Manchester United starts training for tour

Manchester United, minus many of its stars, has begun training for its North American tour with a 59-minute session at the Chicago Fire's home ground before about 1,500 fans in 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) heat.

The Red Devils open their four-match trip in Toronto on Friday against Scottish Premier League side Celtic. After two matches against Major League Soccer sides, it concludes in Houston on July 28 with a match against the MLS All-Stars.

"That will probably be our toughest game," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "It's probably a bigger game for MLS than it is for us. I think you'll find they'll be well motivated because of that. We're used to the fact teams always want to play well against us."
It's Manchester United's third preseason trip to North America since Ferguson became manager in 1986.

"Each time I see an improvement in American soccer," Ferguson said. "The MLS has proven itself now. The performance of the (U.S.) national team helps. They were very credible in their performance in the World Cup, and I think that helped the younger people in the States.

"We know there are millions of kids playing. The MLS has to structure itself so these kids can eventually get to MLS. It'll take time to build a pyramid of soccer so they get to the MLS."

Manchester United was without World Cup participants Wayne Rooney, Patrice Evra, Michael Carrick, Nemanja Vidic and Park Ji-sung at training Wednesday. They get 30 days rest before they're required to begin their next season.

Manchester United's English Premier League season begins August 16, when it hosts Newcastle.
The training session, the first on-field event of United's trip, was held in the southwest suburbs of Chicago because the team's new corporate sponsor, AON, is headquartered downtown.

Inception - The Movie (Released 2010)

What is Inception means?

According to Cambridge Online Dictionary, Inception is the beginning of an organization or official activity.

Is it sound like another movie's concept like "Matrix" Series?

Christopher Nolan, who famous on his work, Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008), had directed this film. According to him, the idea was based on the notion of "exploring the idea of people sharing a dream space - entering a dream space and sharing a dream. That gives you the ability to access somebody’s unconscious mind. What would that be used and abused for?" Furthermore, he thought "being able to extract information from somebody’s brain would be the obvious use of that because obviously any other system where it’s computers or physical media, whatever – things that exist outside the mind – they can all be stolen ... up until this point, or up until this movie I should say, the idea that you could actually steal something from somebody’s head was impossible. So that, to me, seemed a fascinating abuse or misuse of that kind of technology". He had thought about these ideas on and off since he was 16 years old, intrigued by how he would wake up and then, while falling back into a lighter sleep, hold on to the awareness that he was dreaming, a lucid dream. He also became aware of the feeling that he could study the place and alter the events of the dream. He said, "I tried to work that idea of manipulation and management of a conscious dream being a skill that these people have. Really the script is based on those common, very basic experiences and concepts, and where can those take you? And the only outlandish idea that the film presents, really, is the existence of a technology that allows you to enter and share the same dream as someone else".

Originally, he had envisioned Inception as a horror film but eventually wrote it as a heist film even though he found that "traditionally [they] are very deliberately superficial in emotional terms". Initially, Nolan wrote an 80-page treatment about dream-stealers. Upon revisiting his script, he decided that basing it in that genre did not work because the story "relies so heavily on the idea of the interior state, the idea of dream and memory. I realized I needed to raise the emotional stakes". Nolan worked on the script for nine to ten years. When he first started thinking about making the film, the director was influenced by "that era of movies where you had The Matrix, you had Dark City, you had The Thirteenth Floor and, to a certain extent, you had Memento, too. They were based in the principles that the world around you might not be real". He first pitched the film to Warner Bros. in 2001 but in retrospect felt that he needed more experience making large scale films like Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. He soon realized that a film like Inception needed a large budget because "as soon as you’re talking about dreams, the potential of the human mind is infinite. And so the scale of the film has to feel infinite. It has to feel like you could go absolutely anywhere by the end of the film. And it has to work on a massive scale". After making The Dark Knight, Nolan decided to make Inception and spent six months completing the script. For the director, the key to completing the script was wondering what would happen if several people shared the same dream. He said, "Once you remove the privacy, you’ve created an infinite number of alternative universes in which people can meaningfully interact, with validity, with weight, with dramatic consequences".

Leonardo DiCaprio was the first actor to be cast in the film. Nolan had been trying to work with the actor for years and met him several times but was unable to convince him to appear in any of his films until Inception. DiCaprio finally agreed because he was "intrigued by this concept - this dream-heist notion and how this character's gonna unlock his dreamworld and ultimately affect his real life". He read the script and found it to be "very well written, comprehensive but you really had to have Chris in person, to try to articulate some of the things that have been swirling around his head for the last eight years". He and Nolan spent months talking about the screenplay. Nolan took a long time re-writing the script in order "to make sure that the emotional journey of his character was the driving force of the movie".

Would you play LEGO Star Wars with Megan Fox? Her "Transformers" co-star Shia LaBeouf apparently won't -- at least, not on the Nintendo Wii. Even though the pair have been romantically linked in recent press reports, LaBeouf told gaming blog Big Download in an interview that he'd rather "eat glass" than play the Wii version of this two-player blockbuster.

That's not all Shia had to say: although he's keen to talk up Activision's game based on "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen", he saves his praise for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. Asked about the Wii version, he sidesteps: "I haven't been able to play the Wii game because my hand is broken...I would imagine that the Wii experience will be like...I don't mess with the Wii, to be honest with you. It's kind of an amateur console. I'm not into the Wii thing."
So how about the LEGO Indiana Jones game? (Shia fans will note, of course, that LeBeouf played Indy's son in the most recent Indy movie.) "The LEGO Indiana Jones I'm not going to speak on, but my feelings aren't very different."
Wonder if Activision has picked a spokesperson for the next Transformers game? If not, we'd suggest someone who's a little less likely to slam your own products in public.

'Transformers' does $200.1M in 5 days

"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" finished its first weekend with a whopping $108 million domestic haul and did $200.1 million for its first five days.
Final numbers Monday were down slightly from estimates reported a day earlier by distributor Paramount. But the sequel remained the second-best five-day gross ever, coming in $3.7 million behind the total for "The Dark Knight" last summer.
The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Hollywood.com:
1. "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," Paramount, $108,966,307, 4,234 locations, $25,736 average, $200,077,255, one week.
2. "The Proposal," Disney, $18,578,541, 3,058 locations, $6,075 average, $69,162,471, two weeks.
3. "The Hangover," Warner Bros., $17,022,166, 3,525 locations, $4,829 average, $183,054,267, four weeks.
4. "Up," Disney, $13,061,737, 3,487 locations, $3,746 average, $250,234,554, five weeks.
5. "My Sister's Keeper," Warner Bros., $12,442,212, 2,606 locations, $4,774 average, $12,442,212, one week.
6. "Year One," Sony, $6,022,444, 3,024 locations, $1,992 average, $32,529,560, two weeks.
7. "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3," Sony, $5,451,107, 2,995 locations, $1,820 average, $53,456,827, three weeks.
8. "Star Trek," Paramount, $3,711,968, 1,823 locations, $2,036 average, $246,331,182, eight weeks.
9. "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," Fox, $3,643,522, 2,250 locations, $1,619 average, $163,391,192, six weeks.
10. "Away We Go," Focus, $1,709,313, 495 locations, $3,453 average, $4,088,390, four weeks.
11. "Land of the Lost," Universal, $1,143,040, 1,504 locations, $760 average, $46,763,020, four weeks.
12. "Angels & Demons," Sony, $1,091,953, 906 locations, $1,205 average, $130,277,166, seven weeks.
13. "Terminator Salvation," Warner Bros., $1,088,392, 1,102 locations, $988 average, $121,925,747, six weeks.
14. "Imagine That," Paramount, $942,273, 1,135 locations, $830 average, $14,067,015, three weeks.
15. "New York," Yash Raj Films, $467,693, 60 locations, $7,795 average, $467,693, one week.
16. "Cheri," Miramax, $405,701, 76 locations, $5,338 average, $405,701, one week.
17. "Monsters vs. Aliens," Paramount, $365,080, 311 locations, $1,174 average, $195,984,055, 14 weeks.
18. "Whatever Works," Sony Pictures Classics, $359,805, 35 locations, $10,280 average, $738,969, two weeks.
19. "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," Fox, $310,167, 360 locations, $862 average, $177,836,819, nine weeks.
20. "Food, Inc.," Magnolia, $291,444, 75 locations, $3,886 average, $834,848, three weeks.

Who gets Michael Jackson's riches?

His mother took the first step Monday when she petitioned the Superior Court of California to be named the administrator of the late singer's estate. Katherine Jackson said in the filing she was acting to ensure Michael Jackson's three children are the beneficiaries.

It's the opening salvo in a complicated battle for a fortune that includes a lucrative music catalog of the King of Pop's own hits, the rights to songs by the Beatles, and the Neverland ranch that could one day be a tourist attraction.

There's even an elaborate video production, dubbed the "Dome Project," that was overseen by Jackson and finished two weeks before he died.

The high stakes and array of people involved will likely make the fight far more convoluted than recent high-profile squabbles over the estates of singer James Brown and ex-Playboy playmate Anna Nicole Smith.

"There's no doubt that there's going to be a big battle," said Alexis Martin Neely, a Los Angeles-based estate attorney. "It's going to be very messy and I don't see anything comparing to this."
Complicating matters is that few, if any, people know all the details of the reclusive entertainer's financial affairs.

His mother's filing, for example, declares that Jackson died "intestate," or without a will. But that is in dispute.

Another person with knowledge of Jackson's business matters told The Associated Press last Friday that there is a will, which would take precedent in court. That person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the material.

Becoming an estate administrator "puts a vast amount of power in one person's hands," said Roy Kozupsky, a lawyer with Smith, Gambrell & Russell. The person would have the power to sell assets, make deals and determine how to pay off creditors, he said.

At stake is Jackson's 50 percent ownership in Sony/ATV Music Publishing, a company itself estimated to be worth $2 billion; Jackson's own recordings and songwriting rights, which could be worth more than $150 million; and his joint ownership of the Neverland ranch.
Katherine Jackson said in her filing she intends to use the estate's assets for "the exclusive use of the decedent's (Jackson's) three children." But the filing could also be the first move in contesting the validity of a will, if there is one, Kozupsky said.

Jackson, who died Thursday at age 50, left behind three children: son Michael Joseph Jr., known as Prince Michael, 12; daughter Paris Michael Katherine, 11; and son Prince Michael II, 7. The youngest was born to a surrogate mother, while the first two were born to ex-wife Deborah Rowe.

The list of potential parties seeking a piece of Jackson's estate is long, ranging from financial firms to the companies involved in his planned comeback. Among them is AEG Live, the concert promoter that booked Jackson for 50 sold-out performances at London's O2 arena starting next month.

AEG Live reportedly gave Jackson a $20 million advance, which it may seek to recover from the estate. AEG Live declined to comment.

How much AEG can recover will likely depend on the wording of insurance policies it took out and whether they included protection against "medical conditions or another event," said Mary Craig Calkins, a partner at Howrey LLP who handles insurance recovery cases for TV and film productions.

The promoter took out about $18 million in insurance through Lloyd's of London, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment.

A big part of determining what the estate is worth - and how much it owes in taxes - will depend on how much Jackson owed to creditors. Estimates put the tally around $400 million.
The federal government will be able to collect around 45 percent in tax on the value of the estate's assets, minus its debts and administration costs including attorney fees.

It appears that the most valuable assets will likely remain in the estate's control.
The Sony/ATV stake and 100 percent of Mijac, the company that controls Michael Jackson's own music, were held in a trust whose beneficiaries are Jackson's children.

That trust is safe from creditors, said Al Malnik, its former trustee and Jackson's business adviser from 2002 to 2005.

"The assets were protected through the trust against creditors," Malnik said Monday.

Jackson used those assets as collateral to secure $200 million in loans from Bank of America in 2001. He then refinanced several times. Malnik said the loan total reached $275 million by the time he quit as trustee in 2005. Fortress Investment Group LLC, which took control in 2005, sold the loans off entirely "over a year ago," said company spokeswoman Lilly Donohue.

It is unclear who holds the loans now, but one candidate is Colony Capital LLC, a Los Angeles real estate firm owned by billionaire Thomas Barrack, which also set up a joint venture with Jackson to own Neverland, the 2,500-acre (1,000-hectare) property in Santa Barbara County that once included amusement park rides and zoo animals.

Barrack had lunch with Jackson brothers Jackie, Jermaine and Tito on Saturday at Neverland.
Jackson's estate is still growing through record sales and songwriting rights.

So far this year, some 297,000 of his albums have sold in the U.S., and that's not including last week, when sales spiked in the wake of the singer's death.

Jackson's existing works will continue to sell well, said Keith Caulfield, senior charts manager for Billboard magazine.

"He's good for at least a half a million albums a year," Caulfield said.

Songwriting rights also keep earning revenue. Jackson wrote many of the songs he recorded including "Beat It," "Bad," and "Black or White."

For the past three years, Jackson has ranked among the top-earning 100 U.S. songwriters for royalty payments collected by Broadcast Music Inc.

"Michael Jackson is the number one international songwriter in the world for BMI. He is it," BMI chief executive Del Bryant said, adding that use of the singer's songs outside of the U.S. earn more than $1 million dollars annually just for Jackson's share of the royalties.

Warner-Chappell Music, a division of Warner Music Group Corp., is Jackson's music publisher, meaning it promotes use of his songs and lyrics in commercials and TV shows. Jackson's own works, plus scores of song rights he purchased, gross several million dollars per year.

Jackson also owns the master recordings of his own albums such as "Thriller" and "Bad" and had a distribution deal with Sony, according to a person familiar with his finances, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the material.

The surge in interest in his music could inflate the value of assets held by his estate, and the tax bill owed to the U.S. government.

"Unfortunately due to his demise, the value of these entities has increased substantially," Malnik said.

Rihanna's naked photo scandal costs her Vogue covershoot

Naked photo scandal involving Rihanna has cost her a covershoot with Vogue magazine, it has emerged. According to reports, the R&B star was being lined up for the prestigious photoshoot, however, editor Anna Wintour changed her plans after shots of the singer posing naked leaked online, reports The Daily Express. A source tells Star magazine, "Anna told her Vogue absolutely loves her and really Wanted to work with her. “Rihanna was ecstatic. (But) Anna hasn't returned any of her calls. Rihanna's so upset... “She hopes the people at Vogue change their minds." The news comes the same day further shots of Rihanna and ex-boyfriend Chris Brown appeared on the net, which show the former couple kissing in bed.

Lee Young-ae giving serious thoughts about "Dae Jang Geum 2"

Second series of popular Korean TV drama "Dae Jang Geum" may indeed be coming true. Recently, manager of Lee Young-ae, female lead of the drama, was involved in a case of swindle which cheated production companies of 200million Korean won (about S$220,000) in the name of "Dae Jang Geum 2". The manager subsequently showed up and denied his involvement; instead he claimed to be victim of the scam too. It was said then that there were plans for a sequel to drama. However, according to latest Korea reports, the production team is indeed discussing a sequel to "Dae Jang Geum".

According to Korea's Money Today Star news, Lee who has not acted for some time is seriously considering her return to the screen via the drama "Dae Jang Geum 2". Production company A TOP Media said they are currently in discussion with Lee to decide if they should do part two of the successful drama, or start on something fresh. Lee's manager also admitted to be currently discussing this production and a decision will be made soon.
The success of "Dae Jang Geum" six years ago brought special attention to its sequel, causing rumors to sprout and even bringing about the scam. Should Lee return to the screen with "Dae Jang Geum 2", it will definitely become the hottest topic in town again.

Rihanna delays Malaysia show after alleged attack

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Pop superstar Rihanna has postponed a concert in Malaysia this week, organizers said Tuesday, following reports that she accused her longtime boyfriend Chris Brown of assault.

Rihanna's Los Angeles-based representatives informed Malaysia's Pineapple Concerts that the Feb. 13 show would have to be rescheduled to an unspecified date "in light of recent events involving Rihanna," Pineapple Concerts said in a statement to The Associated Press.
Rihanna had been slated to visit Indonesia and Malaysia on her "Good Girl Gone Bad" tour.
Her planned stop in Kuala Lumpur drew publicity after organizers said she would shun skimpy outfits to conform with Muslim-majority Malaysia's strict rules on performers' dress.
The Los Angeles Times, citing law enforcement officials familiar with the case and other sources it did not name, reported that Rihanna told police that Brown had hurt her the night before the Grammy Awards.
A police statement released Sunday said Brown and an unidentified woman began arguing while riding in a car following a pre-Grammy party where they were spotted together Saturday night. The fight escalated when they got out of the car, the report said.
The report indicated the woman was injured, but Brown was booked only on suspicion of making a criminal threat after walking into a police station Sunday night. Authorities said the district attorney could choose to expand the charges.

Sandra Bullock InStyle

For the down-to-earth actress with friend-you'd-love-to-have appeal, honesty is the only policy. Bullock eagerly answered questions from InStyle readers about family, career, style, and what's next. [ Check Out Pics From Sandra's InStyle Photo Shoot ]

Which role did you really want and not get?

Mary M., Brooklyn

"There haven't been any roles that I wanted that I didn't get, but there was a movie I wish I had done: 'The Matrix.' At the time [I was approached about it], it wasn't cast with Keanu [Reeves], and I didn't see myself with the person they wanted [in it]. Later I saw the movie and loved it. It was sexy and great because of Carrie-Anne [Moss] and Keanu."

What made you want to do your new movie "All About Steve"?

Annisa J., Chula Vista, CA

"I read the script and laughed so much. It encapsulated everything that has gone awry in our society for girls and women, who are pushed to be homogenized. What happened to all the Carol Burnetts in the world? All these great women were allowed to be this unique blend of things. I'm not the blond bombshell; I'll never be that. There's a piece of Mary in everybody -- to be accepted for who you are and not have to change to be seen as normal. To be true to yourself is something I admire. I wish I was like that all the time." [ See Sandra's Look Change Over The Years ]

What do you tell a girl who feels ugly because she's not blond or doesn't have a thin nose?

Elizabeth D., N.Y.C.

"Welcome to my broken nose! [Her sister accidentally broke it while lifting a garage door when they were younger.] ...I was rejected in school because I didn't look like the big-breasted, beautiful girls. I was awkward and sad. My mother always said, 'Be original!' but I didn't understand until I changed to be like everyone else. Once I fit in, I was like, 'What have I done?' I realized that my friends before were much cooler, with a great sense of humor and a way of looking at the world that was more fun. But if I hadn't gone through that, I wouldn't have been driven to make my oddities cool. It's what made me have a sense of humor and thick skin. It's like in 'All About Steve' -- I'm making fun of everything people have judged me for and put it into one character."

Which actresses do you admire most?

John S., Greenburgh, NY

"There are amazing women in our business, and they continue to break ground. I make a joke about Meryl Streep: They just need to give her her own category at the Academy Awards, and when she makes a film that year, give her a statue. I just saw Penelope Cruz in 'Elegy.' No one who looks like that should also be an extraordinary actress. I was so blown away by her in that film, I wanted to write a note to applaud her. We have to support each other. I admire actresses who are good to women. I don't like the ones who just don't like women. You can feel it, and I'm like, 'You're degrading yourself.'"

How do you stay in shape?

Aus J., Brooklyn

"People ask, 'How do actresses do it?' Um, they pay us to do this in order to look good on film. I do Pilates, kickboxing, weight training. When I'm in Austin, I run or ride a bike. If I can work out every day, I will. But there are times when I won't do anything for two weeks, and I'm like, 'You know what? I talk enough to burn calories.'" [ Find Out How To Get Sandra's Flawless Skin ]

What's your most memorable fashion moment?

David M., Los Angeles

"My wedding dress. It was beautifully handcrafted, with elegant French lace. Angel Sanchez designed it, and every time I'd try it on, he'd say, 'Sandra, please [lose] five pounds!' I apologize, Angel. I didn't give him those five pounds, but guess what? That round, shiny, happy person was me."

What is your shopping indulgence?

Christina S., Hicksville, NY

"At the end of every film I buy myself something. I'm frugal and I have to have saved for it. I once bought a big orange Hermes bag, but the guilt that followed from buying it lasted a year. I used it in another movie I just shot, 'The Proposal,' so I feel better about it."

Is there a child in your future?

Megeen C., South Orange, NJ

"I have family in spades. I walk into our house, and it is chaos. Everything we do is about the kids. I haven't had children biologically. I had shut that off; then I met Jesse, and it turned on again. I was like, 'Oh, that's that feeling.' But we realized we had to take care of some other things on this planet first. I hope to God when we get to a place where all is safe, calm, happy and healthy, it's not too late. Not until recently was it that time to say OK. It's now OK. If I waited too long, it's because we were supposed to do other things. If it is just too late? There are millions of children on this planet that I would be honored to call my own."

Terminator Salvation (2009)

Set in 2018, the film focuses on the original war between the human race and the Terminator computer network, Skynet. After destroying almost the entire human race on Earth in a nuclear holocaust, a group of survivors led by John Connor stands up to the war and together they struggle to keep those machines at bay and from completely wiping away the human race.

Release Date: 28th May 2009
Language: English
Rating: G
Genre: Action
Starring: Sam Worthington, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Mendes, Anton Yelchin, Christian Bale

Biggest Singles of All Times

The biggest selling single of all time in the United States has sold almost twice as many as its closest competition. In 1997, Elton John released a remake of his classic 1973 song "Candle In The Wind" with new lyrics that paid homage to Diana, Princess of Wales after her untimely death. This single sold over 11 million copies in the United States. An incredible figure.

Unfortunately, "Candle In The Wind" is not available for streaming via Rhapsody at this time, so it is not included in the final playlist here.

So what are the runners up to "Candle In The Wind 1997"? Well, only two have broken the 6 million mark ("A Little Less Conversation" by Elvis Presley & "Here Without You" by 3 Doors Down"), and only 12 have cracked the 4 million mark. (Please note that I am speaking only of sales in the USA).

A "single" is a song recording that has been marketed for sale as a unit, usually with a second track, or "b-side". For the most part singles also appear on a full-length album and tend to be the track(s) a record company feels have the best chance for massive sales and airplay.

All the songs in this playlist have sold over 4 million copies as a single in America. Some will surprise you, many will not. Are you one of the millions that bought one of these as a single? What's your favorite? Marvin Gaye gets my vote...
Biggest Selling Singles In The United States

1. A Little Less Conversation - Elvis Presley
2. Here Without You - 3 Doors Down
3. Another One Bites The Dust - Queen
4. Apologize - Timbaland
5. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams
6. Hey Jude - The Beatles
7. Hound Dog/Don't Be Cruel - Elvis Presley
8. I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston
9. Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
10. Low - Flo Rida
11. Macarena - Los del Rio
12. Ridin' - Chamillionaire
13. We Are The World - USA For Africa
14. Whoomp There It Is - Tag Team



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Warcraft Fans Showing their Looks

When BlizzCon 2008 convened in Los Angeles last month, many a Warcraft devotee flew their fan flags at full mast. Below are the dizzying panoply of colorful costumes and personalities on display at this annual gamerfest.

And......

KONG FU PANDA on the show..........

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Olga Kurylenko - The New Bond Girl

Olga Kostyantynivna Kurylenko (Ukrainian: Ольга Костянтинівна Куриленко; born November 14, 1979) is a Ukrainian model and actress. She is best known for being the Bond girl in the 22nd James Bond film, Quantum of Solace.

Olga Kurylenko was born in Berdyansk, Ukrainian SSR (now Ukraine) on November 14, 1979. Her mother, Marina Alyabusheva, is an art teacher of Russian descent, and her father, Konstantin Kurylenko, is Ukrainian. When Olga was three years old her parents divorced, leaving her to be raised by her mother. Olga rarely had contact with her father, meeting him for the first time when she was 8 years old, and later again when she was 13. In 2000, Kurylenko married French fashion photographer Cedric Van Mol, but the couple divorced four years later. In 2006 she married American mobile phone accessory entrepreneur Damian Gabriel Neufeld. They divorced in late 2007. Kurylenko has lived in Paris since leaving Ukraine in 1996 to pursue her modeling career.

The fact she is the first Bond girl from a post-Soviet state got mixed reactions in the post-Soviet countries. The Saint-Petersburg based Communist group KPLO has accused her of "moral and intellectual betrayal" in starring in a film about the "enemy of the Soviet people" (meaning James Bond), but the mayor of Berdyansk has suggested naming a street after her and she met Ukraine's First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko in President Yushchenko's family country house

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5 Things You Didn't Know About James Bond

The timeless James Bond is everyone’s favorite spy, and he's been successfully killing bad guys, scoring beautiful women and saving the world on the big screen since 1962’s Dr. No. When he released Casino Royale in 1953, English novelist Ian Fleming could never have imagined the heights of popularity his 007 character would reach. Since then, Bond has been played by six different actors in more than 20 movies and has appeared in cartoons, radio programs and video games. Yet, despite all this exposure, we’ve found five things you probably didn’t know about James Bond.

1- James Bond was inspired by an American zoologist

To come up with his Bond character, Fleming pooled traits from several people he knew and had read about. In naming his soon-to-be famous spy, Fleming picked James Bond after the famed bird expert with the same name. Bond wrote the acclaimed Birds of the West Indies, considered by many experts to be the definitive book on Caribbean birds. To come up with Bond’s cool demeanor, Fleming took attributes from real-life spies Sidney Reilly and Sir William Stephenson, as well as popular jazz composer Hoagy Carmichael. In fact, Fleming, who worked in British naval intelligence, also channeled his former peers in the creation of his iconic character.

2- Bond was created on summer vacation

Agent 007 may have never materialized had Fleming not bargained with one of his bosses. Specifically, when Fleming applied for a job with Kemsley Newspapers, owned by the famed London Sunday Times, he asked that he be granted two months of vacation each year. His request was approved, and each year from 1953 until his death in 1964, Fleming used those months to write a different Bond novel while vacationing at his Jamaican estate. The estate’s name? Goldeneye.

3- Bond has a drink every 24.3 minutes

It’s not uncommon for the world’s best spy to crash the most lavish parties around the world, and while he’s there, he might as well have a drink if it’s offered. Bond’s staple is the classic vodka martini, shaken, not stirred, but he’s also been known to sample other drinks. In the Bond films up to Casino Royale, Bond is seen to consume 114 drinks -- the equivalent of one every 24.3 minutes. Interestingly enough, he drinks champagne more than anything (35 glasses) and only enjoys one beer. In the Bond novels, he drinks a total of 317 alcoholic drinks -- one every seven pages, on average. Though he may enjoy the occasional drink, Bond has steered clear of smoking since 2002’s Die Another Day -- which was the last time he smoked a cigar.

4- There are only seven 00s

You’re forgiven if you were under the impression that Bond’s MI6 organization was fully stocked with agents. Throughout the movies, we learn that Bond is one of just seven 00 agents spying for the British, but he has the best knack for staying alive. In different movies, we’ve see the deaths of 002, 003, 004, and 009. Agent 006, believed killed, returns as the villain in GoldenEye before he’s disposed of. Besides Bond, only the unnamed 008 proves to be a skilled agent. He’s mentioned several times as Bond’s replacement should he die or be pulled off a mission for insubordination. It’s unclear why no 001 or 005 have ever been mentioned.

5- Bond became a 00 at the age of 38

In each movie, we learn a little more about not only Bond, but also his background -- and it all amounts to what would be a very impressive resume. A decorated serviceman, Bond attended the University of Geneva, served in the Royal Navy and later joined the special forces. While there, he was successful in several key missions across the globe. Still needing a challenge, Bond joined MI6 at the age of 30, and 8 years later received the prestigious 00 status, granting him a licence to kill for his country. More than just a typical action hero, the cerebral Bond holds a degree in Oriental languages, is fluent in English, French, German, Italian, and Russian, and can get by with passable Greek, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese.

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WARCRAFT - The Next Target from Hollywood?

With Mark Wahlberg's noir video game flick Max Payne debuting atop the box-office chart, Hollywood is once again clamoring to find other game properties to slap on celluloid. It's a risky gamble -- for every Tomb Raider blockbuster lies a thousand House of the Dead flops.
So if you're going to turn a video game into a film, it helps if you're already good at this sort of thing. And it doesn't hurt if you pick as popular a game as possible.
It's no wonder, then, that gamers and cinephiles alike are excited at the news of Spider-Man director Sam Raimi praising the big-screen possibilities of beloved multiplayer game, World of Warcraft. In a spirited MTV article exploring the problems behind video game movies, Raimi weighed in by explaining why games tend to be tougher to turn into compelling flicks than comics.

"In the world of video games, it's usually more of an environment or a scenario, not character-based ... but they certainly could [be better]. There's 'World of Warcraft' -- what an awesome video game! It has such great, adventurous characters in it and such fantastic landscapes and rules. ... You could make a brilliant 'World of Warcraft' movie -- as fine as any of the best superhero movies -- if you had the right writers and directors."

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Life is too Short for the Wrong Job

"Life's too short for the Wrong Job !"

This is a very straight forward slogan from http://www.jobsintown.de/ . Align with their creative and humor advertisement pictures in public machine as showing below, their commercial effect is really injecting.

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Even The Mummy Can't beat The Dark Knight

"The Dark Knight" hauled in $43.8 million to rank as Hollywood's top movie for the third-straight weekend, fending off "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," which opened a close second with $42.5 million.
"The Dark Knight" has soared to a $394.9 million haul in just 17 days, according to studio estimates Sunday. The Warner Bros. release should sail past the $400 million mark by Monday or Tuesday, said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner.
That would be on the film's 18th or 19th day of release, another record for "The Dark Knight," which had an all-time high opening weekend of $158.4 million. The previous $400 million record-holder was "Shrek 2," which hit that mark in 43 days.
"It's a film that is just rewriting the record books every day and redefining our notions of what a blockbuster can be," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers.
"The Dark Knight" will top $500 million, predicted Fellman, who would not speculate on whether it could approach the all-time domestic revenue record of "Titanic" at $600.8 million.
Even if it edged past that mark, "The Dark Knight" would lag behind "Titanic" in terms of actual tickets sold. Admission prices are up more than 50 percent since "Titanic" came out in 1997, according to Media By Numbers. "The Dark Knight" would have to take in about $900 million to match the number of tickets that "Titanic" sold.
In terms of revenue alone, however, "The Dark Knight" will pass the original "Star Wars," which is No. 2 behind "Titanic" with $461 million, and such hits as "Shrek 2" ($436.5 million), "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" ($434.9 million) and "Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace" ($431.1 million).
Early anticipation over Heath Ledger's diabolical performance as Batman foe the Joker built to a frenzy in the months after the actor's death from an accidental prescription drug overdose in January.
A huge opening weekend was guaranteed, but the movie has sustained its audience from stellar reviews and audience buzz.
"The movie has grown in terms of its base audience from primarily what was conceived as a young male movie to a movie for everybody, from 8 to 80," Fellman said. "They're going to see it because of the reviews, they're going to see it because of the word of mouth. They're going just to see what it's all about, and they all like it."
"The Dark Knight" also has taken in $202.5 million overseas, opening in six more markets in August, among them Japan, France and Russia.
Universal's third "Mummy" flick sends Brendan Fraser's adventurer and his wife, played this time by Maria Bello, to China, where they battle a resurrected ancient ruler, played by Jet Li, and his undead minions.
Though it put up strong numbers, the new installment had the smallest opening of the three movies. "The Mummy" debuted with $43.4 million in 1999 and "The Mummy Returns" did $68.1 million in 2001.
Along with its $42.5 million domestic haul, the new "Mummy" tale pulled in $59.5 million in 28 countries overseas.
"The Dark Knight" almost certainly took away some business from the "The Mummy," since both movies competed for the same action crowds.
"It looked like we could do somewhere between $45 and $50 million, but no one could have foreseen the juggernaut `The Dark Knight' has become," said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution for Universal.
Disney's "Swing Vote," about a presidential election that hinges on the lone ballot of an over-the-hill slacker played by Kevin Costner, opened weakly with $6.3 million, coming in at No. 6.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.
1. "The Dark Knight," $43.8 million.
2. "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," $42.5 million.
3. "Step Brothers," $16.3 million.
4. "Mamma Mia!", $13.1 million.
5. "Journey to the Center of the Earth," $6.9 million.
6. "Swing Vote," $6.3 million.
7. "Hancock," $5.2 million.
8. "WALL-E," $4.7 million.
9. "The X-Files: I Want to Believe," $3.4 million.
10. "Space Chimps," $2.8 million.

Twins from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

They are just 3 weeks old, but twins Knox Léon and Vivienne Marcheline are about to take the world by storm. In an exclusive interview and photos, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie offer PEOPLE an intimate look at their growing family. "It is chaos, but we are managing it and having a wonderful time," Jolie tells PEOPLE of daily life at the Château Miraval in Provence, France, where the couple's four older children – Maddox, 6, Pax, 4, Zahara, 3, and Shiloh, 2 – have been enjoying a summer of outdoor play (hide-and-seek is a favorite) on the château's sprawling grounds.Adds Pitt: "[It's] still a cuckoo's nest." Fortunately, they already have some household helpers. "[Shiloh] and Z pick out [the twins'] clothes and help change and hold them," says Jolie. "It's sweet – they are little mommies."

Roger Federer Will Be In Kuala Lumpur Soon

World number one Roger Federer and two tennis legends, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, will be in Kuala Lumpur for the Showdown of Champions 2008, to be be held at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Nov 18.

The trio will be joined by a fourth player who will either be the newly crowned Wimbledon champion and world number two, Rafael Nadal, or American ace James Blake to complete the cast of this star-studded show.

"The decision as to who will play in Malaysia will hinge on the outcome of the Davis Cup semi-final clash between Spain and the United States (US) in Madrid on Sept 21," said Nick Freyer, senior vice-president and head of tennis of IMG Asia, the event organisers, at a news conference, here today.

He said if Spain were to lose, Nadal will travel to Kuala Lumpur but if the US were to lose the clash, Blake, who is currently world number 8, will make the trip here.

The launching of the showdown was performed by the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, who is patron of the tournament, and Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

The Dark Night Hits $300 Million in Just 10 Days

"The Dark Knight" continues to obliterate box office records, crossing the $300 million mark in just 10 days. The epic Batman saga grossed $75.6 million in its second weekend in theaters, pushing its domestic total to $314,245,000, Warner Bros. head of distribution Dan Fellman said Sunday.

That surpasses the record set in 2006 by "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," which took 16 days to make $300 million.

The latest Batman installment already had broken records for best opening weekend at $158.4 million and best single-day with $66.4 million. It's also busted records in its showings on IMAX screens, making $16.3 million in its first 10 days.

Fellman expects that "Dark Knight" could reach $400 million in about 18 days, which would beat the record "Shrek 2" set in 2004 when it made that much money in 43 days.

"What can you say? We've been getting a lot of repeat business coming in," Fellman said. "Our audience is expanding, like you would expect with terrific word-of-mouth and strong reviews. Our audience is getting a little bit older, that's the good news. We're finding the younger demographic, male and female, coming back."

He called it "a big surprise," adding: "To do $300 (million) plus in 10 days, we just couldn't have predicted it."

"The Dark Knight" could pass "Titanic" as the highest-grossing film in U.S. history, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers. James Cameron's 1997 extravaganza made $600,788,188 domestically, a record no other movie has come close to touching.

"The `Titanic' record has sat in a lock box for 10 years. It's a tall order but if any film has a chance to surpass that number, it's got to be `Dark Knight,'" Dergarabedian said.

Director Christopher Nolan's follow-up to his 2005 origin story "Batman Begins," which again stars Christian Bale as the tormented comic-book crime fighter, initially benefited from the mystique of the late Heath Ledger giving his masterful, last performance as the Joker, Dergarabedian said.

"Now, it's all about word-of-mouth," he said. "The first weekend, there was this huge, pent-up demand and eagerness by audiences to see this movie. Now, it's like a freight train it seems to be unstoppable."

Part of the film's visual allure comes from the fact that 30 minutes of it were shot with IMAX cameras, including an elaborate bank-heist scene at the start.

"Chris (Nolan) has clearly hit upon something," said Greg Foster, chairman and president of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "There are many important filmmakers who we've spoken with in the last couple of weeks about shooting with IMAX cameras."

Coming in second place was "Step Brothers," which had a strong opening of its own with $30 million. The comedy reunites Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, co-stars of "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," as 40-year-olds who've never left home and are forced to share a bedroom when their parents get married.

Rory Bruer, head of distribution for Sony, said this was at the high end of the studio's expectations.

"We'd hoped to be in the mid-to-high $20 (millions), so to hit $30 (million) is a great start," Bruer said. "Having the chemistry of Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly together again, reuniting with (director) Adam McKay who did `Talladega Nights,' it's great. They both immerse themselves and the humor comes from their connection."

Sony also has the Will Smith superhero flick "Hancock," which made $8.2 million this past weekend to cross the $200 million mark.

The weekend's other big release was "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" which made an estimated $10.2 million. Ten years after the first "X-Files" movie and six years since the pioneering sci-fi show went off the air, this latest installment finds Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) re-teaming to solve a missing-persons case.

"The hardcore `X-Files' fans, they're happy. And frankly, that's who the movie was made for," said Chris Aronson, distribution executive for 20th Century Fox.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "The Dark Knight," $75.63 million.
2. "Step Brothers," $30 million.
3. "Mamma Mia!" $17.9 million.
4. "The X-Files: I Want to Believe," $10.2 million.
5. "Journey to the Center of the Earth," $9.4 million.
6. "Hancock," $8.2 million.
7. "WALL-E," $6.3 million.
8. "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," $4.9 million.
9. "Space Chimps," $4.4 million.
10. "Wanted," $2.7 million

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