As summer approaches, 2014 already looks like a great year for ride enthusiasts around the world as a number of new theme parks are planned for Europe and Asia and several major attractions are in the works for North America.

PHOTOS: 32 best new theme park additions of 2014

Consider this a tentative and fluid list of new attractions on tap across the globe. As is often the case, some projects may get delayed while new ones get announced.

Let's take a look at the 32 most anticipated additions planned for 2014 at theme parks close to home, across the United States and around the world.

1) Universal Studios Orlando (Florida) -- Wizarding World expansion

Work is underway on a second Potter project at Universal Studios Orlando in Florida that will include a replica of Diagon Alley with a Leaky Cauldron restaurant and a Gringotts Wizarding Bank indoor roller coaster. A Hogwarts Express train will transport visitors between the existing Hogsmeade Village at Islands of Adventure and the new Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida.

2) Universal Studios Japan (Tokyo) -- Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Construction is underway at Universal Studios Japan on a clone of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, with a late 2014 opening expected. The new $500-million theme land will include Hogsmeade Village, Hogwarts Castle and the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride.

3) Disneyland Paris (France) -- Ratatouille dark ride

With an estimated budget of $150 million, the new Ratatouille attraction at the Disneyland Paris resort is expected to feature trackless-ride vehicles with 3-D projections and special effects.

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32 best new theme park additions of 2014

After weathering a sea of controversy, "Noah" sailed into first place at the box office in its opening weekend.

Paramount's biblical epic starring Russell Crowe as the titular prophet debuted with $44 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

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"Noah" opens at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City

The imaginative take on the tale of Noah's Ark from director Darren Aronofsky ("Black Swan") led some religious groups to claim the story had been inaccurately portrayed and prompted Paramount to add a disclaimer to marketing materials noting that "artistic license has been taken" in telling the story.

The polarizing attention apparently paid off for "Noah," which features such additions to the well-known Bible story as angelic rock creatures and chic wardrobes for Noah and his family. Critics' reviews of the film have been mostly complimentary.

"It certainly feels like the film has really connected with both mainstream moviegoers who are looking for a really sophisticated film and those folks who really want to see a movie that honors their faith," Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore said "It's been a very interesting journey to get to this point, but it's definitely a spectacular launch."

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Film director Darren Aronofsky joins CBS This Morning: Saturday to discuss his controversial new film about one of the best known tales from th...

"I think these biblical-themed movies are like the next frontier in Hollywood," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak. "Hollywood hadn't cracked the code on a biblical movie that would have mainstream appeal. Now, I think they've figured it out. We may see a flood -- pun intended -- coming down the pipeline. We already have 'Heaven is for Real' and 'Exodus' slated for later this year."

Originally posted here:
"Noah" rises to top of the box office

April 1, 2014 - North American Soccer League (NASL) Tampa Bay Rowdies ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Tampa Bay Rowdies and Orlando City Soccer Club enthusiastically announced today the renewal of the I-4 Derby series to take place beginning in April. Orlando City, soon to join MLS, will host the first leg of the series at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on Wednesday, April 30. The Rowdies will host the return leg at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg on July 6.

"Watch out Orlando, the Rowdies are coming," said the club's principal owner Bill Edwards. "Soccer is a sport of tradition. I am pleased we will be able to continue the I-4 Derby, and invite soccer fans to come out to what I know will be two of the most hard-fought games of the 2014 season."

The Rowdies are the 2012 NASL Soccer Bowl Champions, narrowly missing the chance to defend their title in 2013. Now under new ownership, the club's roster has been retooled and upgraded for the 2014 season, including the offseason additions of 2013 NASL Golden Boot winner Brian Shriver and Major League Soccer standout goalkeeper Matt Pickens. The roster also boasts experienced players such as 2013 NASL Golden Ball winner Georgi Hristov and former Norwich and Stoke City midfielder Darel Russell.

The I-4 Derby was inaugurated in 2013 with overwhelming fan support from both clubs. Massive crowds packed stadiums in both central Florida cities, with seas of green and purple making the nearly 100-mile journey to support their home club. The winner of the I-4 Derby will be determined by -aggregate goals, combining the scores from both the first and second matches of this series.

"We want another Florida rivalry," Rowdies coach Ricky Hill said. Fort Lauderdale is four hours away, but Orlando is only an hour away and they're a quality side. (Orlando City coach) Adrian Heath is a close friend from when we were back in England. We owe them a defeat this year."

Orlando City earned its second USL Pro Championship in 2013, defeating the Charlotte Eagles 7-4 in the championship match. The Lions finished the regular season in second place. Orlando City advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup, including victories over the Colorado Rapids and Sporting Kansas City. The Lions will join Major League Soccer in 2015.

Tickets for the April 30 match in Orlando will be available starting this Friday at 10 a.m. by calling (855) ORL-CITY or visiting OrlandoCitySC.com. Tickets for the second leg in St. Petersburg's Al Lang Stadium on July 6 will be available at a later date by calling (877) ROWDIES (877.769.3437).

The Rowdies will kick off the 2014 NASL Season on Saturday, April 12 against FC Edmonton at downtown St. Petersburg Al Lang Stadium. With tickets going fast, fans can save money by purchasing single game tickets today by contacting the Rowdies' front office at (877) ROWDIES (877.769.3437).

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Rowdies to Continue Fierce Rivalry with Orlando City Soccer Club in Second Annual I-4 Derby

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- After weathering a sea of controversy, Noah arrived in first place at the weekend box office.

Paramount's biblical epic starring Russell Crowe in the titular role opened with $44 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The imaginative take on the tale of Noah's Ark from Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky led some religious groups to claim the story had been inaccurately depicted and prompted Paramount to add a disclaimer to marketing materials noting that "artistic license has been taken" in telling the story.

The polarizing attention apparently paid off for Noah, which features such additions to the well-known Bible story as angelic rock creatures and chic wardrobes for Noah and his family.

Noah, which also stars Jennifer Connelly and Emma Watson, also sailed smoothly in 22 international markets, such as Russia and Australia, earning $33.6 million abroad.

Elsewhere at the box office, Lionsgate's teen science-fiction thriller Divergent, starring Shailene Woodley, came in second place and earned $26.5 million in its second weekend, bringing its domestic total to $95.3 million. Muppets Most Wanted, the globe-trotting Muppet sequel from Disney, captured third place with $11.4 million in its second weekend. The latest Muppet caper's total domestic haul is now at $33.2 million.

The top 10: 1. Noah, $44 million; 2. Divergent, $26.5 million; 3. Muppets Most Wanted, $11.4 million; 4. Mr. Peabody and Sherman, $9.5 million; 5. God's Not Dead, $9 million; 6. The Grand Budapest Hotel, $8.9 million; 7. Sabotage, $5.3 million; 8. Need for Speed, $4.3 million; 9. 300: Rise of an Empire, $4.3 million; 10. Non-Stop, $4.1 million.

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'Noah' floods competition with $44M debut

DERRIK J. LANG, AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) - After weathering a sea of controversy, "Noah" arrived in first place at the weekend box office.

Paramount's biblical epic starring Russell Crowe in the titular role opened with $44 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The imaginative take on the tale of Noah's Ark from "Black Swan" director Darren Aronofsky led some religious groups to claim the story had been inaccurately portrayed and prompted Paramount to add a disclaimer to marketing materials noting that "artistic license has been taken" in telling the story.

The polarizing attention apparently paid off for "Noah," which features such additions to the well-known Bible story as angelic rock creatures and chic wardrobes for Noah and his family.

"It certainly feels like the film has really connected with both mainstream moviegoers who are looking for a really sophisticated film and those folks who really want to see a movie that honors their faith," Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore said "It's been a very interesting journey to get to this point, but it's definitely a spectacular launch."

"Noah," which also stars Jennifer Connelly and Emma Watson, is the latest faith-centric film to appeal to audiences this year. Others include the independently released "God's Not Dead," which earned $9 million in its second outing this weekend, and "Son of God," whose domestic total now stands at $57.9 million since opening last month.

"I think these biblical-themed movies are like the next frontier in Hollywood," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak. "Hollywood hadn't cracked the code on a biblical movie that would have mainstream appeal. Now, I think they've figured it out. We may see a flood - pun intended - coming down the pipeline. We already have 'Heaven is for Real' and 'Exodus' slated for later this year."

Elsewhere at the box office, Lionsgate's teen science-fiction thriller "Divergent" starring Shailene Woodley earned $26.5 million in its second weekend, bringing its domestic total to $95.3 million.

"Muppets Most Wanted," the globe-trotting Muppet sequel from Disney featuring Tina Fey and Ricky Gervais, came in third place with $11.4 million in its second weekend. The latest Muppet caper's total domestic haul is now at $33.2 million.

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Weekend Box Office: 'Noah' rises to the top with $44M debut

The Best General Contractors in Bergen County New Jersey -Pangione Developers Inc
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The Best General Contractors in Bergen County New Jersey -Pangione Developers Inc - Video

New York, NY (PRWEB) March 27, 2014

Having previously announced the return of New Yorks largest free grassroots tennis event on June 1, 2014 from 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., United Sports Publications (USP)publisher of New York and Long Island Tennis Magazinetoday has announced several additions to this family-friendly event, including new sponsor partners and the addition of the Unified Tennis Games Tournament as part of the 2014 New York Tennis Expo lineup.

With just over two months to go until the expo, tennis enthusiasts have voiced their support for the event and role the New York Tennis Expo plays in helping to promote and grow the sport of tennis in New York with more than 800 attendees having pre-registered to date. The continued support from the tennis business community has also been encouraging, with more than 50 percent of the sponsorship opportunities sold to date for the 2014 New York Tennis Expo.

Additionally, USP is pleased to announce that the 2014 New York Tennis Expo will also play host to the Unified Tennis Games Tournament in partnership with The Special Olympics of New York during the course of the days events. Conceived in 2003 and developed by teaching professional Steven Kaplan of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, the tournament represents the culmination of a broader instructional, mentorship and practice program pairing area high school varsity and tournament players with intellectually challenged athletes.

We are really pleased with the support thus far from our 2014 sponsor partners and the addition of the Unified Tennis Games Tournament in partnership with The Special Olympics of New York, said David Sickmen, publisher of United Sports Publications. Our goal for the 2014 Expo is to continue to bring tennis enthusiasts together with great companies and organizations who share our commitment and support this great game of ours on the grassroots level.

Following the inaugural Expo event in 2013 that drew in excess of 3,000 attendees, the Second Annual New York Tennis Expo will afford tennis enthusiasts and their families the opportunity to experience an expansive Activity Zone, extensive On-Court Play Opportunities, two floors of the best tennis-related products and services and interactive panel discussions headlined once again by world-renowned Tennis Coach Nick Bollettieri.

By leveraging participation in this event, local, regional and national companies associated with the sport can showcase their products and services in a concentrated one-day, one-stop location. With the 2013 New York Tennis Expo selling out completely, a limited number of exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities are still available for the 2014 New York Tennis Expo.

For more information on exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities, or to inquire about creating your own custom opportunity, contact United Sports Publications via e-mail at info(at)usptennis(dot)com or call (516)409-4444.

For no-cost pre-registration to the 2014 New York Tennis Expo, log on to http://www.2014nytennisexpo.eventbrite.com.

About New York Tennis Magazine and Long Island Tennis Magazine New York Tennis Magazine and Long Island Tennis Magazine are the Ultimate Guides to Tennis in their respective regions. The publications are designed to promote and develop the sport of tennis on every level in the communities. Each issue provides news and insight into our growing sport by reporting on the people, events and trends that shape the sport of tennis in New York and Long Island. The goal at New York Tennis Magazine and Long Island Tennis Magazine is to work with the local tennis clubs, camps and industry partners to best inform the readership on what's happening in the local tennis community.

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Second Annual New York Tennis Expo Gaining Momentum

Posted March 27, 2014

Madison Bumgarner will try to lead the Giants back into NL West contention. (Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)

This week, SI.com is previewing all 30 MLB teams, counting down to the No. 1 team in the league. At No. 8: The San Francisco Giants. You can find previews for teams 30 through 9here.

2013 Record and Finish:76-86, tied for third place in NL West (18th overall) 2014 projected record:92-70, second place in NL West

The Case For The Giants have won two World Series in the last four seasons and are only two seasons removed from their last championship. There has been very little turnover on the team since the 2012 World Series. Offseason additions Mike Morse, their new leftfielder, and Tim Hudson are the only changes to the starting lineup and rotation since then, and five of the six most-used relievers on that 2012 team remain in place in the bullpen. Given that Morse and Hudson should both be upgrades (over Gregor Blanco and Barry Zito) and the holdovers include many key players still in their prime (Buster Posey, Brandon Belt, Pablo Sandoval, Brandon Crawford, and Madison Bumgarner are all 27 or younger, and Matt Cain is 29), its very reasonable to expect this team to rebound from its lousy 2013 performance. Cain, whose early struggles contributed to the teams poor showing last year, posted a 2.36 ERA after the All-Star break. The Giants also hope to benefit from healthy seasons from centerfielder Angel Pagan and starter Ryan Vogelsong.

The Case Against Vogelsong is 36 and has been hit hard this spring. Hudson is 38 and has seen his ERA rise in each of the last three years. Tim Lincecum has posted a 72 ERA+ over the last two seasons and will turn 30 in June. Thats sixty percent of the rotation right there. Second baseman Marco Scutaro is 38 and willstart the season on the disabled list with a bad back. Morse was awful last year, hitting .215/.270/.381 for Seattle and Baltimore, the second straight year that his production fell off significantly. Sandovals power has decreased in each of the last two seasons as he shed nearly 100 points of isolated power (slugging minus batting average) between 2011 and 2013. Hunter Pence, who turns 31 in April, seems likely to regress after a career year in 2013. In short: The 2012 team may have overachieved.

2014 Fantasy baseball team preview: San Francisco Giants

X-Factor: Experience Morse was on the 2012 Nationals, who had the best record in baseball. Tim Hudson has been to six postseasons with the As and Braves. Every member of the Giants projected lineup and rotation and the five relievers remaining from 2012 have been on teams that have won their division. All have experience in the playoffs. Experience doesnt necessarily make a team better, but it can help players remain cool under the pressure of a pennant race and in the postseason, if the Giants are fortunate enough to get back there.

Number To Know: 83 Matt Cains ERA+ last year, by far the worst mark of his career but the second best among San Franciscos five primary starting pitchers in 2013. In the National League, only the rotations of the Rockies and Phillies, who play in far more hitter-friendly ballparks, had higher raw ERAs than the Giants rotation last year. Given that, its hard to believe those starters wont be significantly better this year, even if Hudson shows his age, Vogelsong yields to Yusmeiro Petit, and Lincecum has another season like the last two.

Scouts Takes Most overrated: Brandon Crawford For a middle of the diamond player, a premium position player, he comes up a little bit short on both sides. I think they were expecting more development out of him and hes kind of if he hasnt tailed off, hes leveled off for sure. His feet, for a shortstop on a championship team, his feet are just fair, for me. His range, his speed, his agility, all those things are just average at best. If he were an offensive player, itd be a different story, but he doesnt bring a lot on that side, either.

Excerpt from:
2014 Season Preview: San Francisco Giants

The new movie "Noah," director Darren Aronofsky's $130 million epic retelling of the story of Noah's Ark and the Great Flood, carries this advisory: "While artistic license has been taken, we believe that this film is true to the essence, values and integrity of a story that is a cornerstone of faith for millions of people worldwide."

"Noah" has been banned in some Middle Eastern countries, and attacked by some Christian critics for taking liberties with scripture. Aronofksy told the New Yorker that "Noah" is "the least biblical biblical film ever made," hardly the kind of comment to calm the faithful.

Fair disclaimer, but it's likely not one that will reach all filmgoers who see "Noah" with the expectation that the Aronofsky's version will closely mirror the biblical series of events. For a little scriptural background and film fact-checking, Steven D. Greydanus, a film critic for the National Catholic Register and his own website, Decent Films, and a Bible student at the Archdiocese of Newark viewed the film before its release. The experts' general verdict: there's a lot that closely mimics the epic story, but some liberties are taken. Warning: Spoilers for the film obviously follow.

Is the word God missing from the film as some critics have charged?

No, says Greydanus. "For the most part, God is referred to in the film as 'the Creator' and this is a creative choice that I think does a lot for the film. It helps to defamiliarize the language somewhat, it makes the figure of God a little more mysterious to us." But His name is clearly spoken when Ham, second son of Noah, says to Tubal-cain: "My father says there can be no king. The Creator is God."

So who is this Tubal-cain?

Tubal-cain, introduced in the Book of Genesis, is a descendant of Adam and Eve's son Cain. He doesn't actually cross paths with Noah in the Bible but, as Greydanus explains, "the film needs someone to represent the evil of mankind that is responsible for God's judgment."

Ray Winstone plays Noah's nemesis, Tubal-cain, a descendant of Cain, in "Noah."

And what's with those giant rock creatures on Noah's ship-building crew?

That one is a little tricky. According to Greydanus, the giant Watchers of the film are derived from the Nephilim of the Book of Genesis, thought of as human-angel hybrids by some scholars, and the Watchers of the Book of Enoch in the Torah. "In Aronofsky's version, the angels crash-land on Earth and, because of their disobedience to God, are punished by having their bodies of light merged with the rock," Greydanus says. "So The Watchers of the Book of Enoch become the Nephilim in Aronofsky's telling."

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From Animals to Arks, How 'Noah' the Movie Compares to the Bible

After receiving approval last month for a new two-story house at 219 Indian Road, the Frisbie family now has been given the go-ahead for a two-story residence on their adjacent property.

On Wednesday, the Architectural Commission approved designs for a 11,890-square-foot inlet-facing Bermuda-style house at 225 Indian Road.

Architect Roger Janssen eliminated the need for contentious variances by reducing the size and overall height of the house. Its designed with a one-story garage and entry gate in the front, and a main two-story house in the center with a guest house to the west connected by an open loggia.

The intent was to create a more internal, pedestrian courtyard, he said. Its a very interesting site and I hope weve found an interesting solution.

Chairman Robert Vila liked the project.

I think its a fresh solution in regard to your approach to the courtyard, he said. I think its a good project and I think the landscape does a good job of enhancing it.

Commissioner Ann Vanneck commented on the lack of differentiation between the two properties, but approved the project overall.

A couple of other commissioners also were concerned about the connection between the two houses and what that means for the neighborhood.

We were originally approached that it was a family compound, said Commissioner Henry Homes III. I now get the feeling that has changed. I want to know whos in the LLC [limited liability company] and what [other homes] the neighborhood has to look at here.

Town Attorney John Randolph informed commission members that its not their job to worry about ownership or whether a house is speculative. Youre here to just look at the architecture, he said.

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ARCOM approves second residence for Frisbies