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Howdy Adventureland Friends: Happy Father's Day guys. Yes, your special day is fast approaching. Don't forget those special guys in your life who are father-like too. Don't forget me, Koda Bear. Perhaps you will take me to the drive-in. I also have a Happy Birthday wish for my Uncle Jack on June 14. He shares this day with Burl Ives, Marla Gibbs, Donald Trump, Boy George & Yasmine Bleeth. May the flags fly in your honor! We have 2 new affiliate programs to announce. First is Deep Discount DVD. Second is Game Express. There is a banner for both @ Adventureland Shoppes. See the links in Steals & Deals. +===================================+ Find your showtimes @ Adventureland http://advland.bravehost.com +===================================+ <> <> <> BOX OFFICE <> <> <> +===================================+ 13 PROVES 2 BE LUCKY NUMBER @ BOX OFFICE! Ocean's Thirteen, the latest crime caper starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, debuted atop the box office with $37.1 million, according to studio estimates. The Warner Bros. film stole the top spot from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, which dropped to second place with $21.3 million after 2 weeks at number one. This weekend's take brings Pirates' domestic total to a whopping $253.6 million. The third film in the Ocean's franchise opened behind its predecessors. Ocean's Eleven took in $38.1 million over its opening weekend in 2001, while Ocean's Twelve debuted with $39.2 million in 2004. In third place, Knocked Up added another $20 million to its diaper bag to bring its domestic gross to $66.2 million, proving it was no one-night stand. Surf's Up, Hollywood's latest entry in the aquatic bird genre, debuted at number 4 with $18 million --less than half of the $41.5 million its penguin predecessor Happy Feet earned in its opening weekend last fall. Enough horror movie enthusiasts turned out for Hostel Part: II to propel the film into sixth place with $8.75, but the sequel fell far short of the original's $19.6 million debut. In limited release, Fox Searchlight's Waitress stayed in the top 10 for the third week in a row, dropping from sixth to ninth place with $1.65 million. Overall, the box office plunged for the second weekend in a row, with the top 12 movies taking in $133.6 million, down 9% from the same weekend last year, when Cars opened at number one with $60.1 million. The 3 summer blockbusters that debuted last month --Pirates, Shrek the Third and Spider-Man 3 — have all shown a sharp decline in ticket sales after strong opening weekends. Though the sequels will rake in more than $1 billion in combined domestic ticket sales by the time they leave theaters, none of the films are on track to match the $400 million-plus earned by their more successful predecessors. Things look brighter overseas, where Spidey's take is climbing towards $900 million and Pirates is nearing $750 million. Shrek's international gross has not been quite as impressive due to its gradual roll-out, but the film has still made a strong showing. Here's a rundown of the top 10 films based on Friday-Sunday estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 01) Ocean's Thirteen, $37.1 million 02) Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, $21.3 million 03) Knocked Up, $20 million 04) Surf's Up, $18 million 05) Shrek the Third, $15.75 million 06) Hostel: Part II, $8.75 million 07) Mr. Brooks, $5 million 08) Spider-Man 3, $4.4 million 09) Waitress, $1.65 million 10) Disturbia, $550,000 http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/ +===================================+ <> <> <> NOW SHOWING <> <> <> +===================================+ KNOCKED UP (2007) Allison Scott is an up-and-coming entertainment journalist whose 24-year-old life is on the fast track. But it gets seriously derailed when a drunken one-nighter with slacker Ben Stone results in an unwanted pregnancy. Faced with the prospect of going it alone or getting to know the baby's father, Allison decides to give the lovable doof a chance. Rated R for sexual content, drug use and language. http://www.knockedupmovie.com/ +===================================+ <> <> <> COMING SOON <> <> <> +===================================+ June 22, 2007 1408 (2007) Renowned horror novelist Mike Enslin believes only in what he can see. But after a string of best-sellers discrediting paranormal events in the most infamous haunted houses and graveyards, he has no real proof of life -- afterlife. But Enslin's phantom-free run of long and lonely nights is about to change when he checks into suite 1408 for his latest project, "Ten Nights in Haunted Hotel Rooms." Rated PG-13 for thematic material including disturbing sequences of violence and terror, frightening images and language. http://www.1408-themovie.com/ June 29, 2007 RATATOUILLE (2007) A rat named Remy dreams of being a great French chef despite his family's wishes and the obvious problem of being a rat in a rodent-phobic profession. When fate places Remy in the sewers of Paris, he finds himself situated beneath a restaurant made famous by his culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau. Remy's passion for cooking soon sets into motion a rat race that turns the culinary world of Paris upside down. MPAA rated G http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/ratatouille/ +===================================+ <> <> <> SHINING STAR <> <> <> +===================================+ JAMES THURSTON NABORS 12 June 1930, Sylacauga, Alabama, USA This actor has become famous for the expressions of "Gawwwlee" and "shazzayam." Nabors got his start in Hollywood as an NBC film cutter by day and cabaret singer by night. In 1963, he was hired to make a guest appearance on "The Andy Griffith Show" as Gomer Pyle. His performance was so well received by the audience that he was made a regular on the show. The character of Gomer Pyle was spun off to another TV show, "Gomer Pyle USMC," which ran for 5 seasons. In addition to his success on television, Nabors recorded 16 albums. In 1969, Nabors started his own variety show, "The Jim Nabors Show," which ran for 3 seasons. Nabors has starred in films including Cannonball Run (1978) and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982). Since his liver transplant in 1994, Nabors has been known to make a guest appearance every now and then, but spends much of his time in Hawaii running his macadamian nut plantation. FACTOIDS: Sings "Back Home Again in Indiana" during opening ceremonies of the Indianapolis 500. It has always been difficult for him to watch the opening of "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." because many of the Marines he is marching with were killed in Vietnam. PERSONAL QUOTE: "I think this story sums up my career the best. One time I was walking in an airport somewhere and I saw this woman with her young son. The son looked up at me and it was obvious that he recognized me. He thought for a second and he said 'Mom, there goes an old Gomer!'" http://www.jimnabors.com/ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001561/ +===================================+ <> <> <> SNACK BAR <> <> <> +===================================+ ULTIMATE PEANUT BUTTER PIZZA This all-time favorite flavor combination of peanut butter and chocolate will melt in your mouth! The whole family will enjoy this dessert - perfect for any occasion! PIZZA CRUST: 1/3 cup margarine or butter 3/4 cup milk chocolate baking chips 2-1/2 cups crushed Kroger Cocoa & Peanut Butter Fusion cereal (about 6 cups) FILLING: 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 1 package (4oz.) cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons sugar 1 container (12 oz.)frozen whipped topping, divided TOPPING: 1 jar hot fudge flavored ice cream topping, divided 1/4 - 1/2 cup Kroger Cocoa & Peanut Butter Fusion cereal (optional) 1/4 - 1/2 cup peanut butter (optional) frozen whipped topping PREPARE PIZZA CRUST: preheat oven to 325F. Lightly spray bottom of a round 12-14 inch pizza pan (deep dish) with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium sauce pan, combine maragarine and baking chips; warm over low heat until melted. Remove from heat and stir in crushed cereal. Press the cereal mixture firmly over the bottom and sides of pan. Bake 10 minutes and cool completely. PREPARE FILLING: In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, cream cheese and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and well blended. Mix in 2 cups of thawed whipped topping with spoon or spatula. Spread filling evenly over pizza crust and chill. PREPARE TOPPING: Heat 3/4 - 1 cup of hot fudge flovored topping in a microwave about 45 seconds. Spread topping evenly over the chilled filling. Refridgerate or freeze 2 hours. Just before serving, spread remaining thawed whipped topping over hot fudge flavored topping. For a decorative top, drizzle with melted peanut butter and sprinkle with additional cereal. http://www.kroger.com <I found this recipe on the cereal box and look forward to giving it the old college try. Like most recipes, I will go at it free-style. Only using the recipe for inspration. If you give this a try or want to share another recipe, drop me an email. -Paul> +===================================+ <> <> SHARING IS CARING <> <> +===================================+ SUPPORT OUR TROOPS WITH OPERATION DVD Former "Tonight Show" sidekick Ed McMahon is urging people to donate DVDs for U.S. troops in Iraq. "This program accomplishes two things: the troops are entertained and they know that citizens at home care and support them," McMahon (84) said. Operation DVD collects new and used DVDs to distribute overseas to U.S. military personnel. The year-old program has already collected more than 250,000 DVDs. "This war in Iraq is unusual because soldiers never know where the next attack will come from. They need a safe mode of recreation since they become potential targets playing soccer or softball outdoors," said McMahon, a retired Marine officer. Operation DVD began when a soldier approached the Rev. Scott Dryden in Kansas requesting parishioners donate books and DVDs for fellow troops overseas. The group American Veterans - AMVETS - then signed on to the project. Robert Boots, California spokesman for Operation DVD, said the goal is to have 1 million DVDs distributed to U.S. troops with more than 200 titles in rotation at each base. "The least we can offer them is some DVDs for entertainment so they can escape their realities for a while," Boots said. Collection boxes are located nationwide at schools, retail stores, churches, and government offices. http://www.operationdvd.us/ +===================================+ <> <> <> INTERMISSION <> <> <> +===================================+ ROAD 2 STARDOM STARTS @ HOLLYWOOD HILLS From the street it may look like just another sprawling Los Angeles apartment complex, but to a kid with dreams of stardom, it's the Emerald City at the end of the Yellow Brick Road. Oakwood Toluca Hills is the place where wannabe child stars arrive by the hundreds every year to take up residence as they take a shot at becoming famous. "Everyone in the business, everyone who knows about acting, knows about it," says teen Devon Werkheiser, who arrived with his mom 4 years ago. He left for better digs after having landed the starring role in Nick's "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide." Just one visit to the complex of 1,151 furnished residences carved into a section of the Hollywood Hills reveals this is no ordinary cluster of 3-story, beige-and-tile apartment buildings. Around the pools, in clubhouses, at barbecues, they are everywhere: curly haired, freckle-faced, good-looking kids. They are outgoing, friendly and they look a lot like the people you see on TV - and sometimes they are. Typical of the 400 to 500 child actors living at Oakwood at any given time is 14-year-old Vincent Martella, who arrived during TV pilot season 5 years ago from Florida, hoping to land a TV role. "I was doing commercials in Florida and I came out here because I wanted to do television and movies, and I knew this is where I had to be," he says over Sunday brunch at one of the complex's two clubhouses. The facilities also double as theaters, classrooms and the complex's very own Academy Awards night. Vincent struck out that first year, but the cherubic-faced actor came back the next year and landed a few parts. He finally grabbed the brass ring the third year, winning a role as Chris' only friend on the hit show "Everybody Hates Chris." Not everyone who comes to Oakwood becomes a star. Vincent's father, Michael Martella, isn't sure how many years they would have kept returning if his son hadn't broken through. "You've got to know when to cut loose, I guess," the elder Martella says with a shrug. As the pair talk over brunch, they are surrounded by the sounds of clattering trays and the voices of parents and children planning a busy week around rehearsals, acting lessons and auditions. A table nearby is filled with flyers for acting coaches, music teachers, commercial photographers and others. "Be careful," Vincent's father warns a mother whose son will be rehearsing a play at a theater. "They can disappear into that," he says, noting that a long-running play can leave an actor with little time to pursue film or TV work. Time is of the essence in Hollywood, where pilot season (January-April) passes quickly and the cost of a studio apartment at Oakwood runs more than $2,100 a month. Even teenage actors here are reminded they get older every day, and quickly learn to sidestep questions about their ages. "If you're not financially solid, I don't think you can stay here," said Hope Pease, whose son, Gary, has appeared on "Hannah Montana" and other shows. Still, they keep coming from all over the country. Cars parked around the complex display license plates from Utah, Texas, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, among other places. "I'm originally from Covington, Indiana, which is a small little town, so it was a big jump, you know, coming out here to L.A., to the big city and everything," giggles Hayley Holmes, a hazel-eyed, honey-haired teen who has appeared in music videos, TV shows, commercials and "Trapped in TV Guide" since arriving 18 months ago. "I've been very fortunate in the short time I've been out here to be able accomplish so many different things," she said, adding that acting has been a dream "ever since I was a little girl." But it's a dream not many will achieve, says Paul Petersen, founder of the child-actor advocacy group A Minor Consideration and himself one of the biggest child stars of the 1950s and '60s. "A fairly small percentage will even get a theatrical agent," says Petersen who was precocious son Jeff Stone on TV's "The Donna Reed Show." "The common thread of those who succeed is a level of talent that is extraordinary." But that doesn't mean, he adds with a chuckle, that any of them will stop coming to Hollywood, and in turn, to Oakwood, which has capitalized on the niche and helps them meet legitimate casting directors and get valuable advice on things like honest agents. "When they recognized the true nature of their client base, kids coming out for a chance at the gold ring, they stepped up to the plate," Peterson says of the complex's managers. So at the end of the day, after grueling, often disappointing auditions, $100-an-hour acting lessons and expensive photo shoots, young actors can live like stars, enjoying volleyball, tennis, swimming, parties and other amenities. And, if they want, they can gaze at the walls of Oakwood's offices for inspiration, where head shots hang of former residents like Hilary Duff and Jennifer Love Hewitt. Mitchell Musso of "Hannah Montana," Frankie Muniz, Kirsten Dunst and, going back a few years, Fred Savage, whose hit was the 1980s show "The Wonder Years," also stayed there. But there are plenty more who don't score hits. As he prepared to pack up and return to Florida, Michael Coates expressed some disappointment that although his 15-year-old daughter, Amber Rose, landed several auditions she didn't come away with a part. "Still, she's gotten a taste of just how difficult this business may be to break into and that's good," Coates said, adding that they may be back next year. So may Courtney Green, who also failed to land a part, although at age 6 she's got some time. Meantime, the cute-as-a-button tot, who bears a striking resemblance to Shirley Temple, has already learned the industry lingo. "I went on auditions but I didn't book anything," she said. http://www.oakwood.com/childactors.jsp http://www.minorcon.org/ http://www.devonwerkheiser.com/ http://www.vincentmartella.com/ +===================================+ <> <> <> DVD SHOWCASE <> <> <> +===================================+ Buy your favorite DVDs @ Adventureland http://psgoods.bravehost.com +===================================+ <> <> <> NOW SHOWING <> <> <> +===================================+ +===================================+ <> <> <> COMING SOON <> <> <> +===================================+ June 19, 2007 BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA (2007) An 11-year-old boy has his life changed forever when he befriends the class outsider, a girl. Together they create the world of Terabithia, an imaginary kingdom filled with giants, trolls and other magical beings. Rated G for thematic elements including bullying, some peril and mild language. http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/liveaction/bridgetoterabithia/ June 19, 2007 RENO 911!: MIAMI (2007) The story centers on a rag-tag team of Reno cops called in to save the day after a terrorist attack disrupts a national police convention in Miami Beach during spring break. They're not the best, but that's all we got. Based on the Comedy Central TV series. Rated R for sexual content, nudity, crude humor, language and drug use. http://www.reno911movie.com/ +===================================+ <> <> <> FUN & GAMES <> <> <> +===================================+ SIGNS YOU'RE GETTING TO OLD TO DRIVE: You think an SUV might be too small to be safe. It takes more than four minutes to get out of your car. When backing into a parking spot, you just back up until you hear a crunch. It scares you to drive the speed limit. The only thing you pass on the road anymore is the Amish. You use cruise control because your leg fell asleep. You use cruise control at 25 mph. You inquired if the dealership could install magnifying glass for the windshield. Your turn signal has been on since 2003. Your bumper sticker endorses Eisenhower. When the police pull you over, they're surprised to find out you're sober. http://www.cleanlaffs.com NOW SHOWING IN BUNN-O-VISION! Starz presents 'Die Hard' in Bunn-O-Vision. A short re-enactment of the 'Die Hard' movie trailer by those famous bunnies @ Starz. Sign-up for Bunny Club for all the newest Bunny re-enactments. http://www.starz.com/features/bunnyclub/die_hard/index.html +===================================+ <> <> <> TRADE TALK <> <> <> +===================================+ STUDENT ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED Twelve students were honored with trophies and prize money Saturday for their short films at the 34th annual Student Academy Awards. Actress Zooey Deschanel, director John Landis and Academy President Sid Ganis presented the awards at a ceremony at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which hands out the Oscars every year, presented the college students with awards in 4 categories. Ben Wu from Stanford University won the gold medal in the documentary category for "Cross Your Eyes Keep Them Wide." "Art's Desire" by New York University's Sarah Wickliffe and "Mirage" by the School of Visual Art's Youngwoong Jang tied for the gold medal in the animation category. Winners get $5,000 for gold medals, $3,000 for silver medals and $2,000 for bronze. The Student Academy Awards were established in 1972 to support college and university filmmakers. Past winners who have gone on to successful careers in Hollywood include Spike Lee, Robert Zemeckis, John Lasseter and Trey Parker. http://www.oscars.org/saa/2007/index.html A complete list of the winners in each category: Alternative: - Gold Medal: "Fission," Kun-I Chang, School of Visual Arts, New York. Animation: - Gold Medal: "Art's Desire," Sarah Wickliffe, New York University and "Mirage," Youngwoong Jang, School of Visual Arts, New York. - Bronze Medal: "A Leg Up," Bevin Carnes, Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota, Florida. Documentary: - Gold Medal: "Cross Your Eyes Keep Them Wide," Ben Wu, Stanford University. - Silver Medal: "Ladies of the Land," Megan Thompson, New York University. - Bronze Medal: "Lumo," Bent-Jorgen S. Perlmutt and Nelson Walker III, Columbia University. Narrative: - Gold Medal: "Rundown," Patrick Alexander, Florida State University. - Silver Medal: "High Maintenance" Phillip Van, New York University. - Bronze Medal: "Screening," Anthony Green, New York University. Honorary Foreign Student Film Award: - "Nevermore," Toke Constantin Hebbeln, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany. +===================================+ <> <> STEALS & DEALS <> <> +===================================+ TAKE A BITE OUT OF STEEP DVD PRICES! DeepDiscount.com is dedicated to providing the Lowest Total Price alternative when shopping for DVDs, CDs, Books, and Video Games. We strive to make the process as simple as possible with fast, accurate searches, easy check-out procedures, and FREE standard delivery. http://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=93094&merchantID=1175&programmeID=3706&mediaID=0&tracking=&url= GREAT DVD GIFT IDEAS 4 DADS & GRADS! TFAW wanted to let you know about some of the stuff that's new to DVD, just in time for that graduation gift or Father's Day present! You'll find over 45,000 DVDs, so pick your favorite titles and save 20%. LOOK NO FURTHER 4 YOUR VIDEO GAME NEEDS! GameExpress.com is the net Online Store of Game Express, Inc., a retail chain based in the New York Metro and New Jersey area. With over 15 years of experience in video game retailing, our company has grown to more than 11 stores. We offer video games from Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance! Our mission is to offer the best prices on quality games! http://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=93094&merchantID=1800&programmeID=4858&mediaID=0&tracking=&url= +===================================+ <> <> <> NEWS REELS <> <> <> +===================================+ MARVEL TALENT SIGNS ON WITH DISNEY Stan Lee, the creator of such comic-book superheroes as Spider-Man and X-Men for Marvel Entertainment, has signed an exclusive deal with Walt Disney Studios. Under the agreement, the studio gets first shot at films, TV shows, books and video games devised by the 84-year-old Lee and his POW! Entertainment. "I've got millions of them," Lee said. "I have file cabinets filled with ideas for movies and television shows and all sorts of things, and I've been waiting to be associated with someone like Disney so I can start tearing into these things." http://www.disney.com http://www.powentertainment.com RAIMI MAKES HORROR/THRILLER WEBISODES Director Sam Raimi will create original Internet shows for FEARnet, a horror and thriller Web site. Ghost House Pictures, a joint venture with Raimi, launched the first of 2 such series, "Devil's Trade." The series will follow 3 teens who are cursed after buying an item online. The 2 series are the first efforts Raimi has made since "Spider-Man 3." They're also a return of sorts for Raimi, who directed "The Evil Dead" and produced "The Grudge." FEARNet is a joint venture between Comcast, Sony, and Lionsgate. http://www.fearnet.com CELEBS TALK DARFUR @ CHICAGO PREMIERE George Clooney and Matt Damon used the premiere of "Ocean's Thirteen" to talk Darfur. Ticket sales from the gala went to Not On Our Watch, started by Clooney to help the International Rescue Committee. Tickets went for $2,000 each. Not On Our Watch has raised $9 million since Cannes, according to Vanity Fair. The magazine sponsored fundraising premieres in Chicago and Las Vegas. Clooney and father Nick approached the IRC, according to IRC spokeswoman Melissa Winkler. The money will go to health care clinics, learning shelters and training leaders. "It's difficult to get attention to Darfur," Winkler said. "I think in many ways a lot of these celebrities have put Darfur on the map." http://www.notonourwatchproject.org BERLIN: JEFF SAYS MORE 'SHREK' COMING Galvanized by the success of "Shrek the Third," Jeffrey Katzenberg says the tale of the green ogre will continue. "More Shreks are coming!" producer Katzenberg, flanked by Cameron Diaz, Mike Myers and Justin Timberlake, said in Berlin. Jeff said there will be an animated TV special "Shrek the Halls." As for the plot of the fourth installment of the "Shrek" movie franchise, Katzenberg revealed that Shrek will have to come to terms with something difficult in his past. The blockbuster opens in Germany on June 21. http://www.shrek.com/main.html PARKER BRANDS CHEAP FASHION COLLECTION Sarah Jessica Parker strode through the Manhattan Mall's Steve & Barry's store at the launch of her clothing line, Bitten, greeting shoppers. Parker joins Madonna, Kate Moss, Jennifer Lopez, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and others with clothing lines. Parker and Steve & Barry's - known for inexpensive college apparel - hopes the Bitten line stands out. While other celeb lines sell items for up to $100, nothing in Bitten's line is over $20. "I really loved the idea of making fashion accessible to every woman in this country despite her economic standing, despite her size, her shape and her ethnic background," said Parker who worked with designers to develop the line. Steve & Barry's operates 200 stores in 33 states. http://www.steveandbarrys.com/ PACINO RECOGNIZED WITH AFI LIFETIME AWARD Al Pacino made grand speeches on screen. But when the actor was honored with the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award, he was practically speechless. "I need a character," the 67-year-old said. "I don't think of myself as being able to do anything." Pacino didn't have to say much, though. Oliver Stone, Kirk Douglas, Andy Garcia and Robin Williams - did most the talking when Pacino was presented his award. The program airs June 19 on USA network. The 2-time Tony Award winner has been nominated for 8 Academy Awards and won in 1992 for "Scent of a Woman." Then honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996 by the Indy Feature Project. Hollywood Foreign Press presented him with its Cecil B. De Mille Award at the Golden Globes in 2001. The program included tributes to late Jack Valenti and AFI's Jean Picker Firstenberg, who retires this year. Pacino is the 35th recipient of this award. Past honorees include Sean Connery, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Elizabeth Taylor, Alfred Hitchcock, Bette Davis and Jack Nicholson. http://www.afi.com/tvevents/laa/laa07.aspx INDIANA: COLE PORTER BIRTH HOME SAVED Fans of Cole Porter have transformed the composer's childhood home into a museum and a bed and breakfast. Several hundred attended Friday's dedication of the house where Porter was born in 1891 and lived for his first 10 years. He learned to play piano and violin there. Over the decades, the house had fallen into disrepair and was even used as a methampethamine lab. But fans intervened to save and restore it with funds from Ole Olsen Memorial Theatre, a group that bought the home in 2004. Porter, who died in 1964, wrote over 1,500 songs for stage, movies and television. http://www.coleporter.org/ SPIKE LEE ON HURRICANE KATRINA & VOTING Spike Lee, screening his documentary about Hurricane Katrina, urged people to vote to ensure government functions better in the future than it did after the deadly storm. Lee, who attended New Haven's annual International Festival of Arts and Ideas, showed his 2006 HBO documentary, "When the Levees Broke: a Requiem in Four Acts." "It was a fiasco, a mockery on the local, state and federal levels, and once again, Americans got hornswoggled, led astray, bamboozled," he said. "And too many people have died so we all have the right to vote. Never tell anyone your vote doesn't matter." Lee faulted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the levees that failed. "The damage and devastation was brought about by a breach in the levees," Lee said. "It wasn't the hurricane. It was the breach in the levees. That is the job of the Army Corps of Engineers. They did not do their job." The documentary recounts the storm with eyewitness accounts and news footage. http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/whentheleveesbroke/?ntrack_para1=leftnav_category6_show0 SNIPES: UNFAIRLY TARGETED BECAUSE OF RACE Wesley Snipes says he is a victim of "unscrupulous tax advice" and being selectively targeted for prosecution on federal tax evasion charges because he is black. In a motion to dismiss the indictment, Snipes' attorneys argue that prosecutors filed additional tax evasion charges against him and not against 2 co-defendants because they are "Caucasian, while Mr. Snipes is African-American." The Oct. 17 indictment charges Snipes with fraudulently claiming refunds totaling $12 million in 1996 and 1997 for income taxes already paid. The star was also charged with failure to file returns from 1999 through 2004. The indictment said Snipes conspired with American Rights Litigators' Eddie Ray Kahn and tax preparer Douglas P. Rosile Sr. to file false refund claims based on a bogus argument that only income from foreign sources was subject to taxation. Snipes' motion says he should be counted among 2,000 people who relied on Kahn and Rosile for tax advice, not as one of their co-defendants. http://www.wesleysnipes.com/ QUAID & WIFE EXPECTING TWIN BOY & GIRL Dennis Quaid and wife, Kimberly, are expecting twins - a boy and a girl - by a surrogate mother. The couple are the biological parents of the twins, due later this year. The pregnancy was announced last month. Quaid has a 15-year-old son, Jack Henry Quaid, from his marriage to Meg Ryan. Quaid and Kimberly Buffington married in 2004. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000598/ NEW YORK: PROTECTING FAMOUS AFTER DEATH The names and images of famous New Yorkers including Mickey Mantle, Judy Garland and Malcolm X would be protected from being used for advertising and promotion not authorized by their estates under a measure pushed by Al Pacino and Yoko Ono. New York law already protects the unauthorized use of celebs' faces and names while they are alive. The group said New York and Wisconsin are the last states to try to protect the famous dead from exploitation. "I feel like one's likeness and image should be protected in some way and not abused or denigrated for the sake of profit," Pacino wrote to legislators. If passed, the measure could result in a misdemeanor charge for any unauthorized use of a celebrity's image, name, voice recordings, perhaps even their uniform number and signature. The protection could last up to 70 years. The bill was also supported by Yoko Ono, on behalf of herself and her deceased husband, John Lennon. MOORE'S LAWYER CLAIMS DISCRIMINATION Michael Moore's attorney said that the filmmaker's criticism of Bush may have prompted a federal investigation into his trip to Cuba. In a letter to the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, attorney David Boies noted Moore has been a critic of President Bush. "For this reason, I am concerned that Mr. Moore has been selected for discriminatory treatment by your office," Boies wrote to Dale Thompson, OFAC chief. "I am requesting that you provide to me information regarding the person or persons who participated in making the decision to send Mr. Thompson's letter, the nature of the discussions that took place, and the knowledge your office had of Mr. Moore and his trip to Cuba at the time the letter was sent," Boies wrote. Moore went to Cuba in March to obtain health care for 3 Sept. 11 rescue workers. Last fall, Moore asked the Treasury Department for permission. OFAC's letter noted Moore went to Cuba without having gotten a response. http://www.michaelmoore.com/ NEW YORK CITY WILL HOST FARM AID 2007 The Farm Aid benefit concert is planting itself in New York City later this year. The show will be held at Randalls Island on September 9. Farm Aid founders Willie Nelson & John Mellencamp made the announcement with Mayor Michael Bloomberg at Union Square, which has a fresh-produce market. They munched snap peas before the news conference. Concert line-up includes Nelson, Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews. Farm Aid has raised $30 million for farmers since it began in 1985. "We're so happy that y'all have invited us, Farm Aid, to New York City," Nelson said. http://www.farmaid.org +===================================+ <> <> <> DVD NEWS <> <> <> +===================================+ Well, a lot has been introduced so let's jump right into it. Remember that you can sign up for a handy dandy email release reminder of your favorites. The Luke Wilson/Kate Beckinsale motel thriller 'Vacancy' comes to DVD on Aug. 14. Bonus features include behind-the-scenes features, deleted scenes, extended snuff films, and alternate opening sequence. Coming a week after, Aug. 21, is 'Perfect Stranger.' Another thriller, this one stars Halle Berry, Bruce Willis, and Giovanni Ribisi. No word yet on extras. 'TMNT,' the movie based on the '80s cartoon series based on the comic book comes to DVD (and Blu-ray and HD-DVD) on Aug. 7. Extras include alternate opening and ending, director commentary, deleted scenes, and storyboards. 'Prison Break' From Fox really came into its own in the second season and you'll be able to own it on DVD on Sept. 4. The bonus feature details are not in yet. Karma is indeed a funny thing. The second season of 'My Name Is Earl' comes to DVD on Sept. 25. No info on bonus features is yet known. Fans will be happy to know that the first season of 'Two and a Half Men' will finally get its day on DVD Sept. 11. Includes behind-the-scenes documentary, backstage tour with Angus T. Jones (the "half" man), and a reel of outtakes. REMINDER & NOTIFICATION EMAILS MyVideoStore.com will send you messages when the movies you want to see are available on video or DVD. REMINDERS tell you when a movie has been released. NOTIFIERS tell you about a movie's upcoming release. http://myvideostore.com/content/movies/reminder.html?client=myvideostore +===================================+ <> <> <> TECH TALK <> <> <> +===================================+ CHANGES 2 COME 4 CABLE TV SUBSCRIBERS It has been 11 years since Congress voted to break the cable industry's hold on set-top boxes - the devices that consumers need to receive digital programming and change channels. So why are you still paying $5 or more a month for that thing on top of your TV? When Congress rewrote the nation's communications laws in 1996, it envisioned a thriving retail market where subscribers could buy their own boxes rather than make monthly payments in perpetuity. Things haven't quite worked out that way. The retail market for the boxes failed to materialize, and the cable industry filed numerous appeals and continued a campaign to make sure it never does, foes say. Come July 1, the gloves come off. After 2 years of deadline extensions, the Federal Communications Commission will require cable companies to make hardware changes in new set-top boxes that it hopes will lead to a competitive market. At the center of this is FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, who opposed cable's requests for another delay. He sees set-top boxes going the way of the telephone that consumers once rented from the phone company. When the government opened that market, it "led to more innovation and lower prices and better quality phones," he said. "I think the same thing can be true in this (cable box) market as well." The cable industry disagrees. David Cohen, executive vice president of Comcast Corp. in Philadelphia and its top political liaison, said consumers won't benefit from the change. "I'm not sure it's a piece of technology a consumer needs to own or wants to own," he said. Once a newer set-top box comes out, "Circuit City won't take their old box and give them a refund to get a new model. They have to buy a new box to get the newest and fanciest upgraded technology." The FCC rules will only affect customers with digital cable. For the first time last year, there were more digital cable subscribers than analog, according to the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, the cable trade group. Of about 65 million cable households nationwide, 33 million have digital cable. The cable industry will be required to separate the security function inside their set-top boxes - the hardware that ensures customers view only channels they pay for - from the navigation function, or the channel changer. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 included a grab bag of provisions meant to spark competition and limit regulation in the industry. The set-top box provision was no exception. The law ordered the FCC to "adopt regulations to assure the commercial availability to consumers" of "converter boxes, interactive communications equipment, and other equipment" used to access multichannel video programming such as cable. On June 11, 1998, the agency adopted a two-phase plan to do just that. Set-top boxes distributed by cable companies today contain both security and navigation functions. In the first phase of the plan, the FCC ordered the industry to make the security function separately available by July 1, 2000. That led to the development of the "cable card." The credit card-sized devices house the de-scrambling function and plug into competing boxes, such as TiVo Series3, and digital cable-ready televisions, which have a card slot. So far, there's been little competition for competing set-top boxes. Only about 260,000 cable cards have been deployed, according to the NCTA. And they don't always work very well. The second phase begins July 1, when cable providers are banned from providing new boxes that integrate both security and navigation functions. Existing subscribers can continue to rent their current boxes. The new boxes will use the same cable card technology as the competition. The FCC is hoping that forcing cable companies to do that will motivate them to make sure the cards work like they're supposed to. FCC hopes this will eliminate some of the problems that have faced customers like Ken Hornstein. Hornstein rents 2 cable cards so he can record one show on his TiVo while watching another. But he says one card malfunctioned after installation. The new card stopped working after a month or two, and had to be replaced again. Hornstein said technicians didn't seem to know much about cable cards. "It wouldn't decrypt anything, wouldn't tune any channels," he said. The technicians "don't expect to see cable cards. If they were used to seeing cable cards we wouldn't have that problem." Once cable companies have to use the same security technology, the hope is that they'll suffer fewer problems because it will be in the cable companies' interest to keep them free of glitches. The cable industry says the new rule will cost it $600 million a year for new boxes, an expense that will be passed along to customers. One competitor says that figure is vastly overblown. Cable operators also say customers would rather rent than shell out hundreds of dollars to buy them, according to Dallas Clement, senior vice president of product management at Cox Communications. "Is there really a market for these? TiVo is $800 and $13 a month for a 2-tuner HD digital video recorder," he said. "Us, they pay nothing up front and it's a $10 monthly lease." TiVo, which now offers a $200 rebate for Series3, argues that its interface and features are superior to those on digital video recorders offered by cable companies. The dispute between cable and FCC has been sharper since Martin became FCC chairman in 2005. But they both agree that there is an alternative that makes more sense. Technology dubbed "downloadable security" would let cable companies send the security function directly to a computer chip in an enabled TV or other device, eliminating the need for cable cards or a box. "I think that kind of a technology is probably feasible and is definitely preferable from a consumer perspective," FCC's Martin said. "And I think that would be a better result for consumers than having to worry about trying to get a cable card." The problem, he said, has been getting a commitment from the cable industry. "I think that downloadable security would have been preferable if we could have actually gotten a commitment by when this would have been rolled out - a commitment with penalties if the cable industry failed to meet that deadline," Martin said. Kyle McSlarrow, chief executive of the NCTA, said the FCC requirement has delayed work on the software solution. "Candidly, a lot of that work has been put on hold. There's so much focus now on complying with the integration ban by July 1," he said. Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, doesn't buy that argument. "They've had 10 years to solve this problem," he said. "Consumers want a retail marketplace. Retailers want to sell it. Manufacturers want to make it. The cable industry is doing everything they can to preserve their monopoly profits on set-top boxes." Even with the change, the cable industry will have a distinct advantage. Unlike a cable company's set-top box, televisions with cable card slots and other devices still won't be able to do interactive functions like deliver on-demand and pay-per-view. An agreement has yet to be reached between cable and electronics makers on interactive technology. Digital cable-ready TVs now in circulation can receive but not transmit data, creating a one-way street that limits their appeal to consumers. Some cable companies have struck agreements individually with manufacturers like Samsung. Samsung is testing a two-way digital TV in Milwaukee with Time Warner Cable but a wider rollout of similar models won't be available until next year, said Stephen Goldstein, director of business development at Samsung. Martin said the FCC is debating a petition filed by consumer electronics companies, including Sony, asking for the next step to ensure that two-way technology will come to pass. "We'll try to move forward on it in a timely basis," he said. "We're trying to get this first deadline in place first." http://www.ncta.com http://www.ce.org +===================================+ <> <> TIME CAPSULE <> <> +===================================+ June 15, 2003 - In London, a trailer was stolen that contained thousands of copies of J.K. Rowling's book "Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix." June 16, 1978 - The film adaptation of "Grease" premiered in New York City. June 18, 1999 - Walt Disney's "Tarzan" opened. June 19, 1911 - In Pennsylvania, the first motion-picture censorship board was established. June 21, 1981 - "Raiders of the Lost Ark" opened. June 22, 1969 - Judy Garland died from an accidental overdose of prescription sleeping aids. She was 47. +===================================+ With any luck, I will be adding 1 more affiliate offers. And possibly the long awaited Adventureland announcement. We will how things shake out this week. Well, that is wrap for this issue. Now, you can get backing to planning your weekend. At this point, I'm thinking about going to the drive-in. Happy Father's Day! The end, Paul @ Reel 2 Reel mailto:advland@iwon.com?=Reel_2_Reel Make tonight a movie or game night! http://adventureland.moviefever.com |
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