Friday, July 31, 2009

Third 'Bridget Jones' in pipeline


It is rumoured that Working Title is developing a third instalment of the "Bridget Jones" series starring Renee Zellweger. The untitled third "Bridget Jones" pic, which is still in its early stages and probably won't go into production until the end of next year, will see Zellweger reprise her role as a British publishing exec struggling to find love.

It will likely be based on the weekly columns author Helen Fielding wrote in 2005 for British newspaper the Independent in which Bridget, now in her 40s, attempts to have a baby before it's too late.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost begin filming on Paul

Principal photography has begun on Universal and Working Title’s Paul, written by and starring British actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. The film is shooting in New Mexico.

Directed by Greg Mottola, Paul tells the story of two sci-fi geeks, played by Pegg and Frost, who embark on a road trip to the centre of America’s UFO heartland: Nevada’s Area 51 and encounter a fugitive alien called Paul.

The film also features Seth Rogan, who is providing the voice of the alien, alongside Jason Bateman, Kirsten Wiig, Bill Hader and Jane Lynch. The film is the third collaboration between Working Title and Pegg and Frost following Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead.

Richard Burton at BFI Southbank


Twenty-five years after his death, the BFI present a long-overdue retrospective with highlights from his entire career. From his modest debut in The Last Days of Dolwyn (1949) and the excessive Cleopatra (1963) to Nineteen Eighty- Four (1984), Richard Burton evolved from jobbing theatre actor to bona fide movie star; and for a brief period in the early to mid-60s, his work was at its absolute zenith.


Richard Burton: Lion of the welsh

Tony Earnshaw, head of film programming at the National Media Museum, Bradford, explores the work of a fearless and 10:35 24/07/2009versatile performer. Lion of the Welsh is a lively and objective re-consideration of Burton’s oeuvre, using many of Burton’s own
words and clips from his films

Thu 6 Aug 18:20 NFT2 Tickets £5


The Last Days of Dolwyn

Emlyn Williams’ portrait of the class divide in late-19th-century Wales is both a curious time capsule of cinematic theatricality and a perfect example of 1940s film melodrama. Williams (as writer, director and leading man) is the bitter and resentful boy-done-good who returns home with plans to flood the valley of his birth. Burton (in his film debut) is the proud local lad who sees through his lies.

UK 1949 Dir Emlyn Williams With Edith Evans, Emlyn Williams, Alan Aynesworth 95min U


Sat 1 Aug 15:20 NFT2, Fri 7 Aug 20:30 NFT2, Tue 11 Aug 14:00 NFT1-Seniors’ Matinee


My Cousin Rachel

Burton took on what could have been a thankless task – playing second fiddle to Olivia de Havilland’s arch villainess – and landed his first Oscar nomination. My Cousin Rachel makes the very most of its origins and lays on the gothic atmosphere of Daphne Du Maurier’s story. At its most basic this is a whodunit that asks audiences, via Burton’s suspicious eyes, to believe de Havilland’s smile masks pure evil.

USA 1952 Dir Henry Koster With Olivia de Havilland, Audrey Dalton, Ronald Squire 98min PG

Wed 5 Aug 18:10 NFT3, Sat 8 Aug 15:50 NFT2, Tue 11 Aug 17:50 NFT1


The Robe

A self-important Biblical epic in the vein of Cecil B De Mille, The Robe represents a mighty adaptation of Lloyd C Douglas’s tale of the conversion of the Roman tribune who witnesses the crucifixion of Christ. The first film in CinemaScope is over-blown and pompous, but conveys the era’s penchant for grandiose showmanship. Burton acts as if for the theatre rather than the sound stage but emerges largely unscathed.


USA 1953 Dir Henry Koster With Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Michael Rennie 135min PG

Sun 2 Aug 15:00 NFT1, Wed 5 Aug 20:20 NFT3


Bitter Victory

Two soldiers vie for the affections of the same woman during the Allies’ desert campaign in WWII. Burton is the fl awed hero, Curt Jurgens the superior officer whose wife Burton once romanced. The love triangle forms the backdrop to an intense tale of jealousy and cowardice played out beneath the blazing sun.

USA 1957 Dir Nicholas Ray With Curt Jurgens, Ruth Roman, Raymond Pellegrin 103min 15

Mon 3 Aug 18:30 NFT1, Wed 5 Aug 14:30 NFT3, Sun 9 Aug 20:30 NFT3


Look Back In Anger


Burton tears into Jimmy Porter, the ‘angry young man’ of John Osborne’s bitter and acerbic play. Social realism meets explosive theatricality as the learned, frustrated and deeply misanthropic Porter rages against the world, abandons his mousy wife and begins an affair with her best friend. In one of the earliest ‘kitchen sink’ dramas, the crisp cinematography (by Ossie Morris)
brings Porter’s dismal existence to electrifying life.

UK 1959 Dir Tony Richardson With Claire Bloom, Mary Ure, Gary Raymond 98min PG

Thu 6 Aug 20:40 NFT2, Sun 9 Aug 15:50 NFT2


The VIPs

Art imitates life as an oil magnate and his bored wife play out their romantic travails against the backdrop of a London airport shrouded in fog. Burton and Taylor are the ostensible leads of this all-star pageant, though some would argue their role-playing
was rather too close to home for comfort. Louis Jourdan is the gold-digging gigolo with his eye on the rich man’s wife.

UK 1963 Dir Anthony Asquith With Elizabeth Taylor, Orson Welles, Margaret Rutherford 119min PG

Fri 7 Aug 18:10 NFT2, Tue 11 Aug 20:40 NFT2



Cleopatra

A magnificent spectacle with a majestic, multitudinous cast, Cleopatra is arguably modern cinema’s biggest, brashest, most sprawling historical epic. Based on the biography by Carlo Mario Franzero, Cleopatra is an example of runaway film-making at its most uncontrolled, with the added sparkle of witnessing the Taylor-Burton dalliance explode into a full-blown love affair. For sheer style and verve it remains unequalled.

UK-USA-Switzerland 1963 Dir Joseph L Mankiewicz With Elizabeth Taylor, Rex Harrison, Roddy McDowall 243min + interval

70mm PG

Sat 8 Aug 18:00 NFT1, Mon 10 Aug 18:10 NFT1


Becket

The volatile relationship between old friends and sometime enemies Henry II and Thomas Becket is explored in this intense portrait of petulance and defiance. Creating both a consideration of friendship corrupted by power, and an unflinching depiction of idealism and faith, Peter Glenville pits two of the most hot-blooded performers of the 1960s against one another and watches the resultant fireworks. A prime example of two stars in perfect sync.


UK 1964 Dir Peter Glenville With Peter O’Toole, John Gielgud, Donald Wolfit 149min PG

Sun 9 Aug 17:50 NFT2, Fri 21 Aug 20:10 NFT3


The Night of the Iguana

Partnered with man-eater Ava Gardner, prim Deborah Kerr and teen nymphet Sue Lyon, Burton plays a defrocked priest desperately attempting to navigate his way through his shattered life in John Huston’s magnificent adaptation of Tennessee
Williams’ play. Despite the usual Williams maelstrom of passions and sweatiness, Huston injects some pleasurably sly humour and is repaid with remarkable performances, particularly Burton’s.

USA 1964 Dir John Huston With Ava Gardner, Deborah Kerr, Sue Lyon 118min 12A

Wed 12 Aug 20:40 NFT3, Fri 14 Aug 17:50 NFT1, Tue 25 Aug 14:30 NFT3


The Spy Who Came in from the Cold


Burnt out, cynical and set for the knacker’s yard of espionage, shabby spy Alec Leamas gets an unexpected chance to revenge himself on his Eastern Bloc opponent. Things are complicated when he starts falling for left-wing activist Nan. Stark, downbeat and beautifully shot in crisp black and white by Ossie Morris, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold offered Burton the opportunity to show the flip side of 007.

UK 1965 Dir Martin Ritt With Claire Bloom, Oskar Werner, Peter Van Eyck 112min PG

Thu 13 Aug 18:10 NFT3, Sun 16 Aug 20:40 NFT2


The Taming of the Shrew

This zesty, witty romp is extraordinarily good fun as lusty Petruchio pursues tempestuous Katharina to make her his wife. An unrestrained, bawdy comedy spectacular, The Taming of the Shrew is a rumbustious adventure as Taylor is pummelled, pounded, kicked, slapped, spanked and generally knocked around by Burton as he woos, wins, weds and finally domesticates his fiery love.

One of the very best filmed Shakespeare plays, and produced by the Burtons.

USA-Italy 1966 Dir Franco Zeffi relli With Elizabeth Taylor, Cyril Cusack, Michael Hordern 122min U


Thu 13 Aug 20:30 NFT3, Sun 23 Aug 15:40 NFT3


Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Over the course of an apocalyptic, drunken evening, college professor George and his blowsy, shrewish wife Martha tear each other to pieces while the college’s latest recruit and his mousy wife watch and participate in open-mouthed horror. A biting, excoriating adaptation of Edward Albee’s play, the film garnered Oscar nominations for all four principals, with only Taylor and
Dennis winning. Burton lost for the fifth time.

USA 1966 Dir Mike Nichols With Elizabeth Taylor, George Segal, Sandy Dennis 132min 15

Sat 15 Aug 15:10 NFT2, Mon 17 Aug 18:10 NFT1, Thu 27 Aug 14:00 NFT3


Doctor Faustus

Burton partnered with his former Oxford University tutor Nevill Coghill for this curious exercise in theatreturned- film. In a wayward portrait of corruption and obsession there are moments of magic with Burton’s performance giving a hint of the power of his stage persona. A self-indulgent pet project, Doctor Faustus remains a curio, not least for Elizabeth Taylor’s (mute) cameo as Helen of Troy. Burton’s sole venture into direction.


UK 1967 Dir Richard Burton & Nevill Coghill With Elizabeth Taylor, Andreas Teuber 93min PG

Tue 18 Aug 20:45 NFT3, Wed 19 Aug 18:20 NFT2


Anne of the Thousand Days

Frustrated by his pious wife’s inability to produce a male heir, King Henry VIII sets his sights on Anne Boleyn, the young daughter of an ambitious courtier. Burton roars his way through this absorbing biopic as the absolute monarch whose word is law.

In her film debut, Geneviève Bujold matches Burton in the acting stakes in a role that Elizabeth Taylor was told she was too old to play.

USA 1969 Dir Charles Jarrott With Geneviève Bujold, Anthony Quayle, Irene Papas 146min PG


Fri 21 Aug 17:50 NFT2, Sun 30 Aug 15:20 NFT3


Under Milk Wood

Two rollicking, nocturnal visitors pass through the quiet cobbled streets of the sleepy Welsh town of Llareggub. Sinclair’s inspired film adaptation of Dylan Thomas’ ‘play for voices’ casts Burton and Ryan Davies as the drunken strangers. A formidable Celtic ensemble breathes life into Thomas’s verse, lifting the lid on the quiet town and its delightfully eccentric inhabitants. A
beautiful verbal epic haunted by the twin spectres of death and nostalgia.

+ Dylan Thomas

This beautifully shot, atmospheric, Oscar-winning documentary eloquently honours Thomas using many of the locations where Thomas himself grew up and found his inspiration. Richard Burton trudges along the windswept shore at Laugharne, mixes with the drinkers in the local pub and re-visits Thomas’s poetry to produce an atmospheric, evocative and elegiac tribute that benefi ts hugely from its Bible-black monochrome photography.

UK 1962 Dir Jack Howells 31min U

Mon 24 Aug 18:10 NFT2, Thu 27 Aug 20:20 NFT2



Villain

Less a crime thriller than a fascinating study in psychosis, Tuchner’s feature debut combines the East End’s Ronnie Kray with White Heat’s Cody Jarrett to create cruel, mother-fi xated homosexual gangster Vic Dakin. A genuine (and rare) character study by Burton, Villain offers up an authentic milieu – that of the plausible crime kingpin who rules through fear, charisma and unpredictability. If Burton’s accent occasionally wavers, his menace does not.

UK 1971 Dir Michael Tuchner With Ian McShane, Nigel Davenport, Donald Sinden 98min 15

Sat 22 Aug 20:50 NFT2; Wed 26 Aug, 18:10 NFT1; Fri 28 Aug 20:30 NFT3


Equus

Psychiatrist Martin Dysart is charged with unravelling the unsettling mystery of why troubled youth Alan Strang (Firth) blinded six horses with a metal spike. Adapted from his Broadway smash by Peter Shaffer, Equus retains its theatrical feel but is lifted by Burton’s mesmeric, Oscar-nominated performance as the tormented shrink. An absorbing movie: part psychological drama, part detective thriller and part dysfunctional family portrait.

USA 1976 Dir Sidney Lumet With Peter Firth, Eileen Atkins, Colin Blakely 137min 15


Wed 26 Aug 20:20 NFT2, Sat 29 Aug 15:40 NFT3


Nineteen Eighty-Four

In the totalitarian state of Oceania, perpetually at war with one or other of its neighbours, love is a crime.

When lowly clerk Winston Smith falls in love, the machinations of the state are targeted against him. In his final film performance Burton delivers a chilling, understated portrait of sinister intransigence as the dead-eyed Party inquisitor, O’Brien.

Shot in desaturated, grainy colour by Roger Deakins.

UK 1984 Dir Michael Radford With John Hurt, Suzanne Hamilton, Cyril Cusack 110min 15

Sat 29 Aug 18:30 NFT3, Mon 31 Aug 20:40 NFT2



For further information: www.bfi.org.uk/whatson/bfi_southbank/film_programme/august_seasons/richard_burton

Tommy Trinder season at BFI Southbank

Throughout August the BFI Southbank will offer a rare opportunity to catch many of his timeless performances and to re-evaluate his popularity as we celebrate the centenary of his birth.

Almost a Honeymoon

UK 1938. Dir Norman Lee. With Linden Travers, Frederick Burtwell. 78min. PG

Trinder made his film debut in this boisterous farce, an adaptation of Walter Ellis’ popular stage play. After being offered a colonial appointment, an impecunious idler (Trinder) begins a frantic search to find a wife within 24 hours after he discovers that the post is for a married man.

Plus an episode of nostalgia show Looks Familiar (Thames 1981, 25min), with Trinder, Max Wall and Larry Adler.

Sat 1 Aug 17:20 NFT2


Wed 5 Aug 20:40 NFT2


Save a Little Sunshine

UK 1938. Dir Norman Lee. With Dave Willis, Peggy Novak. 75min. U

While Trinder is relegated to second lead in this sprightly musical comedy, he is at least teamed with the incomparable Max Wall as down-on their-luck variety artists helping out at a boarding house. They make such a good comedy duo that one wishes they had made more films together. The vivacious Pat Kirkwood supplies the songs.

Plus another episode of Looks Familiar (Thames 1976, 26min), with Trinder, Wall and Arthur Askey.

Sun 2 Aug 16:00 NFT2

Tue 4 Aug 20:40 NFT2



Laugh It Off

UK 1940. Dir John Baxter. With Jean Colin, Geraldo and his Orchestra. 77min. U

Delightful musical comedy, packed to the brim with spirited musical numbers, with Trinder joining the army and organising, against all the odds, a successful concert party. Plus, to mark the comedian’s long association with the Water Rats, Royal Appointment (BBC 1975, 28min), with Trinder and a host of comedians appointing Prince Charles a Companion Rat, and a clip from the Water Rats celebration, This is Music Hall

(BBC 1955, c5min).

Tue 11 Aug 18:10 NFT3

Fri 14 Aug 20:40 NFT2


Sailors Three


UK 1940. Dir Walter Forde. With Carla Lehmann, James Hayter. 87min. U

Trinder found his greatest success on the screen with a series of films made at Ealing Studios, and, in the first of these, he helps the war effort by capturing, with the assistance of Royal Navy shipmates Claude Hulbert and Michael Wilding, a German battleship after mistakenly going aboard in a fog. A fast-moving, energetic entertainment in which the adventure, comedy and song elements are masterfully orchestrated by director Forde.

Wed 5 Aug 18:30 NFT2

Wed 12 Aug 20:50 NFT2


The Foreman Went to France

UK 1942. Dir Charles Frend. With Clifford Evans, Constance Cummings, Gordon Jackson, Robert Morley. 85min. U

Trinder gives an impressive straight performance (without entirely forsaking his trademark humour) in this exciting wartime drama. A British factory foreman is aided by an American woman and two British soldiers in staying one step ahead of both the German army and Nazi sympathisers in his attempts to prevent specialist machinery from falling into the hands of the enemy.


Plus It’s Up To You (1942, 4min), a charity appeal short.

Mon 10 Aug 20:30 NFT2

Sun 16 Aug 16:00 NFT2


The Bells Go Down

UK 1943. Dir Basil Dearden. With Mervyn Johns, Philippa Hiatt, Finlay Currie. 89min. U

Tommy Trinder and James Mason may sound like strange bedfellows, but they actually work extremely well together in this stirring account of the work of the Auxiliary Fire Service in London’s East End during the Blitz. While largely studio-bound, it nevertheless remains a convincing depiction of the heroism of London’s fire fighters.

Plus Eating Out With Tommy Trinder (1941, 7min), a promotional short for wartime community restaurants.


Tue 18 Aug 18:10 NFT3

Wed 26 Aug 18:20 NFT2


Champagne Charlie

UK 1944. Dir Alberto Cavalcanti. With Betty Warren, Jean Kent, Austin Trevor. 105min. PG

A rousing comedy musical with a loving period recreation of London’s Victorian music halls, with a story centred on the professional rivalry between the two foremost music hall personalities of the day, George Leybourne (Trinder) and The Great

Vance (Stanley Holloway).

Plus an episode of television variety show The Music Box (Jack Hylton TV Productions 1957, 26min), hosted by Trinder and


climaxing in a celebration of British music hall.

Sun 23 Aug 15:50 NFT2

Thu 27 Aug 18:10 NFT3

Mon 31 Aug 15:30 NFT3


Bitter Springs

UK 1950. Dir Ralph Smart. With Gordon Jackson, Michael Pate, Charles Tingwell. 86min. PG

Trinder provides good comic support in this story of conflict between Aborigines and white settlers (led by Chips Rafferty) in 19th-century Australia. The story and staging are reminiscent of a Western (settler treks, smoke signals, cabin sieges), a


perception that the exemplary location filming only serves to reinforce.

Plus A Night With the Stars (1950, 33min), with Trinder hosting a benefit concert held at the London Palladium.

Mon 24 Aug 20:40 NFT2

Sun 30 Aug 16:00 NFT2


You Lucky People!

UK 1955. Dir Maurice Elvey. With Mary Parker, Rufus Cruickshank. 79min. U

Cue the usual armed-forces high jinks (invariably at the expense of the sergeant major) when Trinder finds himself back in the army as a reservist on a refresher course. There’s always time for a song or two, of course, and there is good support from Dora Bryan. It’s as if the war had never ended.


Plus an interview with Trinder from Late Night Line-Up (BBC 1966, c8min).

Tue 25 Aug 20:40 NFT2

Fri 28 Aug 18:10 NFT3


Val Parnell’s Sunday Night at the London Palladium

ATV 1958. With Sarah Vaughan, Dick Shawn, Marvin Rainwater. 52min

Trinder, with his close associations with the Palladium, was an obvious choice as the first host of this variety show, and we here present the only surviving episode showing him in action.

Plus The Old Boy Network (BBC 1979, 40 min), with Trinder recalling his long show business career.


Thu 13 Aug 18:20 NFT2


For further information www.bfi.org.uk/whatson/bfi_southbank/film_programme/august_seasons/tommy_trinder

Gerry Anderson's UFO feature film?


Veteran visual effects supervisor Matthew Gratzner is attached to make his directorial debut on "UFO," the feature adaptation of the '70s TV series.

A script has been written by Ryan Gaudet and Joseph Kanarek. Gratzner's studio has begun developing concept art and pre-visualizations; after they're completed, the picture will be shopped for financing.

Like the Gerry Anderson series, the film will revolve around Shado (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defense Organization), a secret military operation hidden beneath a Hollywood studio, whose operatives battle an alien race that has been kidnapping and killing humans for decades and using the body parts. "The story, characters and situations Mr. Anderson created in 'UFO' are timeless and engaging," Gratzner said. "My vision is to utilize visual effects as a supportive storytelling device that draws audiences into this universe."

Earlier date for British MotoGP


The 2010 British MotoGP at Silverstone will take place earlier than usual after next year's provisional race schedule was published.

The race, which is also changing venues from Donington, is usually held in late June or July but will be round six of the 2010 championship on 6 June.

Qatar hosts the first race on 11 April and the last is Valencia on 7 November.

The list includes the Hungarian Grand Prix, pulled from the 2009 list because the venue was behind schedule.

MotoGP will replace Formula 1 at Silverstone after MotoGP championship promoters Dorna signed a 10-year contract with the Northamptonshire venue.



At the same time, F1 is moving to Donington in Leicestershire.

The venue hosted the most recent

race of this year's championship, won by Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso.


2010 provisional MotoGP calendar:

11 April: Losail, Qatar *
25 April Motegi, Japan
2 May Jerez, Spain
16 May Le Mans, France
30 May Mugello, Italy
6 June Silverstone, Great Britain
26 June Assen, Netherlands **
4 July Catalunya, Spain
18 July Sachsenring, Germany
25 July Laguna Seca, US ***
15 August Brno, Czech Republic
29 August Indianapolis, US
12 September Misano, San Marino
19 September Balatonring, Hungary
10 October Sepang, Malaysia
17 October Phillip Island, Australia
31 October Estoril, Portugal
7 November Ricardo Tormo Circuit, Valencia

* Evening race

** Saturday race

*** Only MotoGP class

It is a lot for Silverstone to live up to next year but the Northamptonshire circuit


also has a proud Grand Prix history and big plans for the future, officially presented to MotoGP movers and shakers on Tuesday.

Silverstone has pledged to offer fans a "better experience at affordable prices" for the 2010 event, with £7m worth of modifications currently underway.

As well as updating the viewing facilities, with work due to commence this November, changes are also planned for the track, which will become one of the fastest on the MotoGP calendar.

The riders will now turn right at Abbey, joining the new section of track, which includes the Arena complex, and then links up with the National Straight before re-joining the Grand Prix circuit at Brooklands. The other significant track change is the removal of the chicane at Woodcote.


Silverstone will also welcome something of a new-look MotoGP, with the likelihood of privateer teams set to run 1000cc engines in prototype chassis alongside the thoroughbred prototype 800s in 2010.

The proposal, by rights holders Dorna, is designed to offer a lower cost alternative to teams, with the grid having been reduced to a worryingly low 17 riders following the withdrawal of Sete Gibernau's satellite Ducati outfit before the German Grand Prix last week.

The 1000cc Moto1 machines would be scaled-up versions of the 600cc Moto2 bikes that will replace the 250cc class next year, although manufacturers are reported to have responded to the controversial idea by offering their 800cc engines for use by private teams within a prototype chassis.


One privateer outfit that will be running a full MotoGP prototype next year is Team Aspar, who confirmed this weekend that they will lease a single Ducati Desmosedici GP10.

Alvaro Bautista has been offered the ride and has been given until Wednesday to make a decision, with Toni Elias heading up the list of viable alternatives.


It was a miserable weekend for the current Ducati crop, with factory pair Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden taking a huge gamble by running wet tyres when the rest of the grid was on slicks.

Both riders went against the advice of their team and whilst Hayden's boldness was understandable given that he had little to lose from the back of the grid, for Stoner to take the same risk was bemusing, regardless of his weak physical condition.









Casey Stoner heads out of the garage at Donington
Stoner turned gambler on Sunday staring at the Leicestershire skies










"Every single lap we were out there it threatened to pour down and we were very close to having the perfect situation," reflected Stoner.

"I still think it was a risk worth taking because it could have worked out fantastically but obviously we're disappointed it didn't."

Team boss Livio Suppo was in less phlegmatic mood. "We could have been heroes or idiots today… we are idiots," he told us on our red button show on Sunday. "We took a big gamble today and it turned out to be a big mistake, there is no escaping that."

Satellite rider Mika Kallio was one of four riders who switched to full wets in the final third of the race but that also proved to be a mistake as he lost three positions to finish 10th.

Having missed Laguna Seca due to his finger injury and riding through the pain barrier at Sachsenring and Donington, Kallio will undergo surgery on Tuesday.


The 800cc Desmosedici has been something of a poisoned chalice for anybody other than Stoner so far but Jorge Martinez "Aspar" is more than ready for the challenge, having achieved everything possible in the smaller classes.

The 125cc world champion's team followed up their 200th podium at Assen last month with their 100th win at Donington - it was just a shame for the British fans that the honour went to Julian Simon and not his team-mate Bradley Smith.


Smith has the opportunity to return to winning ways before the next round at Brno when he takes on Jenson Button in the London Triathlon next month.

Smith offered to take on Button in the world's largest triathlon when the two met during the Formula 1 British GP at Silverstone, with Lewis Hamilton having famously swerved Button's challenge last year.

"I told him straight away that 'Lewis (Hamilton) won't race you but I will'," explained Smith.

"I've made sure I'm in the same wave start time as Jenson so we really get to battle head to head. Jenson has been really good about it and we've been swapping the odd text in the build-up to the race.

"Hopefully at the end of this season we will both win our respective championships, which is fantastic for British motorsport. But there's only going to be one winner in the triathlon and I'm planning on making sure that it's me!"

Matt Roberts' MotoGP column


Andrea Dovizioso's victory was the latest - and potentially final - tale of the unexpected to be played out at Donington Park, as 23 years of motorcycle Grand Prix drama at the Leicestershire circuit came to a fitting close on Sunday.

During a nostalgic weekend, Kevin Schwantz was on hand to regale us with the inside story of his final career victory here in 1994, when he had to hold the throttle open down the straights with his left hand - despite a dislocated wrist - just to shake some feeling back into his fractured right hand.

Paddock wags also reminisced about Wayne Gardner's only victory of his final season in 1992, which came shortly after announcing his retirement, and Simon Crafar's shock defeat of Mick Doohan in 1998.

Crafar's pole position, fastest lap and race win sweep was astounding not only because it was achieved on Dunlop tyres, who had not won for three years in an era dominated by Michelin, but also because it was Yamaha's first in 23 races.

Even fresher in the memory lies Ralf Waldmann's 250cc victory in torrential conditions in 2000, when he made up over a minute in the final five laps to beat Olivier Jacque by 0.3 seconds.

Those memories were stirred by the fact that Waldmann, now 43, actually rode on Sunday in place of the injured Russian rider Vladimir Leonov.

That same season, Valentino Rossi took the first of his 101 premier-class victories so far following an unforgettable battle with our own Jeremy McWilliams and the Italian somehow bettered that the following year to beat pole man Max Biaggi with a stunning ride from eleventh on the grid.

Most recently, 15-year-old Scott Redding's debut victory last year will live long in the memory of any British fan and his podium on Sunday, which he rated as an even bigger achievement under the circumstances, will be equally cherished.

Clubs discover Carling Cup fate


Football League new boys Burton Albion have been drawn away to Reading in the first round of the Carling Cup.

Elsewhere West Bromwich Albion, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, will travel to Bury.

Newcastle and Middlesbrough, who were also relegated into the Championship, received byes for the first round.

Top-flight clubs will not enter the competition until the second round, although teams that have qualified for Europe are introduced a stage later.

That means holders Manchester United as well as Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton, Aston Villa and Fulham will enter in the third round.

The final is set to be held at Wembley Stadium on 28 February.

Last season Manchester United beat holders Tottenham 4-1 on penalties in the final at Wembley.

Meanwhile, Burton boss Paul Peschisolido is delighted to have been drawn against Reading.

"It's a fantastic draw and I'm so pleased for the players," he said. "To get a draw like this is wonderful for the club and the players and it is a chance for someone to make a name for themselves. "


Elsewhere, Torquay who were also promoted from the Blue Square Premier League, will visit Championship outfit Crystal Palace.

Preston will play host to Morecambe in a Lancashire derby, while Barnet entertain Watford.

Cash-strapped Darlington, who are due to come out of administration this summer, were handed further good news with a potentially money-spinning home tie against Leeds United.

The ties are scheduled to be played in the week commencing 10 August.

• Video highlights of every game in the Carling Cup next season will be available on the BBC Sport website, for UK users.


The draw for the first round of the Carling Cup is as follows:

Accrington Stanley v Walsall
Huddersfield v Stockport
Rotherham v Derby
Tranmere v Grimsby
Sheff Weds v Rochdale
Bury v West Brom
Notts County v Doncaster
Lincoln v Barnsley
Scunthorpe v Chesterfield
Coventry v Hartlepool
Darlington v Leeds
Preston v Morecambe
Crewe v Blackpool
Carlisle v Oldham
Nottm Forest v Bradford
Macclesfield v Leicester
Sheff Utd v Port Vale
Cardiff v Dag & Red
Wycombe v Peterborough
Southampton v Northampton
Barnet v Watford
Hereford v Charlton
Bristol Rovers v Aldershot
Millwall v Bournemouth
Gillingham v Plymouth
Colchester v Leyton Orient
Reading v Burton Albion
Exeter v QPR
Cheltenham v Southend
Brentford v Bristol City
Yeovil v Norwich
Crystal Palace v Torquay
MK Dons v Swindon
Swansea v Brighton
Shrewsbury v Ipswich



John Mayer 'Absolutely Not' Reuniting with Jessica Simpson, Says Pal


First, Nick Lachey told PEOPLE there was very little truth to reports he might get back together with his newly single ex-wife, Jessica Simpson.



Now comes bad news for fans hoping Simpson’s ex-boyfriend John Mayer will heal her broken heart.


"Absolutely not," Mayer's pal Rob Dyrdek, 35, star of MTV's Fantasy Factory, told PEOPLE Monday at Ryan Scheckler's X Games Celebrity Skins Classic" in Coto De Caza, Calif.


Mayer and Simpson dated on-and-off for about a year before splitting in 2007. Dyrdek says he "wouldn't rule out" a reunion, but adds, "I'm just saying [I don't think so]."

Earlier this month, Mayer found himself in the middle of Simpson's breakup with her boyfriend of a year and a half, Tony Romo, when reports surfaced that he had been texting the pop star, 29. In May, a source told PEOPLE the exes "have been in touch."

Mayer observers may remember Dyrdek, a pro skateboarder, as the apparently drunk friend the singer carried out of L.A. club MyHouse June 14. Mayer Tweeted later that night that he was with Dyrdek at the hospital as he had his stomach pumped.


It was a prank.


"He's one of the most incredible people I have ever met and a thoroughbred genius," Dyrdek says of Mayer. "He just likes to [mess] with the paparazzi. He's like, 'I want to do so much more crazy [stuff],' and he settled on carrying me out of the club."


The faux-scandal will be part of Fantasy Factory. "I did a whole episode on what it's like to have a psychotically famous [friend]," Dyrdek says. "Just the whole idea of how out of control it got. To where my parents' local news was like, 'Local celebrity almost dies.' "



The practical jokers later devised a creative way to tell Dyrdek's mother they were sorry. "We recorded a song called 'Rob's Mom' that apologizes to her and all of the girls in the office."

Jude Law to Be a Father for Fourth Time


Jude Law, who has three children with ex-wife Sadie Frost, has discovered he's expecting a fourth child with an unidentified former lover.


"Jude Law can confirm that, following a relationship last year, he has been advised that he is to be the father of a child due in the fall of this year," the actor's rep says in a statement. "Mr. Law is no longer in a relationship with the individual concerned but he intends to be a fully supportive part of the child's life. This is an entirely private matter and no other statements will be made."


Law, 36, next will appear in Hamlet on Broadway in October, and will star with Robert Downey Jr. in the film Sherlock Holmes opening on Christmas Day.



The news was first reported by EW.com.

Jon Gosselin Gets Back to His Kids


After a week in the fast lane, Jon Gosselin returned to suburban life with his kids Tuesday.


The father of eight, who has been spending time in Saint-Tropez, Manhattan and the Hamptons, arrived back at the family home in Wernersville, Pa., around noon, where his two eldest daughters, twins Mady and Cara, 8, squealed with delight at the sight of their dad. (His youngest three girls were being watched by a nanny in the backyard.)



Life in Wernersville is not quite as glamorous as Gosselin's most recent activities, such as cruising on designer Christian Audigier's yacht in France. While home, he was spotted taking his car to a mechanic, visiting a UPS store, going to the bank, doing chores and smoking outside his house.

Jon and his estranged wife Kate share custody of their eight kids; the children stay at home while their parents take turns caring for them and spend time away on their days off.


"I'm just trying to concentrate on my family first, second my career," Gosselin told PEOPLE over the weekend. "I'm really looking forward to [seeing my family], to turning my phone off, playing with my kids in the pool and being the dad."

LeAnn Rimes and Dean Sheremet: Inside Their Relationship


When the news broke that LeAnn Rimes and Dean Sheremet had separated – just four months after the singer was reportedly caught in an affair with actor Eddie Cibrian – it saddened many friends who had admired their marriage and what they did for each other over the past seven years.



In Nashville, those who knew the couple recall how the pair never seemed to spend a moment apart. Says one friend, "[LeAnn and Dean] were pretty much inseparable here." The pair were often spotted together at the gym, dining on the town with friends, dancing at nightclubs and even shopping for Rimes's wardrobe.

Profound Influence

Sheremet, in fact, is credited with helping his wife – who was 19 when they married – make the transformation from a country girl into a sexy siren. "When she met Dean, the whole image of who LeAnn Rimes was completely morphed into 'fabulousity,' " says a source close to the couple. Sheremet, 28, who choreographed the singer's Chicago-inspired video for "Nothin' Better to Do" in 2007, "saw the potential that was not being tapped," adds the friend. "Her wardrobe, hair and makeup changed almost over night from the time they started being together."


But sources say it may have been inevitable that they grew apart as they they both got older. "I don't think it's unusual considering how young they were [when they wed], and the business they're in," says a member of their social circle.


Separate Cities

As Rimes, 26, expanded her career into acting, she spent more time in Los Angeles, while Sheremet's career as a songwriter kept him in Nashville. "Maybe there was less of an effort to meet up in those moments where they typically would have met up," suggests a Rimes pal.


Rimes and Sheremet's strong friendship, however, is making it difficult for them to officially split. Though the singer has been spending time with newly-separated Cibrian, she and her husband are still in touch and it's unclear when – or if – they might seek a divorce. Says the Rimes pal, "There's still a lot of love and respect between the two of them. But sometimes love might not be enough."

Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush Call It Quits


Kim Kardashian and her boyfriend of two years, New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush, are going their separate ways, the reality star's rep confirms to PEOPLE.


The pair, who recently returned from a charity trip to Africa with Kardashian's sister Khloe, just last May talked about "heading" toward marriage, but sources tell PEOPLE their relationship suffered from the time they spent apart – with yet another separation looming with the upcoming NFL season.

"They never get to see each other, ever," the source says. "It's been a long time coming. They still love each other and are part of their lives, but Reggie spends six months out of the year in New Orleans, so it's tough."


Kardashian, 28, the star of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, had been dating Bush, 24, since 2007. The couple were seen as the perfect Hollywood pair, stepping out on red carpets and posing for a GQ spread together.



"They were the cutest couple," another source tells PEOPLE. "They loved each other so much but they hardly saw each other. He starts his football training camp this week and she starts filming Keeping up with the Kardashians this week. They just need a break right now."

Joshua and Anna Duggar Reveal Baby's Name


Joshua and Anna Duggar say they're ready to premiere the name of the newest Duggar, expected to arrive Oct. 20, 2009: Mackynzie Renée.

"We are really excited about all of it," Josh tells PEOPLE about prepping for the birth of the newest Duggar. "We're going to have a little person that is ours to raise up. That is a real blessing."

Josh is the eldest of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's 18 children, whose names all begin with the letter J. The family lives in Tontitown, Ark., and is featured on TLC's 18 Kids and Counting.

So, with the announcement of the new baby's name, does this mean all of Josh and Anna's kids' names will start with M?

"We won't decide that now," Josh says. "We'll take one at a time."

Meanwhile, Anna is getting the baby's brown and lime green room prepared – "maybe we'll add a little pink," she says, now they've found out the baby's gender – and reading parenting books.

"My favorite part of pregnancy is feeling the baby move and kick," she says. "And, it is so neat watching Josh enjoy the pregnancy and bond with Mackynzie. It has brought our relationship closer together."

The family is set to be featured on Fox News Channel's Huckabee show, talking with the former governor about Mackynzie and how the Duggar's reality show and family experience is different than the Jon & Kate Plus 8 situation.

"I am really enjoying the reality show," says Anna, who is the newest member of the cast. "It has been neat because they are doing such a great job of documenting our lives right now. We focus on pleasing the Lord, and trying to be who we really are. That's what's important."

Harry Potter Actor Sentenced for Growing Pot


Jamie Waylett, an actor who stars in the Harry Potter movies, has been ordered to 120 hours of community service after pleading guilty that he grew 10 marijuana plants at his mother's home north of London.



In a 15-minute hearing Tuesday, Judge Timothy Workman passed sentence – deciding against jail time for the 20-year-old, as the jurist was satisfied that the cultivation was "small scale." He added that Waylett was essentially a man of "good character" and had cooperated with authorities, reports Britain's Press Association.


Waylett plays school bully Vincent Crabbe in the movies, including the latest box-office sensation, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Simon Perry

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Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Cash for Clunkers Program 2009-- Green Giant Government at your service

Cash for Clunkers Program 2009-- Green Giant Government at your service
Just when you think you may have heard enough of the Green Giant Government Cash for Clunkers program-- you might as well get comfortable because there's still 135 more pages to discuss.

What matter is it that the EPA has determined that your perfectly functional car is a clunker? Fret not because the more you read of the Cash for Clunkers program-- the better it gets.

Well, better unless you own or work at a car dealership because now "dealers must disable the trade-in vehicle’s engine prior to transferring the vehicle to a disposal facility" because

"the agency believes that the statutory interest in ensuring that the vehicle is not returned to use on the road in this or any other country is largely met before it leaves the dealer’s possession. Prior engine disablement reduces the likelihood that a trade-in vehicle will be returned to use as an on-road automobile."

Never mind that these cars function perfectly as, well-- cars. Meh, who needs them? Crush 'em and shred 'em.

"The CARS Act specifies that while many parts of the trade-in vehicle are permitted to be removed and sold, in the end the residual vehicle, including the engine block, must be crushed or shredded. Therefore, the trade-in value of the vehicle is not likely to exceed its scrap value."

Miami City Buzz Examiner conducted a telephone interview with a local Miami car dealership to specifically garner feedback on the new NHTSA CARS rule. Aside from conveying the massive difficulties that he and other dealerships are experiencing logging into and using the government's website system for trade-ins (See U.S. News & World Report), the dealership representative (who asked to remain anonymous) responded that the 136-page document was "pedantic and very comprehensive".

Could he have been referring to this?

"The agency has decided to implement this process in the rule, requiring a dealer that receives an eligible trade-in vehicle under the CARS program to disable that vehicle’s engine prior to transferring the vehicle to a disposal facility, and to provide a certification to the agency that it has done so at the time the dealer submits its request for reimbursement. Section 599.300(d)(2) specifies the requirement for the dealer to disable the engine, Appendix B sets forth, in a simple and precise manner, the procedures that the dealer must follow to disable the engine and the workplace precautions that should be taken, and Appendix A, certifications section, contains the required dealer certification.
The rule contains one exception to the general requirement that the dealer disable the engine prior to transferring the vehicle to the disposal facility. With regard to transactions that occurred prior to the effective date of this rule, the dealer may have (17 Expert Report of Margaret H. Whittaker, Ph.D., M.P.H., D.A.B.T., July 23, 2009.43) already transferred the vehicle to a disposal facility, whether or not using a salvage auction to transfer the vehicle. In that case, the rule permits the dealer to locate the vehicle at the disposal facility and either disable the engine at that location or, if the vehicle, including the engine block and drive train (unless the transmission, drive shaft, and rear end are sold separately), has already been crushed or shredded, to obtain proof, in the form of the affidavit, from the disposal facility that the crushing or shredding has occurred. Section 599.300(e) implements this exception. The agency is making this allowance only to accommodate dealers who, rather than waiting for the final rule to be issued as the agency had advised, proceeded to conduct transactions that were otherwise completely in accordance with this final rule. Dealers should note that all other requirements of this rule, except for the disposal facility certifications, apply to these transactions."

Yet another controversial issue surrounding the Cash for Clunkers program is how both the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) and the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) have argued against new guidelines requiring dealerships to use sodium silicate in disabling engine blocks.

The Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA), which represents more than 4,500
scrap and junk yards, contends that

"the use of sodium silicate will damage more than the engine block and jeopardize the resale of parts such as pistons, cams, and cylinder heads."

The ISRI who represents, among others, companies that shred vehicles that have previously been crushed, either at their facility or at another disposal facility that lacks a shredder--.
states that

"the use of sodium silicate could pose hazards to workers at shredders and could cause certain metals to corrode, which could lead to excess metal ions in storm water runoff, which in turn could make storm water compliance more challenging."

Thankfully, the NHTSA was able to debunk the concerns of both organizations.

Here's what car dealerships must now do to execute EPA-defined clunkers:

Engine Disablement Procedures for the CARS Program
THIS PROCEDURE IS NOT TO BE USED BY THE VEHICLE OWNER
Perform the following procedure to disable the vehicle engine.
Since the vehicle will not be drivable after this procedure is performed,
consider where the procedure will be performed and how the vehicle
will be moved after the procedure is complete.
1. Obtain solution of 40% sodium silicate/60% water. (The Sodium Silicate
(SiO2/Na2O) used in the solution must have a weight ratio of 3.0 or greater.)
2. Drain engine oil for environmentally appropriate disposal.
3. Install the oil drain plug.
4. Pour enough solution in the engine through the oil fill for the oil pump to
circulate the solution throughout the engine. Start by adding 2 quarts of the
solution, which should be sufficient in most cases.
CAUTION: Wear goggles and gloves. Appropriate protective clothing
should be worn to prevent silicate solution from coming into contact with the
skin.
5. Replace the oil fill cap.
6. Start the engine.
7. Run engine at approximately 2000 rpm (for safety reasons do not operate at
high rpm) until the engine stops. (Typically the engine will operate for 3 to 7
minutes. As the solution starts to affect engine operation, the operator will
have to apply more throttle to keep the engine at 2000 rpm.)
8. Allow the engine to cool for at least 1 hour.
9. With the battery at full charge or with auxiliary power to provide the power of
a fully charged battery, attempt to start the engine.
10. If the engine will not operate at idle, the procedure is complete.
11. If the engine will operate at idle, repeat steps 6 through 10 until the engine
will no longer idle.
12. Attach a label to the engine that legibly states the following:
This engine is from a vehicle that is part of the Car Allowance Rebate
System (CARS). It has significant internal damage caused by operating
the engine with a sodium silicate solution (liquid glass) instead of oil.

The Miami dealership who discussed the Cash for Clunkers program with Miami City Buzz Examiner has also weighed-in on the use of sodium silicate to disable car engines. He explained how one of the servicemen vows that plain old Karo syrup would have worked much better to render engines inoperative-- being both cheaper and safer.
Caution: Karo syrup has not been scientifically proven nor endorsed by the Green Giant Government; neither has it been approved for car engine decimation. But, the corn-based Karo syrup does make for delicious pecan pie-- the kind that doesn't require appropriate protective clothing to eat.

___________________________

Photo: Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Monday, July 27, 2009, promoting a car buyer incentive program designed to help consumers purchase new fuel efficient vehicles if they trade in their old gas-guzzling cars or trucks.

Fans of Usher Raymond IV view him as a singing, dancing and acting superstar.


But to a special group of young people, he is a mentor and a friend.

"He leads by example," said Arnold "Supa" LaFrance, a "Mogul in Training" at Usher's Camp New Look. "Usher's all about peace and love and giving back to the community, and it's genuine. He does it when the cameras are on and when the cameras are off."

Now in its fifth year, the camp is a passion for the Grammy Award-winning artist, who each year gives more than a hundred teens from underserved communities across the country the opportunity to learn about the entertainment and sports industries.

Thomas Springer, a 17-year-old Atlanta, Georgia, resident, has participated in the camp for four years and said he wants to use his talent in filmmaking and what he has learned at Camp New Look to help his community.

"Before I came to camp, I didn't think I had a voice in my community and that I could do anything based on my age," Springer said. "The camp let me know that no matter what your age, no matter what you do, you can make an impact on your community."

Usher came to fame as a teen and has sold millions of records, including the hit singles "Yeah" and "Confessions II." His success has allowed him to become part owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team and to launch his own line of fragrances for men and women.

The camp, the singer said, teaches participants the business aspects of the entertainment and sports industries and imparts the importance of being service-oriented. A selection committee selects campers that are nominated by partner organizations in various cities across the country.

Now the father of two young boys, Usher said he is also enriched by the camp's experience.

"It makes me a better man. It makes me a better individual," he said. "There's a difference between hard work and heart work, and this would represent heart work." Video Watch Usher talk about his camp »

As a youngster, Usher participated in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and he said it helped shape his ideas about mentoring.

"I think that the Boys & Girls Club is a very positive environment for kids," he said. "It's another place that allows you to be a product of your experience. I encountered a lot of people who became mentors for me there."

At this year's closing ceremony for Usher's Camp New Look, held at the Alliance Theater at Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, the energy level was high as campers and their family members walked a red carpet alongside some of Usher's celebrity friends, including NBA star Alonzo Mourning and San Francisco 49er Allen Rossum.

The free, residential camp held for two weeks every summer in Atlanta is an outgrowth of Usher's New Look Foundation, which he established to empower at-risk youth by giving them the skills necessary to enter careers in the sports and entertainment industries and working with them to provide employment opportunities.

Mourning said Usher is one who understands that "to whom much is given, much is required."

"The service that Usher is providing for these kids with these educational opportunities and expanding their lives to a whole new level, it's important that we all rally around these particular causes and support these initiatives," Mourning said.

Gabrielle Brou, 16, a first-year camper from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, who aspires to be an actress, said there were countless opportunities at camp to network with successful people who are living the lives she hopes to achieve.

"Once I found out that there were ways I could better myself in acting, learn the business and also give back ... I decided that this camp would be really great for me," she said. "I would love to do it again next year."

Having a day set aside for the campers and their families to revel in all that they have achieved and their future possibilities left Usher with a huge smile on his face. "It's really good to see them be able to live out their dreams," he said.


THE BACHELORETTE FINALE : JILLIAN AND ED : WATCH ONLINE HERE

Finnaly, The Bachelorette Finale. After getting her heart broken on last season’s installment of ‘The Bachelor,’ who did ‘Bachelorette’ Jillian Harris choose to be her mate for life (that’s in reality TV years, of course) on tonight’s season finale? Was it Ed, the walking poster boy for erectile dysfunction, or Kiptyn, the man whose name sounds like something Superman is allergic to? Jillian Harris choose Ed Swiderski on The Bachelorette Finale.



In what host Chris Harrison had warned in the beginning would be “the most emotional season finale ever,” Jillian chose …. Ed, the technology consultant who had dumped her earlier in the season to return home to his job, before coming back a month later when he realized he’d made a mistake.


Keeping Harrison’s words in mind, second chances would become one of the evening’s recurring themes: Ed returning to the show, Ed returning to the bedroom for another shot at rocking Jillian’s world and Reid, the Philadelphia realtor she’d rejected in the penultimate episode, returning to … well, more on that in a minute. It basically came down to this: Did Jillian and Ed have any spark? She felt he loved her, but worried they had a lack of chemistry that would make him a great best friend, but not necessarily husband material. She professed to wanting to rip Kiptyn’s clothes off, on the other hand, but wasn’t always sure of his feelings for her outside the Fantasy Suite.


Said Jillian to Kiptyn, the first guy who’d arrived via limo in the season premiere: you’re the perfect guy … but I love someone else.


So it’s Ed, right?


Said Jillian to Ed: uh, wait a minute … suddenly, a new – or rather, a new old – contender emerged.


Yes, Reid came back. Wearing an ill-fitting sport coat and sneakers and arriving in an oh-so-romantic minivan, Reid returned to say he’d made an oopsie. “I just came back to tell you that I love you, and hopefully you feel the same way,” he said. And then he proposed.




“I need to think about the fact that I was thinking about spending the rest of my life with someone else today,” she responded. And then, after much fretting, chatting with Harrison and a commercial break or two, she kicked Reid to the curb once again.



Meanwhile, that “someone else,” Ed, was in a limo and on his way to the busiest Bachelorette pad this side of Paris Hilton’s hacienda.


“Ed better not f***ing disappoint me,” said delicate flower Jillian.


And he didn’t.


“There’s something aboot (hey, she’s Canadian) Ed that makes me smile from ear to ear,” Jillian said, as she waited for Ed to make his way to her, where he told her she had “changed him as a man, helped me reprioritize my life” and then flashed a super blingy Neil Lane ring on her.


“Jillian, will you marry me?” Ed asked.


“Absolutely!” Jillian answered.


Squeals, hugs, kisses, and cue the Martina McBride tune (“I Just Call You Mine“) as Jillian gives Ed her final rose and tells him they’re going to have “the funnest wild ride.”



List of Top Party Schools 2009

Each year, investigations of review of Princeton more than 120.000 students at the universities and universities through the United States.Based on these outlines,they provide a list of rows of university which evaluate these schools based on all kinds of criteria,all the quality of student's teaching to the diversity of the population to the food of campus.

By far,the row which obtains the majority of publicity is the row of schools of part of top. The news agencies everywhere the selection of country this high and give him the insurance particularly if the university or the local university is on this list! But what east does it mean to be has ,school part and it a row which should be taken with serious by students in the search of a campus of part or a quiet campus?


List of Top 20 Party Schools

According to The Princeton Review, here are the top 20 party schools in the United States:

1. University of Florida
2. University of Mississippi
3. Pennsylvania State University
4. West Virginia University
5. Ohio University
6. Randolph-Macon College
7. University of Georgia
8. University of Texas
9. University of California Santa Barbara
10. Florida State University
11. University of New Hampshire
12. University of Iowa
13. University of Colorado
14. Indiana University
15. Tulane University
16. University of Illinois
17. Arizona State University
18. University of Tennessee
19. University of Alabama
20. Loyola University New Orleans

For More Information Click Here

School district dissolutions raise local officials' ire

ROCKY HILL -- If the experience in this tiny Somerset County borough is an indication of future trends, state officials pushing for consolidation of local government bodies around New Jersey can expect a difficult path ahead.

After "non-operating" districts in Rocky Hill, Millstone Borough and 11 other towns were eliminated July 1 in the name of cost savings and tax relief, local officials were quick to denounce the move and the two towns sued the state.

The Department of Education (DOE) has further plans to eliminate the remaining 13 districts around the state that send their students to larger districts. Separately, Gov. Corzine and some legislators have pushed for the consolidation of municipalities as well, such as the Princetons.

Municipal and educational consolidations move on separate tracks and differ in important ways. One major difference is that towns may only consolidate after voters give approval, whereas the DOE simply ordered the school districts eliminated under a measure Corzine signed in June.

Even so, the negative reaction to the dissolutions means that future cost-saving efforts could meet increased resistance, said Marvin Reed, former mayor of Princeton Borough and a member of a state commission studying municipal mergers.

"In this case, where you had mandated consolidation in Rocky Hill, there is this feedback from people that they're unhappy at being made to do it," Reed said. "They'll be more sensitive if we raise questions with them about municipal consolidation."

The state's July 1 order dissolved the Rocky Hill and Millstone Borough districts so they can be fully merged with the much larger neighboring districts they pay to educate their students -- Montgomery and Hillsborough, respectively.

Before the order, the state had 616 districts, a number that reformers have described as duplicative and wasteful. The 26 tiny non-operating districts had no schools of their own.

The two Somerset districts launched a legal counterstrike earlier this month challenging the state's move as an unconstitutional power grab and seeking a court order to reverse their dissolution.

"The big issue is that this was forced upon them by people in Trenton. There was no public vote on this," said Mike Yaple, spokesman for the New Jersey School Boards Association, which opposed the legislation that let Education Commissioner Lucille Davy order non-operating districts dissolved.

But backers of school district realignment, like state Sen. Shirley Turner, D-Lawrence, contend that reform aimed at gaining property tax relief has to start somewhere and the non-operating districts are a logical choice.

"The situation is screaming out for reform," said Turner, a co-sponsor of the enabling legislation. "We've got to find new ways to provide tax relief for our residents in New Jersey. We've got to consolidate, and we've got to regionalize the districts and a lot of these towns."

The NJSBA isn't a party to Rocky Hill's lawsuit, but is critical of the premise that school district consolidation is an all-around win for New Jersey taxpayers.

"So much of this is being done under the banner of property tax relief," Yaple said. But "typically, when you combine these districts, you find one town's taxes go up, the other town's taxes go down. That's not property tax relief when you're raising taxes on half the communities -- so that's a big issue, too."

In Rocky Hill's case, the projected cost savings squeezed out through consolidation with the Montgomery school district is a mere $37,500 -- less than 1 cent on the borough's tax rate -- according to an analysis by Somerset County Executive Superintendent of Schools Trudy Doyle.

A revised tax levy that will go into effect in the 2010-2011 year, based 61.5 percent on enrollment and 38.5 percent on equalized property valuation, has been designed to keep both communities' tax levies "as close to what they have been as possible," Doyle said.

But Rocky Hill Mayor Edward Zimmerman said it's not at all clear what Rocky Hill or Montgomery stand to achieve from the Rocky Hill School District's dissolution.

"I don't know that there is any financial gain to be had from this," said Zimmerman, whose wife, Randie, was one of the five members of the Rocky Hill school board until it was dissolved. "It's more political -- 'Look what I did.'"

Gov. Corzine, he said, essentially "allowed one of his appointees (Doyle) to fire five elected officials without any input from the community."

Doyle conceded that the savings are minor, but said streamlining district operations is an issue of statewide importance.

"Although it didn't look like a lot of money, those functions that the money represented can so easily be absorbed by the (larger) district that already had the children," she said.

"It's not just a matter of money," added Doyle, who became Somerset County's executive superintendent in February 2008. "It has more to do with the issue of governance and of, 'Should we have a governing body for a school district that has no students?'."

DOE spokeswoman Kathryn Forsyth said the overall objective of eliminating the non-operating school districts is "to create pre-K-to-12 districts throughout the state as a more efficient way of running education."

Like all school boards in New Jersey, Rocky Hill's elected board members are unpaid volunteers, so neither Zimmerman nor his wife have any financial stake in reinstating the Rocky Hill school board.

Zimmerman said voters in his community merely wanted a say in the matter of dissolving their school district and the opportunity to reserve a meaningful voice on the Montgomery school board under a fully merged district.

He complained there were no public meetings on the subject, Doyle's analysis wasn't sent to the borough until the day before the district was discontinued, and Rocky Hill voters were unable to vote on the change.

"They weren't given the opportunity, and they are upset by it," he said.

Doyle said the state legislation authorizing the dissolution does not allow for a vote. However, she met Zimmerman and district officials in May 2008 to review the district's prospects and informed the business administrator as soon as the legislation was drafted and she learned the dissolutions were coming, she said.

Doyle also noted that the former Rocky Hill school board had no power in the Montgomery district, whereas Montgomery's board will be expanded from nine to 10 members in August to give Randie Zimmerman a temporary post on the panel through April, when elections will take place.

Marvin Reed said he and his fellow members of the Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization and Consolidation Commission have been following the school district consolidation process closely and will meet with Davy later this month for an update.

"We want to get a picture of what they're actually doing and how they're going about it, because it would be logical that any analysis we did of municipal consolidation would follow those same regional lines," he said.

Similar objections could arise as well, such as claims that consolidation will not save money or will deprive a merged community of a voice in government, Reed said.

Since consolidation requires approval by the residents of affected towns, those objections must be addressed. Communities must do realistic financial analyses of the effect on their tax rates and of the actual amount of services they are currently getting for their taxes, he said.

"Part of the problem is that people seldom do that," Reed said.

Staff writer Ryan Tracy contributed to this report.

by : www.nj.com

Nation/World briefs

Nation

Astronauts complete final spacewalk

Cape Canaveral, Fla. -- Astronauts completed the last spacewalk of their shared shuttle and station mission Monday, breezing through some rewiring, camera setups and other outdoor chores. Christopher Cassidy and Thomas Marshburn got so far ahead on the flight's fifth spacewalk that they even took on extra work. The spacewalk ended up lasting just under five hours and set the stage for shuttle Endeavour's scheduled departure today.

Bunning will not seek re-election

Washington-- Sen. Jim Bunning of Kentucky said Monday he will not run for a third term in 2010, citing a lack of campaign money and interference from Senate Republicans who were pushing for him to exit the race. In a statement issued by his office, Bunning said his GOP colleagues had done "everything in their power to dry up my fundraising."





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Audit finds need for Iraq oversight

Washington-- The government has kept a closer eye on U.S. contractors in Iraq since a deadly 2007 shooting by Blackwater guards, but it still needs to do a better job tracking and investigating when private security guards fire their guns, two new Pentagon audits have found. The reports were released today by the Pentagon's special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction.

In other headlines

Penn St. takes top party school title in survey: An annual survey says Penn State University is the nation's No. 1 party school. It snatched the title away from last year's winner, the University of Florida, which finished second in the 2009 Princeton Review survey.

Judge orders guardian for octuplets' finances: A California judge has appointed a guardian to oversee the estate of Nadya Suleman's octuplets.

Kalamazoo gets $2M for police: The city of Kalamazoo will get nearly $2 million for 10 officer positions from a $1 billion federal economic stimulus program to help cities avoid laying off police officers, officials told the Associated Press on Monday.

Michigan firm recalls tea: Fireside Coffee Co. of Swartz Creek, Mich., is recalling some packages of Fireside chai tea because it may be contaminated with salmonella. No illness has been reported.

World

U.K.: Afghanistan mission a success

London -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown declared Monday that a mission to oust Taliban fighters from an Afghan stronghold has been a major success, despite a mounting death toll and public skepticism over the campaign.

U.S. military stops publicizing Taliban body count: The U.S. military in Afghanistan has stopped releasing body counts of insurgents believed killed in operations because the tolls distract from the U.S. objective of protecting Afghans, a spokesman said Monday. Nearly 3,800 insurgents were killed in 2008.

In other headlines

Karzai: Afghans want rules for troops changed: A confident President Hamid Karzai on Monday offered peace talks to Taliban militants if they renounce violence and called for a new relationship with the West if he wins a second term in next month's presidential election. Karzai is considered the favorite in the Aug. 20 vote

Sarkozy out of the hospital: French President Nicolas Sarkozy left a military hospital Monday after overnight observation for a fainting spell.

From Detroit News wire services

Monday, July 27, 2009

Oh! Calcutta: Musical viedo

Oh! Calcutta was a totally different idea a blend of creativity, nudity and dance, backed up by excellent choreography by Margo Sappington. It was a landmark on sexual revolution.

As said by Broadway.com.

It was actually an experimentation for the returning of the period of sexual freedom.

Oh! Calcutts, runs successfully for a record 14 years (Debuting in 1970) challenging the social obstructions by representing the sexual revolution in a series of uproarious short comical dramatic performances, dance, and musical numbers written by popular figures including John Lennon, Sam Shepard, and Samuel Beckett.

This adult musical video actually matches the magic of Broadway with the exhilaration of a peep show over a rock score performed by a live band.

Directed by Jacques Levy, OH! CALCUTTA! never took sex too seriously. In 1989, the musical “Oh! Calcutta!” closed on Broadway.

Lincecum strikes out career high 15 to lead Giants past Pirates 4-2

Lincecum dazzles to beat Pirates, Ks 15

SAN FRANCISCO — Tim Lincecum looked like his old self, pitching a four-hitter and bouncing back from a rough outing with a career-high 15 strikeouts in the San Francisco Giants’ 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.

The reigning NL Cy Young Award (11-3) winner provided the Giants with a much-needed boost on the heels of a disappointing 3-7 road trip that saw them lose their wild card lead. The hard-throwing right-hander earned his fourth complete game this season and sixth of his career, finishing his 115-pitch gem in 2 hours, 6 minutes.

Lincecum, the All-Star starter for the National League earlier this month, dazzled on a night the Giants paid tribute to late owner Sue Burns, who died July 19 of complications from lung cancer only nine days after being diagnosed.

This marked the sixth time this season and 17th in his career that Lincecum struck out 10 or more. He walked three.

He had two strikeouts in each of the first five innings before giving up a pair of unearned runs in the sixth following a throwing error by shortstop Edgar Renteria. He also got some help from the Giants’ defense when left fielder Eugenio Velez — called up earlier in the day from Triple-A Fresno — made a diving catch of Andrew McCutchen’s sinking line drive to end the seventh.

Pablo Sandoval had his seventh three-hit game of the year, Bengie Molina doubled in a run and Randy Winn added an RBI single.

Lincecum had to wait a while to finish this one. Pirates reliever John Grabow complained about the mound and the grounds crew came out to work on it for several minutes. But Lincecum walked back out to a roaring standing ovation, a mist hovering just above the field. He struck out his final two in the ninth — fanning Andy LaRoche for the third time to end the game — and retired the last eight batters he faced.

The Pirates took two of three from the Giants last week and had won 10 of the last 14.

Pittsburgh starter Paul Maholm (6-5) was tagged for eight hits and four runs in six innings. The left-hander hadn’t lost in five starts since June 21 at Colorado, but had three no-decisions during that span. He was charged with all four San Francisco runs and has allowed 11 earned runs over his last 10 2-3 innings.

Pittsburgh All-Star second baseman Freddy Sanchez was a late scratch with a lingering sore knee.

Sanchez, who went 0 for 12 with seven strikeouts during the team’s recent four-game series at Arizona and is 3 for 34 over his last eight games, also sat out Friday night’s game against the Diamondbacks with the same problem.

Before the game, San Francisco acquired first baseman Ryan Garko from the Cleveland Indians for Class-A left-hander and talented prospect Scott Barnes. Garko was with the Indians in Anaheim before being scratched late and he should be in uniform and playing for San Francisco on Tuesday night.

NOTES: Giants CF Aaron Rowand missed his seventh straight start with a forearm injury. An MRI on the arm revealed a slight tear and he likely will be out another four or five days. Rowand is in pain when he throws. … Injured LHP and 303-game winner Randy Johnson had an MRI on his shoulder and was waiting to discuss the results with team orthopedist Dr. Ken Akizuki. Johnson didn’t travel on the last road trip and worked out and rehabilitated in Arizona. While Johnson is feeling better, he said: “One step at a time. The big test will be when I can play catch.” … Pittsburgh lost for only the third time in its last 10 games in San Francisco’s waterfront ballpark and is 12-5 here since the 2004 season. … Home run king Barry Bonds was among those in attendance for the tribute to Burns, a close friend of the slugger’s. Bonds sat in the owner’s box near the Giants’ dugout.