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| Director Samuel Maoz holds the Golden Lion Best Film Award for 'Lebanon', at the 66th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy |
Israeli war movie
Lebanon won the Golden Lion for best picture at the 66th edition of the Venice film festival on Saturday.
The Golden Lion Award for best film went to the Israeli film "Lebanon" by Samuel Maoz. The director shot almost the entire film from inside a tank to communicate the claustrophobia and fear he experienced as a young Israeli soldier during the 1982 war.
Maoz was so traumatized by his memories that it took him 25 years to gather the strength to make the movie. He was a young man when he served in the Israeli armed forces during the invasion. The occupation led to a two-decades long occupation by Israel.
Accepting the prize the director said, "I dedicate this award to all those thousands of people all over the world who come back from the war, like me safe and sound."
He said they appear to be fine but the memory of war remains stuck inside their souls.
Entertainment magazine Variety described the film as the "boldest and best of the recent mini-wave" of Israeli movies. The awards jury, directed by Ang Lee, himself a Golden Lion winning director, announced the prizes at the end of 11 days of screenings.
U.S. director Todd Solondz's dark comedy
Life During Wartime picked up best screenplay.
Iranian video artist Shirin Neshat won the Silver Lion for best director for
Women Without Men. The film chronicles the lives of four women from different walks of life against the backdrop of Iran's foreign-backed coup in 1953.
Thanking the jury for the award, she said this film has been a labor of love for six years. She said it is a film that speaks to the people of Iran fighting to find democracy and it speaks to the government of Iran. She added, "I plead to this government to give the people what they should have - basic human rights, freedom and democracy. Make peace with the people of Iran."
British actor Colin Firth won best actor - as expected - for his turn as a gay professor mourning the loss of his lover in fashion designer Tom Ford's debut picture
A Single Man, based on a novel by Christopher Isherwood.
Russian Ksenia Rappoport picked up the best actress award for her part in Giuseppe Capotondi's Italian competition entry
La Doppia Ora.German director Fatih Akin took the special jury prize for his comedy
Soul Kitchen, about a young restaurant owner who struggles to keep his business going while maintaining a long-distance relationship and dealing with his criminal brother.
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| Lynda Carter's 'At Last' CD |
She was known to millions as "Wonder Woman" on the 1970s television series of the same name. Actress and recording artist Lynda Carter is flying high again with the release of At Last.
Yes, as Lynda Carter proves, there is life after "Wonder Woman." But, with tracks like "You Send Me," her new album begs the question, when did she start singing?
Lynda Carter was introduced to country, blues and classical music while growing up in Phoenix, Arizona. She became a professional singer at age 14, but after winning the beauty pageant title of Miss World USA, she moved to Hollywood, California, to pursue an acting career.
While her role on "Wonder Woman" as the super heroine Princess Diana took her to dizzying new heights, Carter never gave up on singing. In fact, she performed two songs from her first solo album, Portrait, on an episode of her show.
Life after the series was even busier as Carter continued to work wonders in show business. She acted on stage and screen, hosted her own variety shows, endorsed cosmetics as a celebrity promotional model, contributed voice work for video games, and sang in nightclubs.
At last, at age 58, Carter has a hit record.
When At Last jumped into the Top 10 on Billboard's Jazz Albums chart, Lynda Carter couldn't have been happier. She says, "As someone who started out as a singer, it's always been a dream to be on the Billboard chart."
Carter marked her return to singing with the role of Mama Thornton in a musical production of Chicago in London. Her recent tour of "An Intimate Evening with Lynda Carter" culminated with a performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
On At Last, Carter revives the works of Johnny Mercer, Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen, Helen Humes, and George and Ira Gershwin, as well as the Jimmy Harris melody "Cloudburst."
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| President Barack Obama climbs the stairs prior to addressing a health care reform rally at Target Center in Minneapolis, 12 Sep 2009 |
U.S. President Barack Obama will keep up pressure this week on Congress to act on his domestic policy priority: health care reform. But, the ideological divide remains wide.
The president is working hard to energize support with community meetings and rallies.
But the opposition is talking just as tough. And tempers on both sides are on display.
The best example of how angry the debate has become - and of the high stakes involved - came Wednesday when President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress.
Obama: " The reforms I am proposing would not affect those who are here illegally."
Wilson: "You lie!"
Republican Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina, who was responsible for that outburst, later apologized to the White House. But Democrats say Wilson broke House rules and should get a formal reprimand.
Wilson says he will not apologize again. He told the Fox News Sunday television program that he still thinks the president is wrong.
"People know my civility," said Wilson. "They know this is a one-time event and it was out of frustration. I believe in the truth. What I heard was not true."
On CBS's Face the Nation, Republican Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine called Wilson's conduct during the speech unfortunate and disgraceful.
"Frankly, if there was more civility, we perhaps could get more done for the American people and that would set an example for everybody else," said Senator Snowe.
But such civility is in short supply these days on Capitol Hill. Snowe is the only member of her party who has indicated she could sign on to health care reform legislation drafted by the Democrats.
Senator Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican is holding firm against it. He told Fox News Sunday he doubts a reform measure will pass this year.
"I really believe that the hard work has to be done," said Senator Hatch. "Hopefully, we can all work together and get it done. But I do not see it with what they [the Democrats] are trying to do."
Perhaps the biggest source of controversy is how big a role government should play in the health care system.
President Obama has talked about a government-run health insurance program to compete with private insurers. But White House advisor David Axelrod told CBS the president will entertain other ideas.
"This is not the whole of health insurance reform and we should not let the whole debate revolve around this one question," he said.
Opponents say any public health insurance option would just open the door to a complete government takeover of the health care system.
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| An Afghan National Army soldier displays his Rocket Propelled Grenade launcher, 12 Sep 2009 |
Details are emerging about an hours-long intense battle in western Afghanistan that has resulted in significant casualties for the Taliban. Two American service personnel and several Afghan soldiers also are reported to have been killed.
A World Food Program convoy under Afghan military escort came under attack by insurgents Saturday in the Bala Baluk district in Farah province.
The convoy, which included 14 contracted trucks carrying 500 metric tons of food rations, was targeted by roadside bombs and mortar fire.
U.S. Navy Lt. Commander Christine Sidenstricker tells VOA News that a U.S. quick response force was called in, engaged in combat and then radioed for additional help.
"As the engagement went on and the enemy continued with strong fire, air support was called for," said Commander Sidenstricker. "Helicopters and airplanes came and started first with a show of force. Sometimes simply flying overhead is enough to make the enemy disperse and allow the engagement to end. When that did not happen bombs were dropped and that ended the engagement."
The U.N. World Food Program says none of its trucks were damaged nor any of its personnel injured and the rations were delivered.
Afghan Army and provincial officials say up to 50 Taliban died in the battle, which lasted for several hours.
A woman and a teenage girl are also reported to have died. Commander Sidenstricker says that is under investigation.
"We also have reports of civilian casualties, but the info we have from the Afghan National Army on the ground is that it is believed that that was caused by insurgent mortar fire," she said.
The Bala Baluk district, dominated by the Taliban, has been the scene of previous intense battles, some of which have caused significant civilian deaths.
This latest incident comes at a time when Afghanistan is witnessing its worst violence of the eight-year-long war following the ouster of the Taliban from power in 2001.
U.S. forces make up the majority of the 100,000 foreign military personnel in Afghanistan. The Obama administration is considering an increase in troop levels to counter increased military casualties from improvised explosive devices.
A resurgent Taliban have been able to extend their influence to larger chunks of the country, which is now facing potential political turmoil following a presidential election tainted by allegations of fraud.
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| German ISAF soldiers look out of their jeep during a patrol in a convoy in the area of Feyzabad, east of Kunduz, Afghanistan, 13 Sep 2009 |
An Afghan government-appointed commission says 30 Afghan civilians were killed and nine wounded in a NATO air strike earlier this month in the northern province of Kunduz.
One investigator in the commission, Mohammadullah Baktash, says 69 Taliban also were killed when a German commander ordered the strike on Taliban militants who had seized two fuel trucks.
Initial NATO investigations had already indicated that civilians were among the victims. The commander of the NATO mission, U.S. General Stanley McChrystal, has appointed a board to conduct a thorough investigation into the events that led to the strike.
In related news, Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says his goal during the next four years is to lay the foundations to withdraw foreign forces from Afghanistan.
German media Sunday quoted Steinmeier as saying he is developing an exit strategy. He did not provide details or dates for withdrawal.
Germans go to the polls to select a new government September 27.
Internet cafes vow to 'self regulate' in advance of a politically sensitive anniversary.
People use computers at an Internet cafe in Beijing, June 3, 2009.
HONG KONG—Controls over Chinese Internet users look set to intensify ahead of a sensitive political anniversary in October, with an announcement by Internet café owners that they will fully cooperate with government security measures.
Internet Café Associations in 30 major Chinese cities and provinces issued a statement titled “Self-regulating declaration on cleaning up the Internet café industry” Wednesday, vowing to abide by China’s laws and regulations concerning the Internet, official media reported.
The statement said Internet café owners would “cooperate with government efforts to close down illegal Internet cafes, to improve the quality of service in Internet cafes and voluntarily 'clean up' the industry.”
It also said the industry would work toward “putting an end to hidden security concerns.”
“Industry associations in China are semi-official organizations approved by the government, although they may have arisen from the private sector,” said He Qinglian, former editor of the Shenzhen Legal Daily newspaper.
“This communiqué has been issued under the aegis of the government.
Information control
Its aim is to control the flow of political information, especially now, on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. They want to eradicate any voices of opposition and create an atmosphere of unified praise for the Communist Party,” she said.
According to Chen Jianying of the association “China Internet Cafes Online”, the industry is taking steps to self-regulate.
“There will be more concrete measures coming in the future,” Chen said.
“Through such an organization and such an announcement, everyone is able to share information, including some aspects of Internet café management,” he said.
Meanwhile, online reports in central China said authorities at the prestigious Hunan University are developing and testing new online public opinion surveillance software.
Officials at the university were unable to confirm the reports, but they said such a project seemed likely.
“A lot of departments in Hunan University would be likely to be working on such a project,” said an employee who answered the phone at the Hunan University Information Technology department. “I don’t know which department it is, though.”
'Negative reports'
One piece of public opinion monitoring software, made by Beijing-based Goonie, said in its promotional material that it could monitor news posted on Web sites, blogs, and forums, as well as currents of public opinion on the entire Internet.
“[Goonie] is able to distinguish intelligently between illegal information on the Internet and to help you crack down on pornography, fake and erroneous information,” the company said in a promotional statement on its Web site.
“It automatically detects negative reports, ‘hot’ news events, and forum discussions.”
Zhu Ruifeng, editor-in-chief of the anti-corruption Web site Supervision by the People, said his Web site is frequently targeted for closure or by hackers, because of negative reports about government officials.
“A lot of citizens and ordinary people are going to the forums and posting reports, and expressing opinions of great dissatisfaction with the government and complaints right now,” Zhu said.
“Our Web site deals with anti-corruption, and it is blocked [by the authorities] every day. When they can’t block it, they get hackers to attack it. When the hackers can’t bring it down, we get an immediate notice that it will be closed from the supervisory office,” he added.
Authorities in the Chinese capital are on high alert ahead of lavish official celebrations of the Chinese Communist Party's 60th anniversary in power on Oct. 1, and police have rounded up migrant workers and petitioners and put pressure on writers and intellectuals not to publish anything critical of the government during the holiday period.
Kids love to play. Girls or boys have its appropriate toys to play with. Girls played with dolls while boys played with toy car, toy guns and toy robots. But the most popular toy that kids want to play with is a robot toys.
Toy robot are a toys that played by kids. It’s a toy that looks like a robot, act like a robot and programmed like a robot. And this kind of toy has been very popular for how many years already, for the reason that children love to adore and admire their favorite robot characters they have seen in the television. But, nowadays, toy robots are not only for kids anymore. Lots of adult people are now playing a toy robot as one of their past times because for them it is fun and enjoyable to play.
There are many different types of robot toys, for young kids and for big boys. And the most expensive one are those robot toys who are fully functional that was made with mechanical attached with wires and other circuits. These mechanical toys are played by many big boys all around the globe. And the other robot toys that suit for kids are those programmable robot toys only. It does not cost too much that is why it is really suit for kids.
Star wars is a popular science fiction movie that launch in the theatre. It has been views by many people all around the globe because of its very nice effects. And know what? Even children’s appreciate and like this movie because of its fighting scene with some flashing swords effect.
Since the movie became popular, lots of star wars toys are being manufactured. Delivered and displayed in many malls. And guess what, star wars really hit the highest market. Really admit that because of its popularity, all people love to collect the star wars stuff. Even children and old ones are now collecting star wars toys. Even the price is too high from the other toys; people are still keeping on buying them. And even until now that star wars movie already past away for a years. Star wars toys have been very important to them.
There are different kinds of star wars toys that all people love to have. Just like the most popular one is the sword that looks like with the star wars warrior, their mask and mostly those little cute figurines that looks like them. Little bet weird but mostly star wars fan are the one who collects them and display them in their room.
So, if you one of t star wars fans, why not start to collect now. You might get nothing at the end that you decided to star collecting. Remember its better to get late than never had anything in your hand.
Combining robotics, Japanimation and caffeination, the Coca-Cola vending machine robot is the perfect embodiment of all things geeky. If regular Coke is too sugary for your taste, there’s also a black Coca-Cola Zero robot waiting for you.
Each desktop toy measures about 11-inches tall and features bendy arms so you can pose your Coke-bot for world domination. Did I happen to mention that they both have a little coin slot into which you can save your Yen? And they make sounds and light up when you make a deposit too. What’s not to like?
I found these super-rare Japanese imports over from seller boss61 over on eBay, so you better head on over there fast if you want to get your hands on them. I’m sure I’ll get outbid by one of you guys.
Ryomei Engineering (a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries), in cooperation with two other Hiroshima-area engineering companies, has developed a robot resembling a koi carp. The robot was demonstrated at a pond on the grounds of Hiroshima Machinery Works.
The robot is modeled after a Nishiki koi carp as a form of tribute to Hiroshima Castle (whose nickname Ri-jo means Koi Castle). The 80-cm (31-inch), 12-kg (26-pound) fish has a white body with bright red spots. Though the tail movement is very smooth and lifelike, the remote-controlled koi is capable of moves that a genuine koi is unable to perform, such as swimming in reverse and rotating in place.
The robot is Ryomei Engineering’s fifth in a line of fish robots that includes a sea bream, a prehistoric coelacanth, and a golden carp. New features added to the robotic koi include a CCD camera built into the head and sensors for analyzing water quality.
Sexy is as sexy does... Sega's kissing robot!
If good things come in small packages, then Sega's E.M.A. (which stands for Eternal, Maiden, Actualization and is pronounced "Emma") must be very good indeed. Standing just over 15 inches / 38cm tall, the robot is undeniably female in appearance, actions and even attitude!
Sega designed E.M.A. to be feminine from the start. Unlike other, earlier attempts at designing female robots, E.M.A.'s "glamorous body" (so sez Sega) is curved and creased in all the right places, and by precisely articulating her moveable elbows, shoulders, knees and waist she can (again, Sega's words): "walk like a lady".
Of course, I saved the best for last - E.M.A. has a love mode that turns on once infrared sensors detect an undoubtedly blushing face nearby. The robot will then daintily tilt her head upwards and make a "kiss" sound - "chyu" in Japanese but cute nonetheless. E.M.A. is also programmed to hand out business cards... but you & I both know the love mode is going to get much more use.
E.M.A.'s onboard sensors are powered by batteries and, for those thinking about robocopping a feel, her body is crafted of tough, impact-resistant ABS plastic.
According to the Sega press release, E.M.A. is scheduled to be released in Japan this coming September 26 and will be priced at 18,900 yen (about $175) each. The target audience - adult, according to Sega (and mainly male, I'm guessing) - is expected to buy up to 10,000 fembots in the first year of sales availability. (via CrunchGear)
(Edit, to draft, Slurp)
I swear to god, with my robot obsession, you'd swear I was Japanese. They're the only culture crazed over bots enough to hold me, much less contain me. I'd fit right in — if I weren't 6'3" and teeming with 'merican nationalist spirit. But still, the Japanese deserve the credit for merging automotive culture with the ultra-futuristic robotic stuff. And no company seems to be doing more of that right now than Nissan (or it's hetero life-mate Renault). Enter the Qashqai for the JDM. They're calling it the Dualis and they're marketing it as a "powered suit." Thus, the big honkin' robot that'll be on display at the Nissan Gallery from May 23 to June 13 in Tokyo. After that it'll be at the Sony Building from June 25 to July 1st. So if you live in Tokyo or plan on visiting, feel free to snap some pics so we aren't just stuck with the viral vid we've got below the jump. – Ray Wert
