PopSugar

Kiefer Talks Torture and Getting Turned on - 24 Is Back!

Molly — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:45:23 PST

Kiefer Sutherland and the rest of the cast of 24 took the stage at this morning's Fox TCA panel, and while the questions kept coming back to whether or not the show condones torture, they managed to get a few good jokes in. After this week's four-hour season premiere and last month's TV movie 24: Redemption, are you on board with the new season? The show's producers and cast seem hopeful that a little break has made the show and Jack Bauer reinvigorated and ready to excite us. Here were some highlights from Kiefer at the press presentation:

On Jack this season: "We felt that Jack had great contempt for the Senate investigation because many of the things he was asked to do over the previous six seasons were ordered by the government (president). He is certainly questioning many of the things he has been asked to do, either ordered or on his own. He is wrestling with his own history and whether or not he is the kind of person who should have been asked to do these sorts of things. This inner struggle is something he carries for all 24 episodes."
On torture: "The use of torture was a dramatic device used to show urgency, not meant to validate this kind of behavior for the real world . . . In reality less than 10 percent of information they get from situations like this are helpful, but it is a television show and we are driving a plot forward and we use it for dramatic effect. But it does raise question of right and wrong . . . From my perspective it has always been literally a dramatic device to show you the urgency of a situation. There was just no alternative. One of the most moving scenes for me was killing my boss - we’re not condoning that, it was just part of the show. It’s as simple as that."
On keeping in shape: “Try to work out as much as you can in the off-season because it's tricky to maintain in the on-season. You do what you can with the time you’ve got like everyone. I run, and lucky for me during the day when I have to go to work, I run a lot there too. On an emotional level, fear and panic is my workout through the entire season . . .This has been an unbelievable gift . . . There is no specific regimen I have because our schedule changes so much."
On his 24 romance with the new FBI agent, played by Annie Wersching: "Given the situation I guess romances do develop over 24 hours. I think born of the respect [they have for each other] there is a tension that develops. Watching Annie do her first fight sequence I went, 'You know, that kinda turned me on too,' so it wasn't hard."

To see what else Kiefer had to say about getting recognized and shooting in Africa, just

On the show as a phenomenon: "My name is not Kiefer anymore, it's Jack, and people talk to me like that . . . this character had these unbelievable characteristics but is really human. Nothing in 24 is black and white, it lives in a gray area and people were receptive at that time to accept something like that. It’s something that I am continually trying to figure out."
On the show being realistic: "In regards to the not sleeping, we’ve shot 24 for 17-18 hours and can imagine staying up for 24, but in season one he does fall asleep. There are aspects and times when we can play with that, but I haven’t been that focused on it the past few years. One time I walked into a restroom, but they cut it out. It’s not for lack of trying."
On shooting in Africa: "I went down to South Africa with a lot of prejudgments, I was very strongly against apartheid, I was aware that even with new government an unbelievable portion of the population is living in poverty and that population is [mostly] black . . . But when I started working with these nine children I was startled by how aware they are and how much joy they have. They took us into the townships with no running water or paved roads, and it made me take a serious look at myself and some of the things I might complain about . . . How unbelievably warm and affectionate these children were was really inspiring."

View 5 Photos ›

Source

The Apparition Trailer: Ashley Greene Runs From a Homemade Ghost

Maggie Pehanick — Thu, 24 May 2012 08:25:24 PDT

Remember that old inspirational saying, "If you can believe it, you can achieve it"? It looks like that's the case for Ashley Greene, Sebastian Stan, and Tom Felton in The Apparition. The trailer shows a team of young researchers attempting to create an apparition with their minds. When the experiment is a success, they realize that maybe it wasn't the best idea to go around making ghosts appear, especially when said ghost starts killing people.

This trailer is totally creepy and also pretty reminiscent of a couple of horror classics. The hubris of the young scientists trying to create something unnatural without regard for whether it may turn out to be totally evil is so Flatliners, while the "You believe it, you die" concept reminds me a lot of The Ring, though you had to at least watch a video tape in The Ring. These kids might be worse off, given that they have to control their own thoughts in order to survive. The flick comes out Aug. 24, but you can watch the preview when you

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The Latest Sony Alpha Cameras Boost Photos to Pro Levels

Kelly Schwarze — Thu, 17 May 2012 07:11:00 PDT

We may talk a lot about iPhoneography in these parts, but there's no substitute for an "old-fashioned" camera in all its double-digit megapixels, HD video, and interchangeable lens glory. The latest in Sony's camera offerings comes from the brand's Alpha line: the NEX-F3, suited for a more casual photographer, and the SLT-A37, a DSLR kit for those who want to get a little more serious with their hobby.

Available in June, the NEX-F3 ($600 with an 18-55mm zoom lens kit) packs 16.1 MP, 60i/24p HD video capture, and a full-size mirrorless APS-C image sensor into its pocket-sized frame, giving photos SLR-quality results without the intimidation of a bulky SLR body. Beyond its technical prowess, the NEX-F3 has sweet features that any level of camera enthusiast will love: the 180° tilt LCD screen shows a mirror image when flipped vertically, a must for framing self-portraits, and the new Auto Portrait Framing feature crops an image of a subject within perfect rule-of-thirds parameters.

For the photographer who needs extra power, the 16.1 MP SLT-A37 ($600 with an 18-55mm zoom lens kit; available in June) captures 7 frames per second with a 15-point auto focus system intended to keep fast-moving subjects crystal clear. The camera has an ISO range up to 16000, helping you the make most of a low-light scenario. What we may love most about the A37 is the little extras: it includes Auto Portrait Framing as well as an electronic viewfinder, ensuring that every bit of what you see in a frame is captured in the image.

Tour close-ups of the camera in our gallery, and share your favorite interchangeable-lens camera in the comments!

See Bradley Cooper in Dreadlocks in the Hit and Run Trailer

Maggie Pehanick — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:31:31 PDT

The upcoming flick Hit & Run not only stars real-life couple Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell, but apparently it was inspired by their relationship. Let's hope they're talking about their dynamic chemistry and not the fact that Shepard plays a bank robber in the movie. The trailer for the comedy starts with the happy couple enjoying their morning together, then quickly gets serious(ish) when a dread-locked thug played by Bradley Cooper shows up at the door with some gangsters and a golf club. Turns out Charlie (Shepard) hasn't been completely candid with his sweetheart about his past as a thief, or the fact that he's in the Witness Protection Program.

I'm fairly intrigued by this trailer, mostly because Shepard and Bell are so cute in real life and it seems to translate well to the big screen. It's also refreshing to see Cooper doing comedy without being his typical Hangover-style douchey characters. The movie comes out on August 24, but check out the trailer when you

Photo courtesy of Open Road Films

Swimmer Dara Torres on the Quest For Her Sixth Olympic Games

espnW — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:12:32 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar!

By Luke Cyphers

Dara Torres once wrote a book called Age Is Just a Number. Nowadays, though, the feel-good story of the 2008 Olympics admits to, well, feeling her age. Torres won two silver medals as a 41-year-old mother and swimmer in Beijing, but she harbors no illusions about repeating the feat four years later. "You have to be realistic," Torres said. "I am 45 years old. I'm that much closer to being 50, and my body just can't recover the way it used to."

Her goal was gold in 2008. In 2012? "I don't feel like I have anything else to prove going into these Olympic Games," said the 12-time medalist. "It's not about medals. I have enough."

So why does she put herself through grueling training five days a week in the hopes of making her sixth - and she swears last - U.S. Olympic team? Because, at her best, she's still one of the fastest sprinters in the world. She placed second in the 50-meter freestyle (25.24 seconds) at the winter nationals. Last month, she swam a solid 25.36 seconds in the prelims of the Indianapolis Grand Prix, but faded to 25.47 in the final to finish sixth. She'll need to place within the top two at the Olympic trials in Omaha in June to make it to London.

Kim Rhode is not your typical Olympian

Dara Torres says it is harder for her body to recover compared to when she competed in the 2008 Olympics. "If I had to just swim the race once, I don't think it would even be an issue making the team," she said. "But I have to swim it three times, and having my body recover for those three races is my issue."

Torres embraces the actuarial challenge of capping an Olympic career 28 years after it began in 1984, even as her world has changed and her body has creaked. Her longtime coach, Michael Lohberg, died of a rare blood disorder in 2011. One of Lohberg's assistants, Bruno Darzi, now coaches her. Her daughter Tessa is now 6. And her left knee required surgery and more than a year to rehab. Through it all, "I still have a passion for the sport of swimming," she said.

But there's also a sense of obligation to the public following she has built through her success and frequent television appearances. (The former telecommunications major and frequent morning-show guest announced her comeback on "Live with Regis & Kelly.") "I have so many people come up to me and say I'm inspiring them to do things that they thought they couldn't do because they were too old, or that they put off because they couldn't find a balance in their life to do it," Torres said.

Keep reading for more on Dara Torres' Olympic past and present.

Summer Music Festivals That Offer Fun Ways to Stay Fit

Lizzie Fuhr — Thu, 10 May 2012 04:32:49 PDT

Summer music festival season is in full swing, and we can't wait to get in on all the action. While all these adventures are certainly a fun way to head to a big party, sometimes the whole thing can become a little too much. After all, if you're taking your vacation time to head to one of these events, don't you want to come back at least a little revived and rejuvenated?

The Wanderlust Festival set the precedent, but lots of other festivals have taken notice of the close-knit relationship that can exist between music and fitness. You're going to be burning some serious calories by shaking your thing as your favorite musicians perform, but if you want to get more fitness into your festival experience, here are some of our favorite festivals that offer options to complement the whole experience.

Hangout Music Festival

When: May 18 - May 20, 2012
Where: Gulf Shores, AL
What They Offer: This year The Hangout is offering a series of mellow morning yoga classes taught by Kelly Morris. Live music from double bassist Garth Stevenson will accompany the Rock Your Body yoga experience that welcomes yogis and yoginis of all levels. Did I mention this whole thing is situated on a beautiful beach?

DelFest

When: May 24 - May 27, 2012
Where: Cumberland, MD
What They Offer: DelFest is a festival that understands the connection between mind, body, and spirit. They hold activities coined movement playshops open to all festival attendees. Yoga and hula-hooping are the stars of the fitness show at DelFest.

Lightning in a Bottle

When: May 24 - May 28, 2012
Where: Silverado, CA
What They Offer: Lightning in a Bottle created a special environment called the Lucent Temple of Consciousness dedicated to workshops, speakers, and lots of yoga classes. We also love that at LIB you can take a workshop and learn how to grow your own spirulina!

Keep reading for three more festivals that offer fun ways to stay fit.

The Secret Service Escort Speaks Out

Annie Scudder — Mon, 07 May 2012 09:55:49 PDT

In a candid interview, the woman at the center of the Secret Service Colombian prostitution scandal spoke out this morning on the Today show. Dania Londono Suarez is 24 and a mother, and in her version of the events she calls the agents stupid brutes who put extreme partying ahead of President Obama's security. In this clip, she talks about how the agents loved to show off their ripped bodies, often lifting their shirts to display their abs. "They were full of themselves," she explained. Dania also claims that she made it clear that a night with her would cost $800, but that an agent only gave her $50. Get her full story in the video now.

7 Money Mistakes Women Often Make

LearnVest — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:15:55 PDT

We all make mistakes - we're all human after all. LearnVest shares some of the common money mistakes that women often make so readers will learn not to make them, too.

Some of us handle our money flawlessly, perfectly, brilliantly, all of the time.

But most of us don't.

Most of us make mistakes here and there. We make some mistakes more than others, because of our personalities, or our upbringing . . . or sometimes even our gender.

It's ridiculous, but true.

We've heard it firsthand - from our readers. In fact, we went through hundreds of reader submissions and found examples of the most common stories that cross our desks every day.

Let's be clear: Not all women make these mistakes. Not all men avoid them. But in our experience, these are a few female financial problem areas that can lead to major debt and lots of stress.

RELATED: Are You a Social Shopper?

Ever bailed out an ex? Indulged in a little more retail therapy than you meant to? Or woken up one day and realized you didn't know as much as you thought you did about managing your money? You just might recognize yourself.

Of course, if you don't, good for you. We're just saying, bad money snafus happen to good people. But read on: We'll show you the top seven mistakes women make - and what to do instead.

Feeling Guilty

"When we were together, I let my ex stay with me rent-free until he found an apartment, lent him my furniture and paid for every date because I had a job and he didn't. When I lost my job, he paid for my rent for a few months and bills, etc. Now that we're broken up, he wants me to pay him back for the rent he insisted on covering. I am still on unemployment and barely getting by. I feel so guilty because we didn't end up as the forever couple and while I can't (nor would I . . . ) calculate all of my assistance getting him settled in NYC, he can quite easily."

A 2011 study from Eversave.com found that 67% of women have felt guilt about a purchase. But that's not the only opportunity for guilt: There's also staying in a job you feel guilty about abandoning, giving someone money because you feel guilty about their situation and, oh, doing the opposite of what you want when it comes to working after having children because you feel guilty about being a good mom (more on that here).

This guilt effect might not be limited to finances, either. Some studies suggest that women are more inclined than men to feel any kind of guilt. And we'd argue, more likely to bail out their exes, too.

Read on for more.

Earning $50,000 Will Make You Happy

LearnVest — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:15:28 PDT

The magic number for happiness is apparently $50,000. LearnVest tells us more about it.

Good news! Apparently, happiness is on sale for the new, low price of $50,000.

Nope, we’re not talking about private trips to outer space, or even tuition for an Ivy League college. Apparently, all you need to be happy is $50,000 in yearly income.

That’s the finding of a recent poll by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, which saw big differences in almost all facets of happiness between those who earn less than $50,000 and those who earn more.

Call it the happiness tipping point, if you will.

Respondents to the poll who made more than $50,000 were more satisfied with their lives concerning factors ranging from friends, to health, to how they spent their time. Unlike getting a raise from $35,000 to $40,000, or even $60,000 to $65,000, “$50,000 is the mark where you start to see significant differences,” researcher Susan McCulloch told LearnVest.

Happiness: Now 33% Off!

Depending on your own situation, $50,000 might sound like a lot. But this is actually a steep discount from what studies previously cited as the golden number: $75,000. A 2010 study from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School found that, up to $75,000, each boost in income increased participants’ happiness. But after that, bringing home more income ceased to matter in their overall life satisfaction.

Read on for more.

Do You Watch TV Shows on a Tablet or Laptop?

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:01:45 PDT

Are laptops going out of fashion? When it comes to entertainment, the answer might be yes. According to a new study, as a second screen option, more people use tablets to watch TV shows than computers, with 15 percent of full-length TV show watching happening on a tablet vs. a laptop.

Despite the smaller screen size of tablets, users spend 2.4 hours a day on average on entertainment. This is, in part, thanks to the rise of cable and satellite TV apps, and those like Netflix and AirPlay. Not to mention, they're a lot easier to handle while chilling on the couch. While an HDTV may be the best way to watch TV shows, tell us - as a "second screen" option, do you spend more time watching shows on your tablet or your laptop?