X-Men 1st Class Photos

I'm a huge geek girl and comics are right up my alley.  Bryan Singer is bringing the X-Men back and I'm pretty excited about this.  Despite the bad reviews some of the movies have gotten.  I like the intent of the movies and would always spend my money on seeing them in the theatre unless there is a pretty good reason.

The 60s say Hi!

Whelp, the gang's all here.  But not really, there are some famous X-Men that didn't make the cut.

The plot of this film is still under wraps, but it presents a world where superpowered mutants are living in secret and don’t face the public scrutiny and prejudice that are central themes in the earlier films, which are primarily set in the modern day. The friendship of future foes Xavier and Lehnsherr is the heart of the film — Singer says the two have a common cause and different approaches and he even used the life trajectories of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X as a sort of shorthand for their veering paths. Despite rumors to the contrary, Vaughn said the movie will be the first X-Men film without the most famous face of the franchise, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, and key characters such as Cyclops, Storm and Jean Grey give way to new screen arrivals such as Emma Frost (January Jones), Azazel (Jason Flemyng), Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) and Havok (Lucas Till). 

“This isn’t a reboot, so I’m not replacing anyone, in which case you might want to try to be as different as possible and stay away from what had been done before,” James McAvoy said. “This is a prequel, so I’m the same character, just younger, but the challenge for me [sic] is to show the same person in a different place in their life; to show someone before [sic] they’re this saint.”

I'm excited about this movie.  I once tried to go back and collect as many of the old X-Men as I could but that got to be an expensive habit.  Nowadays, there are books of the comics from the first to the last and you can buy the graphic novel of the missing comic books to get the background story.  For most people though reading any of the comics is too much money and they rely on the movies. 

I hope this is as good as I want it to be.  The problem with the X-Men is that it is a diverse cast and you have to have a central story and a central character to pull things together and to focus the story.  In the last three it was the battle versus Magneto/the world and Wolverine.  If they make it about Prof. X and Magneto before they were devil and saint then things could get pretty boring.  Hopefully, Singer won't let anyone forget the X-Men have got to fight some people.

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House of Lies Gets a Hero

Don Cheadle's newest project, House of Lies has found it's hero in Dawn Olivieri, formerly of Heroes.

Olivieri, will play Monica, Marty's (Don Cheadle) crazy, pill-popping ex-wife and biggest professional competition as her consulting firm is No.1 compared to Marty's No. 2.

Woot, there it is!  Hee Hee.  Can you imagine being married to the enemy and losing?  I'm not a Heroes fan so I'm not familiar with Olivieri but she looks like she can kick butt.  I'm kind of bobbing and weaving at my desk trying to avoid her karate kick to my face.  Yowza girl learn your lessons from Ari's wife on Entourage she is tough - be like her!

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Philip K. Dick Awards

He of the many movies based on his books and short stories, Philip K. Dick, has an award named after him as well.  Here is the Top 7 for the 2010 Award

YARN by Jon Armstrong (Night Shade Books)
CHILL by Elizabeth Bear (Ballantine Books/Spectra)
THE REAPERS ARE THE ANGELS by Alden Bell (Henry Holt & Co.)

SONG OF SCARABAEUS by Sara Creasy (Eos)
THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF SPRING HEELED JACK by Mark Hodder (Pyr)
HARMONY by Project Itoh, translated by Alexander O. Smith (Haikasoru)
STATE OF DECAY by James Knapp (Roc)

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Harry Potter Cops Are Coming!! They Are Coming!!! They Are Coming!!!

Did you catch the Deathly Hallows reference in the title?  Yeah those wedding interruptions can be a pain.

Shouldn't you have been Kevin Sorbo's brother on Hercules instead of writing?

NBC has ordered a pilot for Ron Moore's Precinct 17, an ensemble police drama set in a world ruled by magic instead of science, in the town of Excelsior.

Excuse me while I pee my pants.  *Squee!!!!*  I always wanted to see the life of an auror.  How did Mad Eye lose his eye?  I know in passing generalities how that went down but how did it really happen in the chase.  I guess I'll have to wait to see how this works more or less but I'm hopeful this will be good.

Looking for danger in the shadows - Harry Potter's Auror Eyes

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Mansion Time Capsule is Open!

Oneupmanship has existed since before Cain killed Abel.  (Do you think Abel would still be alive today if he hadn't showed off?) Mark Twain held his autobiography from being published until 100 years after his death and Louis Mantin did the same thing with the mansion above when he died in 1905.  Now the beautiful abode is a virtual time capsule waiting for the public.

Louis Mantin was an aesthete and gentleman of leisure who bequeathed his opulent home to the town of Moulins on condition that a century later it be a museum.

After he died in 1905, the mansion was closed up and fell into dilapidation. Now thanks to a 3.5m euro ($4.7m; £2.9m) refit funded by local authorities, it has been returned to its original pristine state.

The result is a remarkable time-capsule, combining rich fin-de-siecle furnishings, archaeological curios, skulls and other Masonic paraphernalia, a collection of stuffed birds, as well as the latest domestic gadgets such as electricity and a flushing loo.

Born in Moulins in 1851, Mantin had an undistinguished career as a civil servant, but at the age of 42, he inherited a fortune from his father and thenceforth dedicated his life to pleasure, science and the arts.

Mantin only had a few years to indulge his aesthetic fantasies. Knowing that his death was approaching, he made a will in which he made sure his treasured house would be saved.

"In the will, he says that he wants the people of Moulins in 100 years time to be able to see what was the life of a cultured gentleman of his day," said assistant curator Maud Leyoudec.

"A bachelor with no children, he was obsessed with death and the passage of time. It was his way of becoming eternal."

Some confusion surrounds the exact terms of the will.

According to local people, Mantin specifically said that the house should be locked up for a century and then opened up to the public.

In fact, Mantin stipulated simply that in 100 years time the mansion should be a museum. He said nothing about what should happen in between.

The fact that the house was totally abandoned was thus not a predetermined condition - it was just what actually took place.

What a neat little story!  Can't you imagine Daniel Day Lewis as the death-obsessed frenchmen playing with paperdolls of men in the future going through his house.  This video is the only one I can find and it is in French.

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Salute the New President (of Syfy)


Mark Stern has just been named president of the Syfy channel.  Dave Howe was formerly president of both Syfy and Chiller but still remains boss of Stern.  In addition to his duties of being president he co-heads original content for Universal Cable Prods along with Jeff Wachtel and has creative oversight of the newly formed Syfy Films (a joint venture with Universal Pictures).

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Death Note Coming Soon!

I'm a huge manga fan and love Anime naturally.  Death Note is a much beloved manga that has been turned into both anime and live action films in Japan and now this story is coming to America.

Written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, Death Note was originally published in Japan and later collected in 12 trade paperbacks that have sold more than 38 million copies worldwide. The protagonist, Light, is a bright student who stumbles across a mystical notebook that has the power to kill any person whose name he writes in it. Light decides to launch a secret crusade to rid the streets of criminals. Soon, the student-turned-vigilante finds himself pursued by a famous FBI criminal profiler known only by the alias L. Death Note is wildly popular in Japan and has been turned into live action and animated films, an animated TV series, novels and vidgames. The trio of live action films were distributed by Warner Bros Japan. Warner Bros acquired the manga rights from Shueisha and previously got a script draft from Charley and Vlas Parlapanides.

Shane Black has been tapped by Warner Bros. to direct this flick and Black has to oversee the script being kicked out by Anthony Bagarozzi and Charles Mondry.  That shouldn't be a big deal since he is working with them on Doc Savage.

I like Death Note it is well written or rather well translated since I don't read the original.  It's very Spider Man for the modern age.  My theory of life is that things go in cycles and with the new millenium it's not just fashion that's a throw back to previous ages but beliefs as well. The current upswing to more naturalistic thinking is a sign of that.  People are now trying to be more turned in with nature but that comes with a belief in spiritism and ghosts.

Kind of sucky when you're stuck at a party with people who are talking about vibes and connecting with the universe ad nauseum but makes for good TV (shout out to BOTH versions of Being Human *Holla*).  Manga especially taps into this with it's visions of one corporation taking over the earth with the rich and beautiful being moved to the sky while the freaks and poor struggle below in their waste.  Death Note takes Spider Man's and Batman's willingness to take on all comers in the fight against good and evil.  The problem is the kid is all powerful with this and he is a kid.  This manga would have been boring but the inclusion of L adds to the action and it's a great read.

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How to Publish Your Book on Amazon Kindle

Wrote a book?  Want to make money from it?  Well, let me clue you in to how that's done.

#1 Sell it.
# 2 - ∞ Repeat step one.

Yep folks, you've got to get a publishing house to buy your book or you've got to put it into the hands of the masses yourself.

Well, if you want to self-publish and you still want to get it into the hands of the masses and not linger on a shelf why not get it into the hands of those who are holding a Kindle.

If you want to here's how.

Building the book:

• Write your book in Microsoft Word and save it as a .doc file. Skip the .rtf and .docx formats. They don't play nicely with the Kindle.
• Pay attention to how you format your text. Bolding, italicizing, and indenting are no problem, but steer clear of bullets, headers, footers, and fancy fonts.
• Any images you use need to be in .jpeg format with center alignment. Remember that the Kindle can only show images in grayscale.
• Mind your grammar and spelling. When you get them wrong, it,s embarrosing.

Saving in Filtered HTML format:
Once everything looks good, select File, Save as, Web Page, Filtered (*HTM & *HTML).

Using Mobipocket Creator
Mobipocket Creator is a piece of software that will turn your Filtered HTML document into an eBook to sell through Amazon. It's only compatible with PCs running Windows 2000/XP or greater.

1. Start it up.
2. Select "HTML Document" from the section "Import from an Existing File."
3. Browse to the HTML file and press "Import."
4. This will open the book editing function. Click on "Cover Image."
5. Click "Add a Cover Image" and browse your files to locate the book cover.
6. Select your book cover and click "Update" to save your cover.
7. Select "Build" from the Menu.
8. On the Build page, click "Build."
9. Once complete, the message "Build Finished" will appear.
10. Click the circle next to "Open folder containing eBook" and select "OK."
11. The file has been saved in .prc format in your My Documents/My Publications folder.

Cover your book and use Kindle Previewer

Kindle Previewer will show you exactly what the reader will see when he reads your book. Download it here and use it to open your .prc file. Did you catch a mistake? Change it in your original Microsoft Word document and go through the same process described above to output a new .prc file.

Get published

Once you're happy with your finished product, upload your .prc file here. After entering in your pricing and royalty information, click "Save and publish." Your book will appear for sale in the Amazon eBook store within 24-48 hours. Amazon gives you 70 percent of all sales. Tell your friends to buy it and your hair dresser and everyone that you see.  This is called word of mouth and you need it.

Alternatives

Apple is the other big player making a foray into helping authors self-publish their books. Their iBooks platform makes it a snap to buy books to read on your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad, but getting your book into their marketplace is considerably trickier.

Before even submitting your book for their consideration, you need a manuscript in ePub format, a 13-digit ISBN, validation against ePubCheck 1.0.5, a US Tax ID, a valid iTunes Store account, and an Intel-based Mac running Leopard or higher.

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How You Bend Your Elbow Controls Who You Know

Nobody knows you like your friends do and scientist have recently discovered an actual gene that links both your drinking and how you pick your friends.

[sic] Three researchers from UC San Diego [sic] focused on six genes in a group of 5,000 people.  The first gene that shows a correlation is DRD2, which also influences drinking behavior. Now, there are obviously some non-biological explanations for why that relationship might exist. After all, people who possess the gene are more likely to be social drinkers, which in turn means they're more likely to meet similar people at bars or parties. But the strength of the connection does seem to suggest there's a biological component to this as well, as people with the DRD2 gene consistently flocked together.

The final gene of the six also showed a relationship, although it was a negative one, meaning that we're attracted to people who display the opposite of some of our traits. What's intriguing about these results is they actually seem to have found a genetic basis for relationship clichés like "opposites attract." Indeed, what this study is basically talking about is chemistry, the notion that some people just seem to naturally click together better than others.

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The Mistress of Wigs Gets Renewed - Holla Wendy Williams!

If you're over the top and you know it spread you're hands!

How you doin'?  Ms. Wendy Williams has had her show The Wendy Williams Show renewed and home skillet is doing well in the markets tambien.  I was hopin and prayin for the lady and sistah is bringin it home.

I found her really high energy and kind of all over the place because she can get emotional at the drop of a hat especially when talking about food issues.  I wanted to like her though because she seemed to be genuine and know how the business works but wanting to connect with people.  I believe this is the reason why Tyra's show failed because she seemed to be wanting to give an impression instead of connecting.  I'm a huge fan of Maury Povich and tape the show every day.  I get the last minute of Tyra's show and her eyes are mean and irritated like she can't wait to get out of the chair.  Ms. Williams never lets it show if she feels that way and she ends on a laugh if possible and her eyes read love me come near me. 

Well, Ms. Williams the advertisers heard you and I hope the people passing out raises hear you too.

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Sherlock Holmes 2 Trucking On

There looks to be plenty of fist-fighting and explosions in Sherlock Holmes 2 and Holmes will have many more disguises this time around. Some people were critical of the way the “mysteries” were revealed in the first movie and rightfully so – the mysteries should have been the main focal point, yet they felt like after thoughts. Hopefully this is something script writer Kieran Mulroney (Paper Man) can fix this time around.

Apparently one of the disguises is Robert Downey Jr in drag.  Behold!

Guy Ritchie, Robert Downey Jr., and Jude Law all return for Sherlock Holmes 2 and they are joined by Jared Harris (The Ward) as the villainous Professor Moriaty, Stephen Fry (V for Vendetta) as Sherlock’s brother Mycroft Holmes and Noomi Rapace as Sim.

Sherlock Holmes 2 releases December 16^th, 2011

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Tear Jerker Alert! Death Scene in Harry Potter and the Death Hollows 2 Has Been Changed

Let me do a breath check before you see Ginny, Mr. Potter

The above photo and the following information are spoilers to the last part of the Harry Potter film franchise so please do not click this link if you do not want to know about any changes in the last film approved by JK Rowling which differ wildly from the book.

OK, are you back.  Wowza!  That is SOME change.  I was hoping for one other but that was not meant to be.  I LOVE Harry Potter so much my mind is blown by this detail and I highly approve.  Prof. Snape was someone I fell in love with as the books progress and I wish the movies detailed him a bit more.  When you find out his entire story you weep for this man.  I hope JK's other three books that she talks about details Harry's parents and Snape at Hogwarts.  If Muppet Babies can be a hit that surely would.

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Howl if You Like Team Jacob in a New Movie!!

Don't let 'em see you peaking!

Abduction is Taylor's latest foray away from the Twilight Saga that fortunately doesn't see him falling in like with someone not me. **boo Taylor Swift boo*

The film is a thriller which centers around a young man who sets out to uncover the truth after finding a baby photo of himself listed on a missing persons website.

What would you do if you found your own picture on a missing persons website?  Teen Nathan Harper (Taylor Lautner) finds himself facing this very dilemma. Setting out to uncover his real identity, Nathan quickly learns his parents are far from who they say they are. When the police, government agents and shadowy figures start to pursue him, Nathan’s quest for the truth erupts into a full-blown “Bourne”-like man-on-the-run thriller.

Hmm... me likey a lot.  I love Bourne and all things close to it and I totally Team Jacob so I'm all about this right here.  I'm hoping this movie involves a lot of running and at least seven gratuitous shirtless if not full frontal scenes so I can get to know Taylor better.  Now, that's something I can get behind.  And in front of.

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Me No Likey - Anne Hathaway as Catwoman

Warner Bros. announced via press release this morning that director Christopher Nolan has cast Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle in his third and final Batman opus The Dark Knight Rises. For those who don’t know their Batman lore, Selina Kyle is Catwoman’s alter-ego, although curiously, the press release makes no mention of the word “Catwoman.” And in something of a surprise, Nolan also announced today that his Inception actor Tom Hardy will play the villain Bane, a more recent addition to Batman’s storied rogues gallery.

He made a big splash in the Batman comics by breaking Bruce Wayne’s back in 1993.

I am Bane -- and I could kill you... but death would only end your agony -- and silence your shame. Instead, I will simply... break you!

I would say that Batman's injury had a severe affect to my psyche.  I graduated high school in 1993 and when this happened I remember not sleeping and thinking the world was unsafe.  Batman had been around as a protector for so long and even though minor characters could be killed not the main one.  At the time it wasn't said if Batman had died or not and you were left to wonder.  I remember at school the raging debates about if Batman had died or if he was a paraplegic and if he was a paraplegic if he would be one for life.  The only thing that could rival this was Rorshach's death in Watchmen which caused a major depression for me.  This got fixed quickly as Batman passed the mantel to someone else while he healed but since I didn't buy my own comics and got them from the boys at school it was a rough time until I figured things out.

I don't really like Bane because of this and wish he didn't exist.  That being said if they can get this character right with the Venom addiction and his father issues it would be a supreme character.  I'm kind of proud of what they did with The Joker since many don't get his mania and write him off as a jackal in a costume but the Joker totally believes in anarchy and really wants to destroy the world just to see it burn.

Tom Hardy seems a little stiff to be Bane but that could be made to work for him so I'll give TH an eyeball on this one since I'll be watching him.

Now for the other hand.  Anne Hathaway is pretty with a geeky, sarcastic vibe that I really dig.  The problem is that Selena Kyle is a sophisticated kitten who happens to be either an abused wife who fought back and went into a life of crime for fun or a head injury victim (all flight attendants know to watch out for those overhead bins) who went into a life of crime for fun.  Either way this woman is able to be a LONG STANDING love interest to the reclusive Bat.  He even fantasizes about her when she is not around.  I can't imagine AH being that much of an interest to any rich playboy her fake rich ex-boyfriend/fiancee Raffaello Follieri aside. 

I think it's a Black Swan type of situation.  I just can't see AH outside of the goody two-shoe box and either this role will mark her as a multi-talented actress or put her firmly in her place.

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Blotto is My Motto

Eww, did she pee on herself too?

Petite songstress Christina Aguilera allegedly crashed Jeremy Renner’s 40th birthday party on January 8, where she reportedly got "wasted" and made herself -- and her boyfriend -- at home in "The Hurt Locker" star’s bed.

Apparently, Renner was not amused.

According to a report in the new issue of Us Weekly, a week after his birthday party, Renner ranted to friends about the "Burlesque" star’s raunchy behavior.

"Someone comes and tells me she's in my room," Renner told friends at In Style’s Golden Globe party on January 16. "I run up and open the door and I'm like, 'Um, hi. What are you doing?' She just starts slurring. Her boyfriend (Matthew Rutler) was rubbing her back. Who comes to someone's birthday party that they don't know and gets in their bed?! My parents were there!"

Another source notes, "Christina was a mess at that party. She acted like a fool. Her boyfriend was shushing her and telling her to go to sleep."

Renner's rep says that Aguilera was in deed at the party and "enjoying herself, but she wasn't in his bed."

Everyone is talking about this and commenting on the fact that Christina is A) 30 years old and B) a mother.  The first should dictate behavior but MTV's Teen Mom shenanigans show the second does not.  As long as she's not breastfeeding her getting wasted when the kiddy is asleep is not a big deal as long as she can mother in the morning.  Kind of 50's thinking I know but that's how I roll.

My heart goes out to Jeremy Renner, poor guy.  Imagine looking this good with tons of cash. Would you want some drunk chick passed out on your bed?  I think not that's annoying!!  Now, if he were poorer and ugly that would have been the best birthday present ever.

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MLK Projects Multiply

I started this blog on MLK day and am really happy to know that many people having projects a percolating about the great man.

Paul Greengrass is reportedly considering an MLK drama he's written called Memphis, which would be produced by Scott Rudin. I'm told it's by no means definite, but if Vulture's scoop happens -- it will happen fast, and will be done down and dirty like Greengrass's United 93. It could push him past several percolating MLK projects, including: Lee Daniels' Selma; a Ronald Harwood-scripted drama at DreamWorks that has Steven Spielberg producing and is authorized by MLK's estate; and the HBO mini that Harpo Films is doing based on Taylor Branch's book trilogy. There is also the film Wesley Snipes signed on to produce (before heading to prison) about J. Edgar Hoover's campaign to discredit MLK...

I'm really happy to hear that these projects are coming from really good sources.  There is controversy with The Social Network which just happened yesterday and all parties are still alive with historical projects there are artistic liberties taken as well as voices of dissention and bad memories and things passed down from one generation to the other and I'm hoping things can be as factual as possible without forgetting the emotion or making everyone hate whites and stirring up a lot of racism.

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The Social Network Screenplay

I love screenplays, they are useful little buggers.  Anyone who enjoyed The Social Network and would like to read the screenplay by Aaron Sorkin to see how it was envisioned follow click here.

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Ready for Pirates 5?

The House of the Mouse has already set Terry Rossio to work on the script for the fifth Pirates of the Carribbean.

Times 5 boo bears - believe it!

Can you believe it?!  I can and it makes me sooo happy.  I love Johnny Depp, I love Johnny as Captain Jack Sparrow (should always be a Captain in there) and I hope this continues on till I'm dead.  There can never be enough pirates on my DVD shelf or in the theatre.  Hopefully, this will be an annual opening to summer to go along with polo matches, rowdy kids, and heat.

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Charlie's Angels Reboot

Wowza!  I loved Charlie's Angels back in the day.  I clearly remember having this on the boob tube and wanting winged hair and REALLY tight pants and short shorts.  Funnily enough I went to work at the Hollywood Video that Jaclyn Smith lived near by.  I always was told who she was after she left and since she didn't want to be hassled when she browsed the vids it was probably a good thing.

Well, if you too had fond memories of the ladies who fought for the freedom of others you'll get to do it with your kids.  ABC, Sony Pictures, and Drew Barrymore's Flower Films is giving Charlie a phone to dial his angels once more.

I feel like putting the Pointer Sisters on the iPod and dancing around to I'm So Excited.  Makes me sooo happy!

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The King's Speech Screenplay

The King's Speech is still going strong in theatres and for the future screenplay writer in us all.  I've included a link to the entire screenplay that you can study to help you improve your own work or use to watch the movie with and learn how to direct.

Click Here

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Gary Taubes Taking Diet World to Task

Photograph by Patrick Demarchelier for Vogue

Gary Taubes is a know-it-all he has memorized facts and made observations and now he's sharing his hypotheses with the world.

He has a book out about nutrition called, Why We Get Fat, and What to Do About It. (Knopf)  Taubes has mainly made a name for himself by calling leading scientists in the field of nutrition frauds and incompetents all because he knows fat joggers and dieters who took eight years to lose two pounds.  During a Women's Health Intiative and the two pounds was the average spread amongst 20,000 women.

Taubes belief is that carbs are the enemy and you may have heard it before, even from Fat B Austin Powers' nemesis.  All those who bow at the altar of Atkins are the choir he's preaching to and by his bookselling numbers there are quite a few.

The problem is medical science and the scientific community in general don't agree with him.  Having a low-carb diet is hard on the kidneys and can cause other health problems.  Usually diet and exercise is the key to permanent weight loss but Taubes is determined to go against the grain and say what he believes and put it in print.

I personally don't believe in one size fits all for anything but Taubes can't say it any more than any other nuturitionist can.

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Kristen Stewart to Open Teen Halfway Houses

I find it hard to figure out what to do with a Klondike bar but the Queen of Twilight, Kristen Stewart knows what she is going to do with her $25 million she's getting for the two-part Twilight finale Breaking Dawn.

She's making plans to open halfway houses for troubled youths.

“It’s funny when you are endowed not only with public recognition on a [f***in] seriously vast level, but also money,” she says with endearing earnestness. “Like, funds.” (She was reportedly paid $25 million for the two films of Breaking Dawn, plus a percentage of the gross.) “Anytime I hear that somebody’s really rich, the first question is ‘Do you do anything with it? Or do you, like, chill? You just sit on it?’” She is thinking carefully, strategically, about how best to put her own contribution to use, and has a plan—inspired by her researches for the role of a runaway in the sex trade—to set up a network of halfway houses to help those who want to recover and get back on their feet. “That would be amazing,” she says. “Right now it’s the thing I feel most connected to.”

Wowza!  That's amazing to do something that vast but you've got to be careful.  So many times people have good intentions and go bankrupt.  Even though she is doing other things you don't want to waste money.  I really hope this venture is not a money suck for her and can help those for whom it is intended.

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Amanda Seyfried and Ryan Phillippe = Seyppe

They got close at Kate Hudson's Halloween bash last year, but Amanda Seyfried and Ryan Phillippe are proving they're more than just party pals.

The low-key pair have been spending time together over the past few months and appear to be getting more serious about their relationship.

"They're really into each other," says a source. "They're a really good match and just enjoying it all right now."

On Thursday, Phillippe, 36, stopped by to see Seyfried, 26, on the set of her new film, Now. After enjoying a bite to eat the two took a break and went for a walk.

The next day, they shared a late morning breakfast with pals at the Los Angeles restaurant Joan's On Third. Sitting next to one another, "They were really cute," says an onlooker. "The two of them smiled the whole time."

Ahhh...  That means absolutely nothing.  Remember Jake and Taylor used to do that now it's over and he's been seen with his ex at award shows.  Still when love is new and fresh it's the best.

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The Meta Decision for The Gray Man

The Gray Man by Mark Greaney is a book about my life thus the meta reference in the title above.

Targeted by a powerful multinational corporation, a former CIA operative-turned ultimate assassin must fight his way across Europe and past special forces teams from around the world in order to save the life of his handler and the handler's family.

Yep, that's how I role.

Seriously though, James Gray will be the man in the chair holding the reigns for The Gray Man and that's how the meta reference came in.  Gray has a definite vision for the project and for those of who remember We Own the Night read on.

[Gray] has a very specific plan to shoot the film that will distinguish it from past assassin-on-the-run thrillers like the Jason Bourne films. That is to have the point of view come from the assassin. He tried this style in the car chase scene in We Own the Night, where Joaquin Phoenix watched from the back of a car as assassins gunned down his police chief father (Robert Duvall). "Almost every shot was from Joaquin's point of view, inside that car, and I want to make a whole movie with that POV," Gray said. He's a fan of Paul Greengrass's Bourne films, but wanted a different approach than one Greengrass used so effectively. "What he did was a documentary-style objective approach, and he owns that style. I want to do the opposite, which feels like a good way to sympathize with a professional hitman. You humanize him by never distancing yourself from his experience. This story has emotional stakes that enable me to do that."

Hmm... this could go either way.  In Point Break that running with a handheld camera really made the movie as it put you right into the action and you felt like the fourth wall was broken.  Just like The French Connection changed things up with starting the movie with a bang, I think this could work as long as it works.  If people feel sick or still don't care about the assassin, then this will be a wasted effort.

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What The?!?!?

Emma Blunden, 21, from Reading, Berkshire, was sentenced at Reading Crown Court after been convicted of two counts of perverting the course of justice at the same court in December.

Blunden's lies began on July 26, 2008, when she reported to police that she had been raped by  James Mabey, 26, in a hostel where she was living in Newbury.

Police then arrested Mr Mabey who was questioned for 17 hours before police realised he was innocent and released him.

The judge was also told about how Blunden boasted about having sex with Mr Mabey and sent him a text message to apologise for getting him arrested.

She was then arrested herself and interviewed about her false allegations but released so that police could investigate further.

While out on bail she went to a party and flirted with a man before letting three men have sex with her in a communal bathroom, one after another.

She then left the party and dialled 999 to say that her train fare money had been stolen before saying she had been gang raped by three men - Shane Roberts, 23, Craig Pilime and Colin McDonagh, both 21.

They were all taken in to custody and were needlessly questioned for up to 13 hours each, before they were released without charge.

Sentencing her Judge John Reddihough said: 'False allegations of rape were made which saw a number of men kept in custody for many hours. The first incident was a misguided attempt to win back a former boyfriend.

'The second saw three men spend from 11 and a half to 13 hours in custody over allegations made against them. Perhaps you were ashamed of your own sexual conduct to these men.

'I take into account no previous convictions, your age, maturity and the pre-sentence report but on two occasions you made false allegations and only a custodial sentence is appropriate in your case.'

Blunden was handed two consecutive 12 month prison sentences for perverting the course of justice and was told she would face a minimum of one year in prison.

Detective Sergeant Elton Evans, from Thames Valley Police, said: 'As a result of Blunden's allegations the men were arrested and had to go through some intimate forensic checks.

'We take every single report of rape very seriously. Each report is dealt with by detectives and other specialist officers who conduct a full investigation at great public expense.

'The investigation of any false or malicious allegation diverts valuable resources away from genuine crimes with genuine victims.

'We will take action against anyone who reports a false crime and wastes police time.'

Defending Blunden Nicholas Doherty said that she needed help to 'amend her personality defects of depression and insecurities.'

I just don't understand this.  Most times it is so hard to get police and others to take rape seriously and for her to accuse three other guys of rape when she willingly had sex with them at a party with others present is the height of stupidity.  She's not bad looking all saying I could see her with a boyfriend and married but her mental state requires heavy meds and many prayers.

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Incest Here, Sodomy There

Jeremy Irons is starring as Rodrigo Borgia in the Showtimes new series The Borgias.

Irons continued, "It was an interesting time. There were murders every night. Poisonings most weekends. Incest here, sodomy there. It was a good old rolling, rollicking society. If you're going to run that as a Pope tends to do, you're going to have to play by some set of rules. I don't judge him at all. I think it's up to the audience to say what is good, what is wrong, what's right. There are huge parallels today to how things were back then as far as what people get up to and what they do to get their way. I don't think anything has changed really. I played him as someone who thought he was a pretty good guy. I'm sure George W. Bush thought he was a good guy, too. Stalin probably liked himself."

Ha! How funny is JI.  So true.  I think I'm great but the people I plot to kill because they cut me off in traffic would beg to differ.

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Don Cheadle Builds a House of Lies

OK fans of dark skinned black men (Hi, Chelsea Handler *waves*) get your mouth relaxed to open in awe.

Showtime has announced that Don Cheadle of Hotel Rwanda and Iron Man 2 fame is going to appear in a new show. 
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HOUSE OF LIES, a half-hour, dark comedy created and written by Matthew Carnahan (Dirt) from the hit tell-all book House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Tell You the Time by Martin Kihn, which will go into production in February 2011 in Los Angeles, CA. Jessica Borsicsky (Flash Forward) will serve as executive producer, and Emmy^® winner Stephen Hopkins (Californication, 24) will direct.

“Don Cheadle is one of the great dramatic actors of our generation,” said SHOWTIME^® President of Entertainment David Nevins. “He also happens to be an extremely funny man. HOUSE OF LIES is the perfect show to take advantage of both sides of him. Honestly, I would have been happy just to get his autograph.” 

HOUSE OF LIES is a subversive, scathing look at a self-loathing management consultant from a top-tier firm. Cheadle will star as Marty, a highly successful, cutthroat consultant who is never above using any means (or anyone) necessary to get his clients the information they want.

Hopefully this show will be as critically aclaimed as Hotel Rwanda and as money making as Iron Man 2.
Hey now.  DC is a cool dude and I love him.  Sometimes when I see him, I can hear the Chris Rock mantra from SNL I'm Black Ya'll/Cuz I'm black ya'lll.  For real though, dude is icy cool like the other side of the pillow. 

James Franco Gettin' Into Satanism

The dark side of James Franco is getting revealed ya'll.  James was soooo funny and cute in The Green Hornet and I was glad they never listed him on the trailers or anything because seeing him came as a total surprise.

Suddenly the face with a thousand beautiful creases is signed on to play serial killer, Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker.

I love this actually.  James can be such a goofball sometimes when he was doing his funny or die stuff and of course when he got his start in comedy.  127 Hours was dark but in a good way since JF was fighting the elements (or rather one element, earth in the form of a boulder trapping his arm).

This time the film is completely dark and about a person who sat in a room and plotted evil against innocents.  I would love to be there and watch him do his thing but I'm going to have to wish him well from afar.

Kick but James!!!

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Ridley Scott Helming Prometheus Oh and Noomi Rapace is in it!!

Welp sci-fi geeks, put your shoes on and get ready to dance.  The new Aliens movie that's been in the works for an age and a half has a release date of March 9, 2012, a director in Ridley Scott, and the lead scientist babe candy in Noomi Rapace.

Wowza, captain!  Also, HR Giger who started the designs for the aliens has agreed to give the project his stellar look. 

I never thought I'd see the day when this thing would come together and so beautifully too.

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Casting Directors vs Studios

Have ya' heard?

Word has on the streets that many network pilots are hanging in the balance because casting directors need assistants and the networks aren't paying for them.

Me smells a strike a comin'. 

I hear the studios are still not budging. ABC Studios, which has received a number of early pilot orders over the past 2 weeks, has begun to cast them internally. Other studios are preparing to do the same. Over the past 48 hours, we also had the first deal with a casting director that closed without the assistant provision. Casting agency La Padura & Hart Casting, whose credits include the High School Musical franchise and such NBC series as Heroes and The Event, has signed on to work on the 20th Century Fox TV-produced NBC drama pilot Playboy. There are reportedly a number of deals with other casting directors on pilots that are closed but not signed by the casting directors since they don't include assistant pay coverage.

Originally, I had heard that, because the film and TV casting directors are unionized under the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the teamsters are getting involved in the conflict. A casting director well plugged into the situation now tells me that "this is not an union issue, it's an individual issue, it's an individual negotiation between casting directors and studios in order for the casting directors to get the staff they need to meet the demands of studios and networks. Every other department gets adequate staffing to do the job they were hired to do with the exception of the casting department."

In the past, studios have paid for assistants "when deemed necessary," the source continued. With growing casts and increasing competition,  "It has now become necessary on every pilot."Since it's not an union issue but an individual choice for each casting director, there is no mandate for the casting directors to stick together. "But I think the casting directors are going to hold strong," the source said.

Wowza, I love pilots.  Some of my favorite TV moments come from them and I really hate it when a show I like doesn't get picked up.  Cross those fingers everyone, strikes are good for nothing!

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Spartaci Satisfaction

Andy Whitfield has unfortunately been stricken with cancer and Spartacus has had to replace him on the hit Starz drama.

Liam McIntyre has gotten the nod to replace AW on Spartacus.  Apparently while Starz continued to shop around for other actors, Liam was asked to "bulk up" so that he looked more like a Roman gladiator.  According to the press release from Starz, Andy gave his blessing to be replaced and for Liam to do the job.

Starz, LLC, President and CEO Chris Albrecht announced today:

“Since no one can really replace Andy, we realized that we should instead find an actor who can truly lead ‘Spartacus’ forward,” Albrecht notes. “It was important to us to have Andy endorse the idea of recasting this part, which he did in the same heroic manner that he’s dealt with his whole ordeal. And that, coupled with our fortune in finding a young actor with the gladiator credentials and the acting ability of Liam, makes it easier for us to keep this hit franchise going.”

I was really hoping for a Michael C. Hall/Dexter ending for Andy.  I never met the guy but he seems quite a noble classy cat to go out like this.  Being an actor is hard work with all the rejections and when you get a plum role with really great buzz to lose out on it can be really disheartening.  I hope Andy recovers fully and he gets back on track with his career.

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban Late Baby News

Umm, hello Universe it's me Margaret.  Faith Margaret that is.  Apparently, the fiercely private Kidman-Urban group had a baby on December 28, 2010 via surrogate.

According to TMZ:

Sources tell us ... the baby was born at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville on December 28, 2010. Her name is Faith.

Kidman and Urban are Faith's biological parents.

We're told Nicole and Keith went into the hospital on the down low last week, visiting Faith and the surrogate during her stay.   They entered the hospital through the back, took the service elevator to the top floor, which they rented exclusively for themselves.

We're told the baby is home.

Yes, Nicole and Keith were both at the Golden Globes last night.

UPDATE: Keith and Nicole just released a statement to TMZ saying, "Our family is truly blessed, and just so thankful, to have been given the gift of baby Faith Margaret. No words can adequately convey the incredible gratitude that we feel for everyone who was so supportive throughout this process, in particular our gestational carrier."

Wowza!!  This is shocking not that using a surrogate is anything new (*cough* Camille Grammer *cough*) but the fact this couple got away with keeping it a secret throughout the entire pregnancy.  The only thing along these lines that equals or exceeds this is Sandra Bullock adopting her adorable black nugget Louis Bardo while the Jesse James tattooed lady fiasco was happening.  (Meaning that there was no news leak before she was seen with him but the two things happened pretty close and SB changed the adoption to single parent once the revelation came up.)

Congratulations to them both and I hope they continue to add to their brood with a dozen more blessings.

Abe Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Woot! Woot!  I love this news.  I got a YouTube link about this litvid or book promotion movie.  For those of you who only read blogs, a litvid is a means to promote a new book coming out.  People will do a mini-movie then post it to the internet hoping things go viral and that their book will become a best seller.  The other hope is that movie producers can see the visual potential for the book and make it a movie.

Well, ladies and gentlemen this has happened for a really good litvid.  Seth Grahame Smith has down another historical-fantasy mash up with his book, Abe Lincoln Vampire Hunter. 

Thankfully, Tim Burton and his friends Timur Bekmambetov and Jim Lemley will be making this into a movie with a June 22, 2012 release. 

I'm so happy I could punch someone in the face.  I'm hoping this thing will be an awesome movie given it's the promise of its premise.

The actors vying for the lead also give me hope these are no wet willies.  

EXCLUSIVE: There are few hotter projects in Hollywood right now than Twentieth Century Fox's macabre 3D Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter based on the Seth Grahame-Smith novel (he also wrote the script) that will be directed by Timur Bekmambetov and produced by Timur, Tim Burton, and Jim Lemley. The studio has set a June 22, 2012 release for the film and has been focused on casting since November. Now we can tell you the list of actors who'll be screentesting for the role of young Abe Lincoln this week and next: Benjamin Walker, James D'Arcy, Adrien Brody, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and Josh Lucas. It's a very interesting mix of semi-knowns and unknowns, stage and screen vets. - http://www.deadline.com/

 I'm a likin' what I'm a hearin'.