Monday, August 31, 2009

Disney is buying Marvel Comics.


Now this is a surprise!!!

LOS ANGELES – The Walt Disney Co. said Monday it is buying Marvel Entertainment Inc. for $4 billion in cash and stock, bringing such characters as Iron Man and Spider-Man into the family of Mickey Mouse and WALL-E.

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of 5,000 Marvel characters. Many of them, including the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, were co-created by the comic book legend Stan Lee.

Analyst David Joyce of Miller Tabak & Co. said the acquisition will help Disney appeal to young men who have flocked to theaters to see Marvel's superhero fare in recent years. That contrasts with Disney's recent successes among young women with such fare as "Hannah Montana" and the Jonas Brothers.

"It helps Disney add exposure to a young male demographic it had sort of lost some balance with," Joyce said, noting the $4 billion offer was at "full price."

Disney said Marvel shareholders will receive $30 per share in cash, plus 0.745 Disney shares for every Marvel share they own. That values each Marvel share at $50 based on Friday's closing stock prices.

Marvel shares jumped $10.17, or 26 percent, to $48.82 shortly after the market opened. Disney shares fell 47 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $26.37.

Disney said the boards of both companies have approved the transaction, but it will require an antitrust review and the approval of Marvel shareholders.

Disney last made a big purchase in 2006 when it acquired Pixar Animation Studios Inc., the creator of the "Toy Story" franchise, for $7.4 billion in stock.

Disney CEO Robert Iger said the latest acquisition combines Marvel's "strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters" with Disney's "unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties" and ability to maximize value across multiple platforms and territories.

Marvel earned a net profit of $206 million last fiscal year, up 47 percent from a year earlier, on revenue of $676 million, as it took movie production in house instead of just cutting licensing deals.


Yup...I can see it now...X-Men: Rescue Rangers, Hanna Monmutant, HULK-E, an E-Ticket ride called "Is a Fantastic Four World after all".

Damn you Disney...DAMN YOU!!!!

Sunday, August 30, 2009

And the Box Office Champion this week is...


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – In the battle of horror franchises, "The Final Destination" scared off "Halloween II" to claim top honors at the weekend box office in North America, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday.
"The Final Destination," boosted by higher ticket prices for its 3-D screenings, sold $28.3 million worth of tickets during its first three days, setting a record for the series.
The latest "Halloween" outing of masked serial killer Michael Myers opened at No. 3 with $17.4 million, compared to the $26 million bow of the previous entry.
In between was last weekend's champion, "Inglourious Basterds," with $20 million. After 10 days, Quentin Tarantino's violent World War Two movie has earned $73.7 million. Its early international total stands at $59.1 million after a $19.4 million weekend from 31 territories.
With yet another horror film, "District 9," claiming the No. 4 spot with $10.7 million in its third weekend, movie theaters were no place for the squeamish or intellectually curious.
Or for nostalgic hippies: Taiwanese director Ang Lee's "Taking Woodstock," a comedy set against the 1969 music festival, opened at No. 9 with just $3.7 million for the weekend.
In the dying days of summer, overall ticket sales rose for the fourth consecutive weekend and appeared to set a new record for Hollywood's most lucrative season. Sales for the 18 weeks since the first weekend in May were $4.26 billion, up 1.5 percent from last year's record, according to preliminary estimates by tracking firm Hollywood.com Box Office. The rise was powered by higher ticket prices, since attendance was off by 2.2 percent.
The biggest movie of the summer -- and the year so far -- was "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" with $399.4 million through Sunday, while "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" was a distant No. 2 with $294.4 million.
Business traditionally slides in September as school resumes and the studios quietly release their leftovers before focusing on prestige offerings vying for awards consideration.
Warner Bros. Pictures' "The Final Destination" revolves around a youngster quickly running out of friends since he can foretell their brutal deaths. It's the fourth installment in a franchise that was launched in 2000, and marks the best opening in the series. In 2003, "Final Destination 3" opened to $19 million, and finished up at $54 million.
Just more than half the theaters showing the movie offered the 3-D option, for which ticket prices were $2 to $3 higher. In all, 3-D sales accounted for 70 percent of the haul, said the Time Warner Inc-owned studio. Warner Bros. had hoped the $40 million movie would break the $20 million mark.
"Halloween II" is the sequel to a successful 2007 reboot of a venerable series dating to 1978. Both the previous one and the new one were directed for the closely held Weinstein Co by rocker Rob Zombie.
The studio's decision to risk cannibalization by opening the movie against "Final Destination" and just one week after its "Inglourious Basterds" raised eyebrows among industry observers. But a spokeswoman said it was a very respectable start for a movie that cost just $15 million to make.
"District 9," with $90.8 million banked so far, was released by TriStar Pictures, a unit of Sony Corp. "Taking Woodstock" was released by Focus Features, a unit of General Electric Co's NBC Universal.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Missing California girl found alive after 18 years!


This are shocking but in the end, somewhat happy news.

PLACERVILLE, Calif. – A little girl snatched on her way to school was kept hidden from the world behind a series of fences, sheds and tents for nearly two decades, even giving birth to her suspected abductor's children in the suburban backyard compound less than 200 miles from the home where she was taken.
Jaycee Lee Dugard, who was 11 when she was abducted from a South Lake Tahoe street in 1991, was taken directly to the house and sheltered from the world in a secret, leafy backyard, investigators said Thursday.
Her abductor, investigators said, raped her and fathered two children with her, the first when Jaycee was about 14. Those children, both girls now 11 and 15, also were kept hidden away in the backyard compound behind the Antioch home.
"None of the children have ever been to school, they've never been to a doctor," El Dorado County Undersheriff Fred Kollar said. "They were kept in complete isolation in this compound."
Even a parole agent who visited 58-year-old Phillip Garrido's home didn't have an inkling about the hidden compound, Kollar said. Garrido is a registered sex offender on federal parole for rape and kidnapping convictions.
"The way the house is set up, the way the backyard is set up, you could walk through the backyard, walk through the house, and never know," Kollar said.


For more on this developing story CLICK HERE.

Weird!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Ted Kennedy to be laid to rest on Saturday.


On Saturday, Ted Kennedy will join his slain brothers, former President John F. Kennedy and former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, as he will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, after being remembered and celebrated at Mission Hill church in Boston.

In tribute to Kennedy, President Barack Obama has ordered the flags fly at half-staff on federal buildings and at the White House in Kennedy's memory and he will be speaking at the funeral.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Dominick Dunne 1925 - 2009


The Celebrity Grim Reaper strikes again!

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Veteran American author and journalist Dominick Dunne died of cancer in New York on Wednesday, his long-time employer Vanity Fair magazine said.
Dunne, who was 83, joined Vanity Fair in 1984 and covered such high-profile stories as the O.J. Simpson trial and the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.
He was also known for his profiles of the rich and famous, including Elizabeth Taylor and Claus von Bulow.
Dunne was a prolific author as well, with books including "People Like Us" (1988) and "An Inconvenient Woman" (1990).


Apart from all this, Dominick Dunne lived a tragedy no parent should have to endure, as his daughter, actress Dominique Dunne (Poltergeist, V ) was killed by her live-in boyfriend on Halloween, 1984. He beacme a victims advocate and covered the trial of the murderer for Vanity Fair.

The killer died in 1992 of a drug overdose.

May you have peace, Dominick.

Plot above Marilyn Monroe still available! Bidder pulls out!


4.6 million is a lot to pay for a final resting place, but such was the outlandish bid a Japanese made on eBay for the crypt that lies directly above Marilyn Monroe. And he won!

Only problem is he doesn't have 4.6 million dollars, so he is backing out of the deal!

On Monday, he sent off an email to the widow, Elsie Poncher, whose husband presently resides in the crypt, saying: "I am awfully sorry, but I need to cancel this because of the paying problem."

Yeah, people do expect you to pay them when you say they will!

Now, Elsie's lawyers will email the 11 other bidders who bid at least 4.5 million dollars, giving them 24 hours to submit new offers.

Edward "Ted" Kennedy 1932-2009


BOSTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, a towering figure in the Democratic Party who took the helm of one of America's most fabled political families after two older brothers were assassinated, died at age 77, his family said.
"Edward M. Kennedy, the husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle we loved so deeply, died late Tuesday night at home in Hyannis Port (Massachusetts)," the Kennedy family said in a statement early on Wednesday.
One of the most influential and longest-serving senators in U.S. history -- a liberal standard-bearer who was also known as a consummate congressional dealmaker -- Kennedy had been battling brain cancer, which was diagnosed in May 2008.
His death marked the twilight of a political dynasty and dealt a blow to Democrats as they seek to answer President Barack Obama's call for an overhaul of the healthcare system.
Kennedy was a longtime advocate of healthcare reform, a signature issue of Obama's presidency. Obama said on Wednesday he was heartbroken to hear of the death of Kennedy, a crucial supporter of his presidential candidacy.Known as "Teddy," he was the brother of President John Kennedy, assassinated in 1963, Senator Robert Kennedy, fatally shot while campaigning for the 1968 Democratic presidential nomination, and Joe Kennedy, a pilot killed in World War Two.
When he first took the Senate seat previously held by John Kennedy in 1962, he was seen as something of a political lightweight who owed his ascent to his famous name.
Yet during his nearly half century in the chamber, Kennedy became known as one of Washington's most effective senators, crafting legislation by working with lawmakers and presidents of both parties, and finding unlikely allies.
At the same time, he held fast to liberal causes deemed anachronistic by the centrist "New Democrats," and was a lightning rod for conservative ire.
He helped enact measures to protect civil and labor rights, expand healthcare, upgrade schools, increase student aid and contain the spread of nuclear weapons.
"There's a lot to do," Kennedy told Reuters in 2006. "I think most of all it's the injustice that I continue to see and the opportunity to have some impact on it."
After Robert Kennedy's death, Edward was expected to waste little time in vying for the presidency. But in 1969, a young woman drowned after a car Kennedy was driving plunged off a bridge on the Massachusetts resort island of Chappaquiddick after a night of partying.
Kennedy's image took a major hit after it emerged he had failed to report the accident to authorities. He pleaded guilty to leaving the scene and received a suspended sentence.
Kennedy eventually ran for his party's presidential nomination in 1980 but lost to then-President Jimmy Carter.
His presidential ambitions thwarted, Kennedy devoted himself to his Senate career.Born on February 22, 1932, Edward Moore Kennedy was the last of four sons and five daughters born to millionaire businessman Joseph Kennedy, who would later be ambassador to Britain, and his wife, Rose.
The Boston Irish family combined the competitive spirit of nouveau riche immigrants with acquired polish and natural charm. The sons were expected to mature into presidential timber and were groomed for that starting with the oldest, Joseph Jr., a bomber pilot who died in World War Two.
"I think about my brothers every day," Kennedy told Reuters. "They set high standards. Sometimes you measure up, sometimes you don't."
Like his brothers, Kennedy was known for his oratory, delivered in a booming voice at rallies, congressional hearings and in the Senate.
He drew praise from liberals, labor and civil rights groups and scorn from conservatives, big business and anti-abortion and pro-gun activists. His image was often used by Republicans in ads as a money-raising tool.
Tragedies dogged Kennedy throughout his life. They included a 1964 plane crash that damaged his spine and left him with persistent pain; bone cancer that cost son Teddy a leg; first wife Joan's battles with alcoholism that contributed to their divorce, and drug problems involving nephews, one of whom died of an overdose. His nephew, John Kennedy Jr., died in July 1999 when his small plane crashed into the ocean near Cape Cod.
In May 2008, Edward Kennedy collapsed at his Cape Cod home and was flown to hospital in Boston, where he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Brain cancer kills half its victims within a year.
Kennedy's illness kept him from attending the funeral of his sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, a leading advocate of the mentally disabled, who died on August 11 at the age of 88.
(Additional reporting by Thomas Ferraro in Washington and Patricia Zengerle in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts; Editing by Peter Cooney)


RIP

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Sure sign Puerto Rico is going to hell in a shopping cart.


This photo says it all!

It was taken at noon today. It shows the body of a woman found near a buoy at Santa Cecilia Street in Ocean Park in San Juan. The woman, unidentified as of yet, apparently drowned. No signs of violence were found in her body.

But that's not the story. The story is the reaction of the people near the body of this woman.

Nobody reacts or cares.

NOBODY.

No empathy for the demise of another human being.

Are these the new puertorrican generation?

Is this what we are becoming?

One of the girls is nonchalantly speaking on her phone. Perhaps telling somebody about the near excitement of having a dead body so near?

The guy sitting on the chair, could not care less. See no evil, care no evil.

And the cops have not cordoned off the scene? This a potential crime scene!

WTF!!!!!!!

This picture makes me ashamed to be a Puertorrican on a day like this!

Photo Andre Kang/Primera Hora

You want a spot over Marilyn Monroe? If you paid 4.6 Million dollars, you got it!



The lengths some idiots will go to be near the bones of a long dead druggie.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – An American widow sold her husband's burial crypt directly on top of film legend Marilyn Monroe's final resting place for $4.6 million on Monday, through online auctioneer eBay Inc.
Elsie Poncher has said she was selling the crypt in a small, celebrity-heavy cemetery in Los Angeles to pay off her mortgage.
The auction opened earlier this month at $500,000 and attracted 21 bids before closing on Monday. eBay did not say who submitted the winning bid.
"We are currently working with the seller and the high bidder to finalize the sale and will be happy to report more of the details once the sale has been completed," it said in a statement.
Poncher's husband, Richard Poncher, bought the crypt from baseball star Joe DiMaggio, Monroe's ex-husband, as the famous couple was divorcing in 1954.
Monroe died at age 36 in 1962. Richard Poncher died in 1986 at age 81. Elsie Poncher said her husband's body was positioned to allow him to look "face down" on Monroe.
She plans to move his remains over one spot to a crypt that had been intended as her own final resting place. She now will be cremated when she dies.
The Westwood Village Memorial Park cemetery, surrounded by office buildings in the suburb of Westwood, is home to such celebrities as Dean Martin, James Coburn, Roy Orbison, Truman Capote, Natalie Wood, Carl Wilson, Minnie Riperton and recent arrival Farrah Fawcett.


Who ever brought this crypt, deserves a boot to the head! Is in a bone yard! His headstone should read; "Here's an idiot, who paid more than you, to rot near a dead celebrity!"

Even in death, vanity does not become you!

Monday, August 24, 2009

Official! Michael Jackson death ruled a homicide!


LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Michael Jackson's death a homicide, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press, a finding that makes it more likely criminal charges will be filed against the doctor who was with the pop star when he died.

The coroner determined a fatal combination of drugs was given to Jackson hours before he died June 25 in his rented Los Angeles mansion, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the findings have not been publicly released. Forensic tests found the powerful anesthetic propofol acted together with at least two sedatives to cause Jackson's death, the official said.

Dr. Conrad Murray, a Las Vegas cardiologist who became Jackson's personal physician weeks before his death, is the target of a manslaughter investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department. According to a search warrant affidavit unsealed Monday in Houston, Murray told investigators he administered a 25 mg dose of propofol around 10:40 a.m. after spending the night injecting Jackson with two sedatives in an unsuccessful attempt to get him to sleep.

The warrant, dated July 23, states that lethal levels of propofol were found in Jackson's system. Besides the propofol and two sedatives, the coroner's toxicology report found other substances in Jackson's system but they were not believed to have been a factor in the singer's death, the official said.

Murray has spoken to police and last week released a video saying he "told the truth and I have faith the truth will prevail." His attorney, Edward Chernoff, had no immediate comment but has previously said Murray never administered anything that "should have" killed Jackson.

A call to the coroner's office was not returned Monday.

Murray did not say anything about the drugs he gave to Jackson.


The King of Pop was killed!

Long live the King. Let the circus begin!!!!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

And the Box Office Champion this week is...


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Nazis and Quentin Tarantino proved a lethal combination at the worldwide box office as the bad-boy director topped the weekend charts with his violent World War Two movie "Inglourious Basterds."
According to studio estimates issued on Sunday, the film sold a total of $65.1 million worth of tickets in North America and 22 foreign territories, a promising start after the disappointment of Tarantino's previous effort, "Death Proof," two years ago.
In the United States and Canada, the $37.6 million tally surpassed his previous best opening of $25.1 million for "Kill Bill Vol. 2" in 2004.
The foreign contribution of $27.5 million was led by No. 1 openings in such countries as France ($6.1 million), Britain ($5.8 million), Germany ($4.3 million) and Australia ($2.7 million). It will roll out across the rest of the world over the next three months,
Brad Pitt stars as the leader of a group of Jewish-Americans who carry out violent wartime acts of retribution across Europe. Pundits had forecast a North American opening in the $25 million range.
The film, which reportedly cost $70 million to make, also provides a much-needed boost for the struggling independent studio Weinstein Co., which co-financed it with international distributor Universal Pictures, a unit of General Electric Co.

Company principals Bob and Harvey Weinstein have released all of Tarantino's films, beginning in 1992 with "Reservoir Dogs" when they ran Miramax Films. But since launching their new firm in 2005, the Weinsteins have failed to make much of an impact either at the box office or the Academy Awards.
Harvey Weinstein told Reuters that the early strength of "Inglourious Basterds" was due in part to a last-minute marketing blitz aimed at women and urban audiences.
Female-skewing promos downplayed the violence and highlighted the key roles played by actresses Diane Kruger and Melanie Laurent. The strategy, which he said cost over $5 million, seemed to work. Exit surveys showed women accounted for 42 percent of the audience, a high proportion for a film with a high body count.
Additionally Samuel L. Jackson, one of the stars of Tarantino's 1994 smash "Pulp Fiction," cut a spot aimed at black moviegoers. "Pulp Fiction" remains Tarantino's biggest film overall with a domestic haul of $107 million.
Last weekend's top film in North America, TriStar Pictures sci-fi thriller "District 9," slipped to No. 2 with $18.9 million. After 10 days, the Peter Jackson-produced film has earned $73.5 million. TriStar is a unit of Sony Corp.
Paramount Pictures' "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," was also down one to No. 3, with $12.5 million. The three-week haul for the action movie stands at $120.5 million. Paramount is a unit of Viacom Inc.


A word to the wise, DO NOT WATCH "INGLORIOUS BASTERDS"! Is an inglorious RIP-OFF!

Damn You Quentin!!!!!!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Happy Birthday MR!


Hey! One of the founders of the Les'Shyerar Laboratories and Fried Chicken Shack, has turned 48 today!

Happy Birthday, you old dirty bastard!

Friday, August 21, 2009

Avatar - The new James Cameron film!

This is the trailer for the new sci-fi / fantasy film Avatar, directed by "Titanic" director James Cameron.




It looks interesting!

It's a fully 3-D movie. It opens December 18 worldwide

Trailer courtesy of Apple Trailers and 20th Century Fox

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Is this Sweden's most frightful commercial?

A commercial that's making people in Sweden afraid?

Read on!

A commercial for Apoliva, an assortment of personal care products for Apoteket, featuring Swedish supermodel Adina Fohlin has made a major splash, although not quite the one that the Swedish pharmacy chain was hoping for. Rather than running out to purchase Apoliva products, viewers are running scared.

The 30-second ad spot, set to the haunting tones of a Swedish folk song, depicts a close-up of a rather sullen and emaciated Fohlin standing in the snow, rain and sun. The clip ends with the tagline, “Apoliva – for Swedish conditions”.

Almost 100,000 Swedes, many of whom viewed the clip on YouTube, have joined a Facegroup group called “I am scared of the girl in the Apoliva commercial” (“Jag är rädd för tjejen i Apolivareklamen”) in reaction to the film. Several other related groups, both in favour of and against the ad, have popped up on the social media site as well.

The description of the Facebook group reads: “Those of us who have a TV and like to watch commercials/can't be bothered to reach for the remote are facing a problem. Apoliva has begun to run a commercial that is frightening. A woman singing a Nordic/Swedish folk song in freezing rain with lightning. I am creating this group for those of us who need somewhere to seek support and talk things out. It's only a matter of time before it creeps into our dreams and terrorises us in our sleep.”

“We definitely weren't prepared for this reaction,” Eva Fernvall, brand manager at Apoteket AB, told Expressen.

“It was never our intention to scare people,” she added.


Here's the commercial...



I saw it.

All I can say is...

SWEDES ARE PUSSIES!!!!!!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

I'm Sorry I cheated, darling. Here's a diamond to make it all better!


They say diamonds are a girls best friend. If this is true, then Robert Carlton's wife Elizabeth was the lady with the most amount of friends. Read on and laugh (or at least chortle a bit).

LONDON (Reuters) - Never again honey -- and here's a diamond to say sorry.

Every time British businessman Robert Charlton cheated on his wife, he bought her some extravagant jewelry to try to make amends. After 26 years of marriage, long-suffering Elizabeth Charlton had more than 40 glittering pieces.

Charlton's infidelity cost him nearly 300,000 pounds ($492,400) it emerged last month, when his daughter auctioned off the late couple's jewelry collection.

"He bought her a lot of things to keep her happy and to ease the pain of his many affairs," said Clare Durham, a spokeswoman for Woolley & Wallis, the auction house that handled the sale. "I think everybody knew it was a fairly open secret."

Over the course of his romances, Charlton, who died in 1974, bought his wife antique diamond earrings, bracelets, rings and necklaces. One piece, a riviere necklace made up of 54 diamonds, was the most expensive item auctioned, fetching 50,000 pounds.

The riviere was once bought in the 1900s for around 400 pounds, the auction house said, a sum that would have made it extremely expensive when Charlton bought it in the 1960s.

"The big diamonds were Edwardian and Victorian so they were antique pieces when he bought them for her in the 60s and 70s," said Durham.

Charlton's daughter chose to auction a total of 43 pieces from the guilt-ridden collection after other family members declined to accept them. The family kept other pieces.

"He didn't just buy her jewelry when he played away. He did buy her gifts for birthdays and Christmas and things like that. I don't think he was that bad," said Durham.


No, probably not. Then again, all those diamonds...

Monday, August 17, 2009

Michael Jackson Inmortalized in an Etch A Sketch!


Look at that!
Etch A Sketch master George Vlosich III created this homage to the King of Pop. It took him 150 hours to create this masterpiece. George hopes to get it signed by the performers at next month's Michael Jackson tribute in Vienna, and then he'll auction it off for charity.

Seriously, I had an Etch A Sketch when I was a kid and I hated it! I couldn't draw a straight line with it! The most I could draw was city skylines. This guy is a master!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

And the Box Office Champion this week is...


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – "District 9," a gritty, low-budget space alien movie set in South Africa with a cast of unknowns, opened as Hollywood's No. 1 film, grossing more at the box office its first weekend than it cost to make.
The sci-fi action thriller depicting extraterrestrials as unwanted immigrants stranded in Johannesburg took in $37 million in North America, distributor Sony Pictures said on Sunday.
It said "District 9" cost less than $30 million to make, a modest budget by Hollywood standards.
The film was buoyed by rave reviews and a promotional blitz at the recent Comic-Con comic book convention, which fueled strong pre-release interest among sci-fi fans.
The studio also touted the fact the movie, shot in a faux documentary style, was produced by Peter Jackson, the filmmaker behind the blockbuster, Oscar-winning "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
The new film was directed and co-written by South African native Neill Blomkamp, a protege of Jackson who is making his feature directorial debut after a career of doing commercials.
The cast stars South African newcomer Sharlto Copley as a bureaucrat leading the forced eviction of alien creatures from a Johannesburg slum, District 9, where they have been settled since their ship stalled over the city 20 years earlier, marooning them on Earth.
The confrontation escalates quickly into a bloody struggle by the humans to gain control over the sophisticated weaponry of the crustacean-like extraterrestrials. The story was adapted from a short film, "Alive in Joburg," that Copley had produced with Blomkamp as director.
Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution for Sony Pictures Entertainment, said the story line and setting of the film obviously caught on with the mostly male, young moviegoers who made up its initial core audience.
"It's so out-of-the-box different from most movies that you see from a major studio," Bruer said. "It's kind of a rogue, raw, visceral film that has a life of its own."
"District 9" is Sony's third film in the below-$40-million budget range to find success in recent weeks, following the culinary-themed "Julie and Julia," which grossed $44 million after two weeks in release, and the romantic comedy "The Ugly Truth," with a $77.5 million tally from four weeks of business.
"With a debut of $37 million, 'District 9' proves that you don't have to spend $200 million to make a great sci-fi film," said Paul Dergarabedian, analyst for Hollywood.com Box-Office.
Last week's No. 1 film in the United States and Canada, Paramount Pictures' "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," fell to No. 2 this weekend with a Friday-through-Sunday estimated gross of $22.5 million.
That's down nearly 60 percent from its opening weekend, leaving the film inspired by the G.I. Joe line of toy soldiers with a total of nearly $100 million so far.
Another film debuting in wide release this weekend, Warner Bros' romantic fantasy "The Time Traveler's Wife," based on a best-selling novel, grossed $19.2 million to open at No. 3. "Julie and Julia" slipped a notch to No. 4 with $12.4 million.
Disney's guinea pig adventure "G-Force" rounded out the top five this weekend with $6.9 million in ticket sales, bringing its tally to $99 million. "Ponyo," Disney's English-dubbed version of a film from Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, opened at No. 9 with $3.5 million.
The only other new wide release in the top 10 this week was the Jeremy Piven comedy "The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard," from Paramount Vantage, which grossed $5.4 million to open at No. 6.
Warner Bros' "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" rang up another $5.2 million this weekend, ranking No. 7, as its domestic cumulative total climbed to $294 million.

Hey, wait a minute...this is not Sydney, Australia...


A tale of wrong direction and mischief...

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A Dutchman and his grandson boarded a flight to Sydney, looking forward to visiting sunny Australia, but ended up in a much chillier Sydney -- in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Joannes Rutten, 71, and his 15-year-old grandson Nick booked the trip through a Dutch travel agency with plans to visit family living in Wollongong and Tallong, south of Sydney, according to local newspaper the Illawarra Mercury.

They set out from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport with Air Canada on Saturday but instead of arriving to views of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Opera House, they touched down at Sydney in Cape Breton Island, off Canada's north east coast -- more than 17,000 kms (10,000 miles) away from their intended destination.

Air Canada organized hotel rooms in the wrong Sydney, a former mining town with high unemployment and a population of about 26,000, until they could arrange flights on to the right Sydney, which boasts sun-kissed beaches and 4 million people.

They finally arrived in Australia on Wednesday.

"I think it was quite an adventure for the 15-year-old. They're not seasoned travelers. Joannes was absolutely exhausted when he arrived," Rutten's cousin, Yvonne Wallace, from Wollongong, told the newspaper.

Clare MacDougall, who works for Air Canada, was at Sydney Airport (Nova Scotia) to meet the aircraft.

"When the door opened, the flight attendant said: "You're not going to believe it but we have two people who thought they were en route to Sydney, Australia,"" she told the Cape Breton Post newspaper.

"They arrived with no Canadian money -- they had all Australian money."

No one from Air Canada was immediately available to comment.

It is not the first time travelers have mixed up the Sydneys.

In August 2002, British tourists Raeoul Sebastian and Emma Nunn from London spent their holiday in Nova Scotia after thinking they were flying to Australia.

Last year, Monique Rozanes Torres Aguero from Argentina flew into the wrong Sydney for her vacation but decided to stay after befriending a local woman at the airport, according to the Cape Breton Post.


So there you go kiddies. When asking for tickets to Sydney, say Australia. If not you'll end up in Canada, Hey!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Hey! you grew hair overnight...oh wait...that's a Squirrel!


This pair or turists in Banff National Park in Canada, got the shot of a lifetime...

My husband and I were exploring Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park-Canada when we stopped for a timed picture of the two of us. We had our camera set up on some rocks and were getting ready to take the picture when this curious little ground squirrel appeared, became intriqued with the sound of the focusing camera and popped right into our shot! A once in a lifetime moment! We were laughing about this little guy for days!!


That's pretty amazing.

Last I heard, the squirrel got itself an agent and was negotiating a five picture deal with Universal.

Via National Geographic

Just because it's Friday...

Here's some Joe Cartoon lunacy!
Enjoy!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Les Paul - Electric guitar pioneer 1915 - 2009


One of the pioneers in music has passed away.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – Les Paul, who invented the solid-body electric guitar later wielded by a legion of rock 'n' roll greats, died Thursday of complications from pneumonia. He was 94.

According to Gibson Guitar, Paul died at White Plains Hospital. His family and friends were by his side.

As an inventor, Paul also helped bring about the rise of rock 'n' roll with multitrack recording, which enables artists to record different instruments at different times, sing harmony with themselves, and then carefully balance the tracks in the finished recording.

The use of electric guitar gained popularity in the mid-to-late 1940s, and then exploded with the advent of rock in the mid-'50s.

"Suddenly, it was recognized that power was a very important part of music," Paul once said. "To have the dynamics, to have the way of expressing yourself beyond the normal limits of an unamplified instrument, was incredible. Today a guy wouldn't think of singing a song on a stage without a microphone and a sound system."

"Without Les Paul, we would not have rock and roll as we know it," said Terry Stewart, president of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. "His inventions created the infrastructure for the music and his playing style will ripple through generations. He was truly an architect of rock and roll."

A tinkerer and musician since childhood, he experimented with guitar amplification for years before coming up in 1941 with what he called "The Log," a four-by-four piece of wood strung with steel strings.

"I went into a nightclub and played it. Of course, everybody had me labeled as a nut." He later put the wooden wings onto the body to give it a tradition guitar shape.

In 1952, Gibson Guitars began production on the Les Paul guitar.

Pete Townshend of the Who, Steve Howe of Yes, jazz great Al DiMeola and Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page all made the Gibson Les Paul their trademark six-string.

Over the years, the Les Paul series has become one of the most widely used guitars in the music industry. In 2005, Christie's auction house sold a 1955 Gibson Les Paul for $45,600.

Guitarist Joe Satriani called Paul "the original guitar hero," saying: "Les Paul set a standard for musicianship and innovation that remains unsurpassed."

In the late 1960s, Paul retired from music to concentrate on his inventions. His interest in country music was rekindled in the mid-'70s and he teamed up with Chet Atkins for two albums. The duo were awarded a Grammy for best country instrumental performance of 1976 for their "Chester and Lester" album.

With Mary Ford, his wife from 1949 to 1962, he earned 36 gold records for hits including "Vaya Con Dios" and "How High the Moon," which both hit No. 1. Many of their songs used overdubbing techniques that Paul had helped develop.

"I could take my Mary and make her three, six, nine, 12, as many voices as I wished," he recalled. "This is quite an asset." The overdubbing technique was highly influential on later recording artists such as the Carpenters.

Released in 2005, "Les Paul & Friends: American Made, World Played" was his first album of new material since those 1970s recordings. Among those playing with him: Peter Frampton, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Richie Sambora.

"They're not only my friends, but they're great players," Paul told The Associated Press. "I never stop being amazed by all the different ways of playing the guitar and making it deliver a message."

Two cuts from the album won Grammys, "Caravan" for best pop instrumental performance and "69 Freedom Special" for best rock instrumental performance. (He had also been awarded a technical Grammy in 2001.)

Paul was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005.

Paul was born Lester William Polfuss, in Waukseha, Wis., on June 9, 1915. He began his career as a musician, billing himself as Red Hot Red or Rhubarb Red. He toured with the popular Chicago band Rube Tronson and His Texas Cowboys and led the house band on WJJD radio in Chicago.

In the mid-1930s he joined Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians and soon moved to New York to form the Les Paul Trio, with Jim Atkins and bassist Ernie Newton.

Meanwhile, he had made his first attempt at audio amplification at age 13. Unhappy with the amount of volume produced by his acoustic guitar, Paul tried placing a telephone receiver under the strings. Although this worked to some extent, only two strings were amplified and the volume level was still too low.

By placing a phonograph needle in the guitar, all six strings were amplified, which proved to be much louder. Paul was playing a working prototype of the electric guitar in 1929.

His work on taping techniques began in the years after World War II, when Bing Crosby gave him a tape recorder. Drawing on his earlier experimentation with his homemade record-cutting machines, Paul added an additional playback head to the recorder. The result was a delayed effect that became known as tape echo.

Tape echo gave the recording a more "live" feel and enabled the user to simulate different playing environments.

Paul's next "crazy idea" was to stack together eight mono tape machines and send their outputs to one piece of tape, stacking the recording heads on top of each other. The resulting machine served as the forerunner to today's multitrack recorders.

In 1954, Paul commissioned Ampex to build the first eight-track tape recorder, later known as "Sel-Sync," in which a recording head could simultaneously record a new track and play back previous ones.

He had met Ford, then known as Colleen Summers, in the 1940s while working as a studio musician in Los Angeles. For seven years in the 1950s, Paul and Ford broadcast a TV show from their home in Mahwah, N.J. Ford died in 1977, 15 years after they divorced.

In recent years, even after his illness in early 2006, Paul played Monday nights at New York night spots. Such stars as Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler, Bruce Springsteen and Eddie Van Halen came to pay tribute and sit in with him.

"It's where we were the happiest, in a `joint,'" he said in a 2000 interview with the AP. "It was not being on top. The fun was getting there, not staying there — that's hard work."


Let's face it, without him, Rock and Roll would not exist! All hail Les Paul!

Here's Les Paul with Mary Ford in 1955 playing "How High the Moon". He was a guitar player extraordinaire!



This video is from August 14th, 2006 at the Iridium Jazz Club in NYC.



May he rest in peace!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

"Walking Dead" comic coming to TV!



Great news for us fan boys!

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – In its biggest development deal to date, cable network AMC has acquired the rights to Robert Kirkman's popular comic book "The Walking Dead" for a potential series.

Frank Darabont ("The Shawshank Redemption") is on board to write, direct and executive produce the project.

"Dead" chronicles the months and years after a zombie apocalypse, when a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, travel in search of a safe, secure home. The comic explores the challenges of life in a world overrun by zombies. Over time, they grow willing to do anything to survive, and interpersonal conflicts sometimes present a greater danger to their survival than the zombies who roam the country.

"Walking Dead," a monthly black-and-white comic book, has been a hotly sought-after property since it was published in 2003 by Image Comics. Darabont originally developed the project several years ago under his deal at NBC. It landed at AMC after a healthy bidding war.


This is one of the best horror / action comics in recent years. I hope they give it the proper treatment.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

The $35,000 Penis Enlarger!


Now, this is a novel way to spend $35,000. on a sex toy.

MONTREAL, Aug. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the world's wealthiest Saudi Arabian businessmen recently placed a custom order for what is now considered the world's most expensive male enhancement device. Made of solid 18kt gold, this adult novelty product is reminiscent of the goods made for dictators, tyrants, and the oil rich of the world.

X4 Labs, a Canadian medical device manufacturer, was selected as the developer of this somewhat unorthodox request and will work alongside Montreal custom jewellers to put together the "Rolex" of male novelty devices . Typically, a medical traction device retails for between $200 to $400, however; this custom male enhancement device will reach over a $35,000 price tag. The order includes a bezel set with over 40 full cut diamonds, several rubies and a completely solid gold structure.

Company representatives have indicated that the identity of the Saudi Arabian national would not be revealed. Frank Clementine stated - "Our customers are always granted the utmost privacy, however; we are extremely pleased to have been selected to develop this device." It is uncertain as to whether this will become a trend, however; X4 Labs does intend on continuing to provide qualified patients and/or customers with the ability to custom design their male novelty devices.

Product coordinator Matt West is convinced that there is a demographic that is willing to pay for lavish medical devices for their private areas. "Whether it be dictators, politicians, oil rich middle easterners, or successful businessmen, they are willing to pay good money to spoil themselves." There is something tremendously selfish about the male ego, and subsequently orders for $35,000 may become the norm for companies like X4 Labs.

Defying the ongoing economic crisis, $35,000 shows that some are still able to afford the lavish purchases of the rich and famous. This male health accessory is the most expensive traction device ever produced and will likely become a historical bench mark for the adult novelty industry.

While Saudi Arabian laws prevent the import of adult novelty products, the X4 Labs device is actually a medical device that is FDA Registered as well as CE Certified. The X4 Labs device has also been adopted by doctors in the United States, Canada, and Europe. This delivery will also be made using an insured armoured transport to ensure the safe and secure arrival of the rather expensive male enhancement device.


Now you know where your gas money is going!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

And the Box Office Champion this week is...


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A new action movie based on the "G.I. Joe" line of toy soldiers crushed enemy forces at the worldwide box office during the weekend, ending the three-week reign of the sixth "Harry Potter" fantasy.
"G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" sold about $100.3 million worth of tickets, distributor Paramount Pictures said on Sunday.
The three-day take of $56.2 million from the United States and Canada ranks as the fourth-highest August opening ever, and comes after the $175 million effects extravaganza had been besieged by bad buzz for months.
The foreign component of $44.1 million -- from 35 markets comprising 75 percent of international sales -- was led by South Korea ($5.6 million). The film opened at No. 1 in two countries not exactly favorable to American militarism, China ($4.8 million) and Russia ($4.6 million).
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" earned $31 million worldwide, taking its total to $816 million. The North American total of $274 million was bolstered by a fourth-place $8.9 million weekend. The film was released by Warner Bros. Pictures, a unit of Time Warner Inc.
Besides "G.I. Joe," other new entries in North America included Columbia Pictures' Meryl Streep culinary offering "Julie & Julia" at No. 2 with a tasty $20.1 million, and indie producer Relativity Media's horror-thriller "A Perfect Getaway" at No. 7 with just $5.8 million.
Last weekend's North American champion, the Adam Sandler comedy "Funny People," slid to No. 5 with $7.9 million, taking the 10-day total for the $75 million comedy to a disappointing $40.4 million. The film was released by Universal Pictures, a unit of General Electric Co.
"G.I. Joe" stars Channing Tatum and Marlon Wayans as two young soldiers recruited by the international G.I. Joe military force to help save the world. It was directed by Stephen Sommers of "The Mummy" fame.
BAD BUZZ
While based on the venerable Hasbro Inc action figures, the film tips its hat to the multilateral series of dolls relaunched in the 1980s rather than the American-oriented military heroes coveted by boys in the 1960s and 1970s. (G.I. is a generic term for U.S. soldiers.)
Given the wide awareness of the brand, fans were underwhelmed by a trailer that premiered in February during the Super Bowl football championship, the most-watched television event of the year in the United States.
Paramount opted not to screen the movie in advance for critics, a gambit often reserved for box office clunkers. In the end, reviews were predictably bad but not as bad as those for such recent releases as "G-Force" and "The Ugly Truth."
"I think it plays to real people," said Don Harris, executive vice president of distribution at the Viacom Inc-owned studio. "They check their disbelief at the door and have a good time with the movie."
Surveys indicated the film played best in the American heartland -- anywhere "east of Beverly Hills and west of Manhattan island," Harris said. It also was especially popular with Hispanic and black moviegoers, he said.
Overall, male moviegoers accounted for 60 percent of the audience, with an even split either side of 25 years.
Based on the film's better-than-expected $22 million opening on Friday, Paramount had forecast a $60 million weekend. But Saturday sales fell more steeply than expected. Harris said he was not troubled by the decline.
The record for an August opening was set in 2007 by "The Bourne Ultimatum" with $69.3 million, while "Rush Hour 2" kicked off with $67.4 million in 2001, and "Signs" with $60 million in 2002. All ended up with more than $220 million.
Columbia Pictures offered some effective counter-programing with "Julie & Julia," which pulled in older women. Streep plays Julia Child, while Amy Adams stars in a parallel story as a young woman who seeks to replicate the noted TV chef's culinary exploits.
"We're finding that men love it too," said Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution at the Sony Corp-owned studio.
He expected the $38 million film, which was directed by Nora Ephron ("Sleepless in Seattle"), to simmer in theaters for some time.

The destruction of Democracy in Puerto Rico.

The plutocracy that is the government of Luis Fortuño has destroyed all the institutions that protects and helps the people of PR. Today the turn to be dismantled and given to the rich and powerful to dispose of is WIPR, the governments own network.
Dozens of employees were fired as of Friday. Some of them were from the news department.

Here Gloria Soltero, fired from her job after 15 years as anchor, voices the opinion of the staff that was let go.
This went live on the 6 O'Clock news last Friday.

Friday, August 7, 2009

Bride wears a 1.3 mile long wedding dress!


More fun and lunacy from China...

A Chinese bride has attempted to break the world record for the longest wedding dress by walking down the aisle in a 2,162m-long (7,083ft) gown.

Lin Rong's dress was made for her by her husband-to-be, Zhao Peng, and his family in eastern Jilin province.

It took their 200 wedding guests three hours to unroll the fabric and decorate the train with 9,999 silk roses.

Mr Zhao's mother said she knew her son was trying to express his love, but she thought the dress was a waste of money.

"I do not want a cliche wedding parade or banquet," China's Xinhua news agency quoted Mr Zhao as saying.

So instead, he decided he would use his nuptials to challenge the current wedding dress world record of 1,579m (5,180ft), set in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, on 1 April 2009.

Mr Zhao enlisted most of his family to pitch in with his idea, bringing materials, choosing patterns, making silk roses and stitching on jewels on the day, Xinhua said.

His aunt, who conveniently is a dressmaker, had agreed to make the design.

And Mr Zhao's feat did not end once he had tied the knot.

After the event, he cut the dress down to 1,984.1022m, to represent his bride's date of birth, and added 608 crystals, one for every day they had dated.

Mr Zhao said he had submitted his attempt to Guinness World Records in London and would also be sending video footage.

"Both the length of the dress and the number of silk roses pinned on the wedding dress can make history," he said, but added that it did not matter to him whether he was successful or not.

The whole effort cost Mr Zhao about 40,000 yuan ($5,800; £3,470), but his schoolteacher bride was reported to have "laughed and cried at the romantic gesture".

Mr Zhao's mother appeared less impressed.

"It is a waste of money in my opinion," she told Xinhua.

"Though I understand that he wants to show his love on the big day."


The Chinese. Ahh! You have to love them!

Because it's Friday...a new Dr. Tran!

It's being a long time, but here is Dr. Tran!





Enjoy!

John Hughes, Film director, 80's icon 1950-2009



The celebrity grim reaper strikes again! While walking in New York City, 80'teen angst movie auteur John Hughes died of a heart attack at the age of 59.

Hughes was born in Lansing, Michigan, to a mother who volunteered in charity work and John Hughes, Sr., who worked in sales. A 1968 graduate of Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, Illinois, Hughes used Northbrook and the adjacent North Shore area for shooting locations and settings in many of his films, though he usually left the name of the town unsaid, or referred to it as "Shermer, Illinois", Shermerville being the original name of Northbrook. In high school, he met Nancy Ludwig, to whom he was married from 1970 until his death. They had two sons, John Hughes III, born in 1976, and James Hughes, born in 1979.

Hughes began his career as an ad copywriter in Chicago. During this time, he created what became the famous Edge "Credit Card Shaving Test" ad campaign.

His first attempt at comedy writing was selling jokes to well-established performers such as Rodney Dangerfield and Joan Rivers. This led him to pen a story, inspired by his family trips as a child, that was to become his calling card and entry onto the staff of the National Lampoon Magazine. That story, "Vacation '58", became the basis for the film Vacation. Subsequent stories such as the April Fool's Day classics "My Vagina" and "My Penis" gave an early indication of Hughes' ear for the particular rhythm of teen speak, as well as the various indignities of teen life in general.

His first credited screenplay, Class Reunion, was written while still on staff at the magazine. The resulting film became the second disastrous attempt by the flagship to duplicate the runaway success of Animal House. It was Hughes' next screenplay for the imprint, National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), however, that would prove to be a major hit, putting the Lampoon back on the map. Although Hughes had no involvement in European Vacation (1985), he did write and co-produced Christmas Vacation (1989) based on another of his Lampoon stories.

His first directorial effort, Sixteen Candles, won almost unanimous praise when it was released in 1984, due in no small part to its more realistic depiction of middle-class high school life, which stood in stark contrast to the Porky's-inspired comedies being made at the time. It was also the first in a string of efforts set in or around high school, including The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Weird Science and Ferris Bueller's Day Off

To avoid being pigeonholed as a maker of teen comedies, Hughes branched out in 1987, directing Planes, Trains & Automobiles starring Steve Martin and John Candy. His later output would not be so critically well received, though films like Uncle Buck (one of the first films to display the change in teenager's choice of music from rock to rap) proved popular. Hughes's greatest commercial success came with Home Alone, a film he wrote and produced about a child accidentally left behind when his family goes away for Christmas, forcing him to protect himself and his house from a pair of inept burglars. Home Alone would be the top grossing film of 1990, and remains his most successful live-action comedy of all time. His last film as a director was 1991's Curly Sue.

He has been noted as an inspiration for many in the film industry. He also wrote screenplays using his pseudonym, Edmond Dantès (protagonist of Alexandre Dumas's novel The Count of Monte Cristo).

In 1994, Hughes retired from the public eye and moved to Wisconsin, rarely granting or giving interviews or photographs to the media save a select few interviews in 1999 to promote the soundtrack album to Reach the Rock, an independent film he wrote. The album was compiled by Hughes' son, John Hughes III, and released on his son's Chicago-based record label, Hefty Records. He also recorded an audio commentary for the 1999 DVD release of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. A photograph of him visiting his son on the set of his son's film in 2001 was the last photo taken of him in public. In the later years of his life, he was a farmer in Illinois.

In addition to his widow and sons, Hughes is survived by four grandchildren.

Sad loss! I'll be playing "Ferris Bueller's Day Off on my Blu-Ray Tonight in his memory!

Rock on Dude!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

British women say: Give us a normal bloke over a metrosexual queenie anyday!


Yes guys! Women still have their priorities straight!

LONDON, Aug. 4 (UPI) — A British survey suggests women prefer “real men” with beer bellies and hairy chests to “metrosexuals” with tight shorts and manicures.

The survey of 5,192 women, conducted by Lion Bar Ice Cream, found 80 percent of respondents now consider metrosexual traits including hair straightening and frequent sunbathing to be turn-offs, The Sun reported Tuesday.

The poll also found one in 10 women questioned in the survey like the smell of beer on a man while a fifth of those polled said they are attracted to men with “a bit of body odor.” “This is great news for real men this summer,” a Lion Bar spokesman said. “They can get their roar back and ditch the moisturizer, manicures and tight shorts this summer — leave that for the footballers. “British blokes can also wear their Speedos with pride, even if they have a bit of belly and welcome the wolf whistles as they walk down the beach,” he said.


That's it! I'm moving to England!!!!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Obama...Why so Serious!!!


This poster has been appearing in the Streets of LA over the weekend.

A poster showing President Barack Obama as Heath Ledger’s “Joker” character from “The Dark Knight” is creating a stir on the streets of Los Angeles where the image began appearing over the weekend.The Obama-Joker poster shows President Obama with white face paint, dark eye shadow and smudged red lipstick and also has the word “socialism” printed in bold, dark letters under the image of his face.It’s unclear who created the image and who is posting it across the city. Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable President Earl Ofari Hutchinson is calling the depiction, politically mean spirited and dangerous. Hutchinson is challenging the group or individual that put up the poster to have the courage and decency to publicly identify themselves…”"We have issued a public challenge to the person or group that put up the poster to come forth and publicly tell why they have used this offensive depiction to ridicule President Obama.”


The "Roundtable" president is "upset"! WTF!

Fer crissakes, it's a comic book character!

Besides, what happened to the First Ammendment to the Constitution? You know, the one that protects free speech?

This is protected by it. You might not like it, but it's protected!

Besides, knowing Obama, he's the first one chuckling at this.

People need to relax!

BTW- Today's is President Obama's Birthday!
He's 48!
Happy Birthday, Mr. President!

Monday, August 3, 2009

Voice cast of "Futurama" to return!


Fox must have slapped down the big $$$$$$$$, because the cast of Futurama will be returning for their new 26-episode run on Comedy Central!

Nice!

Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, John DiMaggio and Maurice LaMarche have all signed on the dotted line for the new season of the animated series, only after the studio made it known they were looking for voice replacements.

Futurama creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen have released a statement saying that they are "thrilled" to have the "incredible" original voice cast back on board for the upcoming eps.

As are we!

Can't be greedy in a recession! Cough. Cough. Paula Abdul!

Sunday, August 2, 2009

And the Box Office Champion this week is...


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Adam Sandler suffered his worst opening at the North American box office in almost five years on Sunday with "Funny People," a chart-topping comedy darker than the low-brow fare beloved by his young fans.
According to studio estimates, the film sold $23.4 million worth of tickets in the three days since opening across the United States and Canada on Friday. It's the lowest start for a No. 1 movie since Jim Carrey's "Yes Man" launched with $18.3 million last December.
Sandler plays a comedian diagnosed with a fatal blood disease who then tries to break up a marriage. Top critics disliked the movie, according to Rotten Tomatoes (http://www.rottentomatoes.com), a website that analyzes reviews.
His previous worst opening was "Spanglish," which started off with $8.8 million in December 2004. His big summer movie last year, "You Don't Mess with the Zohan," opened to $38.5 million but stalled at $100 million.
"Funny People" was directed by Judd Apatow, who was dubbed the smartest person in Hollywood by Entertainment Weekly in 2007. His "Knocked Up" opened to $31 million in 2007 and finished with $149 million.
The new film is the latest summer disappointment for its distributor, Universal Pictures. The General Electric Co unit recently released the Sacha Baron Cohen comedy "Bruno," which quickly lost steam at the box office, and the Johnny Depp gangster drama "Public Enemies," which failed to hit $100 million. It ranks last among the big six studios in market share this year, according to Box Office Mojo (http://www.boxofficemojo.com).

Industry forecasts for "Funny People" had ranged between the low-$20 million to the mid-$30 million area, according to trade paper Daily Variety.
But Universal distribution president Nikki Rocco said the movie opened "exactly where we thought it would be" given its darker themes. The studio said it cost $75 million to make, although some reports have said the bill was closer to $100 million.
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" was No. 2 for a second weekend with $17.7 million. The 19-day haul for the sixth entry in the fantasy series stands at $255.5 million. Its 2007 predecessor, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," had earned $242 million at the same stage.
Internationally, the new film has earned $492 million, including a $66.5 million contribution from Britain. The films were released by Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc.
Last weekend's champ, the Walt Disney Co rodent cartoon "G-Force" fell to No. 3 with $17.1 million. Its 10-day haul was $66.5 million.
The Katherine Heigl romantic comedy "The Ugly Truth" slipped one place to No. 4 with $13 million, taking its 10-day tally to $54.5 million. It was released by Columbia Pictures, a unit of Sony Corp.
The 20th Century Fox family movie "Aliens in the Attic" opened at No. 5 with a disappointing $7.8 million. It had been expected to open in the double digits. The News Corp-owned studio said it cost $45 million to make.