Night Monkey

Night Monkey

The night monkeys, also known as the owl monkeys or douroucoulis, are the members of the genus Aotus of New World monkeys (monotypic in family Aotidae). They are widely distributed in the forests of Central and South America, from Panama south to Paraguay and northern Argentina. The species that live at higher elevations tend to have thicker fur than the monkeys at sea level. The genus name means "earless"; they have ears, of course, but the external ears are tiny and hard to see. Night monkeys have big brown eyes and therefore have increased ability to be active at night. They are called night monkeys because all species are active at night and are in fact the only truly nocturnal monkeys (an exception is the subspecies Aotus azarae azarae, which is cathemeral). Both male and female Night Monkeys weigh almost the same amount. For example, in one of these Night Monkeys, A. azarae, the male weighs 2.76 pounds while the female weighs 2.75 pounds.

Night monkeys make a notably wide variety of vocal sounds, with up to eight categories of distinct calls (gruff grunts, resonant grunts, screams, low trills, moans, gulps, sneeze grunts and hoots), and a frequency range of 190-1,950 Hz. Unusual among the New World monkeys, they are monochromats, that is, they have no colour vision, presumably because it is of no advantage given their nocturnal habits. They have a better spatial resolution at low light levels than other primates which contributes to their ability to capture insects and move at night.

All night monkeys form pair bonds, and live in family groups of the mated pair with their immature offspring. Family groups defend territories by vocal calls and scent marking. Only one infant is born each year. The male is the primary caregiver, and the mother only carries the infant for the first week or so of its life.

Night monkeys constitute one of the few monkey species that are affected by the often deadly human malaria protozoan Plasmodium falciparum, making them useful as non-human primate experimental models in malaria research.



Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_monkey

The Royal Wedding | About Kate Middleton Wedding Dress: Royal Wedding’s Best Kept Secret?

About Kate Middleton Wedding Dress: Royal Wedding’s Best Kept Secret?

The Royal Wedding is less than 24 hours away, and the city of London is bustling with people getting ready for the event of the century. Across the pond, the excitement is also high, as many people are organizing Royal Wedding parties for the middle of the night!

One of the most highly anticipated moments of the festivities is the big reveal of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress. There has been a lot of speculation about who designed the frock, but so far, the information has managed to remain confidential. Kate Middleton’s wedding dress is definitely the Royal Wedding’s best kept secret.

I watched a documentary last night called, “Inside the Royal Wedding,” and there were hints about how wedding organizers have managed to keep the dress, and its designer under wraps. It was said that the designer of the gown likely “went in through the back door” of wherever Kate Middleton had her dress fittings. How this person remained unseen by paparazzi is a mystery.

So, I guess the big questions are, “Who designed Kate Middleton’s wedding dress?” and “What will it look like?”

We’ll have the answers by this time tomorrow!

Source: http://blogs.babble.com/famecrawler/2011/04/28/kate-middleton-wedding-dress-royal-weddings-best-kept-secret/

'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon' | Hot Trailer

'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon' | Hot Trailer

Watch the new Transformers 3 Dark of the Moon trailer otherwise known as Transformers: Dark of the Moon. This new trailer is a full 2 minute long mini-story setting up what looks to be another epic Transformer film. Directed once again by action director Michael Bay, Transformers 3 is set to hit theaters July 1, 2011.

Although in this Transformers: Dark of the Moon trailer we don't see a whole lot of the actual Transformers, we do get to see a cool back story that takes place on the first moon landing. We also don't get to experience what the film looks like in 3D since it will be released in 3D.

Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro and Ramón Rodríguez are set to reprise their starring roles, with Peter Cullen returning as the voice of Optimus Prime, and Hugo Weaving also returning the voice of Megatron.

Transformers 3 is being released by Paramount Pictures and produced by Steven Spielberg. A new main leading lady has been cast in this 3rd installment of Transformers, English model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley who replaces Megan Fox.

Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Who doesn’t love a good pirate story? Everyone fell in love with Pirates of the Caribbean on the first more and it just kept getting better and better as the other movies came out. Johnny Depp and the other actors are completely marvelous. The cast seems to work well together.

Now with the new movie there is a lot of work to be done. The first day of shooting was done in Honopu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii. The location for the first shots was so remote that no land vehicles were able to reach it. The cast and crew instead had to be flown or boated in.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides sets sail on May 20 in 2D, 3D and 3D IMAX. There are millions of people that are looking forward to seeing this movie. The special effects are great on each and every one. Will you be going to see Pirates of the Caribbean in theaters?



Source: http://www.wagerrun.com/4297/pirates-of-the-caribbean-on-stranger-tides/

Andrew Bynum Injured As Lakers Beat Spurs 102-93

Andrew Bynum Injured As Lakers Beat Spurs 102-93

LOS ANGELES — Andrew Bynum awkwardly sprawled onto the court, staying down for an uncomfortably long moment. The 7-foot center then walked cautiously to the locker room with more than one teammate staring at his perpetually problematic knees.

The Los Angeles Lakers ended their five-game losing streak Tuesday night.

They'll find out what it cost on Wednesday.

Kobe Bryant scored 27 points, but Bynum hyperextended his right knee in the two-time defending NBA champions' 102-93 victory over the San Antonio Spurs' role players.

The Lakers' hopes for a third straight title might have taken a significant blow when Bynum fell after stepping on DeJuan Blair's foot during the second quarter. Los Angeles' superb low-post defender will have an MRI on Wednesday while the Lakers wrap up the regular season at Sacramento.

Bynum downplayed the injury while walking comfortably out of Staples Center, and the Lakers are cautiously hoping for news that won't derail their playoff run before it begins. Yet it's tough not to assume the worst with Bynum and his rickety 23-year-old knees.

"There's always concern," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who acknowledged Bynum could be out for at least a few games. "We've seen him go down a couple of times that have been debilitating, so there's a concern. It was kind of a freaky play, but they usually are, and that's what basketball is."

Bryant describes the shot-blocking center as the Lakers' most important defensive player, and his absence from the 2008 NBA finals was one reason Los Angeles lost to Boston before winning the next two championship series with Bynum in the middle. Bynum had surgery last summer to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.

"He allows us to be the dominant team we're capable of being," said Derek Fisher, who scored 13 points. "It's hard to think about not having him for any significant length of time. It was tough to see. He's so important to what we do, so to even think for a second that he might be out, the impact that would have on him after all of his work, it's tough to deal with in the moment."

Lamar Odom scored 23 points as the Lakers struggled to hold off the Spurs, who rested stars Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker with the Western Conference's top seed already wrapped up.

Pau Gasol had 17 points and 17 rebounds for the Lakers (56-25), who will get the No. 2 seed in the West with a win at Sacramento or a loss by Dallas (56-25).

Gary Neal scored 16 points and Matt Bonner had 13 for the Spurs, whose four-game winning streak ended.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich didn't worry about falling into a tie with surging Chicago (61-20) for the NBA's best overall record, yet his junior varsity nearly knocked off the discombobulated Lakers, who couldn't breathe easily until Bryant's 3-pointer put them up 96-88 with 2:55 to play.

"I think it showed the character, the heart that we have, and we're a pretty deep team," said George Hill, who scored 11 points. "We tried to give the best effort we could, and that's all you can hope for. All of us thought we could win. That was our whole motive going into the game."

The Lakers hadn't won since April 1, falling apart after a sparkling 17-1 stretch. They still haven't fixed the defensive execution issues that have plagued them this month – but if Bynum's potential absence doesn't get the champs' attention, maybe it can't be got.

"Hopefully he'll be back soon, and we'll get him back at 100 percent and just keep plugging away," said Odom, who scored 21 points in the second half.

Bryant played with a short fuse and a scowl even before Bynum's injury. He earned his 15th technical foul of the season for arguing in the third quarter, picking up a T in his third straight game and moving right to the brink of an NBA-mandated one-game suspension.

Bryant punctuated the tantrum by punching a chair on the bench. If he gets another technical foul in the season finale, the suspension would be for the first game of next season.

If the Spurs and Bulls finish with the same record, every tiebreaker is even, so a random drawing would determine who got homecourt advantage in the NBA finals – a nonexistent concern to Popovich, a four-time NBA champion.

Popovich plans to get Duncan back in the lineup Wednesday night in the season finale at Phoenix.

"It's a back-to-back, and I'd rather play (Duncan) tomorrow and not have such a long time before the weekend," Popovich said. "(The reserves) got some experience. I'm happy with what they did."

The Spurs' patchwork starting lineup included Neal, Hill and Tiago Splitter. The Lakers took an early 10-point lead but couldn't hold it, giving up a 13-1 run and going into halftime tied at 45.

San Antonio took a lead on Danny Green's jumper with 7:28 to play, but Odom's three-point play put the Lakers right back ahead.

NOTES: The Lakers played without backup point guard Steve Blake, who will miss at least two games after contracting chicken pox, and reserve forward Matt Barnes, who rested his sore right knee. ... Veteran C Theo Ratliff appeared in just his second game for the Lakers since Nov. 9, playing 2 minutes. He missed most of the season after arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. ... Fans near courtside included Dennis Haysbert and director Adam McKay.



Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/13/andrew-bynum-injured-lakers-spurs_n_848482.html

VIDEO: Miley Cyrus & Joan Jett Medley | Miley Cyrus & Joan Jett Medley On Oprah

VIDEO: Miley Cyrus & Joan Jett Medley On Oprah

Miley Cyrus is a lucky girl! Another of her dreams was finally fulfilled when she performed on stage with one of her idols, rocker Joan Jett, during a special appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show on Wednesday (April 13)- watch video below.

Joan joined Miley on stage to perform a medley of some of the rocker’s classic hits, including “Bad Reputation”, “Cherrybomb” and “I Hate Myself For Loving You”. I LOVED IT.

Miley and Joan ROCKED it! The former Disney star just got back on Twitter and is getting ready to kick off her Gypsy Heart Tour in Quito, Ecuador on April 29.

Miley Cyrus & Joan Jett Medley On Oprah Video






Source: http://gossipteen.com/2011/04/13/video-miley-cyrus-joan-jett-medley-on-oprah/

Catherine Zeta-Jones' bipolar disorder | Bipolar Disorder and Catherine Zeta-Jones

Catherine Zeta-Jones' bipolar disorder: How severe?

(CBS) Add Catherine Zeta-Jones to the list of stars with bipolar disorder. The 41-year-old actress recently spent five days in an unnamed mental health facility getting help for bipolar II disorder, People magazine reported.

Zeta-Jones decided to check in to the facility "after dealing with the stress of the past year," her representative said in a statement reported by People. The rep may have been referring to the stage 4 cancer diagnosis Zeta-Jones' husband, actor Michael Douglas, got last year.


Bipolar II disorder is a form of bipolar disorder marked by irritation and a mildly elevated mood - a state known as hypomania. It's generally less debilitating than bipolar I, a condition marked by mood swings and a severe mood elevation known as mania, according to the Mayo Clinic website.

Bipolar I can cause severe impairment - and can lead to suicide. People with bipolar II can generally continue to function, Dr. Thomas Wise, professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Medical School, told CBS News. "It can cause excessive energy and lots of optimism and being really flighty in terms of ideas," he said. "The symptoms can be a little annoying to others, but people can still work."

Wise said stress can sometimes trigger symptoms of bipolar disorder, but typically in people who have a hereditary predisposition to the disorder.

With appropriate treatment - often drug therapy with lithium or another mood stabilizer and psychotherapy - people with bipolar II generally have an excellent prognosis, said Dr. Wise, who is not involved in Zeta-Jones' care.

As for Zeta-Jones, her rep told the magazine, "She's feeling great and looking forward to starting work this week on her two upcoming films."



Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20053641-10391704.html

What is bipolar II? | Bipolar | Bipolar II

What is bipolar II?

Mental health professionals have identified four main subtypes of bipolar disorder that together are referred to as bipolar spectrum disorders: bipolar I, bipolar II, bipolar not otherwise specified, and cyclothymia.

Although symptoms vary significantly from person to person factors that differentiate the types of bipolar include the duration and intensity of the mood swings.

Bipolar II

Depression is the primary characteristic of bipolar II. While those with bipolar II do have "up" periods, these episodes are less marked. Instead of full-blown mania, people with bipolar II experience hypomania, a milder form of mania. Studies show that women are slightly more likely to have bipolar II.

Though a person with bipolar II may deny that anything is wrong, loved ones will probably notice that he or she seems agitated, is flying off the handle more often, or seems unusually upbeat.

Bipolar II is sometimes mistaken for depression because the hypomanic periods are harder to detect. Over time, without treatment, hypomania -- the "up" period -- can progress into mania or turn into a depressed state.

Ashley Tisdale, Bridget Moynahan And Others Get Naked For Allure's iPad Debut

Ashley Tisdale, Bridget Moynahan And Others Get Naked For Allure's iPad Debut

Some magazines go with quality for their debut iPad issue. Others go nude.

Allure May issue - the magazine's first to be featured on Apple's tablet - features Keri Hilson, Bridget Moynahan, Ashley Tisdale, and Kaley Cuoco posing sans clothing. (Link NSFW)

Patrick DeMarchelier shot the story and Robyn Brown reported.

The photos appear in the print and iPad versions, while the latter also includes a video in which the foursome discuss why they chose to disrobe.

Cuoco: "I'm super excited. It couldn't be a better day. I mean, I'm naked."



Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/ashley-tisdale-bridget-moynahan-kaley-cuoco-keri-hudson-allure-ipad-video-2011-4

Kimberly Stewart Is Pregnant With Benicio Del Toro's Baby | Kimberly Stewart Pregnant

Kimberly Stewart Is Pregnant With Benicio Del Toro's Baby

Benicio Del Toro and Kimberly Stewart are the latest pair to get swept up in the Hollywood baby boom.

The 'Che' star's rep, Robin Baum, confirmed to Life & Style that 31-year-old Stewart was expecting the actor's baby.

"Kimberly is pregnant. Benicio is the father and is very supportive. Although they are not a couple, they are looking forward to the arrival of the baby."

The Academy Award winning actor has been reportedly linked to a bevy of beautiful babes, from Scarlett Johansson to Lindsay Lohan.

Kimberly, the daughter of famed rocker and notorious ladies' man Rod Stewart, has had her fair share of luck in the dating game as well. The blond beauty was formerly engaged to 'Laguna Beach' star Talan Torriero and has allegedly been involved with Tommy Lee and Jude Law.

This is the first child for both Stewart and Del Toro.

Source: http://www.popeater.com/2011/04/11/kimberly-stewart-benicio-del-toro-baby/

Pia Toscano and Mark Ballas: New Couple Alert!

Pia Toscano and Mark Ballas: New Couple Alert!

In fun celebrity couple news bringing the worlds of American Idol and Dancing With the Stars together, Pia Toscano and Mark Ballas are dating.

Pia and Mark became acquainted while shooting their respective shows and went on their first date Friday. According to reports, it was a 10!

Maybe an awesome date isn't enough to soften the blow of her stunning elimination from American Idol this week, but it can't hurt, right?

Pia was the instigator of the romance with Mark Ballas, sources say, but there was a surprise matchmaker involved who played a role in setting them up:

WWE great and current DWTS contestant Chris Jericho!

Pia and Mark both shoot American Idol and Dancing With the Stars on the same CBS Television City lot in L.A., and it turns out Pia is pretty resourceful.

She has a friend who is friends with Jericho, so Pia gave her friend a piece of paper with her number on it, who then passed it to Chris to give to Mark.

Sounds so high school, but apparently it worked out. Peeps connected with both Mark Ballas and Pia Toscano say they really hit it off. Way to go guys!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/04/pia-toscano-and-mark-ballas-new-couple-alert/

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, DVD review

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, DVD review

The first part of the final Harry Potter film has far more of an air of threat and malice than before.
Rating: * * *

12 cert, Warner Bros, £24.99

By spreading the final Harry Potter adventure over two films (with the second part due this summer), you could say we’re being made to pay twice to see one story, but, such is the appetite for the boy wizard, that no one seems to be complaining.

Deathly Hallows Part 1 sees Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) on the hunt for the evil Lord Voldemort (played once more with reptilian relish by Ralph Fiennes), but, before Harry can dispatch his nemesis, he must first destroy the “horcruxes”, the magical receptacles that contain fragments of Voldemort’s soul, thus preserving his immortality.

Since these are scattered across the land, Deathly Hallows becomes, in effect, a sort of wandering wizards’ road trip through dark forests, across wild moors and over bleak, windswept mountainsides.

The Potter films – more than the books – are becoming increasingly grown-up, and very young viewers might be upset by some scenes in this latest installment.

There’s lots of blood (Ron Weasley’s arm is almost ripped off at one point), more than one chilling sequence of torture and some shocking moments involving Voldemort’s very large snake. Throughout, the air of threat and malice is far more intense than before.



Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/dvd-reviews/8442581/Harry-Potter-and-the-Deathly-Hallows-Part-1-DVD-review.html

Watch Jenn Sterger GMA Interview: Sterger Talks Brett Favre, Good Morning America Video

Watch Jenn Sterger GMA Interview: Sterger Talks Brett Favre, Good Morning America Video

Watch the Jenn Sterger GMA interview, where Sterger talks about those racy pics of Bretty Favre’s junk and her claim that she’s not a “gold-digger.”

Jenn Sterger tells GMA during the interview (video): “I haven’t made a dime off anything in this whole situation. Not from the pictures. Not from Favre.”

The Jenn Sterger Good Morning America GMA interview airs Tuesday and Wednesday on GMA, as well as on Tuesday night’s “Nightline.”

Sterger explains, “I never wanted to sue anyone. That was never an intention of mine. I’m not a gold-digger. The only way I wanted to make my money this whole time was to just have a job.”

Jenn Sterger talks about being humiliated by the Brett Favre scandal: “You know, I was trying to go to work. Do my job. But how are you supposed to report on the news when you are the news? It was tough. It was embarrassing. It was humiliating. All I wanted to do was go to work. Do my job. That’s all I wanted.”

Sterger also explains being approached by someone who wanted her phone number for Brett Favre: “I was approached one day at the beginning of the preseason games, by a man wearing a Jets badge, employee badge, who asked me, ‘How would you feel if Brett Favre asked for your phone number? What would you say?”‘

Sterger said she responded: ” ‘I’d say I like my job an awful lot. And I’ve been told I look remarkably like his wife.’”



Source :
http://tv.popcrunch.com/watch-jenn-sterger-gma-interview-sterger-talks-brett-favre-good-morning-america-video/

Government Shutdown 2011: Federal Workers Brace For Effect

Government Shutdown 2011: Federal Workers Brace For Effect

A weather forecaster says he may have to live off the money he's been setting aside for a Caribbean vacation. A worker in Washington hopes to polish his resume so he can retire from public service and work in the private sector. An accountant wonders if she can put off her mortgage for a month.

Federal workers like them across the U.S. will be out of work and without a paycheck if the looming government shutdown isn't averted. Some say they will make the best of it, using the spare time to get a few things done. Others are far more fearful of how they'll provide for their families.

The partial shutdown, which could start at midnight Friday, leaves workers with many questions – some serious, others more mundane: How long, if at all, will they be away from their jobs? Who will be deemed "essential" and be told to come to work? Should I cancel the kids' daycare? Will I still be able to afford that pre-planned vacation?

About 800,000 federal government workers would be affected by a shutdown. Congress would have to decide if furloughed employees could recoup back pay if they have to stay home.

The ripple effects stretch far beyond the Washington metro area, where many federal employees work and live, to places like Chicago, where more than 100 people facing no paychecks protested outside a federal building with signs, "Don't Punish the Public" and "Banks got bailed out, we got sold out."

National parks would close, and the IRS would not process paper tax returns. But the nation's federal prisons would remain open and air traffic controllers would report to work, as would federal inspectors who enforce safety rules and other workers deemed essential.

In Arkansas, National Weather Service meteorologist Dan Koch said he worries about how a shutdown could affect his family, including his two children. He said he'd still report to work for business as usual – but he wouldn't get a paycheck until the shutdown ended. He's putting more into savings to prepare, he said.

"I was actually saving up for a Caribbean cruise, but that money may actually be used to live on. It's certainly more important to make sure we can get the bills paid and provide for our family," he said.
Others saw opportunity.

John Haines, 64, has worked for the federal government more than 35 years. His duties as deputy director of the office of community renewal at the Department of Housing and Urban Development keep him busy all day long – leaving him little time to prepare for his transition to a new job in the private sector. He said he's been meaning to update his resume for some time.

"I guarantee you if I'm not coming to work Monday morning that I'll have more energy to do the kind of work that I should have done already" to prepare for the future, he said.

Haines wasn't even sure if he could count on a three-day weekend. He was headed to a seminar this weekend in North Carolina and planned to visit a son there who serves in the National Guard, but he didn't want to miss work Monday if his office was open.

"So I'm not doing any planning beyond the immediate future," he said.

In Salt Lake City, home to about 12,300 federal employees, Leslie Steffs was applying for new hospital positions. The 55-year-old single mother, an administrative assistant assigned to the downtown Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, said she was concerned about making mortgage payments.

"Some people say we'll just have to tough it out, but I have a family to support. This is no joke," Steffs said.

That was echoed by Justin Castro, a park service worker at the Oklahoma City Bombing National Memorial.

"Not having a check means not paying rent and not paying bills that need to be paid," he said.

A sheriff on the eastern end of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado is encouraging people to visit. Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith said he'll provide emergency services and law enforcement to visitors in the park area within his county in the event of a shutdown.

He said merchants in nearby Estes Park would be hurt by a lack of visitors and shouldn't be pawns in the budget showdown.

However, Patrick O'Driscoll, a spokesman at the National Park Service's regional office in suburban Denver, said Smith's department has no jurisdiction and the park will be closed if there's a shutdown.

Limitations would not just affect the states. Aaron Tarver, a spokesman at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, said U.S. citizens will still have consular services if needed, but passports would be limited to emergencies. In the Philippines, the U.S. Embassy in Manila would only provide limited and emergency services if a shutdown happened, spokeswoman Rebecca Thompson said.

In Chicago, one of the demonstrators was Julie Sidlo, an Environmental Protection Agency accountant who endured the last government shutdown in the 1990s. This time, she doesn't know how her job would be affected but is preparing for the worst, she said.

"I've sent an email to my mortgage company asking if I can delay payment for the next month, and gotten no response. I don't know if I can file for unemployment," Sidlo said, adding that she's set money aside for several weeks. "I've decided not to make any purchases I don't need to. I don't go to restaurants."

The government continued lurching toward a shutdown even as Congress continued negotiations to avert it and leaders expressed hope they could get a deal done. House Republicans advanced a stopgap measure Thursday that would keep the government running for another week, cut $12 billion in domestic spending and fund the Pentagon for the rest of the year. But President Barack Obama threatened to veto the bill even before it passed, and Senate Democrats showed no willingness to allow a vote on it. Both sides failed to reach agreement in middle-of-the-night talks.

Haines, who joined HUD in 1979 and before that worked for the Department of Transportation, said attrition at his workplace had pushed him to more rigorous hours. Though retirement-eligible, he's now considering private sector jobs in economic development and said the threat of a shutdown laid bare what he said was a depressing change in the way the public values government workers.

"The advantage of being a federal employee is, supposedly, job stability. You sacrifice your total pay for whatever the job satisfaction and a high degree of job security," Haines said. "That's the tradeoff, supposedly – and, supposedly, good benefits."

On Thursday, though, he wasn't so sure of that.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/08/government-shutdown-2011-_n_846649.html

NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 46th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC® AWARDS

NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 46th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC® AWARDS

Nominees were announced at a press conference this morning at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum in Nashville. Country superstars Miranda Lambert and Ronnie Dunn read the nominations live during CBS’ The Early Show broadcast. As previously announced, Blake Shelton will join forces with country music star Reba to host the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. For the third year, fans will select the winner of the Academy’s most prestigious honor, Entertainer of the Year and for the third year, the two newcomer categories for the annual Academy of Country Music Awards —Top New Solo Vocalist, Top New Vocal Duo or Group— will also be opened up to fan voting. The winner in each of the two newcomer categories will then move on to compete for Top New Artist, which is also a fan voted category. Online voting for all fan voted categories will be available at www.voteACM.com. The winners of Entertainer of the Year and Top New Artist will be announced live during the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

This morning Miranda Lambert led with seven nominations, including Top Female Vocalist and her first ever nomination for Entertainer of the Year. In addition, Lambert was nominated for Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year for ―The House That Built Me‖ and received two nominations for Video of the Year for ―Only Prettier‖ and ―The House That Built Me.‖ She is nominated for Vocal Event of the Year with Sheryl Crow and Loretta Lynn for ―Coal Miner’s Daughter.‖ Lambert is the reigning ACM Top Female Vocalist.

Kenny Chesney is nominated for five awards, including Album of the Year for Hemingway’s Whiskey and Single Record of the Yearfor ―The Boys Of Fall,‖ both of which he is nominated for as an artist and
producer. He is also nominated for Video of the Year for ―The Boys Of Fall.‖

Zac Brown Band is nominated for five awards including Top Vocal Group and Album of the Year. Zac Brown Band is also nominated for Song of the Year, Single Record of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year for ―As She’s Walking Away‖ featuring Alan Jackson.
Zac Brown of Zac Brown Band also received four additional individual nominations as the producer for Album of the Year contender You Get What You Give, Single Record of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year for ―As She’s Walking Away‖ and additionally as a composer for Song of the Year for ―As She’s Walking Away.

The Band Perry is nominated for four awards, including Top Vocal Group and Top New Vocal Duo or Group. They are also nominated for Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year for ―If I Die Young.Kimberly Perry of The Band Perry also received an additional individual nomination as a composer for Song of the Year contender ―If I Die Young.

Taylor Swift is nominated for four awards, including her second nod for Entertainer of the Year. If Swift
wins Entertainer of the Year, this will be her first Entertainer of the Year win. Swift is nominated as an artist and producer for Album of the Year for Speak Now and she also received a nomination for Top Female Vocalist.

Lady Antebellum is nominated for three awards including Top Vocal Group.They are also nominated for Album of the Year as artists and producers for Need You Now. They are the reigning Top Vocal Group.

Lee Brice is nominated for three awards for Song of the Year and as both an artist and producer for Single Record of the year for ―Love Like Crazy. This is Brice’s first year to be nominated.

Easton Corbin is nominated for three awards for Top New Solo Vocalist and for Song of the Year and Single Record of the Year for ―A Little More Country Than That. This is Corbin’s first year to be nominated.

Alan Jackson is nominated for three awards for Song of the Year, Single Record of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year for ―As She’s Walking Away, with the Zac Brown Band.

Keith Urban is nominated for three awards including Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist. Urban
is also nominated for Vocal Event of the Year for ―Blue Sky with Emily West.

Members of the Academy of Country Music select the nominees and winners of the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, and select the final top six nominees of the Entertainer of the Year category and the top three nominees in newcomer categories, Top New Solo Vocalist and Top New Vocal Duo or Group. Presenters and performers who will appear at the ceremony will be announced at a later date.

Following is the list of final nominees. Winners in each of the following categories, except where noted, will be presented with an ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARD during the live television broadcast:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Toby Keith
Miranda Lambert
Brad Paisley
Taylor Swift
Keith Urban

TOP MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
George Strait
Keith Urban

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Miranda Lambert
Reba McEntire
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Lee Ann Womack

TOP VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
the JaneDear girls
Joey + Rory
Montgomery Gentry
Steel Magnolia
Sugarland

TOP VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Randy Rogers Band
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band

TOP NEW SOLO VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (Previously Announced)
Eric Church
Easton Corbin
Randy Houser

TOP NEW VOCAL DUO or GROUP OF THE YEAR (Previously Announced)
the JaneDear girls
Steel Magnolia
The Band Perry

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] (TIE)
Hemingway’s Whiskey – Kenny Chesney (BNA)
Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney

Need You Now - Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville)
Produced by: Lady Antebellum, Paul Worley

The Guitar Song – Jamey Johnson (Mercury)
Produced by: Arlis Albritton, Dave Cobb, The Kent Hardly Playboys

Speak Now – Taylor Swift (Big Machine Records)
Produced by: Nathan Chapman, Taylor Swift

Up On The Ridge – Dierks Bentley (Capitol Records Nashville)
Produced by: Jon Randall Stewart

You Get What You Give - Zac Brown Band (Southern Ground / Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic)
Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] (TIE)

A Little More Country Than That – Easton Corbin (Mercury)
Produced by: Carson Chamberlain

As She’s Walking Away - Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson (Southern Ground /
Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic)
Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall

If I Die Young – The Band Perry (Republic Nashville)
Produced by: Paul Worley

Love Like Crazy – Lee Brice (Curb Records)
Produced by: Lee Brice, Doug Johnson

The Boys Of Fall – Kenny Chesney (BNA)
Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney

The House That Built Me - Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville)
Produced by: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke

SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
A Little More Country Than That – Easton Corbin
Composers: Rory Lee Feek, Don Poythress, Wynn Varble
Publishers: A Sling And A Prayer Music (ASCAP), Chrysalis One Music (ASCAP), Don
Poythress Songs (ASCAP), Precious Flour Music (BMI), Universal Music-MGB Songs
(ASCAP), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)

As She’s Walking Away – Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson
Composers: Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette
Publishers: Angelika Music (BMI), Weimerhound Publishing (BMI)

If I Die Young – The Band Perry
Composer: Kimberly Perry
Publishers: Pearlfeather Publishing (BMI), Rio Bravo Music, Inc. (BMI)

Love Like Crazy – Lee Brice
Composers: Tim James, Doug Johnson
Publishers: Mike Curb Music (BMI), Sweet Radical Music (BMI), T-Bird’s Music (BMI),
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)

The House That Built Me – Miranda Lambert
Composers: Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin
Publishers: Built On Rock (ASCAP), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI),
Tomdouglasmusic (BMI)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)] *(Off Camera Award)
Hillbilly Bone – Blake Shelton Featuring Trace Adkins
Producer: Randy Brewer
Director: Roman White

Only Prettier – Miranda Lambert
Producer: Trent Hardville
Director: Trey Fanjoy

 Stuck Like Glue – Sugarland
Producer: Tony McGarry
Director: Declan Whitebloom

The Boys Of Fall – Kenny Chesney
Producer: Don Lepore
Director: Shaun Silva

The House That Built Me – Miranda Lambert
Producer: Trent Hardville
Director: Trey Fanjoy

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] (Off
Camera Award)
As She’s Walking Away – Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson (Southern Ground /
Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic)
Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall

Blue Sky – Emily West Featuring Keith Urban (Capitol Records Nashville)
Produced by: Mark Bright

 Coal Miner’s Daughter – Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow and Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville)
Produced by: John Carter Cash, Patsy Lynn Russell

 Cold Beer – Colt Ford Featuring Jamey Johnson (Average Joes)
Produced by: Shannon Houchins, Jared Scuillo, Justin Spillner

 Good To Be Me – Uncle Kracker Featuring Kid Rock (Top Dog/ Atlantic / Bigger Picture)
Produced by: Kid Rock

Fan voting for Top New Solo Vocalist and Top New Vocal Duo or Group began at VoteACM.com and GACtv.com/ACM on January 28, 2011 and will close on Thursday, February 24 at 12noon EST. The winner in each category will be announced in March, and will move on to compete for Top New Artist. Fan voting for Top New Artist and Entertainer of the Year begins on March 11 at noon PT at VoteACM.com. Fan voting for Top New Artist will close at 5 p.m. PT on April 3 (before the LIVE show starts) and fan voting for Entertainer of the Year will close during the third hour of the LIVE broadcast.