Star Trek Reloaded

Apparently, Paramount is looking to relaunch Star Trek by diving into the past and portraying the original Enterprise crew members as young officers, prior to their joint service on the illustrious ship (the target release date is Summer ’08). J.J. Abrams is directing and producing, and Matt Damon is rumored to be Abrams’ top choice to play Kirk.

Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing another TNG piece – or five – but I’ll take what I can get.

Hopefully the studio doesn’t botch this one like they did the last TV series. I mean, come on…even Janeway could've kicked Jonathan Archer’s ass.

Of Wealth, Happiness and Generosity

• Peter Singer, a Princeton professor of “bioethics”, philosophizes on the amount by which private, wealthy, Western individuals should contribute to worldwide charitable causes.

• The Economist explores the relationship between wealth and happiness, in their cover story this week: Parts I & II.

Timberlake & SNL Get Frisky

Fresh Air

Details emerge on French band Air’s forthcoming album and world tour.

Air Inspired By Classical Music On New Album

December 15, 2006, 5:10 PM ET
Michael D. Ayers, N.Y.

Billboard

Air indulges in the non-rock influence of Philip Glass' "Einstein on the Beach" and "The Photographer" on its upcoming album, "Pocket Symphony." As previously reported, the 12-track set is due March 6 via Astralwerks.

Group member J.B. Dunckel tells Billboard.com Air was "in a very zen mood" and was "very influenced by classical music" on the album, the follow-up to 2004's "Talkie Walkie." Elsewhere, the tracks "Once Upon a Time," "Night Vision" and "Napalm Love" were reclaimed from the soundtrack to the Sofia Coppola film "Marie Antoinette," for which they were originally intended.

Dunckel and partner Nicolas Godin also availed themselves of the services of former Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker and the Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon, with whom they'd first worked on French actress/singer Charlotte Gainsbourg's "5:55." That set will finally see U.S. release April 25 via Vice/Atlantic."

They were hired to write lyrics for Charlotte. So, we did the music and they did the lyrics," Dunckel explains. "I think we were really influenced by working on the Gainsbourg album. We discovered that we were good at playing together -- I was on the piano and Nicolas was on the guitar."

And although details are still being confirmed, Air plans to start a world tour this March in Sheffield, England. "We'll rehearse for three weeks prior, that's it," says Godin. "It takes awhile to organize all of the keyboards -- we like to have a clear way to have the songs during the show."

Lost Weirdness

Invasion!

I don’t know why they’re here. I don’t even care. All that matters is that the pandas have arrived, and they’re taking over.

Tracing Evolution

Seems natural selection isn't such a slow process, after all...

Study Detects Recent Instance of Human Evolution

By NICHOLAS WADE
Published: December 10, 2006
NY Times

A surprisingly recent instance of human evolution has been detected among the peoples of East Africa. It is the ability to digest milk in adulthood, conferred by genetic changes that occurred as recently as 3,000 years ago, a team of geneticists has found.

The finding is a striking example of a cultural practice — the raising of dairy cattle — feeding back into the human genome. It also seems to be one of the first instances of convergent human evolution to be documented at the genetic level. Convergent evolution refers to two or more populations acquiring the same trait independently.

Continue reading Recent Instance of Human Evolution.

Total Vindication

I've been saying and doing this for years now (at least since Mr. Johnson in the fourth grade chastised me in front of the entire class for "rocking the boat"). Seems I knew a thing or two about my body all along.

The Claim: Sitting Up Straight Is Best for Your Back

By ANAHAD O’CONNOR
Published: December 12, 2006
NY Times

THE FACTS Sit up straight, parents tell their children. It’s a well-known refrain, repeated through generations and based on the theory that anything other than a 90-degree posture places undue strain on the back.

Despite its persistence, that advice is wrong. Parents may insist that sitting up straight with your thighs parallel to the ground is the best way to sit, but a long list of studies has shown that that position increases stress on the lumbar disks in your lower back.

Thirty years ago, scientists first showed this by inserting needles into the backs of volunteers and measuring the amount of pressure created by various seating positions. They found that a reclining position was ideal, placing the least strain on the back and minimizing pressure that could lead to back problems. Since then, multiple studies have confirmed that finding.

But it was only in 2006 that scientists produced direct visual evidence. In a study that used new magnetic resonance imaging machines that allow people to sit instead of lie down, a team of researchers at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland looked at 22 volunteers who sat in three positions. The first two positions, sitting upright and sitting with the body hunched forward, produced the greatest spinal disk movement, causing the internal disk material to misalign. The third position, in which the subjects reclined at a 135-degree angle with their feet planted on the floor, created the least strain.

According to the study, any position in which a person leans back, opening the angle between the thighs and the back, is preferable to sitting up straight.

THE BOTTOM LINE Sitting upright at a 90-degree angle strains your back; leaning back places less pressure on the spine.

Shooting for the Stars

Two exciting pieces of news from astronomical circles in recent days:

NASA planning permanent lunar base

An international team of astronauts will be living and working at a permanent moon base to be built at one of the resource-rich lunar poles within two decades, NASA announced Monday.

Earth's first off-world colonists will cruise the surface in a lunar lander that will function like a low-gravity pickup, possibly journeying to the dark side to build the most ambitious collection of observatories ever constructed, NASA said.

"We will begin with short missions. Then we will build up to the point where we are staying 180 days, and then we will have a permanent presence," Doug Cooke, deputy associate administrator for exploration systems, said at a news conference at Johnson Space Center in Houston. The base could be operational by 2024, officials said.

Evidence of water currently flowing on Mars

Planetary scientists announced today that they have found evidence that liquid water still flows over the surface of Mars — sporadic gushes that open the possibility that the Red Planet could harbor some form of life.

Using images obtained from the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft, a team of NASA scientists has concluded that geologic changes in the shapes and sizes of gullies in the walls of Martian craters could only have been made by liquid water.

The team looked at two sets of images taken several years apart. In both cases, the second set of images revealed a light-colored substance several hundred yards long that had not been there before.

"The shapes of these deposits are what you would expect to see if the material were carried by flowing water," said Michael Malin, president of Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, the firm that built the camera that took the pictures released today. "They have finger-like branches at the downhill end and are easily diverted around small obstacles."

Music: Year in Review

Well, everyone knows we blog folk can't resist the lure of Top Ten mania, so here is my end-of-the-year offering to the Blog Gods...

Top 10 Favorite Albums of 2006:
1) Annuals - "Be He Me"
2) Phoenix - "It's Never Been Like That"
3) Zero 7 - "The Garden"
4) Belle & Sebastian - "The Life Pursuit"
5) Lily Allen - "Alright, Still" (U.S. release in Jan. '07)
6) TV on the Radio - "Return to Cookie Mountain"
7) The Shins - "Wincing the Night Away" (Jan. '07 release)
8) John Mayer - "Continuum"
9) Regina Spektor - "Begin to Hope"
10) Snow Patrol - "Eyes Open"

And as an extra added bonus…

5 Most Disappointing Albums of 2006:
1) Thom Yorke - "The Eraser"
2) Beck - "The Information"
3) Darkel - "Darkel"
4) Keane - "Under the Iron Sea"
5) Basement Jaxx - "Crazy Itch Radio"

A Day at Sea

I had the rarest of opportunities last Friday. A good friend of mine is a civilian contractor for the Department of Defense, and works as an electrical engineer aboard Navy ships, maintaining the SPY-1 phased radar array, an integral part of the missile defense shield (and an incredible bit of engineering). One of the ships he works on, the USS Preble, hosted a friends and family day in San Diego.

After taking the train down Thursday evening, a first for me – riding a train in the U.S., that is – and waking up at some ungodly predawn hour, I found myself standing in the early morning light on the deck of one of the newest pieces of hardware in our Navy. 300 guests from around the country were onboard the 500-ft. Arleigh Burke class destroyer to experience a day at sea with the complement of nearly 400 sailors. After being served breakfast topside, we finally pushed off around 9am and made our way 25 miles out into the Pacific. My friend mentioned previously that the captain, an impressive and charismatic man, was very excited about this day and would be going all out to show his guests a good time, so we were all expecting a show, but I couldn’t have anticipated just how far that hospitality would extend.

First of all, the crew was incredibly gracious and friendly – not at all what I expected. Maybe I thought they’d be a little rougher around the edges, but immediately I realized how foolish that had been. Most were thoughtful and kind.

Throughout the day, we were treated to tours deep into the belly of the ship. Navigating cramped corridors and harrowing ladders, we made our way through everything from the mess hall to the berthing area (Navyese for sleeping quarters). We toured the bridge and enjoyed in-depth run-throughs of the intelligence and weapons systems within the Combat Information Center (CIC). Never did I imagine I would find myself walking around the most sensitive area of one of our nation’s most advanced military assets, listening to a lecture by the OS, or Operations Specialist, a senior officer entrusted to make split-second, life-or-death decisions on behalf of our country. At his fingertips are both tactical and strategic options (think Tomahawks), and to sit at his console and listen to him speak of the responsibility – and thrill – of his job was just too cool.

At lunchtime, two massive BBQs were set up on the helipad in the back – ahem, aft – of the boat and we chowed down like hungry seamen. Then came the fireworks…

The captain was determined to share with his guests a taste of the awesome power vested in his authority. First we were treated to shots from the 5” inch canon. Contrary to its name, this artillery piece packs a mean punch. The shell it fires is maybe four feet tall, and can be accurately placed some 12 miles into the distance. He let off five shots – three in quick succession – all of which exploded in the water on the horizon with devastating beauty. Then he went through a series of routines with the 20mm Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapons System). This bad boy is a six-barreled Gatling/chain gun that fires 100 depleted uranium rounds a second. The sound it makes is unlike anything I’ve ever heard – it’s the sound of ripping Death. The gun was put through a number of automatic patterns, slicing and dicing the water as it walked its rounds up to and around imaginary targets (poor fishies). Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see the Vertical Launch System (VLS) in action – the heart of the destroyer’s weapons capability – but then again, I’m not sure I would want so many thousands of my tax dollars going to waste on my account. Plus, no need to scare Mexico like that.

The day, all in all, was a dream come true. Exploring such a fine piece of technical prowess was amazing, but it will be the crew and vibe that I remember most. I am proud of and humbled by their serving our country.

Some pics (click for full size):


These guys pulled us away from our slip.











A cruiser entering the harbor beneath the Coronado bridge as we head out.







By tradition, all sailors aboard the cruiser saluted in respect, as did all the seaman aboard the Preble.





Our zodiac escorts. Lowered over the side of our ship, we had one on each side until clearing the harbor. Any time a ship - whether fishing trawler or sailboat - came anywhere near the destroyer, these guys would immediately interdict, shadow, and remain between her and us. We definitely learned our lesson from Aden and the Cole.


The Bridge. Look at how small the helm's wheel is. If I were him, I'd feel slightly ripped-off.







These are their beds. Talk about cramped quarters. Apparently, these bunks are so narrow that you can't roll over once you're in them.


Us and the 5" gun (it's really windy here, as we pulling nearly 30 knots).









CIWS. The crew calls him R2-D2. I call him a bad-ass motherfucker.

















Me and the captain's chair.












Making friends.













The money shot.













Our friend took some pretty kick ass videos of the guns being fired. You can check them out here.

Seinfeld: The Lost Episode

Oh...my...God.

Melding of the arts

Being a fan of both classical music and electronic dance music, this blew me away. I’d never thought I’d see such a thing, but Jeff Mills (Detriot techno pioneer) composed, scored and performed his seminal works with a full symphony, live in front of an audience. He did all this, no less, before the grand St-Clément Aqueduct in Montpellier, France.

Check it out (the German quickly gives way for English):

Hello again

I've been gone forever - nearly a month now - but just when you thought it was safe, I'm back. Work has finally slowed to somewhat normal levels and I'm going to try to get back into the swing of things here.

Xerox is running a great campaign through which you can send a free, personalized, printed postcard to a real live American soldier in Iraq. The whole process takes seriously no more than 30 seconds, and means so much to our troops over there.

Please take a moment and send your love and appreciation to those serving our nation abroad. Just click the image below. Thank you.

Islam, Terror and the Second Nuclear Age

Sorry for the absence – been extremely busy with work. Hopefully, things will slow down at the office in the coming weeks and I can return to posting regularly.

In the meantime, here’s a long, but valuable piece on the debate within Islam concerning different modes of violence (eg suicide attacks, collateral impact on innocents), and a look at the potential of Islamism one day embracing a nuclear strike.

Read Islam, Terror and the Second Nuclear Age.

Revisiting an Old Friend

We were treated to a sneak preview reception last night at the Griffith Park Observatory (it opens to the public Nov. 3). They’ve done a pretty nice job with the place.

Walking up to the exterior, it looks exactly the same, but there’s an entire new wing…underground. It was built, incredibly, both under the existing structure and underneath the landscaping in front of the building. I have no idea how they managed that one.

The new hall is very attractive, very slick. On one wall - extending from the floor to the ceiling, and the entire length of the room (maybe 150 feet across) – is a blown-up image from Hubble’s Deep Field eye, with stars and galaxy clusters galore. It’s breathtaking. Directly across from that, floating out from a wall, are the 9 planets (Pluto retaining full status, apparently) and they’re in perfect scale to each other (in terms of size, not orbital distance). As I walk in and see them I let out an “Oh shit, they’re in scale!” and this docent walks by and goes “Yep! And so is the Leonard Nimoy Theater!”, pointing to a curved wall at the end of the hall. She explains: it’s a circular theater, and its diameter is that of the Sun, in scale to the hanging planets. WOW. (The staff, by the way, was friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic around every corner. It almost seemed as if they’d been waiting patiently for four years to return to the greatest job in the world.) There are a number of wall displays, some with simple text, others with audio/visual presentations, and yet others with hands-on interactive models. For instance, there is a see-through Lucite orb with a liquid-/gel-like orange substance within – when you spin it, the liquid flows in swirls of turbulence, modeling the flow of gases within Jupiter’s band. The child spinning it and catching it and spinning it again couldn’t get enough.

You then walk up a flight of stairs and, voila, you’re in the main rotunda with the pendulum swing (they restored all the original murals from the ‘30s in here and they look great). Unfortunately, you realize at this point that the new additions – in terms of exhibition space – aren’t that significant. The downstairs hall is definitely cool, but it only covers the solar system, and the Universe has lots to offer beyond the solar system. The room to the east of the rotunda has a new exhibit covering, on one side, light wavelengths (ie spectrometry) and, on the other, telescopes and the history of astronomers - ie Galileo, Kepler, Brahe and more of what you would expect here. There are some cool 3-D/holographic dioramas, but overall the room’s kind of whatever (although one end of it was still under construction). Here, like downstairs, a number of the displays and placards were still not done/posted, and plenty of the A/V buttons and what not didn’t work yet. Hopefully, once everyone’s up and running as it should be, kids or whomever can get lost in the displays for hours (although, that definitely wasn’t our experience last night).

The planetarium was closed, but I ducked my head in and it’s incredible. They yanked out those atrocious, WWII-era theater seats (complete with gimpy wooden headrests) and replaced them with lush, full-reclining theater/airplane seats. The theater is no longer in the round: everyone pretty much faces the same direction now. They also - I read this on a placard – replaced the old star projector with the newest, coolest one money could buy, so the shows in there should be great. Except that…

…they killed the Laserium! It’s never coming back. I spoke to a docent about it and it’s dead. I was mourning its loss when this attractive mother comes running over, having overheard: “Nooo!! I loved the Laserium! Back in the 70s, I used to come here with a date – lots of dates! – and we’d get hammered and the shows were just sooo cool.” “Me too!” I said. The three of us laughed, while the woman’s kids simply looked at us like WTF.

They added a Wolfgang Puck café downstairs on the west side of the building. The best part of this is the terrace overlooking the whole of the Westside. We arrived just after sunset and the view was spectacular – the sky was all crazy colors and we could see the ocean. That terrace would be a perfect spot for a date, or even just for a relaxing meal/drink.

Once it got dark, we headed up to the roof. In all my years of going up there, this was by far the clearest night I’d ever seen. The city was sparkling like no other – it looked like it’d been restored like the murals inside. It was almost eerie. The main telescope was open, but the line was ridiculously long, and they were only looking at Vega. Trivia: what does a one-dimensional dot look like up real close?..a one-dimensional dot. Our friends who insisted on waiting in line later confirmed this phenomenon, much to their chagrin. The rest of us went down below to a terrace just below the main roof and looked through a far smaller telescope (no wait!) through which we saw an open cluster in Cassiopeia. The volunteer called it the ET cluster because it, allegedly, looks like ET. She got a good laugh out of that one…many, many times. I personally didn’t see the little the waddling brown guy up there, but whatever…

Out front, down from the main entrance, are concentric circles drawn into the concrete, each with a metal placard. It turns out these are the orbits of the planets in our solar system, again in scale. If you look closely, you can actually tell that they’re ellipses and not circles. The docent (on hand to wish us goodbye) didn’t believe me, but then I bent down and measured the differences between each of the sides and she got a good schooling for free. There are the first four planets’ orbits real tight within a few feet of each other, but then you have to walk a good 10-15 feet to find Jupiter’s orbit and another 10 or so for Saturn’s, etc. Pluto, apparently, is way off across the concourse, next to the newly installed bust of James Dean. Pretty cool.

The biggest bummer about the whole thing is that, for the time being, there is no free public access to the site. We had to board buses at the Greek and get taken up and then back down, which is considerably better than what they’re apparently going to make the public do come November. Supposedly, everyone will have to book an appointment ahead of time, and then take a shuttle from Hollywood & Highland up there – no one will be allowed to drive up, period. Hollywood & Highland?! Could they choose a farther, more impacted meet-up point? It almost seems like a deterrent measure to me. Anyway, according to the website, this process will be a temporary fixture of the opening months. Once things settle down, they say they’ll consider dropping the appointment procedure - no word if we’ll ever be allowed to freely drive up there again, though. So sad, because this place was always a public landmark, one best visited spontaneously on a beautiful, meandering evening. They’re definitely deflating the experience somewhat.

Still, $93 million later, it’s absolutely worth a peek.

Halloween Dogs

Does it get any better than this?!

More Halloween Dogs.

Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch as Seen from ISS

Breathtaking.

Dove Dishes on Divas

A very cool commercial from the soap I can't do without.

Iraq Withdrawal, Part 2

In line with the previous post, it seems the respected Iraq Study Group is nearing the same conclusion:

Panel to Seek Change on Iraq

A commission backed by Bush has agreed that 'stay the course' is not working, its leader says. A phased withdrawal is one option on the table.

By Doyle McManus
LA Times Staff Writer
October 16, 2006

WASHINGTON — A commission backed by President Bush that is exploring U.S. options in Iraq intends to propose significant changes in the administration's strategy by early next year, members say.

Two options under consideration would represent reversals of U.S. policy: withdrawing American troops in phases, and bringing neighboring Iran and Syria into a joint effort to stop the fighting.

While it weighs alternatives, the 10-member commission headed by former Secretary of State James A. Baker III has agreed on one principle.

"It's not going to be 'stay the course,' " one participant said. "The bottom line is, [current U.S. policy] isn't working…. There's got to be another way."...

...The Baker panel, called the Iraq Study Group, was formed in response to a proposal by members of Congress. Nevertheless, Baker sought — and won — Bush's endorsement.

Other members include former Rep. Lee H. Hamilton (D-Ind.), who also served as co-chairman of the commission investigating the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks; retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor; former Rep. Leon E. Panetta, a California Democrat who was President Clinton's chief of staff; and former CIA Director Robert M. Gates.

In its most recent closed-door meetings, the commission focused on two options drafted by experts outside the government.

One, titled "Stability First," calls for continuing to try to stabilize Baghdad, boosting efforts to entice insurgents into politics, and bringing Iran and Syria into plans to end the fighting.

The other, called "Redeploy and Contain," goes further. It calls for a gradual, phased withdrawal of American troops to bases outside Iraq where they would be available for strikes against terrorist organizations anywhere in the region.

The experts also prepared an option called "Stay the Course, Redefine the Mission," and an alternative urging a quick U.S. withdrawal, but the panel appeared less interested in those plans, participants said....

Click here for the full piece.

Iraq Withdrawal?

Maybe it is time to cut our losses and pull out of Iraq.

I never thought I’d be saying this, but things are going from incredibly bad to worse, and our presence clearly isn’t having much effect in tamping down a progressing civil war. I wouldn’t endorse a full withdrawal – I believe the establishment of military and intelligence bases there is too valuable an asset to discard – but might it be time to remove U.S. troops from standing on corners and conducting patrols?

Check out this Vanity Fair feature article: Rules of Engagement: The Haditha Killings.

On November 19, 2005, in Haditha, during Kilo Company's third tour of duty in Iraq, a land mine planted by insurgents exploded beneath a Humvee, killing a 20-year-old Marine. What happened next—the slaughter of 24 Iraqi men, women, and children—was not entirely an aberration. These actions were rooted in the very conduct of the war. As the men of Kilo Company face investigation, the author exposes the political, military, and human realities that now make such carnage routine.

The piece is pretty darn long, but I believe it fairly describes the vicious and self-perpetuating cycle of violence bred by our continued presence in Iraq.

Hollywood's Gods & Monsters

From Radar:

Mike Ovitz is history. Barry Diller is playing matchmaker. Tom Cruise is an unemployed stay-at-home dad. So who are Hollywood's new gods and monsters? To find out, we dispatched a dozen well-connected reporters to interview the industry's remaining heavy hitters. Our crack team spent weeks abusing their expense accounts on hundreds of surreptitious phone calls, closed-door conversations, and boozy lunches at the Ivy and the Palm. Eventually we convinced more than 50 top power players to participate in our survey: studio execs, high-level agents from every major firm, and dozens of A-list producers, directors, managers, screenwriters, and publicists. These are people who have run studios, released blockbusters, won Oscars—and for once, nobody wanted top billing. So to assure their cooperation we promised them full anonymity, stroked their assistants' egos, plied them with liquor, and spent countless hours on hold (they love that). Then we hit them with the questions even their personal trainers are too afraid to ask. Who is Hollywood's Most Demonic Actor? What director drives his casts to tears? Below, the results of our first annual Hollywood survey.

Read Hollywood's Gods & Monsters.

A Match Made in Celluloid Heaven

This is pretty cool: The Top 40 music moments in film history.

The moment I saw the topic, my mind shot directly to Scorsese’s masterful mash-up of the piano outro from Derek & the Dominos’ “Layla” and the visual montage of “Bodies All Over” in Goodfellas. It did make this list, but in the 18th spot - definitely would have been on the top of my list.

Almost Famous’ use of “Tiny Dancer” is another great one, dutifully credited here.

Noticeably missing are some of the great uses of Aimee Mann’s music in Magnolia, however. Then again, I know many people have issues with that film. Not I, though: it’s one of my favs.

The list:

40. “Cuban Pete,” Desi Arnaz – The Mask
39. “The Promise,” When In Rome – Napoleon Dynamite
38. “I Think I See the Light,” Cat Stevens – Harold and Maude
37. “Cruel to Be Kind,” Letters To Cleo – 10 Things I Hate About You
36. “Closer,” Nine Inch Nails – Se7en
35. “Across 110th Street,” Bobby Womack – Jackie Brown
34. “Beth,” Kiss – Beautiful Girls
33. “I Say a Little Prayer,” Dionne Warwick – My Best Friend’s Wedding
32. “Sweet Emotion,” Aerosmith – Dazed and Confused
31. “Oh Yeah,” Yello – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
30. “Louie, Louie,” The Kingsmen – Animal House
29. “Under Pressure,” Queen and David Bowie – Grosse Pointe Blank
28. “Jump in the Line,” Harry Belafonte – Beetlejuice
27. “Everybody Knows,” Leonard Cohen – Pump Up the Volume
26. "Lust for Life,” Iggy Pop – Trainspotting
25. "You Can Leave Your Hat On,” Tom Jones – The Full Monty
24. “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow,” The Soggy Bottom Boys – O Brother Where Art Thou?
23. “Where Is My Mind,” The Pixies – Fight Club
22. “If You Were Here,” Thompson Twins – Sixteen Candles
21. “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” The Four Seasons – 10 Things I Hate About You
20. “In a Gadda-Da-Vida,” Iron Butterfly – Manhunter
19. “Tequila,” The Champs – Pee Wee’s Big Adventure
18. “Layla,” Derek and the Dominoes – GoodFellas
17. “Afternoon Delight,” Starland Vocal Band – Anchorman
16. "Spybreak,” The Propellerheads – The Matrix
15. “Don’t Stop Me Now,” Queen – Shaun of the Dead
14. “Misirlou,” Dick Dale – Pulp Fiction
13. “Old Time Rock and Roll,” Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band – Risky Business
12. “Sweet Caroline,” Neil Diamond – Beautiful Girls
11. “Perfect Day,” Lou Reed – Trainspotting
10. “Try a Little Tenderness,” Otis Redding – Pretty in Pink
9. “The End,” The Doors – Apocalypse Now
8. “Moving in Stereo,” The Cars – Fast Times at Ridgemont High
7. “Shout,” Otis Day & the Knights, Animal House
6. “Stuck in the Middle with You,” Stealer’s Wheel – Reservoir Dogs
5. “Tiny Dancer,” Elton John – Almost Famous
4. “Damn It Feels Good 2 Be A Gangsta,” The Geto Boys – Office Space
3. “Twist and Shout,” The Beatles – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
2. “In Your Eyes,” Peter Gabriel – Say Anything
1. “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Queen – Wayne’s World

Click on the link above for a detailed write-up of each selection, and the actual video clips.

A Return to Wonderland?

I’m usually against remakes of absolutely classic books or films, ones that were done well enough the first time around that they have entered the collective consciousness and shouldn’t be messed with (see Burton & Depp’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). But the following strikes me as a possible boon for one of my all-time favorite tales:

-----

Fanning Takes Shot at 'Alice' Adaptations

By Chris Gardner

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Dakota Fanning could soon be slipping on Alice's shoes and heading off to Lewis Carroll's magical Wonderland.

The young actress is close to a deal to star in her own potential franchise in adaptations of Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" for DreamWorks.

Scribe Les Bohem came up with the idea to adapt Carroll's classic novels and immediately pitched it to DreamWorks principal Steven Spielberg with Fanning in mind to play Alice. The trio worked together on Spielberg's miniseries "Taken" for Sci Fi Channel. Spielberg created the series, which Bohem wrote and in which Fanning starred.

But Bohem's history with Carroll's work goes deeper than just a quickie notion for a live-action remake. Bohem said his mother had "the premiere collection of Alice books in the United States. I grew up loving it and buried in it. My mother would collect any edition -- she even had one in Swahili. It was all there my whole life and so right in my face, but it never really occurred to me to think, 'How about a movie with Alice?"'

Bohem said he and his wife recently read both books -- "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" -- to their 8-year-old son and that got him thinking about it again.

"There have been cool versions of it before but never with the capabilities (we have today) to do the effects, and now, finally, there are ways to create a vision that does justice to Carroll's boundless imagination."

Carroll's characters in "Alice" -- the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts, the Caterpillar and the famous White Rabbit -- have made it to the screen many times, most notably in the Walt Disney Co.'s animated 1951 film as well as a live-action version in 1933 from Paramount Pictures. More recently, Hallmark Entertainment and NBC teamed for a 1999 television special that featured Tina Majorino as Alice.

For DreamWorks' version, Bohem will adapt both books for the big screen as separate features and plans to stick extremely closely to Carroll's original work.

"These are two great books with two fabulous stories," he said. "But most of the time, they get cobbled together, and we plan to stay faithful to the books and each story."

The deal marks Fanning's second straight project for DreamWorks. She recently left for the South, where she is in training for her role opposite Kurt Russell in the studio's horse drama "The Dreamer." She was most recently in theaters with the Denzel Washington thriller "Man on Fire."

As for his late mother's collection of Carroll books, Bohem said she donated it two years ago to Fresno State University, where it's soon to be on display.

-----

First of all, Fanning is a genius. Much like Haley Joel Osment, she is plainly wise beyond her years. I could see her perfectly embodying the curiosity and precociousness of Alice.

Secondly, this writer/producer clearly “gets” the import of the material. He’s correct in that no proper, true-to-the-text retelling of the original two books has been told on film, at least not in a successful mainstream fashion.

As far as I know, Carroll’s two Alice works are the most prolifically adapted in the history of filmmaking – there are simply countless remakes in various styles from all over the world. Still, I have never seen a faithful adaptation done well. Would love to see someone get it right after all these years.

Nine Lives, No Allergens

Incredible.

Cat Lovers Lining Up for No-Sneeze Kitties

By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL
October 6, 2006
NY Times

A small California biotech company says it is ready to deliver the Holy Grail of the $35 billion pet industry: a hypoallergenic cat.

At the start of next year, the first kittens — which the company calls “lifestyle pets” — will go home to eager owners who have been carefully screened and have been on a waiting list for more than two years.

Since it announced the project in October 2004, the company, Allerca, of San Diego, says it has received inquiries from people in 85 countries seeking to buy a cat bred so that its glands do not produce the protein responsible for most human cat allergies.

Cats ordered now will take 12 to 15 months for delivery in the United States, 15 to 18 months in Europe. Cost: $4,000. And owners must pass Allerca’s finicky screening tests.

Prospective buyers are interviewed for motivation and warmth, approved as if they were adopting a child. Will they punish if kitty has an accident on the floor or scratches the furniture? Their families and their homes — from carpets to curtains — must also be evaluated for allergies and allergens.

“You’re not just buying a cat; it’s a medical device that replaces shots and pills,” said Megan Young, chief executive of Allerca. “At the same time, this is a living animal, so the well-being of our product comes before our customers. This is not some high-priced handbag that you put back on the shelf if it doesn’t match.”

In the United States and Europe, cats are the most common household pet — there are an estimated 30 million in this country alone — and cat allergies are one of most common human allergies. That combination has made many homes cauldrons of sneezing, itchy conflicts in which a fiancé is allergic to his beloved’s favorite pet, or a mother-in-law cannot come for a festive meal because of Fluffy’s presence.

With cat owners sometimes paying thousands of dollars each year for allergy shots, antihistamines and air filters to damp down allergies, $4,000 for a sneeze-free existence may be an acceptable price tag. More research is needed, but preliminary independent studies suggest Allerca cats do not provoke allergies.

“As strange as it may sound, for us the price would have been worth it — it would have saved us money, and saved us pain from all the medical and also emotional problems,” said Christopher Cullen of New York. His girlfriend’s worsening allergies resulted this week in their putting up for adoption their beloved cat, Cimbi, who had achieved “mild Internet notoriety,” Mr. Cullen said, as the star of her own Web site, harlemfur.com.

Mr. Cullen and his girlfriend, Cheryl Burley, have fought a losing two-year battle to engineer a tolerable co-existence with Cimbi, because Ms. Burley, a devoted cat lover, has had cat allergies since childhood. On the Web site, you can watch Mr. Cullen, who works for the New York Senate Democratic Conference, giving Cimbi a bath to reduce her allergen load; he takes Cimbi on a leash to Morningside Park for a day, to give his girlfriend’s allergies a break.

The couple never put down carpets. They installed HEPA filters and vacuumed incessantly. But Ms. Burley’s symptoms worsened in recent months and that fragile equilibrium fell apart two weeks ago when the couple took in a second cat, Marley. Ms. Burley could not work, could not breathe and had a seizure. They took Marley to an animal shelter.

“Our whole life has gone downhill,” Ms. Burley said. “I missed four days of work. I’m back on inhalers, eyedrops and creams. This hypoallergenic cat would be a perfect solution for me. I’m determined to have a kitty.”

Dr. Sheldon Spector, a professor of clinical medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, recently studied the cats and said the concept seemed to work.

Ten volunteers with severe cat allergies were exposed to a variety of cats but showed no reaction to the Allerca cats, though all had symptoms with normal animals. “This is not a definitive study, but it is an interesting and intriguing concept that could really help people,” Dr. Spector said.

For the moment, he said he would not recommend buying the cats because “$4,000 seems like a lot of money” and there was still the chance that some people might react to some degree to less common cat proteins.

Most human cat allergies are caused by Fel d 1, a molecule that has been sequenced and its gene mapped in the last decade. At first, Allerca scientists sought a method to delete or disable the gene.

But in testing to see whether the gene had been effectively silenced, they made a fortuitous discovery: A very small number of cats carry a mutant gene that produces a modified protein, far less likely to induce allergies.

At that point, the research shifted course. Allerca screened thousands of cats to identify a population with the modified gene and then set those cats to breeding. Because the mutant gene is dominant, the breeding cats could be mated with normal cats to produce hypoallergenic kittens. And no special licensing or government approvals were necessary.

So, for the past few months, Allerca’s small pool of hypoallergenic cats have been busy reproducing. Their breeding facility cannot be visited and “is at a secret undisclosed location,” said Ms. Young, Allerca’s chief executive.

At 10 to 12 weeks, every Allerca kitten is neutered before it is delivered. The company insists this is mainly to prevent feline overpopulation. But every Allerca cat carries the dominant hypoallergenic gene and, in theory, could produce copycat hypoallergenic kittens.

In tests, Allerca cats do not produce allergic reactions. But only a few of the cats have lived in private homes, and only for a few weeks.

Last month, an Allerca public relations consultant, Julie Chytrowsky, kept Joshua, an Allerca cat, for several weeks at her Los Angeles area apartment. Joshua had flown to California to “do some publicity.”

Ms. Chytrowsky, who says she is normally quite allergic, had no symptoms even though she allowed Joshua to sleep in her bed. “I fell in love with him,” she said. “He is a real stud — well, he is a stud, really.”

The company insists on an assiduous screening of all prospective owners and their families because the cats may still not be safe for people with the most severe forms of cat allergy, such as people who have been rushed to the hospital after anaphylactic reactions. They might react to even the modified protein.

A Food and Drug Administration allergy test kit arrives five weeks before each kitten and all family members must be tested. Another required test detects the presence of other allergens in the house through a collection system that clients must place on their vacuum.

“We don’t want you blaming our cats if the real issue is mold or ragweed,” Ms. Young said.

Battle of the Bands

This is pretty genius.

Fantastic Four

What’s happens when you put four of the biggest names in Hollywood together in one room? See for yourself…

The Gang's All Here

You lookin' at them? The Departed's Leo, Matt, Marty and Jack talk movies, rage and smoking

Sunday, Oct. 1, 2006

By JOSH TYRANGIEL
TIME Magazine

The Departed -- A remake of the 2002 Hong Kong-- cinema dirty-cop classic Infernal Affairs--marks the third collaboration between Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio but the first between Scorsese and his friend of 30 years, Jack Nicholson. And Matt Damon takes the role of the bad guy--a rarity for him. During The Departed's New York City premiere, all four sat down for the most obscenity-redacted conversation in the history of TIME.

JACK NICHOLSON: [To Damon] Well, you finally get to play a mean ol' son of a bitch! Welcome to the club.

MATT DAMON: I had to. It's where all the good roles are.

NICHOLSON: Well, that's right. You had to change things up, be a swine. [DiCaprio arrives] Leo, my boy.

LEONARDO DICAPRIO: Hey, guys. Great to see everybody.

TIME: If I can interrupt for ...

MARTIN SCORSESE: Try!

TIME: Well ...

SCORSESE: This is going to be a little interview or something, right? Because I get very nervous about interviews.

DAMON: I didn't know they gave Man of the Year to four people.

DICAPRIO: Just remember how great sarcasm translates into print.

SCORSESE: My first 10 years in the business, everything I said was one of those you-have-to-be-there things. Then I learned to be direct in print. Not sure it helped. Anyway, ask something.

TIME: Jack, you've known Martin for years. What surprised you the most about him as a director when you finally worked with him?

NICHOLSON: Here's what was good for me: I gave him a part, and he made it a performance. We've talked about movies forever, so getting moviemaking down to shorthand while we were working was a kick. I've actually known all these fellas a while--though we've rarely talked about anything but work. And we like one another too. Sarcasm is better than that answer, incidentally. [Laughter]

DAMON: My surprise, not to blow smoke, was how good a writer Jack is. [Nicholson rewrote some of his dialogue.]

NICHOLSON: I just thought my guy was written a little too classy.

SCORSESE: Jack has great ideas. Crazy ideas.

DAMON: Like the bar scene.

SCORSESE: It's when Jack's trying to figure out if Leo is a rat. And by the fourth take it was really nice, and Jack asked me, "What do you think I should do?" I said, "Anything you want. We've got a free day tomorrow."

NICHOLSON: All Marty had to say was "free day."

SCORSESE: So we shoot the scene, and all of a sudden you hear a thunk. And I'm thinking, I better say cut. And, thank God, I didn't. Jack picks up a gun and points it at Leo, and he didn't know at that point that there was a gun there. So what you see from Leo is real. I love that.

NICHOLSON: But the prop man told him, goddammit!

DICAPRIO: He said, "All I know is Jack has a handgun, a bottle of whiskey and a fire extinguisher."

TIME: Why a fire extinguisher?

NICHOLSON: I was going to set the table on fire with bourbon out of my mouth, but I forgot they didn't give me real bourbon.

DICAPRIO: [Laughing] It's hard to light Diet Coke.

NICHOLSON: That's the moment you see me get out of character. I'm f___ing furious with my lighter, trying to light colored water on fire. You ever try to light water on fire?

DAMON: Now you've heard stories, like At Close Range--Sean Penn asking for a gun with real bullets. But I've never heard of a guy asking for a fire extinguisher.

NICHOLSON: [To Scorsese, while lighting a cigarette] Hey, where's the f___ing gas mask today?

SCORSESE: I have compressed air on a set because of the smoke. I've been wearing it for years because of asthma. It's just compressed air, but it ties you to a tank. It's a pain when you want to talk to the actors.

DAMON: There's always smoke on a set.

TIME: It's not from smokers?

DAMON: No, they go outside most of the time.

TIME: Do you go outside?

NICHOLSON: No, son. No.

TIME: Each of you has a scene of uncontrollable violent rage in this movie. Is rage easier or more fun to play than other emotions?

NICHOLSON: What kind of a question is this? You got to be able to play anything. Playing your own grandmother pissing on the ground should be no more difficult than carrying the groceries up the driveway before you get shot. That's acting. That's the real answer to the question.

SCORSESE: But anger does fuel the picture.

DICAPRIO: That is true. It was a tension-filled set. Was it fun working with all these guys? No, it wasn't fun. You have the occasional joke to break the tension, but there's this intense energy every moment, people trying to pull their hair out trying to make the thing authentic.

TIME: Matt, you and Leo aren't in the same frame until the climax of the movie. When you finally shot that scene, was there immense pressure to make it really pop?

DAMON: We workshopped that one scene with Marty for a month.

SCORSESE: We kept it late in the schedule. It was about two days of shooting on the roof, and the energy of the two of them together, it's like--I can't explain. For some reason, this is a film that I made that I actually like to watch. Because when it builds to that sequence, it all comes together.

TIME: Are there films you've made that you won't watch?

SCORSESE: Most of them.

NICHOLSON: Once you're in it, it's an artifact as a viewing experience. It's uncomfortable.

TIME: So it's not just false modesty when actors and directors say they hate watching their movies?

DICAPRIO: It takes probably 10 years to detach yourself from the filmmaking experience.

DAMON: You remember every-thing. So you watch it, and it's impossible not to think about what you ate for lunch that day. That's not even getting into all your hopes for what it might have been.

TIME: Are there any of your own movies you have come back to?

NICHOLSON: On TV, if some-thing happens by.

DAMON: If Titanic is on, I cannot turn it off. [Much laughter. DiCaprio nods and smiles wryly.] I say that only half- joking. There are just those movies--GoodFellas is like that for me. You stop what you're doing, and you can't turn it off.

DICAPRIO: There's something about Marty's directing where if his films come on, I watch them every time. It's a rare thing, but you do find these details that you've never seen before. He's obsessive about authenticity and minutiae that you may skip the first time, and then--Oh, my God! Slicing the garlic meant something! They weren't just slicing garlic!

SCORSESE: Kubrick is really the killer. The other night, there it is again--The Shining. What could I do? I had to watch the whole goddam thing.

DICAPRIO: [To Nicholson] I wish you would have worked with Kubrick again, man.

NICHOLSON: Me too. I'm ashamed to admit it, but the first thought through my mind when I heard that he died was not, Oooh, Stanley, my dear friend. It was, F___. Not going to get to do another movie with him. I wouldn't have suspected that would have been my reaction, but it's true.

TIME: If you could have played any role in any other Scorsese movie, which would you pick?

SCORSESE: Interesting.

DICAPRIO: Taxi Driver. Travis Bickle. It's weird because you watch a certain film at a young age and it impacts you in a way you can't even describe. You're watching this maniac, and he's really insane, but you are so immersed in him that you forget you're watching a movie and you start to feel insane. And then there's the profound embarrassment I felt when he brought the girl to the porno theater, and--Oh no! What is he doing? I was with you! I know you've got problems, but I was with you!

DAMON: Leo's answer is good, but I'd probably go Jake LaMotta. Not that I look anything like Jake LaMotta ...

NICHOLSON: Well, the question depends on if it's a part you could play or a part you just want to play. I mean, I can't pick Jake LaMotta. I can't play that. But what's the movie with the crazy fan in it?

DAMON: King of Comedy. Rupert Pupkin. That's one of the greats.

NICHOLSON: Now that's a hard part. That scene with Jerry Lewis walking down the street. I remember in my early days in New York seeing Van Johnson walking down the street and I'd have the same feeling as Pupkin. So I'm not Jake LaMotta. But Rupert Pupkin? I could possibly do it.

DICAPRIO: Hey, guys, let's give a little cheers here. I mean, we're not going to see each other forever.

SCORSESE: O.K., just a dash.

DICAPRIO: [Pours wine.] A true honor working with all of you guys, seriously.

SCORSESE: O.K., eyes here. [Look each other in the eye.] Jack, the eyes.

NICHOLSON: Just like we're in the police force.

SCORSESE: Don't make me nervous.

MoM: Music of the Moment

“Ta-Dah”, the new album from the gender-bending Scissor Sisters, is - simply stated - outrageous ridiculous non-stop bopping fun. Each time I throw it on in the car I begin to shimmy - and I don’t shimmy.

Revamped 70s disco, Elton John and the Bee Gees. Slick dance beats, creative chord progressions, and some beautiful, clean guitar solo action.

Simply too much fun to miss out on.

Concert Round-Up

Been really busy with end-of-Quarter work stuff, so just a quick rundown detailing three concerts from the past week.


Phoenix, The Wiltern, 9/21/06

Was really ready to get down and dance to this electropop meets indie rock band from Marseilles, France. Their album “It’s Never Been Like That” is right up there in my Top 5 from 2006 list, and they’re renowned for their high energy live performances. They were great the morning of, performing a live broadcast and streamed set in the KCRW studios with Nic Harcourt (click here for audio and/or video of the set). All I can really say is that they were pretty good, but not great. They moved through their old and new (but mostly new) material very solidly, but there were no real surprises. And even though we were right up in the front, there seemed to be some sort of energy lacking – both on stage and down in the crowd. Maybe it was that they went on at nearly 11pm on a weekday night, or maybe it was the fact that the theater was clearly undersold. Or maybe it’s just the curse of L.A.’s jaded crowds. Oh well.


Massive Attack / TV on the Radio, The Hollywood Bowl, 9/24/06


First of all, TV on the Radio was amazing. Lead singer Tunde Adebimpe is possibly one of the most exciting frontmen I’ve ever seen. His passion just oozes from the stage into the crowd, infecting all. I hope to have the opportunity one day to see these guys play in a small, intimate venue. I can only imagine something like that going off. For a hint of what I’m talking about, check out this recent performance from Letterman’s show – even Dave seems shocked by their energy.

Massive Attack: First of all, it could have been louder – the sound seemed drowned out and hollow at times (ie little to no bass). The lights were great, though – across the back of the stage was rigged a huge LED display that featured incredibly complex and beautiful patterns all night, which was necessary since the band played all night as dark silhouettes, never once showing their faces.

The music was solid, but I had one major complaint here: yes, MA are a downtempo group, but in a show like this, they could have layered in some beats to get people going. I kept looking back and everyone was super mellow. Maybe they were all just stoned or whatever, but there was a perceptible lack of energy in the crowd...and it was MA's fault. I kept thinking back to Bjork's show there a few years ago. Similar sound and lights and crowd, but she brought Matmos who in turn brought the fat beats and everyone went nuts. It felt at times like the music was a tease. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the show and grooves and all that until...

...they started scrolling anti-war/-West factoids across the LED display - eg # of dead in Iraq this year; cost of war so far. WTF! Same thing Flaming Lips did this summer at the bowl: blindside you at the very end with political bullshit. I don't want to think about Iraq while I'm at a summer concert at the Bowl! I just don't. Sorry Mr. Hollywood Reporter Smarty Pants: I got it, I just didn’t like it. Call me selfish, but that's not what I paid this group to see. To throw out one hour of lush grooves and trippy lights then slam you with casualty stats...well, it just took me out of my element. It was a cheap shot. I would never see these guys again.


Tom Petty / The Strokes, The Hollywood Bowl, 9/26/06

The Strokes kicked off the evening with an extended opening set and did a great job. The sound problems were clearly fixed from the other night, and they were punchy and ready to rock. They were everything The Shins were not when we saw them also in the opening slot at the Bowl earlier this summer. Vocalist Julian Casablancas can drone on at times and become somewhat monotonous, but the band behind him easily lifts the sound with creative drum, bass and guitar flourishes.

Petty: The guy has got the most ridiculous catalog of songs to pull from and he played many of his best hits - it was their “30th Anniversary Tour”, after all. He played a number of tunes from Full Moon Fever, a couple from Wildflowers, a couple from the new album "Highway Companion", the early-years classics, of course, and even a couple of covers - eg some old Bo Diddly number.

Stevie Nicks is apparently touring with him, so she came out also and sang a bunch of back-up and even full lead vocals on one tune. She was a great addition.

Petty was clearly excited to be home in L.A. after being on the road for a while. He was relaxed and joking a bunch, throwing out early on: “Man, I’ve got more ex-gfs backstage than you’ve ever had.”

He rocked the songs bigtime and the Heartbreakers sounded great. Sometimes he sang solo, sometimes with lots of back-up. The vocals were done right, always sounding lush and just full enough. He knows how to put on a show as good as he ever did, and is def claiming his role as a lasting godfather of rock. So much for the good stuff…

The crowd was fucking horrible. I don’t think I’ve ever in my life seen so much middle-aged white trash. It was like what I would imagine a NASCAR event to be: drunk white trash everywhere. They were pushing and hollering, squatting in people’s seats and generally being horribly obnoxious. Then you had the polite, older ex-hippie crowd, who were nice and fine and all but dead as doornails. Finally, there was the younger (ie under-40) folk like us, who were also fine and nice, but equally stiff. It was like being at a show with a bunch of raging lunatics, and a bunch of zombies.

There was a major fistfight two rows in front of us. Then there was guy directly in front of us who was so drunk he was belching in his date’s ear and groping her and sticking his tongue out at her, his behavior growing steadily worse until she finally tried pushing him away and he grabbed her and she pushed back HARD and he went flying into the aisle on his ass while she ran off into the darkness.

About the only good thing about the crowd was the singing. Big, mass on-key sing-a-longs at many points. That was fun. Otherwise, stick a needle in my eye.

Setlist:

Listen to Her Heart
Mary Jane's Last Dance
Won't Back Down
Free Falling
Saving Grace
I'm a Man
Oh Well
Handle With Care (w/Jeff Lynne of The Traveling Wilburys)
Stop Dragging My Heart Around (w/Stevie Nicks)
I Need to Know (Stevie singing lead)
Good to Be King
Down South
Insider (w/Stevie)
Learning to Fly
Don't Come Around Here No More
Refugee
Running Down a Dream

Encore:
You Wreck Me
Mystic Eyes
American Girl

From 'The Onion'...

'The Scream' Returns From Two-Year Vacation Relaxed

Apple iPhone

Looks like the rumors of Apple's entering the cell phone market are legit:

Apple iPhone to be Cingular-exclusive at launch

By Ryan Katz, Senior Editor

September 26, 2006 - Apple and Cingular have signed an agreement that will make the US' largest cell phone provider the exclusive carrier of Apple's forthcoming phone, sources report. Apple's iPhone remains on track for an early 2007 release.

As previously reported, Apple's phone will feature a candy-bar design with a 2.2-inch display and 3 megapixel camera. Robust iTunes and iSync support will also be delivered with the phone.

Apple's exclusive contract with Cingular is said to be good for the first six months, sources report, meaning other providers will be able to sell the phone in the second-half of 2007. Cingular had an exclusive on the Motorola ROKR—the first phone to feature iTunes—when it launched last year.

Sources say Apple is in talks with providers in other parts of the world on exclusive deals, but are short on specifics. O2 had the exclusive on the ROKR in Europe, however, suggesting that provider may again be tapped to launch Apple's phone.

Meanwhile, insiders say Apple is internally estimating that shipments of the iPhone will top a staggering 25 million in 2007 alone. Motorola's RAZR, by contrast, has sold more than 50 million units since its launch in late 2004. Apple is betting a phone with Apple's iconic design, elegant interface, and iPod-matching functionality will be a strong draw for users who currently carry both devices on them.

(Pic is artist's rendering only)

Their Lucky Charms Need Some Tinkering, Me Thinks…

Is a real-life leprechaun running around Mobile, Alabama scaring the bejesus out of some poor crackheads. Judge for yourself:

Quack-Quack!

10 Scientific Frauds that Rocked the World

Of Cheap Couture and Other Fitful Hankerings…

Promising to turn cheap fashion in L.A. on its head, H&M is set to open its first store here on Thursday in Pasadena (the Beverly Center one, an 18,000 sq. ft. monstrosity, is due Oct. 26).

The L.A. Times takes a look at what that means for your shopping experience…and for the H&M’s nervous competitors.

U.S. vs. Iran?

TIME Magazine’s cover story this week deals with the question of whether we are gearing up for a military engagement with Iran, and what shape that conflict – and its aftermath – would take:

On its face, of course, the notion of a war with Iran seems absurd. By any rational measure, the last thing the U.S. can afford is another war.…But superpowers don't always get to choose their enemies or the timing of their confrontations. The fact that all sides would risk losing so much in armed conflict doesn't mean they won't stumble into one anyway. And for all the good arguments against any war now, much less this one, there are just as many indications that a genuine, eyeball-to-eyeball crisis between the U.S. and Iran may be looming, and sooner than many realize.

Click here for the full, eye-opening article.

Liberalism vs. Religious Extremism

Sam Harris, author of a book that ripped religion as the greatest danger in modern society and favored instead the complete dominance of enlightened and secular liberalism, writes an Op-Ed piece in the LA Times this time chastising liberalism as the keenest danger to our civilization via its wholesale disregard of the violent danger originating from religious extremism. He argues that, strangely enough, it is the religious fanatics of the West who may prove to be our savior against the threat from radical Islamism:

Being generally reasonable and tolerant of diversity, liberals should be especially sensitive to the dangers of religious literalism. But they aren't....The people who speak most sensibly about the threat that Islam poses to Europe are actually fascists.

Click here for the stunning piece.

Banksy Does L.A.

Saw the Banksy show "Barely Legal" this weekend. For some reason I spaced and thought the underground, three-day-only warehouse spectacle opened early, so when we showed at 11am on Sunday it was still closed (for another hour yet). We waited patiently in the oppressive heat with a dedicated and growing crowd from all walks of life: the obligatory hipster, wackjob older hippies, parents and kids, business men, poseur blinged-out Persians kids, even Kirsten Dunst.

Really enjoyed it. I definitely don’t agree with all of his politics/ideologies (eg anarchy), but I can appreciate the mode of message. Thought the images hanging in the living room were amazing – you could actually see the brush strokes if you got close enough, which was wild considering that some were incredible knockoffs of famous works. The works of juxtaposition in the backroom were also really good.

I think his works can hit you over the head a little too bluntly at times, which is ironic because I think he does so on purpose in order to hit the lowest common denominator - a practice he blasts repeatedly with his criticisms of mass marketing.

I also think his message of protest misses in effect because he preaches anarchy, but advocates change that can only be brought about through engagement of the political system, not through dismissal.

The guy is a heap of contradictions, but I find his courage inspiring. And he surely is getting his message out there.

Pics of the opening party, and nearly all the works on display.

Fly Veritas

The Economist, with what a truthful in-flight announcement from the crew would actually sound like:

“GOOD morning, ladies and gentlemen. We are delighted to welcome you aboard Veritas Airways, the airline that tells it like it is. Please ensure that your seat belt is fastened, your seat back is upright and your tray-table is stowed. At Veritas Airways, your safety is our first priority. Actually, that is not quite true: if it were, our seats would be rear-facing, like those in military aircraft, since they are safer in the event of an emergency landing. But then hardly anybody would buy our tickets and we would go bust.

The flight attendants are now pointing out the emergency exits. This is the part of the announcement that you might want to pay attention to. So stop your sudoku for a minute and listen: knowing in advance where the exits are makes a dramatic difference to your chances of survival if we have to evacuate the aircraft. Also, please keep your seat belt fastened when seated, even if the seat-belt light is not illuminated. This is to protect you from the risk of clear-air turbulence, a rare but extremely nasty form of disturbance that can cause severe injury. Imagine the heavy food trolleys jumping into the air and bashing into the overhead lockers, and you will have some idea of how nasty it can be. We don't want to scare you. Still, keep that seat belt fastened all the same.

Your life-jacket can be found under your seat, but please do not remove it now. In fact, do not bother to look for it at all. In the event of a landing on water, an unprecedented miracle will have occurred, because in the history of aviation the number of wide-bodied aircraft that have made successful landings on water is zero. This aircraft is equipped with inflatable slides that detach to form life rafts, not that it makes any difference. Please remove high-heeled shoes before using the slides. We might as well add that space helmets and anti-gravity belts should also be removed, since even to mention the use of the slides as rafts is to enter the realm of science fiction.

Please switch off all mobile phones, since they can interfere with the aircraft's navigation systems. At least, that's what you've always been told. The real reason to switch them off is because they interfere with mobile networks on the ground, but somehow that doesn't sound quite so good. On most flights a few mobile phones are left on by mistake, so if they were really dangerous we would not allow them on board at all, if you think about it. We will have to come clean about this next year, when we introduce in-flight calling across the Veritas fleet. At that point the prospect of taking a cut of the sky-high calling charges will miraculously cause our safety concerns about mobile phones to evaporate.

On channel 11 of our in-flight entertainment system you will find a video consisting of abstract imagery and a new-age soundtrack, with a voice-over explaining some exercises you can do to reduce the risk of deep-vein thrombosis. We are aware that this video is tedious, but it is not meant to be fun. It is meant to limit our liability in the event of lawsuits.

Once we have reached cruising altitude you will be offered a light meal and a choice of beverages—a word that sounds so much better than just saying ‘drinks’, don't you think? The purpose of these refreshments is partly to keep you in your seats where you cannot do yourselves or anyone else any harm. Please consume alcohol in moderate quantities so that you become mildly sedated but not rowdy. That said, we can always turn the cabin air-quality down a notch or two to help ensure that you are sufficiently drowsy.

After take-off, the most dangerous part of the flight, the captain will say a few words that will either be so quiet that you will not be able to hear them, or so loud that they could wake the dead. So please sit back, relax and enjoy the flight. We appreciate that you have a choice of airlines and we thank you for choosing Veritas, a member of an incomprehensible alliance of obscure foreign outfits, most of which you have never heard of. Cabin crew, please make sure we have remembered to close the doors. Sorry, I mean: ‘Doors to automatic and cross-check’. Thank you for flying Veritas.”

Success in a Bottle

Just when you thought it was time to grow up and put the bottle down, researchers shine a forgiving light of hope on your dirty habit:

New study reveals that those who enjoy a tipple now and then earn 10 to 14 percent more than teetotalers

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- If you thought swigging beer or indulging in a glass of chardonnay was putting your career on a fast-track to nowhere, think again.

In fact, a study conducted by two economists and published Thursday by the Reason Foundation and in the latest edition of The Journal of Labor Research, says that drinkers earn 10 to 14 percent more than those who refrain from drinking.

"Instead of earning less money than nondrinkers, drinkers earn more," authors of the study, Bethany Peters and Edward Stringham, wrote. More specifically, the study found that workers who drank in a social setting earned more than those who tipped a glass at home.

The study contends that social capital, which entails everything from a person's charisma to the size of their social network, can be enhanced by drinking.

Those who drink socially, for example, may have an easier time finding a new job if they had made more business contacts, the authors claim, or they might strengthen relationships with co-workers or clients that could ultimately affect their salary.

Keep reading Happy hour for drinkers' wages.

Burger Hijinks

GQ comes at you with the 20 finest burgers in America.

Unfortunately, I can’t say I’ve had many of these. For all I know, Peter Luger’s burger may be freakin’ incredible (I hear his steaks are absolutely top-notch). But I do know that their two picks from the City of Angels leave much to be desired: Houston’s and The Counter.

Neither are anywhere near the top of my list for L.A. - Father’s Office, The Palm, Michel Richard, the Beverly Hills Hotel, even IN-N-OUT have these two beat. And if Burger Hills were still around, the competition would be over.

The Bionic Arm Has Arrived

Four people now have been outfitted with robotic arms attached to nerve tissue and controlled by the brain:

A procedure called "muscle reinnervation," developed by Kuiken and used on five additional patients so far, is the key.

For Sullivan, it involved grafting shoulder nerves, which used to go to his arms, to his pectoral muscle. The grafts receive thought-generated impulses, and the muscle activity is picked up by electrodes. These relay the signals to the arm's computer, which causes motors to move the elbow and hand, mimicking a normal arm.

"The nerves grow into the chest muscles, so when the patient thinks, 'Close hand,' a portion of the chest muscle contracts," according to an institute fact sheet.

Kuiken added: "Basically it is connecting the dots. Finding the nerves. We have to free the nerves and see how far they reach" and connect to muscles.

About three months after the surgery, Sullivan first noticed voluntary twitches in his pectoral muscle when he tried to bend his missing elbow, the institute said. By five months, he could activate four different areas of his major pectoral muscle.

Trying to flex his missing elbow would cause a strong contraction of the muscle area just beneath the clavicle. When he mentally closed his missing hand, a signal could be detected on the pectoral region below the clavicle, and when he tried to open his hand there was a separate signal. Extending his elbow and hand caused a contraction of the lower pectoral muscle.

When Sullivan's chest was touched he "had a sensation of touch to different parts of his hand and arm," the institute said. "The patient had substituted sensation of touch, graded pressure, sharp-dull and thermal sensation."

Sullivan said of the thought-controlled arm: "When I use the new prosthesis I just do things. I don't have to think about it."

The robotic arm does not yet send sensory data back to the brain, but that capability is apparently just around the corner.

Luke would be proud.