federal appeals court on Friday granted a temporary stay of an April 25 lower court order that had ruled that National Football League owners could not lock out their players.

The 2-1 ruling by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis allows NFL owners to again suspend football operations, as they seek to revise the current system and negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the league's players.

"We are back to a lockout," said 8th Circuit court clerk Michael Gans, who confirmed the court's ruling.  The lockout is back on, but to what degree?

Friday's announcement, which became public during the second round of the NFL Draft -- the last element covered under the previous agreement between the two sides.

Appeals court judges Duane Benton and Steven Colloton voted for the temporary stay, writing that they wanted to "give the court sufficient opportunity to consider the merits of the motion for a stay pending appeal."

The lone dissenting judge, Kermit Bye, said that the temporary stay shouldn't be granted -- arguing unsuccessfully that such an order should apply only to an "emergency situation."

If games don't start on time late this summer, it would be the first NFL work stoppage since 1987.

No word on how long this lockout may stick.

Serious Allegations Lobbed at Roger McDowell for Gay Slurs

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a piece running right now that could be very damaging to current Brave's pitching coach Roger McDowell.

McDowell is accused at hurling gay slurs at fans in San Francisco, the one city where you don't want to do that. Now famed lawyer Gloria Allred is involved and that means things will get worse.

Here are exerpts from the article on what McDowell is accused of:

McDowell is accused of yelling "Are you a homo couple or a threesome?" to fans sitting in the left-field bleachers. He's also accused of simulating a sex act with a bat

Giants fan Justin Quinn, attending the game with his wife and 9-year-old twin daughters, said he asked McDowell to watch his language in the presence of children.

According to Allred, the former New York Mets pitcher told Quinn, "Kids don't [expletive] belong at the baseball park."

McDowell, 50, then "picked up his bat and started walking in a threatening manner towards Quinn," Allred said.

He then kept at it with Quinn.

McDowell asked him, "How much are your teeth worth?" The Fresno, Calif., resident said he managed to diffuse further hostilities but was encouraged by other fans who had witnessed the scene to file a report.

Quinn said he reported the incident to the Giants and San Francisco police.

In my opinion, this is very serious and damaging to McDowell going forward. The Braves run as clean an organization as anyone. They won't stand for this. Expect a suspension and a fine forthcoming. In light of what Kobe Bryant did a few weeks ago, this is going to be ongoing news.

McDowell was hired by the Braves in 2005 to replace longtime pitching coach Leo Mazzone. He has issued an apology and the Braves have issued a statement.