Mike Anderson Offered $2.2 Million

Kansas City Star reports that Mike Anderson, Missouri coach, has bbeen offered $2.2 million to coach the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Although that is said the news site also says that Steve Owens, the interim University of Missouri system president is not revealing anything:

“I think it is safe to say that we are all big fans of Mike Anderson,” Owens said on a conference call Tuesday morning from the MU Board of Curators meeting in Rolla, Mo. “We appreciate very much what he does on the court and particularly off the court. But any hypothetical contract negotiations, we don’t confirm either their existence or their status.”


There are also talks that this could be a contract extension. So it is unclear what exactly is going on - so guess it will have to wait until the media is able to contact and get an answer straight from Anderson.

Don't call her "Liz" Taylor: What Zennie glossed over

I'm not going to pretend expertise on Hollywood, because the one film course I took in college was a practical lesson in the dangers of sitting in a dark room shortly after eating dinner. The Taming of the Shrew and Singing in the Rain were great movies, for example, but expecting a college student to stay awake with a full stomach was, I'd say, a tactical blunder on the part of my otherwise talented professor.

That experience reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from the late star:

"I really don't remember much about Cleopatra. There were a lot of other things going on."

~Elizabeth Taylor

Even those of us with merely a casual interest in film, though, can recognize that Elizabeth Taylor had a certain flair for being her own woman: her off-screen impact is undeniable, her candor about movie-making and stardom remains refreshing.

"I sweat real sweat and I shake real shakes."

~Elizabeth Taylor

At a time when divorce remained so rare as to be newsworthy, Elizabeth Taylor, clearly among Hollywood's royalty despite claiming she was forced into an acting career, could dominate the headlines with the start or end of another chapter in her series of marriages.

"I've only slept with men I've been married to. How many women can make that claim?"

~Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor, perhaps best-known for playing Cleopatra opposite Richard Burton, leveraged the fame and glamor by branding jewelry and perfume. Zennie did a nice summary, and you can already find countless obituaries that list her awards and accomplishments; her biography is studded with accomplishments. But here's the thing:

"When people say, 'She's got everything', I've got one answer:

I haven't had tomorrow."

~Elizabeth Taylor

That's the best summary of Taylor's legacy. There are films, and awards, all the expected trappings of a mega-star with a lengthy career - but Elizabeth Taylor wasn't content to be a movie icon, her passion and impact by remaining engaged in life outside the studios eclipsed her acting -- she wasn't content to wait for tomorrow.

Thomas Hayes is a New Media Advisor, Political Consultant, Journalist, Entrepreneur, and former Congressional Campaign Manager; he believes in "follow the money" when following politics, and continues his 12-step recovery from the years spent as a Programmer/Database Administrator by carrying his camera nearly everywhere and writing on topics ranging from economics and politics to culture and community.

You can follow Tom as @kabiu on twitter. Tweet

Elizabeth Taylor Passes at 79; End Of An Era In Hollywood

Actress Elizabeth Taylor, long the symbol of Hollywood glamour, gossip, and elegance, passed away at 79 years old, after being hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles with what was called congestive heart failure. Taylor, a two-time Academy Award-winner, had suffered from complications related to that medical condition, but was expected to live through it. She did not.

End of An Era

Elizabeth Taylor's passing marks the end of an era, when Hollywood stars were treated like royalty. She will be most remembered for her breath-taking beauty, her movies, and her eight marriages, most notably to Eddie Fisher.  The woman who once said that the acting career was "forced on me," went on to become the highest paid actress in Hollywood in 1960, when she signed a $1 million deal to star in Cleopatra.

 It was during that film that Taylor began the legendary romance with Burton, who played Mark Antony - both were already married at the time.

Here's Taylor making her dramatic entrance in the epic film:



A Four-Time Oscar Nominee, Two-Time Winner

Taylor was nominated for a "Best Actress" Oscar five times, winning twice, for her performance as "Gloria Wandrous" in BUtterfield 8 (1960), and for her role as "Martha" in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966).

Elizabeth Taylor was said to have had a "passion" for jewelry, and wore many creations purchased for her by Richard Burton. Then, later, she designed works for The Elizabeth Collection, sold by at Christie's, and launched three perfume lines: "Passion", "White Diamonds", and "Black Pearls," all which earned an estimated $200 million in sales.

Taylor was a long-time friend of the late Michael Jackson, who she met in 1985 during an AIDS-related event. Jackson created and performed this song called Elizabeth I Love You, in her honor:




For more on Elizabeth Taylor, visit her Wikipedia page, and CNN.com.