How They Pulled Off 'The Impossible'

The true story of the devastating 2004 tsunami that consumed the coast of Phuket, Thailand -- and how one family survived it -- is reenacted by Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor in The Impossible. Watch the video to go behind the scenes...

Video: Tsunami Survivor Petra Nemcova Reacts to Latest Disaster in Japan

In theaters December 21, The Impossible finds Naomi as Maria and Ewan as her husband Henry, who are enjoying their winter vacation in Thailand with their three sons. On the day after Christmas, their relaxing holiday in paradise becomes an exercise in terror and survival when their beachside hotel is pummeled by an extraordinary, unexpected tsunami.

Video: Watch the Trailer for 'The Impossible'

The Impossible tracks just what happens when this close family and tens of thousands of strangers must come together to grapple with the mayhem and aftermath of one of the worst natural catastrophes of our time.

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Federal tax breaks proposed for Sandy victims

ALBANY — Two Democratic senators are proposing federal tax breaks to help victims recover faster from Superstorm Sandy.

Sens. Charles Schumer of New York and Robert Menendez of New Jersey want to make all repair expenses fully tax deductible, reducing the tax bite of victims in their returns covering the current year.

The breaks would also include credits to subsidize home and business repairs and help businesses keep workers on the payroll.

The proposal wouldn't cost either state any of its scarce revenues as they try to rebound. But it would reduce payments to Washington as it seeks to reduce deficits.

REUTERS

Residents look through the debris of a house that was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy in Union Beach, New Jersey.

The breaks announced Sunday would also provide relief for those who provided free temporary housing for victims and waive penalties for victims who have to withdraw from their retirement accounts to pay for storm costs.

"These changes to existing tax law are a common sense and simple way to help disaster victims, and a quick way to get them aid to repair their homes, to recover losses, and to support their businesses," Schumer said.

Businesses would see a tax credit for continuing to pay employees even when the business was shut down.

"This bill will provide critical tools to help families recover their losses, rebuild shattered businesses and restore communities devastated by the storm," Menendez said.

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Events showcase Miami’s growth as tech center

One by one, representatives from six startup companies walked onto the wooden stage and presented their products or services to a full house of about 200 investors, mentors, and other supporters Thursday at Incubate Miami’s DemoDay in the loft-like Grand Central in downtown Miami. With a large screen behind them projecting their graphs and charts, they set out to persuade the funders in the room to part with some of their green and support the tech community.

Just 24 hours later, from an elaborate “dojo stage,” a drummer warmed up the crowd of several hundred before a “Council of Elders” entered the ring to share wisdom as the all-day free event opened. Called TekFight, part education, part inspiration, and part entertainment, the tournament-style program challenged entrepreneurs to earn points to “belt up” throughout the day to meet with the “masters” of the tech community.

The two events, which kicked off Innovate MIA week, couldn’t be more different. But in their own ways, like a one-two punch, they exuded the spirit and energy growing in the startup community.

One of the goals of the TekFight event was to introduce young entrepreneurs and students to the tech community, because not everyone has found it yet and it’s hard to know where to start, said Saif Ishoof, the executive director of City Year Miami who co-founded TekFight as a personal project. And throughout the event, he and co-founder Jose Antonio Hernandez-Solaun, as well as Binsen J. Gonzalez and Jeff Goudie, wanted to find creative, engaging ways to offer participants access to some of the community’s most successful leaders.

That would include Alberto Dosal, chairman of CompuQuip Technologies; Albert Santalo, founder and CEO of CareCloud; Jorge Plasencia, chairman and CEO of Republica; Jaret Davis, co-managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurig; and more than two dozen other business and community leaders who shared their war stories and offered advice. Throughout the day, the event was live-streamed on the Web, a TekFight app created by local entrepreneur and UM student Tyler McIntyre kept everyone involved in the tournament and tweets were flying — with #TekFight trending No. 1 in the Miami area for parts of the day. “Next time Art Basel will know not to try to compete with TekFight,” Ishoof quipped.

‘Miami is a hotbed’

After a pair of Chinese dragons danced through the audience, Andre J. Gudger, director for the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs, entered the ring. “I’ve never experienced an event like this,” Gudger remarked. “Miami is a hotbed for technology but nobody knew it.”

Gudger shared humorous stories and practical advice on ways to get technology ideas heard at the highest levels of the federal government. “Every federal agency has a director over small business — find out who they are,” he said. He has had plenty of experience in the private sector: Gudger, who wrote his first computer program on his neighbor’s computer at the age of 12, took one of his former companies from one to 1,300 employees.

There were several rounds that pitted an entrepreneur against an investor, such as Richard Grundy, of the tech startup Flomio, vs. Jonathan Kislak, of Antares Capital, who asked Grundy, “why should I give you money?”

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Preservation board to decide on Herald building

The city of Miami’s historic preservation office has compiled a lengthy, detailed report that substantially bolsters the case for designation of The Miami Herald’s “monumental’’ bayfront building as a protected landmark based on both its architectural merits and its historic significance.

Somewhat unusually, the 40-page report by city preservation officer Megan McLaughlin, which is supplemented by 30 pages of bibliography, plans and photographs, carries no explicit recommendation to the city’s preservation board, which is scheduled to decide the matter on Monday.

But her analysis gathers extensive evidence that the building’s history, the influential executives and editors associated with it, and its fusion of Mid-Century Modern and tropical Miami Modern (MiMo) design meet several of the legal criteria for designation set out in the city’s preservation ordinance and federal guidelines. A building has to meet just one of eight criteria to merit designation.

A spokeswoman for the city’s historic preservation office said there is no obligation to make a recommendation and the city’s preservation board didn’t ask for one.

Supporters of designation, including officials at Dade Heritage Trust, the preservation group that has received sometimes withering criticism from business and civic leaders for requesting designation, said they felt vindicated by the report, even as they concede that persuading a board majority to support it remains an uphill battle.

“It’s important that an objective expert is saying basically the same thing we’ve been saying, particularly in an environment where there is so much pressure,’’ said DHT chief executive Becky Roper Matkov. “It’s very hard to refute. When you look at the building’s architecture and history, it’s so blatantly historic, what else can you say?’’

The report also rebuts key pieces of criticism of the designation effort leveled by opponents of designation, including architects and a prominent local preservation historian hired by Genting, the Malaysian casino operator that purchased the Herald property last year for $236 million with plans to build a massive destination resort on its 10 acres. The newspaper remains in the building rent-free until April, when it will move to suburban Doral.

Citing federal rules, McLaughlin concluded that the building dates to its construction in 1960 and 1961, and not to its formal dedication in 1963. That’s significant because it makes the building legally older than 50 years. Buildings newer than that must be “exceptionally significant’’ to merit designation under city regulations. Opponents of designation have claimed the building does not qualify because it’s several months short of 50 years if dated from its ’63 opening.

The property also has a “minimal’’ baywalk at the rear but there is room to expand it, the report indicates. The building is considerably set back from the edge of Biscayne Bay, between 68 feet at the widest point and 23 feet at its narrowest, the report says. That’s comparable to what many new buildings provide, thanks in part to variances granted by the city, and could blunt criticism that the Herald building “blocks’’ public access to the bay.

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Buzzmakers: A Royal Pregnancy & Demi's Wild Night

What had ET readers buzzing this week?

1. Prince William & Kate Middleton Expecting a Baby

After much speculation and anticipation over the past year, the royal palace has confirmed that Prince William and Kate Middleton are expecting their first child.

An official statement issued Monday announcing the news reads: "The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry and members of both families are delighted with the news."

The statement added that Kate was admitted to a London hospital on Monday to be treated for hyperemesis gravidarum, a more severe form of the nausea and vomiting that normally accompanies the early stages of pregnancy. The Palace said that William traveled with Kate to the hospital in a private car, not by ambulance, and he was spending time at his wife's side.

The statement adds: "Her Royal Highness is expected to stay in hospital for several days and will require a period of rest thereafter."

The couple's first child will be third in line to the British throne.

2. Gisele Bunchen, Tom Brady Welcome Baby

Gisele Bundchen and husband Tom Brady received a special gift this holiday season, a baby daughter!

The Brazilian supermodel, 32, confirmed on her Facebook page that she and the New England Patriots player, 35, welcomed their second child together, Vivian Lake, on Wednesday night.

"We feel so lucky to have been able to experience the miracle of birth once again and are forever grateful for the opportunity to be the parents of another little angel," she said of her newborn daughter.

Included in the post was an adorable photo of Gisele tenderly holding little Vivian's hand in her own. This is the third child for Brady, who has a 2-year-old son, Benjamin, with Gisele, and a 5-year-old son, John, with actress Bridget Moynahan. Ben turns three on Saturday.

3. Demi Moore's Bizarre, Star-Studded Night Out

Demi Moore may have been enjoying herself too much on Wednesday night as some peculiar party pics have surfaced of the 50-year-old actress.

Joined by Lenny Kravitz and George Clooney's gal Stacy Keibler in a VIP section, Moore showed up to the Chanel Beachside Barbecue held at Soho Beach House in Miami, FL wearing a little gray jumper and looking to have a good time.

Photos of her cuddling up to Kravitz, 48, while using her hair to cover up her face (or is she eating her hair?) are making the rounds as well as shots of her dancing recklessly. Though the pics are sure to have many questioning her state of mind at the party, the actress was only seen with the energy drink Red Bull.

4. 2013 Grammy Nominations: fun. Scores Big

The countdown to music's biggest night has begun!

Live from Nashville, Tennessee LL Cool J and Taylor Swift emceed the Grammy Nominations concert featuring performances by fun., Hunter Hayes, Maroon 5, Luke Bryan, Ne-Yo and LL Cool J, Janelle Monae, and Dierks Bentley.

Click here for the list of announced nominees!

5. Angelina Jolie to Quit Acting

Does this mean the end of the Tomb Raider franchise? Angelina Jolie revealed on Monday that she plans to bid adieu to acting.

"I have enjoyed being an actress," Jolie, 37, told Britain's Channel 4 News. "I am so grateful to the job and I have had great experiences and I have even be able to tell stories and be a part of stories that mattered and I have done things for fun, but..."

The mother-of-six gave her reasons for quitting her trade, adding, "I will do some films and I am so fortunate to have the job, it's a really lucky profession to be a part of and I enjoy it. But if it went away tomorrow I would be very happy to be home with the children. I wake up in the morning as a mum and I turn on the news like everybody else and I see what's happening and I want to be part of the world in a positive way."

Jolie is currently an ambassador for the U.N. and has been visiting and working with refugees for years now.

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Two teens who fell into East River saved by cops

Cops courageously rescued two teens yesterday after they fell into the East River in East Harlem, authorities said.

The 17-year-old pals were hanging out with friends who may have been drinking at the edge of the river near East 111th Street about 12:45 p.m., cops said.

The boys were horsing around and hanging onto the outside of the railing on the promenade along the river's edge when one boy lost his grip and fell into the freezing water, cops said.

His buddy tried to help, but wound up falling in after him, cops said.

The other kids called 911 for help.

Sgt. Joseph Hartnett

Officer Helder Santos

Sgt. Joseph Hartnett and Officer Helder Santos arrived to find Christopher Arriago and his friend Diego Perez clinging to wooden pylons, which were sticking out of the icy waters, police said.

They grabbed Arriaga from the river but had a harder time reaching Perez, who didn’t want to let go of the pylon at first and was suffering from hypothermia, police said.

So two other officers, Siddiqua Withers and Leonardo Munoz, held on to Hartnett and Santos by their belts and legs as they dangled over the river to reach Perez.

The daring move gave the two cops the extra reach they needed to pluck Perez from the fast-moving river waters, police said.

Both kids were taken to Harlem Hospital, where they were listed in stable condition.

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Events showcase Miami’s growth as tech center

One by one, representatives from six startup companies walked onto the wooden stage and presented their products or services to a full house of about 200 investors, mentors, and other supporters Thursday at Incubate Miami’s DemoDay in the loft-like Grand Central in downtown Miami. With a large screen behind them projecting their graphs and charts, they set out to persuade the funders in the room to part with some of their green and support the tech community.

Just 24 hours later, from an elaborate “dojo stage,” a drummer warmed up the crowd of several hundred before a “Council of Elders” entered the ring to share wisdom as the all-day free event opened. Called TekFight, part education, part inspiration, and part entertainment, the tournament-style program challenged entrepreneurs to earn points to “belt up” throughout the day to meet with the “masters” of the tech community.

The two events, which kicked off Innovate MIA week, couldn’t be more different. But in their own ways, like a one-two punch, they exuded the spirit and energy growing in the startup community.

One of the goals of the TekFight event was to introduce young entrepreneurs and students to the tech community, because not everyone has found it yet and it’s hard to know where to start, said Saif Ishoof, the executive director of City Year Miami who co-founded TekFight as a personal project. And throughout the event, he and co-founder Jose Antonio Hernandez-Solaun, as well as Binsen J. Gonzalez and Jeff Goudie, wanted to find creative, engaging ways to offer participants access to some of the community’s most successful leaders.

That would include Alberto Dosal, chairman of CompuQuip Technologies; Albert Santalo, founder and CEO of CareCloud; Jorge Plasencia, chairman and CEO of Republica; Jaret Davis, co-managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurig; and more than two dozen other business and community leaders who shared their war stories and offered advice. Throughout the day, the event was live-streamed on the Web, a TekFight app created by local entrepreneur and UM student Tyler McIntyre kept everyone involved in the tournament and tweets were flying — with #TekFight trending No. 1 in the Miami area for parts of the day. “Next time Art Basel will know not to try to compete with TekFight,” Ishoof quipped.

‘Miami is a hotbed’

After a pair of Chinese dragons danced through the audience, Andre J. Gudger, director for the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs, entered the ring. “I’ve never experienced an event like this,” Gudger remarked. “Miami is a hotbed for technology but nobody knew it.”

Gudger shared humorous stories and practical advice on ways to get technology ideas heard at the highest levels of the federal government. “Every federal agency has a director over small business — find out who they are,” he said. He has had plenty of experience in the private sector: Gudger, who wrote his first computer program on his neighbor’s computer at the age of 12, took one of his former companies from one to 1,300 employees.

There were several rounds that pitted an entrepreneur against an investor, such as Richard Grundy, of the tech startup Flomio, vs. Jonathan Kislak, of Antares Capital, who asked Grundy, “why should I give you money?”

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Police search for man who exposed himself to young girls in Southwest Miami-Dade

Miami-Dade Police are looking for a man wanted for lewd and lascivious exposure, investigators said Thursday.

“We’re working a couple of cases in the area where a gentleman seen in the sketch is exposing himself to children,” one detective told a concerned parent.

Yanitza Delgado was driving in the area of Southwest 80th St. and 154th Ave. Thursday when police approached her car.

“I think it’s very disgusting,” Delgado said. “I have a 12-year-old daughter. and then I have a 7-year-old. And I really think this is disgusting.”

Cops handed out a sketch and description of the man they said has been exposing himself to young girls in the vicinity of Southwest 72nd and 80th Streets from Southwest 142nd to 154th Avenues.

A 16-year-old girl walking in the neighborhood where cops were handing out flyers said she was a victim.

“I was walking, with my friend over here, and then he passes by, and he’s like ‘Oh, come here.’ And we’re like, ‘what?’ And he’s like, ‘you know where 152nd is?’ We’re like, ‘no.’ But we’re very distant. And when I look down, I see he has his pants down,” the girl said. She did not wish to be identified. “He just drove away laughing. We were very scared.”

Police provided two different sketched to the media, but only one sketch was used on the flyer.

Because they’re dealing with multiple victims, descriptions of the man vary, police said.

Police believe they’re looking for a Hispanic male between 20 and 30 years old.

They said he has short, black hair, brown eyes, and may or may not have a goatee.

It’s a vague description, but they’re hoping handing out fliers will generate some leads.

“I’m so worried,” parent Ana Escobar said. “You know, because, my two daughters they train in that tennis courts right there.”

Investigators said they started receiving reports of lewd and lascivious exposure back in March.

The victim who spoke to CBS 4 News said she saw the man last year but never reported it to cops.

Thursday, she told them her story. She said she hopes it leads to an arrest.

“I’m very glad ’cause at least we can get justice with this man,” the girl said.

Police said the man may be driving a Silver Toyota Corolla sedan or a similar vehicle.

If you think you recognize the suspect, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477) or visit  www.crimestoppers.com and select “Give a Tip.” You can also send a text message to 274637. Enter CSMD followed by the tip information and press send.

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Oscars Flashback: Amy Adams 2006

It's a benchmark in every actress' career to receive her first award nomination. Whether she loves or loathes awards show and what they represent, it's always a reassuring boost to know that the industry appreciates one's work. In 2006, Amy Adams reached that benchmark as she fittingly stood in the middle of Hollywood Boulevard.

In 2005, Adams appeared in the comedy-drama Junebug, which pulled in a modest $3 million at the box office and was generally unknown to the masses; however it was known to the critics, and well liked by them as well.

VIDEO: SAGs Flashback '98: Jolie Experiences the Reward

Adams was the recipient of most of the film's nominations for her supporting role as a woman who gives birth to a stillborn, whom she had planned to name "Junebug." On the red carpet for her first Oscars, Adams says she's stunned.

"I don't dream this big," she says, awed. "This is Technicolor, folks. This is crazy."

Her applauded performance would only receive a nomination that year and no tears of joy were patted with the tissues in Adams' clutch.

VIDEO: Oscars Flashback '94: Spielberg Wins His First

While her fate at the Oscars that year has proven replicated on each of her three succeeding nominations, the most recent of which was for The Fighter, an Oscar may be in line for her this year.

The 38-year-old actress had three movies premiere this year (Trouble with the Curve, On the Road, The Master) and recently received a Hollywood Film Festival Award for her work.

Those tissues may get some use this year.

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$100K in jewelry stolen from Calif. Rep. Issa home

VISTA, Calif. — San Diego County authorities say $100,000 worth of jewelry has been stolen in a burglary at the home of California U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa.

U-T San Diego says more than 50 items, including watches, rings, earrings and bracelets, were taken from the Vista home on Nov. 29. No arrests have been made.

An Issa spokesman says the pieces were irreplaceable family heirlooms.

The Republican who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is one of the wealthiest members of Congress. He made his fortune with a company that produces car alarms and other auto security products.

AP

House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa

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